Ok, I have seen a lot of the USA. My Sister and her hubby raised Five Kids in the State of Michigan, before they all moved out West. Each kid went to a different College in Michigan. And I visited my Sister and her hubby, and all of her kids college towns. When I did Comedy , I must have done seventy or so little towns, villages, or small cities like Traverse or Flint. Heck I did both Macinak City and St. Ignace...and, of course sat on the Veranda of the famous hotel.
I tell you all this, so you understand my surprise when I found out about a Tourist Spot in Michigan, I have never ever heard of! And I so would have loved to visited. At least when I was younger and stronger.
The place?
Sleeping Bear Dunes! Has anyone on RP actually hiked that monster?
I never heard of it until yesterday. I saw a video clip of folks running, sliding, or flat out falling down that steep sand. All of them having a blast.
But the only way back up...is back up! You have to climb 450 feet of sand, on an angle that doesn't allow you to walk it. You have to climb, crawl, or paw your way up. And it ain't easy. Even for people who think they are in shape!
When I was in College we used to go to the beach to run in deep sand to strengthen our legs, and improve our stamina. You felt it fairly quickly ...and that was on flat land. Running on hard beach sand, or even soft sand that isn't very deep...is taxing but not grueling. Once the sand is five or six inches deep and slides out from under your feet on every step...well it gets difficult. Truly deep sand, is almost impossible to run in for any length of time.
We had an artificial dune built on our Cross Country Course, and it was only 20 feet high, and made of dirt - not sand. And we hated that thing. I can't imagine 450 feet of deep sand...straight up. YIKES!
So they said in the little video that folks had to pay $3,000 dollars to be "rescued" from exhaustion trying to get back up the Dune. I thought that was either "Clik Bait" or simply not true. Turns out, it is a real thing!
they have to haul them up in a specially designed wheelbarrow looking thing. And it takes a team of folks to do it.
How in the world did I never hear of that place? In my 20's until my mid fifties...I would darn sure have tried it! Until forty, I am sure I would have made it back up. But if I took my time, I think even in my fifties I could have pulled it off. I walked some pretty steep mountains in Alaska, Norway, and Sweden at that age. So with some time and no hurry...might have made it.
I am to old now to hike it. But boy, I am tempted to drive up and see it next summer!