Rick's Hiking & Fun Group

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.

more details about parking (probably at Lakeview), breakfast, and other details will follow.

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