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What: #97 Kayak to Turnip Rock

When: September 27th
Where: Port Austin, MI
Why: As a true Michigander, I take great pride in the amazing places this state contains and the incredible experiences that can be had here. One of those places and experiences that kept popping up on bucket lists for people in Michigan was kayaking to Turnip Rock. It was only a few years ago that I found out this place existed, partly because it seems so out of the way. Then one of my dearest friends - who had this on her blog - had a free Sunday that aligned with my free Sunday and even the weather cooperated (sunny 70s in late September is rare in Michigan!). We met up early that morning in Detroit to make the 3-hour drive to the "tip of the thumb," as we describe it in Michigan. The areas we drove through were very unfamiliar to me, and I couldn't quite get a hold of the vibe of the region, but was glad to arrive to Port Austin - a rather quaint town on the lake shore - to eat lunch at The Stock Pot. Honestly, I did not know what to expect, but it was a delicious meal among very friendly locals out enjoying a lovely Sunday afternoon. 

Then, we walked to the Port Austin Kayak shop to get our kayaks to head off on our day's adventure. It was a bit breezy out on Lake Huron, and make the paddling a bit slow at first, but our excitement at seeing Turnip Rock kept us motivated. At first, the shoreline looked nothing like we were expecting; it was all grasses and flat beaches with larger boulders offshore. This didn't seem to be the terrain that matched what we had seen of Turnip Rock. Until, all of a sudden, we paddled around a point and it just sort of appears! It stands alone (something I wasn't expecting) and really is the only feature along that part of the shoreline. I suppose the fact that it is in the water by itself is what makes it so unique, and the plants and trees atop of it definitely add to the look of it.

Definitely make the trip up here on a lovely warm day to enjoy the town, the paddle to Turnip Rock, and the road trip up and through the Thumb!

24 done ... 28 to go...

What: #15 Go to a new state or Canadian province

When: September 4th
Where: Idaho
Why: As a child, my family traveled all over the country on summertime road trips. When we would get back home, my brother and I would excitedly get out the U.S. maps we kept and color in the new states we had visited. For almost 2 decades, no new states have been colored in on my map because I've turned my attention to international travel, but there were still eight elusive state borders left to cross, and finally this summer, I got to come home and color in a new state.

On a weekend trip to Utah, we decided to head up to the Tetons, and I found a great scenic drive through Idaho that followed portions of the Oregon Trail, so we hit the road and headed into the unknown.

We crossed the border near the beautiful Bear Lake, which was shockingly far below its usual level. Our favorite stop along the way was in Montpelier at a small pizza joint called Studebaker's Pizza. It was seemingly the only thing open in town, so our expectations were not that high, but let me tell you, if you are ever near Montpelier, Idaho, please stop in because the food and people are great!

We headed through Idaho again on the way back to Utah and enjoyed the simple scenery again...a very lovely state, and one I'd like to get back to again to see more of it!