From Up North to bungled changes to riding trails - all in a week's time

I do love Michigan, especially "Up North". It's interesting, a four hour drive still has you in Michigan, where in Europe we would be going from Stuttgart to Paris in that time. Actually, to go up to the UP (Upper Peninsula) will take about 7 hours - and you are still in Michigan.

We were very fortunate that a former colleague of mine had offered us the use of his lakefront cabin, dogs welcome! So JP and I packed the truck, settled the dogs on Yoga mats and saddle pads (the shock absorbing kind, of course), and off we went to the charming town of Leland. It was just breathtakingly beautiful, and we thoroughly enjoyed our time there. We went to the Sleeping Bear Dunes (the dune climb is a must), Charlevoix, the Mission Peninsula, and had a lovely time in the small towns of Leland and Suttons Bay.

Ziggy and I did some hikes on our own and managed about 10 km daily, especially enjoying the Clay Cliffs with the 'Manitou Outlook' over Lake Michigan. As Paul, a fellow hiker, put it: "God's Country". Yes, with all the disasters going on, being in the middle of that pine forest seemed like a little piece of heaven.

Here are some views from the cabin at Lake Michigan (with Ziggy and JP as 'poster boys').

While we were gone Remy was at "Camp Judy". I pestered her for daily updates, and was happy to learn Remy was doing well but that I had to "up the ante". Hmm?? Yes, Ma'am! Well, the good intentions didn't quite work so well in my first lesson back, I still managed to bungle most of the changes and was super frustrated with myself. Remy basically dragged me to the trailer afterwards, loaded himself, and seemed to say "I am ready for vacation, take me home!".

We went on a lovely trailride today, all four of us were relaxed and happy. Remy's wish came true - he is indeed on vacation this week: "Whew! I get to play with Chambord, go on trailrides, and nobody bugs me about flying changes: Life is good!"