Life’s a Beach in Michigan

Posted on by farlane

Glen Haven Dune Hike

Glen Haven Dune Hike, photo by Jess Clifton

I don’t think that enough is made of the fact that as long as you’re in Michigan, you are never more than 85 miles from one of the Great Lakes. To make matters better, Michigan law permits you to freely walk the entire Great Lakes shoreline so get out and have some adventures this weekend!

About this photo, Jess writes: These images were taken on a hike on the Lake Michigan shoreline in Glen Haven MI roughly two years ago. Can’t recommend this hike enough! (I’m curious if any shipwreck remnants are still explorable with this year’s higher waterline.)

I’m curious too and will try to find out!

View Jess’ photo background bigtacular and see more in her Glen Haven Shipwreck Hike slideshow.

Lots more Michigan beaches and more Michigan summer wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures.

Pure Michigan Instagram Beach Challenge

Posted on by farlane

The Beginning of an Amazing Sunset by oni_one

The Beginning of an Amazing Sunset, photo by oni_one_

With over 3,000 miles of Great Lakes coastline and countless inland lake beaches, Michigan could well be called The Beach State. Starting tomorrow, the folks at Pure Michigan will seek to make that case on social media with the 10-day Pure Michigan Instagram Challenge.

The goal is to showcase the variety of beaches in Michigan and activities you can enjoy there. Each day of the contest features a different topic for your Instagram or Twitter photo:

  • June 20 – Favorite Beach to Catch a Sunrise or Sunset
  • June 21 – Favorite Dog-Friendly Beach
  • June 22 – Favorite State Park Beach
  • June 23 – Favorite Beach to Fly a Kite
  • June 24 – Favorite Beach for Watersports
  • June 25 – Favorite Beach for Fishing from the Shore or Dock
  • June 26 – Favorite Beach to Experience Clear Waters
  • June 27 – Favorite Beach to Take a Long Walk
  • June 28 – Favorite Beach to Hang Out with Family and Friends
  • June 29 – Favorite Beach to Watch Fireworks

Head over to the Michigan Beach Challenge website for more info about how to enter and tag your photos and to see photos once the contest gets rolling. Feel free anytime to share your photos at #michpics too!

View Sarah’s photo from Miners Beach in the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore bigger and see more on her Instagram page. If you scroll down there’s more from her road trip to the Pictured Rocks!

Lots more Michigan beaches on Michigan in Pictures.

Along the West Michigan Pike

Posted on by farlane

Beach House 2

Beach House 2, photo by Lori Hernandez

Amy Arnold has a cool feature on the West Michigan Pike called Highway to History at Seeking Michigan that says (in part):

You may know it as old M-11, old US 31, the Red Arrow Highway or the Blue Star Highway – all names for a road that was originally called the West Michigan Pike, the first continuous concrete highway in West Michigan. Begun in 1911 as part of a strategy to bring auto tourists from Chicago to Michigan, the road was completed in 1922 and ran from New Buffalo to Mackinaw City.

…In the 1920s, an effort to create a series of connected, safe places for auto travelers to stay resulted in the development of a series of parks along the route, including seven state parks between New Buffalo and Ludington. During the Depression, Ludington State Park was the first state park in Michigan to be constructed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and was a showplace for the National Park Service program. The West Michigan Pike was also important in Michigan’s early conservation history. Much of Michigan’s land had been clear cut and abandoned by the lumber industry. The state incorporated highway beautification and reforestation as part of its work to create good roads in Michigan.

Read more at Seeking Michigan, and you can also check out Amy’s historical study of architectural resources along the West Michigan Pike at Michigan Beach Towns. If you’d like to retrace the route, here’s an old flyer with the West Michigan Pike route.

Also, they note that there’s an exhibit titled Yesterday on the West Michigan Pike: Photographs by Vincent J. Musi, that shows the noted National Geographic photographers photos taken along the Pike in 2008. View some right here.

View Lori’s photo background bigtacular and see more in her Ludington State Park slideshow.

More beach wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Three Little Birds

Posted on by farlane

Little Birds

Little Birds, photo by Lance Springer

Want to have a good day? Consider starting it with one of the most upbeat songs I know: Three Little Birds by Bob Marley.

View Lance’s photo bigger and see more in his Great Lakes slideshow.

More Michigan birds on Michigan in Pictures.

Sunset on Crisp Point

Posted on by farlane

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Untitled, photo by Paul Wojtkowski

Crisp Point on Lake Superior is home to the Crisp Point Lighthouse, one of Michigan’s most remote lighthouses. Here’s a map and you can check out the Crisp Point Lighthouse Society’s website for a photo of the docks that were once on these pilings.

View Paul’s photo background bigilicious and see more in his slideshow including this shot of the light. Also be sure to check out his photography website at the-woj.com. (music alert)

There’s more sunsets , more summer wallpaper and more about Crisp Point Lighthouse on Michigan in Pictures.

Mirror Morning

Posted on by farlane

Hasrot Beach

Haserot Beach, photo by lomeranger

One of the things I love about Spring and early Summer is how calm the water can be.

Jason shot this at 6 AM on the Old Mission Peninsula near Traverse City. View his photo background bigtacular, see more in his Landscapes VII slideshow and purchase it if you wish at his photography website.

There’s more sunrises and more Spring wallpaper on Michigan in Pictures!

Michigan’s Blue Economy

Posted on by farlane

Where Two Waters Meet

Where Two Waters Meet, photo by Robby Ryke

Michigan State University, the University of Michigan and Wayne State University, the three universities that make up Michigan’s University Research Corridor (URC), have released a report titled “Innovating for the Blue Economy“. The report cites nearly $300 million in awards for water-related research and outreach from 2009 to 2013 that have led to innovations from dealing with invasive species and monitoring water quality to finding ways to optimize water use in agriculture. Their news release on the report prepared by the Anderson Economic Group (AEG) says in part:

AEG’s analysis showed that Michigan ranked fourth in the nation in the percentage of jobs associated with industries related to water, at 718,700.

“One in five Michigan jobs is tied to having good and plentiful water,” said AEG founder and CEO Patrick Anderson. “It is an important economic driver in Michigan, and extends to Great Lakes shipping, advanced manufacturing, agriculture and fishing, and over 80 other industry subsectors where Michigan workers are employed today.”

While most of Michigan’s water-related jobs are in water-enabled industries such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing, about 138,000 are in core water products and services producing water treatment facilities and solving water quality and quantity issues.

“Water isn’t just Michigan’s defining characteristic but the foundation of life on earth,” said Michigan State University President Lou Anna K. Simon. “Our three universities make significant commitments to support water-related research and programs. These not only support Michigan’s economy and quality of life, but position the state as a knowledge wellspring for the world’s most precious natural resource.”

Read on and read the full report right here. The report is chock full of interesting facts including that those 718,700 jobs represent 21.3% of Michigan’s total employment (4th in the nation) and details many of the accomplishments of Michigan’s investment in our “Big Three” university research programs. Also note that “downstream” industries like tourism that rely on healthy water resources aren’t included in the numbers.

Robby writes that Otter Creek Beach has to be the reason why Sleeping Bear Dunes was Voted “Most Beautiful Place in America” by Good Morning America. View his photo bigger and see more in his slideshow.

Michigan in Pictures has over 40 pages of water-related photos – drink deep!

Old Dock

Posted on by farlane

Old dock III (1 of 1)

Old dock III (1 of 1), photo by Todd Bielby

One day’s ruin is another day’s scenery…

View Todd’s photo background bigtacular and see more including a black & white view in his slideshow. FYI, he shot this pic at Forrester Park, about 20 miles north of Port Huron.

Meanwhile, on Miners Beach

Posted on by farlane

Thankful for what we are blessed with here by oni_one

Thankful for what we are blessed with here…, photo by oni_one_

One of the neatest things for me about online photography and social media is how things come together in a synchronistic fashion sometimes. Yesterday, I posted a photo by Shawn Malone from above at Miners Castle of the frozen expanse of Lake Superior. For everyone who wondered what things were looking like at beach level, here you go!

Sarah took this pic yesterday at Miners Beach in the Pictured Rocks. View her photo bigger and see more on her Instagram.

Amongst Lovely Things

Posted on by farlane

The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things. – Plato

The most effective kind of education is that a child should play amongst lovely things.
~Plato (photo by Jess Clifton)

Here’s hoping you have a chance this weekend to spend a little time amongst lovely things.

View Jess’s photo background big and see more in her Fabulous Fog slideshow.