Weekend Recap

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Even though we're supposed to be unpacking boxes today, I am unpacking the truck and doing laundry all day to rid our apartment of the post-camp smell.  I am okay with this, because we had tons of fun.  Instead of sitting at home and dwelling over what should have been, we opted for an adventurous weekend out of the city and into the wild.  Some highlights include ::

• Dinner + drinks with lovely friends on Friday night
• A beautiful Saturday morning drive up Lake Michigan on the Michigan side
• Drinks + lunch at New Holland Brewery, getting a growler for camping
• Finding one last camp site by a National Park on the Saturday before the 4th (even if it was at a Jellystone, hey, it was only for one night!)
• Easy, easy camping surrounded by funny children 
• Meeting the sweetest ranger on Sunday who directed us to our own private campsite in Manistee National Forest that was free and only a handful of campers knew about it!
• Sleeping Bear Dunes - we hiked the giant dune, which was super difficult and tiring.  Then we watched kids who were at summer camp hike the dune 10 times while we laid on the sand and took the view in
• Hiking, hiking, hiking! 
• We drove to Traverse City after our hikes just to check it out per a friend's recommendation.  There happened to be a big festival/carnival going on so we walked around briefly (it was confusing switching from the forest to a small town like that)
• The most peaceful night camping ever.  Barely any peeps from the neighboring campers (except a few barks out of the pooches) and delicious Traverse City beers by the fire.  Does it get any better than that?
• Canoeing down the White river - we worked our butts off but it was fun.  We canoed 16 miles in 2 1/2 hours!  
• The best ending to a weekend ever - we climbed up on the roof of our apartment building and looked in awe at the panoramic view of fireworks throughout the city.  It was pure magic.  

Definitely some silver linings in there, eh?  How were your holiday weekends? Wonderful I hope!