Four States and Lake Michigan (Day 23)

I left Mankato extremely early, and it was still dark when I got on the road. Unlike so many other days, there was not a lot of exciting scenery today. Instead, I was faced with mostly dullish sort of highway travel for the eight-plus hours it took me to pass through four states: Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois and Indiana. Lucky for me, the monotony of speeding along the highways was occasionally broken up by miles of extensive delays caused by highway construction (and yes, that was sarcasm). I did see the Chicago skyline, albeit through a heavy layer of haze. Still, that was cool, and besides, I was a lot more comfortable driving in the Chicago traffic than I have been on the lonely mountain roads!

After what seemed like days, I finally arrived at my destination, a place called Michigan City, Indiana. "City" is a bit of a misnomer really, as it is a fairly smallish place, nestled on the shores of Lake Michigan. I was weary after the long drive, but as tired as I was, I wanted to get a look at one of the great lakes - so after stopping by the hotel I took the short drive down to the water. Michigan City is a pretty little place. As I approached the lake, I saw quite a few great old Victorian homes, architecturally beautiful old buildings and churches, and of course plenty of the kinds of bars and seafood restaurants I'd expect to see in any beachfront town. Just past the town area is a place called Washington Park, where there's a zoo and a marina, as well as lake access. I parked close to the marina and took a walk down to the beach. The lake itself is beautiful - crystal blue green water that's calm and extremely clear. The sand on the beach was smooth, not rocky, and extremely hot, so I walked all the way to the shore to cool my feet in the lake water. I walked for a bit, letting the waves wash over my feet, just enjoying the view. There's a pretty little lighthouse that juts out from the shore; I imagine it would be beautiful to sit here at night. Had I been dressed for it I might have been tempted to stay even longer to lay in the sun or go for a swim; but as it was I was still dressed for travel, and extremely tired from the long day's journey, so I snapped a few pictures and headed back to the hotel, intent on resting up for my next long drive.