Hello all! This post is the first in a series from when I took a 6-week road trip across the northern U.S., Canada, and Alaska in the summer of 2023. Thanks for joining!

Before I dive right in, let me give a little background. After studying abroad in New Zealand for a semester, I developed two goals for my life back in the States: visit all the National Parks and thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. When I graduated and took my first job, I set an exit date for myself of three years in order to accomplish the latter. These plans evolved, however, due to logistics, and I decided to push back the AT to ’24 and in the meantime road trip around to National Parks. Plans evolved even further when I felt a call to spend some of this time in missions. Thus, two ten-week trips to Belize and South Africa were added to the itinerary. I still wanted to chip away at my goal of seeing all the National Parks, however, so I kept it in the plans but shortened it to six weeks so that I could depart for Belize at the end of the summer.

Thus began the first leg of my sabbatical! By June 30, I had quit my job, thrown a farewell party, and had just finished moving out of my rental house. I drove to my parents house to stay the night, and woke up July 1 to the scent of my dad’s banana pancakes wafting through the house. I hastily packed the car, enjoyed a delicious breakfast, and figured out health insurance before I finally got on the road. My first destination? Michigan City, Indiana.

My dear friends Quinci and Anna wanted to send me off, and so we came up with the idea of renting an Airbnb near Lake Michigan and spending a day or two there, since I was headed that way anyways. Unfortunately they got caught in traffic and arrived considerably later than me, but it did give me the chance to take a nap and decompress a little after several incredibly hectic days.

Once they arrived, they got settled in and we checked out the Airbnb a bit – I was particularly amused by this drawer!

We made a run to the store for pizza ingredients and other goodies, then returned to the house and enjoyed dinner together. We decided we wanted to try and catch sunset on the beach, so we drove to Washington Park. We didn’t get quite the spectacular colors we were hoping for, but it was still pretty.

Otherwise we had a relatively quiet night in and enjoyed watching A League of Their Own together.

July 2nd we made breakfast together, then finished the movie and packed up our things.

We decided to go to an antique market together, then went to the Old Lighthouse Museum, both of which were neat!

We grabbed a late lunch at Bartlett’s Fish Camp, which was a really cute restaurant.

Unfortunately, at this point it was time for that goodbye we had all been dreading. We spent a long time in that parking lot sharing tears and hugs. These dear friends had been so so good to me – there wasn’t anyone else I’d rather have send me off on this adventure!

After they headed for back home, it was time to dry my tears and start prepping for the trip ahead. I made a run to Walmart to grab food, and took advantage of the free Wi-Fi and an outlet I found to do some planning.

Normally when I plan a National Park trip I have all my accommodations booked and have a somewhat flexible itinerary, with a couple of must-do items per park and maybe a point of interest in the city I’m flying into. With a trip of this length, however, I figured I would probably need more flexibility, so while I had a general idea of which parks I wanted to shoot for and in what order, I really didn’t have any reservations or tickets before leaving. I ended up planning about 5-7 days ahead at a time while I was on the road, stopping at a fast food place or wherever I had access to free Wi-Fi. This seemed to work pretty well for me, though I was amazed at how much time planning ate up.

Another big difference for this trip was accommodations. I tend to prefer camping when I travel because of its affordability, but even campgrounds can cost north of $30 a night – which is fine for a week but a little pricey for six, especially when you’re planning to stretch your savings for 1.5+ years. I did my research and found a website called http://www.freecampsites.net, which aggregates paid and free campsites all over the US and Canada. Though there were times it made more sense to stay at a paid site in an established campground, I used the website to find sites for a majority of my nights traveling, and it ultimately saved me probably hundreds of dollars in camping fees.

Another new change was my Garmin InReach, a two-way satellite communicator. I had previously used the Spot satellite device on my travels to let friends and family know my location and that I was safe, but as a one-way communicator it couldn’t receive messages, and the text of the messages I could send, while customizable, weren’t designed to be changed frequently. Though the Garmin cost a good chunk of change at north of $400, I felt it was worth it to help give my family peace of mind, and it would allow me to better reach out for help when cell service was absent.

Alright, back to Walmart: after I had knocked out shopping, planning, and setting up my new Garmin, I headed out for my campsite for the night at Indiana State Park.

“State Park?” you might ask. Yep! There is both a state park and national park by the name of Indiana Dunes, which can definitely make things kinda confusing. The two complement each other very well, however, so if you’re in the area and have the time, I highly recommend visiting both – you can still hit the highlights in about a day, in my opinion.

Ironically, though I had lived my whole life in Indiana and had spent the last three years visiting National Parks, I had yet to visit Indiana Dunes NP. Growing up we had favored the state park, since its beaches were more popular and readily accessible. Also, to be fair, Indiana Dunes NP had only existed for about four years at this point – it was previously a National Lakeshore until 2019.

I started off my first full day at the Dunes by taking some time to organize my car – not the most exciting thing, I know, but after the last few whirlwind days, my car needed it. After that was accomplished, I decided to hike the “3 Dune Challenge” in the State Park, a 1.5 mile trail linking the park’s three tallest dunes. It was a fun little challenge, and it came with some pretty views to boot!

Next up was a stop at the Visitor’s Center to pick up an annual park pass and get my picture by the sign…

Then it was off to explore the old Bailly Homestead and Chellburg Farm. I like old buildings, so this part was somewhat interesting to me, but I wouldn’t put it on a list of must-dos.

Next up I decided to hike the 3.4 mile (RT) Paul H. Douglas trail, which led to the lakefront. It’s a rather flat trail, but the sandy terrain definitely slows hiking speeds. I really enjoyed the variety of terrains the trail traversed, especially the globally rare black oak savannah. Also spotted some wild lupine!

Probably my favorite attraction in the park, however, was the Century of Progress Homes. Originally built for the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair to showcase up-and-coming materials and designs, these five homes were later relocated to the lakefront as part of a plan to create a resort community. These plans didn’t quite come to fruition, however, and the land was acquired by the National Park Service in the 60s and 70s. The houses continued to deteriorate until the non-profit Indiana Landmarks leased them from the park service; they then sub-leased four of the five houses to tenants willing to restore them. Today the houses are only open to the public one week a year, but you can still view them from the sidewalk and read the informational signs they have posted.

Daylight was running out on me, so I decided to finish out the day with dinner on the beach! I was lucky and got a really pretty sunset to boot.

That night I crossed my first state border into Michigan and stayed at my first free campsite, just outside of the small town of Bloomingdale. It ended up being one of the nicest free camps I would have on the whole trip – fire rings, picnic tables, and privy included!

I packed up and headed for South Haven, Michigan, a very cute little town on Lake Michigan. My primary goal here was to see their iconic lighthouse and grab a nearby letterbox.

It just so happened to be the Fourth of July, and of course South Haven had a parade, so getting out of town was a little trickier than I had anticipated. I had planned on Holland being my next stop – I was eager to visit the Windmill Gardens and Holland State Park after having visited earlier in the spring – but traffic ended up being really bad, so I skipped to the next location on the itinerary, Grand Rapids. I’m a history buff, so naturally I was drawn to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, and it felt even more patriotic being there on the 4th!

Personally, I found it really interesting learning about the only U.S. President who wasn’t voted into office, particularly how he dealt with the fallout from the implosion of the Nixon administration. And regardless of politics, he seemed like a really decent and admirable man – a rare treat for a politician.

After Grand Rapids, I continued north and was happy to catch some sunset fireworks from this viewpoint! It had felt kind of strange to spend the Fourth alone after having spent it with friends for several years, so it was nice to have some of the tradition at least.

I crossed the Mackinac Bridge for the first time in my life – very cool! – and grabbed a free campsite nearby.

The next morning I was up early to catch the ferry to Mackinac Island. I packed up most of my belongings but left my tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping bag to claim my spot, since I was planning on returning that evening. It was a nice spot, if rather buggy.

I boarded without a hitch, and off we went!

Mackinac Island was high on my list to see for two main reasons: one, my grandparents honeymooned here, so it’s a pretty meaningful place in our family history. Two, Mackinac Island was actually home to the nation’s second national park after Yellowstone! It was later turned over to the State after the fort, whose soldiers served as the caretakers of the park, was decommissioned – making it the first National Park to be delisted. As a National Parks nerd, I was really curious to judge for myself whether the island was National Park-worthy.

After docking, I scoped out a few of the shops…

…Then decided to go the touristy route and rent a bicycle. For those unfamiliar, no cars are allowed on the island, so bikes are a really popular way to get around. One of the most popular routes is an 8.5 mile highway that encircles the island, and is the only US highway to not allow motorized vehicles. I thought it was a really great way to see the natural beauty of the island, namely Arch Rock.

Afterwards, I tracked down a few letterboxes – there’s tons on the island! I had unfortunately left my supplies back on the mainland, but I was able to make do. It was also quite nice to escape the crowds a bit.

My next stop on the island was the Grand Hotel. When my grandparents honeymooned here, they only had enough money to buy a Coke at the hotel, so it was my goal to try and get a Coke there in their honor. Unfortunately, they only sold Pepsi products, and they charged a fee to explore the hotel, so my idea fell flat. At least the outside of the hotel was pretty!

Next I headed over to the site of Fort Mackinac. The fort was originally constructed by the British during the Revolutionary War, then eventually turned over to the Americans after they won the war. It saw the most action during the War of 1812, when the British recaptured it. It was again returned to the Americans upon their winning the war and afterwards served primarily as a strategic troop reserve. When Mackinac National Park was designated in 1875, it was the troops who served as park caretakers until both the park and the fort were decommissioned. Today it remains a popular destination as one of the few remaining intact Revolutionary War forts.

One of my favorite exhibits told the story of a visiting fur trader named Alexis St. Martin, who sustained an accidental gun shot wound to the stomach while on the island. Under the care of fort surgeon William Beaumont, he miraculously survived, though his wound healed in such a way that he was left with a hole that allowed external access to his stomach. Beaumont quickly realized that St. Martin’s case was an opportunity to study digestion and employed some quite unethical tactics to keep St. Martin in his care and perform over 200 experiments on him over 10 years. While undoubtedly amoral in nature, these studies yielded hugely significant medical findings for the time and moved the field of gastric physiology light years ahead of where it had been.

I also got to attend a cannon firing demonstration, which I thought was pretty cool!

I raced around trying to see as much of the fort as I could before it closed, then picked up another letterbox and a souvenir for my grandma. I really debated purchasing some of the famous fudge, but decided to just stick with a free sample due to not having a refrigerator. The shop was neat though!

After a long day of running around the island, it was time to board the ferry for the mainland. Upon deboarding, I managed to find a shop that made pasties, a UP specialty consisting of meat and vegetables wrapped in a dough. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to heat mine up for me, but it was still pretty good cold! I also grabbed a Coke from the nearby McDonald’s since I wasn’t able to get one at the hotel – not quite the experience I was hoping for, but I was still glad to think of my grandparents enjoying the same beverage in at least the same vicinity some fifty years prior.

After bumming some wi-fi from the McDonald’s for a while, I drove back to my campsite, ready to turn in for some rest after a long day. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened: upon arriving, I realized that someone had stolen my sleeping bag and sleeping pad from my tent while I had been gone. The value of the stolen items was negligible – I was very thankful the thief had failed to realize my ultralight tent was much more valuable – but I was quite shaken at somebody having invaded my “home”. I decided to sleep in my front passenger seat that night to be safe.

After a fitful night of sleep (I never sleep well sitting up, and the theft certainly didn’t help matters any), I hit the road again, but not in the direction I had originally planned. I figured I could do without a sleeping pad for a few days, but I wanted a sleeping bag in case temps dropped. The rather sparsely populated UP just didn’t have many stores around, so I had to go back south across the Mackinac Bridge to Cheboygan in order to pick up a replacement sleeping bag. While I was there, I also picked up some groceries and did some more planning, then it was back across the bridge for the third and final time.

I arrived at my destination, Whitefish Point, Michigan, in the late afternoon. The area surrounding the point, which juts out into Lake Superior and is home to the Whitefish Point Lighthouse and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum, has claimed over one-third of the entire lake’s wreckages. I had planned to explore the museum that afternoon, but I arrived closer to closing time than I had expected, so instead I relaxed and ate an entire clamshell of strawberries while sitting on the beach. What luxury…

After enjoying the beach, I decided to go for a letterbox at a nearby cemetery. It was a rather sobering box, honoring the many shipwreck victims buried there.

It was getting kind of late, so I headed to my campsite for the night. Even after the theft I wasn’t ready to give up on the free campsites entirely, but I was still pretty rattled and knew I needed to change my approach. After finding a good spot, I took an hour or so to rearrange my car so that I could fold down my back seat and lay on top of it with my feet in the trunk. Upon trying it, there seemed to be just enough room for me to stretch out, but the true test would have to wait until that night.

I grabbed another letterbox that so conveniently happened to be my planted close by my site, then struck up a conversation with my neighbor. He was a very sweet older gentleman who had already been camping a few weeks here at this point, spending his days fishing and enjoying the beautiful outdoors. He so kindly invited me to dinner, and I got to feast on fresh-caught fish and potatoes! We spent most of the evening talking, and he shared his hobby of creating rock art with me. When I turned in that evening, we agreed to have breakfast together before I hit the road again.

Also, just a fun little sidenote – I was amazed at how going just a couple of hundred miles north really extended daylight! This picture was taken at 10:05 pm: the sun had just barely gone down.

That morning I woke up refreshed and relieved: sleeping in my car had worked! I had a few concerns about how I would fare if the weather got warmer, but for now I was really pleased at the quality of rest I had gotten without having to compromise safety. I met my neighbor for breakfast, and just before we parted ways, he gifted me one of the rock sculptures he had created in the form of a cross. Such a sweet man – meeting him was a highlight of the week for sure.

My first destination of the day was the Shipwreck Museum. I decided not to cut it out of the itinerary after missing it the day before, and I’m so glad I made that decision. The museum was overall fascinating if (inherently) quite sad. Probably the highlight for me was the items on display related to the Edmund Fitzgerald, which sank in a nasty storm in November of 1975 and has been immortalized in Gordon Lightfoot’s ballad “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald.” All 29 men aboard perished in the wreck; 50 years later, it’s still not known what exactly caused the ship, which at one point was the largest on the Great Lakes, to sink. The families of the victims requested that the bell be retrieved from the wreckage, which was done in 1995, and every year the bell is rung 30 times on November 10 – once for each of the crew members, and once in honor of all the others who have lost their lives on the Great Lakes.

After making my way through the museum, I hit the road again and grabbed another letterbox in Paradise, Michigan…

….before making a quick stop at Tahquamenon Falls.

To be honest, I wasn’t overly impressed by the falls. It’s possible that I missed the better sites because I was in a hurry, but I think Cataract Falls in Indiana was personally more impressive.

The reason I was in a hurry is because I had booked a kayaking tour on Lake Superior along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore – or so I thought. I went with Uncle Ducky’s Paddling Michigan; they were super accommodating and were even able to switch my time slot when I realized I had actually booked for the following day. Whoops!

I didn’t have my phone out on the water, so unfortunately I don’t have many pictures to share. Probably the neatest part of the tour for me was getting to paddle over the wreckage of the ship George – the water was pretty clear that day, so we were able to see the boat’s frame protruding from the lake floor. Of course, it eased the conscious to know that there weren’t any casualties on that wreck!

I did take out my phone on our dinner break, and happened to stumble on my guide’s favorite spot to hang out. Talked with him for a little bit – nice guy!

Back on land after the kayaking tour wrapped up, I got really lucky and caught a beautiful sunset on the lake. It was a great way to end a good day!

It also happens to be the way I end this post, as this marks seven days on my trip. If you made it this far, thanks for reading – I’ll try to get the next post out before too long!