Jordan Valley Pathway

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and dynamic speaker. 

She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has authored three books about these adventures. 

To learn more about her work, or to engage her as a speaker, go to 

http://www.laketrek.com/great-lakes-speaker/

With colors peaking Up North, I headed to the Jordan River Valley to do a 2-day hike as the leaves began to let loose and flutter to the ground.

This hike is located east of Torch Lake near Alba.

More info from the DNR HERE.

Check out the brilliant colors:

This loop hike is listed as 'moderate.' 
It was just over 21 miles...

...with a total climb of almost 2,400 feet.

A wonderful walk in the woods.

Walking Lake Michigan for Charity

I've met many interesting people who have a connection to Lake Michigan. As you may know, this lake is my favorite Great Lake, and I walked around it in 2009.

When I gave my Lake Michigan presentation in Wilmette, IL (north of Chicago), I met Paul Binder. He said he was going to walk most of the edge of Michigan's lower peninsula along Lake Michigan.

I told him: "The lake is high this year."

And he told me he was raising money for a charity in Chicago. 

I invited Paul to contact me when he hiked near my home and I'd join him. We met up yesterday in Frankfort and hiked south to Arcadia.

Paul arrived on his motorcycle. 

Paul's ride

Mayfly

Paul holding a friendly mayfly

 We had a gorgeous day and plenty of beach (well, at least until the last mile...).

Lake Michigan south of Frankfort

We met up with this fantastic snake on the lakeshore. It is a hognose, a gorgeous, 

non-venomous snake.

Paul takes a break

Wet feet!

Losing our beach!

Crowded by this perched dune

 We hiked just over 11 miles together.

Learn more about the charity Paul is raising funds for HERE.

Leland, Michigan

Loreen Niewenhuis is an author, adventurer, and Great Lakes speaker. She has completed a trilogy of 1,000-mile adventures exploring the Great Lakes and has written three books about the Great Lakes [A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach *a Heartland Indie Bestseller*, A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Walk *winner of the Great Lakes Great Reads Award*, and A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes Island Adventure]. To learn more about her work, or to book her as a speaker, go to http://LakeTrek.com

My book tour recently took me to Leland, Michigan where I spoke at the library...

The Library in Leland

...and then signed books at the lovely bookstore in town, Leelanau Books. 

The bookstore always has fresh flowers for their authors!

Thanks to everyone who came out to hear me speak and to get their book at the lovely indie bookstore. Leelanau Books has signed copies in stock, so hurry to get yours!

Summer Top 20 & Me!

Forever Books in St. Joseph, Michigan has a wonderful event where they talk about the new book releases for summer.

And they ask an author to come and do a short reading from their new book.

Over 50 people gathered at Forever Books

The stack of new releases

Robin Allen (owner of the bookstore) and staff Diana, Sherry, and Stephen 

Independent bookstores are sites for fantastic literary events like this one. The staff at Forever Books is engaged with literature and with their community. 

The staff took turns talking about the new releases they've read

After each of the 20 new releases were discussed, I gave a short reading from my new book

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes ISLAND Adventure.

And then I signed books, one of the great joys of being an author!

New Indie Bookstore in Battle Creek!

The store will soon have a new, blue awning

 Finally, Battle Creek has an independent bookstore!

Located downtown on West Michigan Ave., 
Battle Creek Books is brimming with great books both new and used along with newspapers, magazines and other merchandise.

Owner Jim Donahue holds up the merch!

The store also has a great space for events, and I will be a featured author here for 

Spring into the Arts, Friday, May 15

from 5-9pm (I'll give short readings at the top and bottom of each hour)

and

Saturday, May 16 I'll give my Great Lakes ISLANDS presentation at 2pm

Great space!

 Come to downtown BC and check out this great addition to my hometown!
Battle Creek Books is one of the indie bookstores participating in the "Indies Only" release of my Great Lakes Islands book.

Here I am with owner Jim Donahue

For the complete list of stores that will have the book on their shelves on May 1, 
go HERE.

Ice on the Great Lakes

On February 14, the Great Lakes had 68.3% ice coverage. Lake Erie is the shallowest Great Lake and always freezes faster than the other, 
deeper lakes. 
In the NOAA image below, the darker the area on the lake, the more complete the ice coverage.

Lake Michigan is unique. It is deeper than Lake Huron, and prevailing winds tend to break up the ice that forms on edge of the west side of the lake, then move it across to the eastern shore. 

Northport, Michigan, On the Rise

On my most recent adventure exploring the islands of the Great Lakes, I had time to stop in at Dog Ears Books in Northport, Michigan. 

Pamela Grath, owner of Dog Ears Books tallies my purchases

Dog Ears Books

This is a great indie bookstore with quality used books along with some new titles. Pamela lets me know when she's acquired a book about the 

Great Lakes that might interest me.

This is one of my favorite e-mails to receive: 
"I have a book for you..."

I have built an impressive Great Lakes library with the help of my friends at indie bookstores.

I was surprised by all of the change and construction in the little town of Northport.

Check it out: 

New buildings everywhere in Northport

Construction continues...

New places open...

This little lakeshore town is hopping!

Tales from the Book Tour: Clarkston School

A teacher contacted me from Clarkston, Michigan. She said that she had used my first book, A 1,000-Mile Walk on the Beach, as the basis for her ecology course at the Renaissance High School where she teaches.

"Can you come and speak to the students?" she asked.

Kathy Yeloushan, ecology teacher, introduces me to the group 

"Of course!" I replied. And that's how I met the  principal, teachers and students at Renaissance High School in Clarkston. The students were engaged during my presentation and they asked important questions about our Great Lakes.

Students check out the exhibits -- and my KEEN boots! -- from my adventures

 It is vital that the next generation care about our Great Lakes, so I was delighted with the interest these young people showed in my adventures and in our Great Lakes.

Kathy Yeloushan (left) with the curriculum she developed using my book 

Michigan Rare Book Room's 10th Anniversary

Michigan Library in Lansing, MI

I was delighted to be invited to the 10th Anniversary Celebration for the Martha W. Griffiths Rare Book Room at the Michigan Library in Lansing, Michigan.

Program for the celebration

This is a beautiful library in Michigan's capitol, and the rare book room holds many rare and historic books and maps. 

The evening began with an amazing lecture by Randy Asplund who is an internationally known Book Artist. He creates books and art the way they were made in Medieval times. He gathers natural materials to create his inks using methods from hundreds of years ago. In his presentation, he showed photos of gathering rocks or flowers or even the gall from animals (from the gall bladder) and how he then created vibrant colors from these materials. 

He uses the same types of quills and instruments to do the calligraphy of his books on pages made from handmade paper or animal skins. 

Tools of the Medieval Trade

Randy Asplund's exceptional work

Painstakingly done by hand with colors derived from natural sources

The evening then progressed to the 4th floor of the library where the Martha W. Griffiths Rare Book Room is located. Martha Griffiths was the only woman from Michigan to serve in all three branches of government.

The Martha W. Griffiths Michigan Rare Book Room

A map of the Great Lakes basin from the mid-1700s

Some rare books

Interior of the Michigan Library

 It was a lovely celebration and I will return to this library to research the history of the islands of the Great Lakes for my upcoming book: 

A 1,000-Mile Great Lakes ISLAND Adventure 

[to be released in 2015].