We went to Pictured Rocks!

We're back! We went way up north for vacation. We went to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. See me posing by the sign? It was down the road from our pretty campsite at Twelve Mile Beach.
We left Tuesday after Daddy got home from work. All our stuff was in the car! I rode across the Mackinac Bridge for the first time! I was asleep the whole time. We stayed in Newberry, MI for the night.
We got up early in the morning and headed for our campsite. It was cold! But we were bundled warm. I helped Daddy set up the tent and wandered around looking at things. There were picnic tables and pine trees! I checked them all out. After that we went to Grand Marais to get some groceries and then made a picnic lunch at Sable Falls. I ate some of Mommy's cheese! Then I went on my first trail! We walked down to see the falls. I liked them! I pointed and squealed. Then I noticed the pine trees that were all around. I liked touching the needles.
We still had some day left so we went to see the Log Slide. This is where loggers used to slide big trees down the dunes to big ships. It was very steep! They would ice it up in winter so the logs would go faster! When we finished looking we hiked out to AuSable point to see the AuSable Lighthouse. I rode in my backpack and Daddy carried me! It was fun. I squealed, grinned and pointed. When we got to the lighthouse I walked around the porch and looked out at Lake Superior. I fell asleep on the hike back to the car.
Then we headed back to camp for dinner. After dinner the sun came out for just a while. We took a walk and then sat on the dune above the lake and watched the sun set. It was really cold that night but I was bundled in many layers and slept in between Mommy and Daddy in their sleeping bags. Daddy said I was a pink puffball! I slept pretty well and woke up happy. I like playing on the air mattress!
On Thursday we started the day by driving to Munising and the visitors center. I got my National Park Passport book and my very first stamp! I will get a stamp for every park I visit. This was my very first! The ranger was very excited for me. I waved and smiled to her. But she had bad news about the weather! We decided that this would be our last day hiking because it was going to thunderstorm and get windier and colder at night. But the day was very nice and sunny! First we went to Miner's Castle. I liked walking around on the boardwalk there! I talked to many nice people and showed how I point and squeal. I get so excited when I see water! We talked to one man who was backpacking the whole Lakeshore Trail. He was changing into warmer, drier socks! We hiked just parts of the trail. Daddy says we will backpack that trail when I am big enough. Mom and Dad said that Grandma Z would really like the picnic area and scenic trail there. It was so pretty and relaxing!
After Miner's Castle we drove to the Chapel Falls trailhead. Mommy and Daddy ate their lunch while I finished my nap. Mom forgot to take the paper off her cheese and had a chewy sandwich! Daddy thinks she is so silly. She says it is just some extra fiber. When I woke up I got into my pack and off we went! We walked to Chapel Falls where Daddy took pictures and I had my lunch. It was such a pretty place! From the falls we walked to Chapel Rock and Chapel Beach. The rock is part of the pretty cliffs of Pictured Rocks. I really liked beach! While Daddy took pictures Mommy and I played. I found sticks and waved them around. I toddled all over. I saw the lake and made a beeline! Mommy told me that Lake Superior in September is not nice and warm like Lake Michigan in August. I'm not so sure, but I won't know because Mommy wouldn't let me in the water. I made sand piles and dug little holes. I played so hard that I fell asleep on the hike back this day, too!
We packed up our camp after the hike and drove to Mackinac City for the night. I slept so well after my busy day. We heard thunder in the early morning and were so glad we weren't in a tent!
It was cold this morning but Mom bundled me up in my purple sweater and we went for a walk along the beach by the bridge. We saw the bridge and the lighthouse. Daddy took lots of pictures. I walked around by the rocks and played with little stones. I fell asleep at the end of the walk and we loaded up to drive home. It was a long drive but now we are home and sorting out all our stuff. I patted Ozzy and ate my dinner. I'm in bed already because I was so tired!
What a fun vacation! I hope we do something like this again soon. I hope you enjoyed my story! I enjoyed my trip!