Our last hike in the UP ~ Amazing.

Sunday  [September 13th] was the last day of our Grand Tour, Emily took this 'selfie' of us while we were still at the Miner's Castle Rock lookout which you can see behind us.

Jer was beside himself when we parked.

"Mom, close your eyes and don't look!" He grabbed my hand and we walked out on a board walk [I think] and I had to keep looking down at my feet as I didn't want any surprises to trip on.

When I opened them...

I

saw

this....

and gasped. 
I did take about 20 photos of the scene in front of me with different exposures so I could eventually pick a favorite.

Very long exposure so the water and waves blended.

Yes, I used a tripod.

This is what you see if you Google Miners Rock Castle on the internet.
100's of images taken from the same exact place.

OH, I was so pleased to see this iconic place.

As we walked to another viewing area, I stopped. This was the one shot I wanted. It is framed by the trees, ...

It doesn't look like all the other photos on the internet...

It shows water blasting through the cave...

and waves blasting against the rock.

To me, this is the one I'd pick to keep forever.

We walked around to another observation point and I took this with the cell phone. These are such beautiful and unique rock formations!

Back into the car we went and headed down some back roads. 

Miner's Beach was one of those places and I found it fascinating. The beach was beautiful and the trail above the beach had some amazing Lichen!!!! AND wild blueberry plants!!!!

Miner's Beach, surfs up!
This was a fantastic spot too. But I won't bore you with more photos right now. I'll pop some in at another time.

Lichen!!!!

Wild Blueberry plants!

The forest floor above the beach was covered in them. And yes, I tasted a couple of ripe ones.

DEEE-licous.

I'm going to skip some stuff and go right to our last hike which was to Mosquito Falls and Chapel Beach. 

What no one realized was that to make the whole loop, it was 10.5 miles. Well, we read it, but I guess it didn't click in our brains. [Ever try this with a 5 yr old????]

😮😯😲

Mosquito Falls and Chapel Falls via the Chapel Loop is a popular 10.5-mile loop trail in Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore near Munising, Michigan

The trail was rather demanding in some spots and in other places, the Park Service was rebuilding some board walks over wet areas to prevent erosion.

It was drizzling and a quite overcast. However, that did not dampen our spirits or attitudes. We marched on past wet lands, over marshy areas, and over roots and rocks. 

We found Mosquito Falls and I was entranced. While Jer walked off to check out the falls in one direction and Mari and Emily went in another, I climbed around  and then knew I'd found the place. 

I told Jer that I was going to climb a small bluff and release some of Rich's ashes from my necklace.

He knew this was going to be an enormous cathartic moment for me. So he crossed the river and took this GIF of me. For a long time, I couldn't move or speak. My heart felt heavy and surprisingly a bit free. It doesn't make sense to me but I knew I felt that strong connection.

And he would have approved of the spot.

The view when I turned, was this.

This image, the sound of the falls and the soft rainfall will forever be embedded in my brain. The feeling of grief, relief, and the whispers in my head of our love for each other was so strong, it could not be denied.

Jer and Emily gave me the time I needed and didn't come up the trail until I stood up and wiped my eyes.

"Are you okay?"

Me.

"Oh yes. This place. I felt it. It was right."

I got a hug from them and we continued the trail through the forest.

I felt heavier and lighter at the same time.