beach

cornhole sunset

Posted on August 28, 2007August 25, 2007 by Michigan in Pictures

Winner of this month’s most interesting title…

There are many people who have varying views of how to play cornhole or what the actual name is, cornhole, bean bag game, softshoes, etc. We have discovered the most popular way to play and have standardized the rules and dimensions so people from all over the country can play the same way.

Their forum looks at the conflicting accounts of the origins and evolution of the game. A Cincinnati native who recently moved to michigan noted …the trend is getting hot up here. They are all calling it ” Polish Horseshoes”. I just laugh and tell them that we call it Cornhole. Oh well they will get it soon enough.

The Cincinatti Enquirer says that Cincinnatian Ryan Whetstone started the Cornhole Game Association, so you Polish horseshoers may be in the wrong.

A Pictured Rocks Vacation

Posted on August 27, 2007May 18, 2009 by farlane

Mosquito Beach 1 – Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, photo by mandj98

So, I’m taking a brief vacation* but I’ve cued up some vacation themed photos to run while I’m gone. I hope you enjoy them.

For the first time in several years, my vacation plans don’t include the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (aka my 2nd favorite place in the world). The Mosquito Beach trail loop is probably the best trail I’ve ever hiked. Long enough to feel challenging, but short enough that you don’t have to carry the kids … too far.

James Phelps really loves the Pictured Rocks too, and he has created a great Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore set (slideshow) about which he writes:

Wild Beauty on the Lake Superior Shore Sandstone cliffs, beaches, sand dunes, waterfalls, lakes, forest, and shoreline beckon you to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. Hiking, camping, sightseeing, and four season outdoor opportunities abound. The Lakeshore hugs the Lake Superior shoreline for more than 40 miles. Lake Superior is the largest, deepest, coldest, and most pristine of all the Great Lakes. From the NPS Pictured Rocks site.

He has uploaded all the pictures at wallpaper/screensaver and he also has many for sale as prints from his photography web site.

*I do have a rather large house-sitter, so all you prowlers can prowl elsewhere! ;)

Ideal

Posted on August 25, 2007August 25, 2007 by farlane

Ideal, photo by Voxphoto

Ross writes:

Theater marquee on the main street of Clare, Michigan.

I’m really falling in love with my Autocord TLR again.Too bad about that lens flare (as an old SLR guy, this always trips me up). Still, the amount of detail in the original 6×6 Provia transparency just tickles me to pieces. In the jumbo size note the sign-maker’s badge, “Artkraft Lima Ohio.”

That Autocord link is my addition (autocord slideshow).

Kirk Park

Posted on August 11, 2007January 1, 2008 by Michigan in Pictures

Thanksgiving Sunset, photo by wizardkitten.

It’s been 2 weeks since the last Michigan shoreline tour stop at Holland (feels like 2 weeks since I last got on the Michigan shoreline myself!).

While I didn’t find much about the history of Kirk Park at the page Google thinks is best, I did stumble onto this review of the Dune Ridge Trail at Kirk Park from Jim DuFresne’s Best Hikes with Children in Michigan Guide Book (there’s 80 hikes on that page – check it out):

There is a tendency at Kirk Park for children to head straight to the beach. They jump out of the car and hightail it down a paved path to Lake Michigan where they jump into the surf, roll in the sand, or get scorched by the sun. Then their parents take them home, usually waterlogged, sunburnt, and with half a dune in their bathing suits. Should have taken them hiking. At 66 acres and with 2000 feet of lakefront, this Ottawa County park is not large. In fact, it’s basically one dune. But it’s a large dune, and major renovations in the mid-1990s resulted in an intriguing 2-mile trail system over and around this towering hill of sand. The heart of the system is Dune Ridge Trail, a mile-long loop that climbs the hill and then circles the top to reward hikers with excellent views of Lake Michigan.

Cathleen says she likes this park and goes there quite a lot. After seeing her pictures and those from Thomas, Craig (who apparently heeded that “take the trails” advice), Katie, Holly and others, I can see why.

Here’s a Flickr map and also the entry for Kirk Park on our Absolute Michigan map of Michigan.

supersampler: Watermelon umbrella

Posted on July 18, 2007July 18, 2007 by Michigan in Pictures

Watermelon umbrella, photo by caterpillars.

Who doesn’t want the Lomographic Society International’s Queen of All Multi-Lensed Cameras, the Supersampler?

View caterpillars’ supersampler slideshow.

Postcard History of Sister Lakes, Michigan

Posted on July 13, 2007July 13, 2007 by farlane

Speedboat ‘King Tut’ on Indian Lake

Speedboat ‘King Tut’ on Indian Lake The photographer taking a picture of the speedboat King Tut in 1929 had no idea of its significance. Earl Wiest Jr. and Ralph Tice, owners of Tice’s Beach at the north end of Indian Lake, were intense rivals. Who had the faster boat was an example. Tice won this round by building King Tut, the fastest boat on the lake, and racing it in front of Wiest’s Resort.

The introduction to Sister Lakes by R.L. Rasmussen, a new book in Arcadia Publishing’s Postcard History Series, says that technically the two lakes that are called the Sister Lakes are Round Lake and Crooked Lake. In 1877 a post office for Sister Lakes was established in the area between the two lakes.

The book covers these two lakes and also the other nine lakes within a six-mile radius: Magician Lake, Indian Lake, Dewey Lake, Round Lake with 194 acres; Big and Little Crooked Lakes, Cable Lake and the four smaller lakes of Keeler, Pipestone, Priest, and Brush.

Happyland Resort on Magician Lake (above right, click for larger view) These young vacationers are from a 1923 postcard. This resort was originally started by Frederic E. Howe. He and his wife had a theatrical troupe that would spend their summers there writing plays and taking them out on the road. These actors would then be available to groups attempting to raise money for special causes.

You can learn more about Sister Lakes at the Sister Lakes, Michigan web site (nice map of the Sister Lakes area too) and also view the area on Google Maps.

The photos and captions reprinted with permission from Sister Lakes by R.L. Rasmussen. The book is available from the publisher online at www.arcadiapublishing.com or by calling 888-313-2665.

View other excerpts from Arcadia Publishing’s Michigan books at Michigan in Pictures!

Surfing, Michigan Style

Posted on July 10, 2007November 15, 2015 by Michigan in Pictures

Surfing01.jpg, photo by Evography.

Evography writes: Dropping in from the pier, the tricky part is not getting worked right back into the pier.

Check out his Great Lakes Surfing set (slideshow!!) for a bunch more photos, most of which are large enough for your computer background needs!

When you’re finished with that, head over to Absolute Michigan for a Michigan surfing extravaganza featuring tons of Great Lakes surfing videos (including some 1970s footage of folks surfing off this same pier!)

Which I should add is the Grand Haven Pier!

Sunset from Douglas beach

Posted on July 7, 2007July 7, 2007 by Michigan in Pictures

IMGP1498h, photo by norjam8.

The Wikipedia entry for Douglas, Michigan says Douglas (in Allegan County, pop. 1214 in 2000) and adjacent to Saugatuck, was originally known as Dudleyville and settled in 1851 as a lumber town. In 1861, residents changed the name to Douglas, maybe to honor Stephen A. Douglas or maybe because an early settler came name because he came from the Isle of Man (with a capital named Douglas). After the lumber went to rebuild Chicago, Douglas turned to fruit (especially peaches) and tourism.

Check out the Douglas Michigan history page for some cool old photos (and for Douglas business, events and city information. Here’s a Google map for Douglas to you can go there for the day or weekend. Douglas is also home to the Douglas Dutchers vintage baseball club who play a remarkably full schedule.

Norm has a ton more photos of West Michigan dunes and beaches and sunsets and sunrises.