Pyramid Point

When I think of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park being named the Most Beautiful Place in America, I instantly think of Pyramid Point. This hike and overlook is, to me, the epitome of what the National Lakeshore has to offer; diverse wildlife, beautiful woodlands, pristine sand dunes, and stunning overlooks high above Lake Michigan & Sleeping Bear Bay. But as a local what does this mean? It means I never go there. Because my perception is that it’s always crowded.

When I was out in Glen Arbor recently, after participating in the Solstice Run, I decided to head out to the Point for the first time in a couple years, fully expecting to deal with throngs of tourists on a Saturday in June (disclaimer: I’m not complaining about tourists because they make up 531% of our economy, but that doesn’t mean I have to hang out with them). But it turns out that 111 square miles of pristine wilderness is enough for everybody. Sure there were a few people out, but not nearly as many as I anticipated. And once we’d soaked in enough of the view from the primary look-out spot we headed down some of the other trails in the area that I’d never been on. After a short hike along the dunes we found ourselves on another lookout point with nobody else in sight. The only thing missing was our foresight to pack a picnic lunch.

So while I still like to track down the more “under the radar” spots around Northern Michigan, my fears of hiking alongside thousands of tourists have been alleviated. Sleeping Bear Dunes deserves its title and because of that it’ll be routine stop for us this summer.

Helpful tips: The hike up to Pyramid Point is heavily wooded, meaning mosquitoes – so pack bug spray. Stay on the trail, we saw plenty of poison ivy. Don’t hesitate to bring the kids – while there is a bit of walking to get to the top, the 5 kiddos we had with us, ranging in age from 3 – 11, made it no problem even with the extra adventures we did at the top.

Grand Traverse Commons Barns

One of my favorite places in TC is well on its way to becoming even more awesome. The Barns at the Grand Traverse Commons are wrapping up a 1.5 million dollar capital campaign and those funds are going to be used to make this 54-acre park a premier destination in our area.

The park is owned by the Traverse City/Garfield Township Joint Recreational Authority, but almost half the acreage is managed by the Botanic Garden of Northwest Michigan (disclosure: I’m a board member of that organization so if I seem overzealous about this project that’s because I am!). Together, these two entities will be turning the Barns into a venue for weddings, concerts, & conferences. The original floors and interior architecture of the Cathedral Barn will be preserved as a part of the renovation. Updates will include heating, air conditioning, and the addition of restrooms.

The area between the two Barns will be used as an amphitheater and will host outdoor concerts. There’s a gently-sloping grassy area facing the future stage that forms a natural area for throwing down a blanket, opening a picnic basket, and listening to some live music. Sounds likes a perfect summer afternoon to me.

Additionally, the Botanic Garden will be  converting an old granary on the site into a visitors center with classrooms, creating a walled garden out of an old horse barn, and adding three additional gardens. These spaces will be used for public events, education, therapy, and wildlife viewing.

The Barns and the surrounding area do not escape the lore that surrounds the nearby State Hospital. When the Hospital was up & running, the Barns area was farmed as a form of therapy for patients. And those rumors you always heard about secret tunnels connecting the buildings – they’re true, I’ve been in one in what will soon be the visitor center.

That  history can almost be felt when you walk into the cavernous Cathedral Barn (which we were lucky to get to do – see photos below). It’s like stepping into another era – all the original interior is lit by the natural light pouring in through the windows. I love visiting historical sites and to have another one becoming available in our community is super exciting.

All of this is a great addition to the Commons area which already boasts some of the city’s finest dining, living, and hiking (& snowshoeing & sledding in the winter!).

If you’re interested in helping out, you can do so here. Fundraising for the capital campaign will continue through 2013 with construction starting in the spring of 2014.  By that fall the Barns will hopefully be hosting events! So if you get invited to one and need a date, please feel free to contact us at info@northernswag.com and one of us will make ourselves available.

Special thanks to Jeffrey Schwaiger Design & Environment Architects for providing the renderings (yes, as in the brother of this Kim Schwaiger)

Northern Swag in Detroit

I’ve had the fortune during a few of my recent trips to the Detroit area to spend some time downtown. And this time I remembered to bring along my camera. So after another amazing meal at Slows BBQ I headed out into an unexpected snowstorm to try and grab some shots.

It’s pretty weird walking around a city that you would expect to have people crawling all over it, shoulder to shoulder along the sidewalks. The infrastructure is there to make you feel like you’re in any other metropolis. But there aren’t any people. And many of the buildings, some of them huge skyscrapers, are vacant. This feeling of loneliness and desolation followed me as I wandered around one of these neighborhoods looking for subjects. But what was also present was a feeling of adventure and I think that’s what draws me to Detroit. Well, that’s one of the things. Because despite its appearance & reputation, Detroit is a great place to visit. There’s plenty to do, see, eat, & drink.

There seem to be plenty of people from up here, in the Great White North, who travel to the “D” for various reasons. Next time do yourself a favor and head downtown. Take in a game at Comerica, the Joe, or a concert at the Fillmore or Fox Theaters. Then hit up Atwater Brewery or my personal favorite, Slows BBQ, where you’ll find an emphasis on incredible food and amazing beers. Or don’t make plans and see what you can find. One of my favorite trips to Detroit centered around a late-night stumble into Cafe D’Mongo’s, where we found some local punk rockers throwing down. Totally random, but a lot of fun. I think you’ll be surprised at what this city has to offer.