Park, Park, Park & Park

We made the rounds of nine different beaches on our US trip.  Here's the round-up: Zuma Beach , CA:  Huge waves, dolphins and seals. Venice Beach , CA: Interesting people watching along the Boardwalk; Met Sari +++ Blackrocks , UP: Jumping into Superior off the granite rocks from 30 ft up. Marquette, Lower Harbor , UP: Flips off the pier wall and even D jumping in. Marquette, South Beach , MI:  Shallow; with Tony, Mary Catherine and Corrine. North Lake , UP:  Where C and I camped, acted as our bath. Lake Michigan , MI:  The Ryans Cottage; lovely catch-up with three generations. 12th Street Beach , IL: Beautiful Chicago Skyline views and beach glass. Miller Beach , IN:  Bella and I got away for a few days here.

Here's a few shots of the end of our trip.

Out in the backyard sits a tent.  In it are D and Grand-Dad. The weather is good.  The crickets are chirping.  It's about 10pm right now...

Boy, Chicago is looking great- the parks and beaches are clean, the weather is beautiful and the people are very helpful and outgoing.  A joy to be back. C and I journeyed to the Museum Campus yesterday- a collection of museums along the lake with its own beach.   We found bags of beach glass and swam in chilly waters. This is a shot from the museum peninsula back towards the skyline.

In Chicago there are two major league baseball teams- the Cubs and the White Sox. C and I were lucky enough to accompany has Godfather Ubu to the "Cross town  Classic" today. Here is C enjoying a Chicago style hotdog- lots of stuff on top of the actual hotdog- at the park. Will Barnett is to one side and then Jake to the other.

A few selected photos... All of us at Zuma Beach Early on the morning we left D with Godfather Mark- an exceptional individual

Ah, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan...  a lovely spot in the world.  And still full of my family. Us with my 94 year old grandmother C jumping off a 30+ ft high rock face straight into Lake Superior- gutsy. D with her favorite cousins- Ally, Aleah and Corrine (the wee one). And an assortment of relatives in front of the Old Ish statue And we even got to see Kelsey and Faith .

In Michigan, Southern end of Lake Michigan. I can't name all of these kids, but the Parks had a great time. We caught up with The Ryan at their beach house.  Hot dogs cooked over a fire on the beach.