DAY 47 TenaCity to WindyCity Runyak August 19, 2020

                               TenaCity to WindyCity Runyak

August 19, 2020

Flint to Chicago DAY 47

ALL PHOTOS AND IMAGES WILL ENLARGE WHEN CLICKED

It's been 51 days since my last DAY on the T2W. On July 4th I fell from my bicycle and broke my left collarbone. My number one thought was how it was going to mss up my runyaking for the remainder of the 2020 season. Ended up missing 6 weeks, this post should have been DAY 53. I'm quite disgusted to say the least. At 69 years of age I might not have that many seasons left to runyak and I'd just a third of a season.

So, back to where I left on on June 29th, 1st Street Beach, in Manistee. The lake was quite calm, which meant on waves to enter the kayak, a dry launch!

Looking south toward Big Sable point, but it is not the first point seen in the photo. 

Sand dunes, the most common site I will be seeing on Lake Michigan I suppose

Big dropoff at the bottom of those steps. I take it that erosion took the lower stairs away.

Seen several houses at the edge of sand cliffs. How long before they meet the fate of erosion?

We kayaked to where I had parked the van earlier. On the map it was a commercially labeled as, Sunset Strip Cottages, near Gurney Creek's mouth. They look to be AirBnB for no signs were seen upon checking it out earlier for possible landing spot. The run from the rental to the 1st St Beach was 11.3 miles. The paddle was 8.2 miles. When done we next had to reposition the vehicles. That is after we had lunch back at 1st St Beach where Kate's vehicle was. 

We launched the second time from the mouth of Gurney Creek and tried paddling to Lake Michigan Recreation Area, where Porter Creek empties into the big lake. When about a 1/2 mile of choppy paddling I saw we were moving at 25 min/mi. I thought I could portage faster on the beach. The beach pace was a little faster, maybe 21 min/mi but took a toll on my back which I paid for on the 5.5 mile run back to get my van. The portage was 2.6 miles of the 3.1 paddle.  

I arrived before Kate and locked up Swiftee to tree debris lying across Porter Creek and began running. The first 500 ft was a 100 foot climb up the dunes, a piece of cake compared to the rest of the 5.4 miles I'd run. Pains in my back were killing me. My pace forthe 5.5 miles was an unbelievable 20:00 min/mi. The not-fully-healed shoulder bone was the main culprit. My arms were dangling at my side most of the time because of loss of strength. Into the evening I was quite uncomfortable, and wondering how I would ever get up in the morning and do DAY 48. 

Swiftee Don't Do Whitecaps

That issue was resolved when I arrived the next morning and hoped to see calmer water. I could hear the surf roaring before looking down from the dunes. The winds would only get worse the weather report said. Kate and I un-cabled the kayaks and headed home. Before driving away we had a beer for breakfast toasting but to me sobbing. The trip was not a successful as I hoped. If every trip to follow continues as this one, I will throw in the towel. Not Fun.