Rick's Hiking & Fun Group

note: be sure to check this announcement the night before, and before setting out on the morning of the event. if rain or completely cloudy conditions are forecast, i will probably cancel or postpone (i'm not sure exactly how many days the sun rises over the Lake, but we may have a little bit of slack on this).

if cloudy or partly cloudy conditions are expected, then i think the show will go on and we will hope for the best.

if you decide to cancel, even at the last minute, please change your RSVP so we're not expecting you.

dear friends—

it is a beloved fixture of our beautiful dunes life to enjoy the sun setting over our sweet inland sea from approximately March through September.

... but not everyone knows that for a few precious days around the summer solstice that the sun rises over the Lake!

i would like us to get together on the weekend of the solstice to witness this rare phenomenon, enjoy dawn at the lakefront for a while, then go out for breakfast together.

... but this is not for the fainthearted! sunrise on the day in question is at 5:14, so to make sure we are situated at the lakefront, after parking and walking to the right location, i think we should plan to arrive by 4:50.

be sure to check the weather and dress accordingly--it could be pretty cold that early in the morning.

i decided that the most favorable location in Beverly Shores to witness this phenomenon is from Broadway Beach, preferably from the rocks at the west end.

parking at Broadway Beach is for Bev Sho residents only, plus the parking lot may be blocked off for an event being held later in the day. so the nearest public parking will be at Lakeview Beach, where you will need a National Park permit on display. at least i'm sure parking will be available at that hour, unlike on a summer Saturday after late morning!

to get to Lakeview Beach for parking, turn north on Broadway from US 12, then take Broadway north to Lake Front dr; turn left, and go a hundred feet or so, and you will come to Lakeview Beach parking.

once you've parked there, walk east (right) a few hundred feet, then turn into the Beverly Shores parking lot, and go to the pagoda shelter at the top of the beach stairs. depending on the exact time you arrive, we might still be waiting there, or we might already be down at the beach. if we are on the beach, it would be to the left, so just come down and join us there.

we will wait on the beach, and hope to experience this rare phenomenon of sunrise over the Lake, weather permitting. if there are some clouds or ground haze on the horizon at sunrise, we still might enjoy the sunrise over the cloud bank over the Lake, which would still be a sight to behold.

we will stay on the shore for a while to catch the rare vibes, then adjourn to the Third Coast Spice Cafe in Chesterton ( https://www.thirdcoastspice.com/ ) for an early breakfast before we go our merry ways for the rest of the weekend.

hope to see you at this magical event,

Rick

We will be joining Rick's group and Erin's for a Sat am breakfast and hike. For those that would like to camp for the weekend, we will arrive on Thursday and checkout Sun am.

The campsites allow 6 people but they are small. They are nicely shaded, non electric campsites. They do have electric near the showers. They only allow 1 vehicle per site. Shades has its own hiking trails and Turkey Run is just down the road. You can use your state pass to get into the park or pay once and use a pass for the weekend I believe.

Here is the event for breakfast and hiking.
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-yjezdrty/events/314340308/?utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=share-btn_savedevents_share_modal&utm_source=link&utm_version=v2&member_id=246415196

Sugar Creek is close by if you would like to go tubing. I won't make a specific time for this but it is an option. Here is the website.
https://www.sugarvalleycanoes.com

This will be a self sufficient gathering, meaning we can share meals but we should each plan our own thing. If you want to do some light planning/coordinating we can do that but the weekend will be geared towards keeping it simple and enjoying nature.

Reserve a camping site in the back loop. You will need to reserve your own spot or double up should workout too. Please reach out to me if you need to know more.

Cellphone signal is not good when you get close to the park.

https://indianastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/shades-state-park/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IN&parkId=570030

note: we are meeting at 10:00 AM EDT, which is 9 AM by Chicago time. for anyone coming from Chicago, the Calumet Region, or southwest Michigan, make sure you realize this is about a 3 hour drive each way.

meet at the reception desk of the restaurant, or call me at 773-415-0428.

this event is co-sponsored with The Wabash Valley Let's Get Outdoors group

https://www.meetup.com/wabash-valley-lets-get-outdoors-social-and-activity-group/

and Michiana Adventures
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-yjezdrty/

dear friends--

please join us for breakfast at the historic Turkey Run Inn, before a magnificent hike on some of the best trails of the best state park in Indiana.

i made this a separate event partly to make it easier to keep track of who is coming for breakfast, and who is just joining us afterwards to hike. please sign up for each independently.

we will meet at the reception desk of the Turkey Run Inn restaurant at 10:00 AM EDT (that's Eastern time, remember) for breakfast. if you don't find us, call me at 773-415-0428, or come to the restaurant and ask for Rick Malkowski's table.

if you have symptoms of, or have recently tested positive for Covid-19, or any other contagious disease, please DO NOT ATTEND.

after, we will gather on the front steps of the Inn to meet the others who are coming just for the hiking event.

Erin will be leading the hike on a route of her choosing to be announced.

hope to see you there … and at the hike following,

Rick

this event is co-sponsored with The Wabash Valley Let's Get Outdoors group
https://www.meetup.com/wabash-valley-lets-get-outdoors-social-and-activity-group/

and Michiana Adventures
https://www.meetup.com/meetup-group-yjezdrty/

note: we are meeting at 11:30 AM EDT, which is 10:30 AM by Chicago time. for anyone coming from Chicago, the Calumet Region, or southwest Michigan, make sure you realize this is about a 3 hour drive each way.

if you'd like to come to breakfast at the historic Turkey Run Inn beforehand, we are meeting at the dining room reception desk at 10 AM EDT ... but that is a separate announcement, please sign up here:

https://www.meetup.com/ricks-hiking-fun-group/events/314336816/?eventOrigin=group_events_list

dear friends--

please join us for a magnificent hike on some of the best trails in the best state park in Indiana.

we will meet in front of the Turkey Run Inn at 11:30 PM EDT. if you don't find us, call me at 773-415-0428 ... and hope i'll have a signal.

please check the weather before departure and have appropriate clothing and equipment (http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/47859 ).

Erin will be leading this hike--here is her description of the route and schedule:

We will meet at the Nature Center parking lot at 11:30 AM EST (10:30 am CST) and head for the trails by 11:45 am. Turkey Run State Park charges an entrance fee of $7 per vehicle, or you may enter using an annual Indiana State Park pass. There are indoor restrooms located at the Nature Center.

We will start on trail 2 entering Box Canyon, winding around through Gypsy Gulch, before crossing over the Narrows Covered Bridge onto trail 4. We will hike trail 4 until it merges with trial 3, one of the most scenic trails in the park. We will descend along the creek that runs through Rocky Hollow Canyon, past the Punch Bowl. (Anticipate getting your shoes/boots wet on this part of the trail.) There are a few small waterfalls on trail 3, which really contribute to the beauty of this hike.

*Please note this section of this hike is rugged, and may not be possible for dogs or young children.

Once we exit Rocky Hollow, we will continue on trail 3, through the Ice Box, and then we will climb up the "Ladders." (Note this section of the trail may not be possible for dogs or young children.) While each of the three ladders are secured to the canyon wall, each ladder is approximately 25 foot long, with no alternative means for ascending this portion of the trail.

Once we've reached the top, we will take a short break for water/trail snacks. From here, we will pick up trail 5 as a connection to trail 9, where we will hike down into Boulder Canyon.

Finally, passing through Boulder and Falls Canyon, we will finish by hiking trail 5 along Sugar Creek, following 3 all the way back to the Suspension Bridge. Climbing the 70 steps, and returning to our vehicles at the Nature Center parking lot.

hope to see you there,

Rick