Closing the Loop

I spent three days closing the gap between east Kansas and southern Michigan. This leg included a stop at Indiana Dunes National Park, which features a nice stretch of beach with a steel mill awkwardly bisecting it. I could see the peaks of Chicago across the lake.

Soon after the dunes I was in South Haven at Pickup's new house. We spent a couple days home improving, then Strider arrived and we started having fun. Hiking, grilling, kite flying, disc golf and board games filled the schedule.

From there it was a quick jump to Nashville for a night with family, then eastward to home. The total driving distance was about 2,800 miles.

I had spent a week sleeping in the car every night on this trip, and it went well. I spent a total of $22 on facilities and lodging, just one night a state park campground in Illinois with showers, toilets and trash dumpsters. By now, home feels like just another place I might sleep.

I consider the context of places I visit more than I used to. The context of trail was that everyone you encountered (who looked like a thru hiker) was approachable; in fact it was expected. They all pass a filter of commitment to a common goal. This is not always the case in other public spaces, but with some imagination you might be convinced that it's close. For example, when you go out walking in the park, you share with everyone else the reality that you summoned the motivation to get out of your house and go outside to a public space. That's a wider and more accessible filter, but it's something. What if you introduce yourself to everyone you see there? What's the worst that could happen, to you or anyone else? What does that say about the culture where you live?

The day after coming home I was on my way to North Carolina for volunteer work, which will be a separate post.