The surf abruptly picked up at 9:30pm. My original hopeful hypothesis was that a passing freighter had kicked it up. But after 5 minutes I had to conclude that it was probably something atmospheric on the other side of the Lake. Presumably coming this way. The forecast is pretty confident about rain tomorrow morning especially, so I have to take it as a presumed fact. Everything has to be water-secured tonight. Anything in the tent or under the rain fly is safe; I know that from experience on Isle Royale. The scooter’s pet carrier looks safe, but I haven’t tested that yet. For the rest, the rain cover I bought for my backpack (tested only for that use) and my raincoat, combined with placement up on the picnic table, will have to do.

Based on the forecast, tomorrow could be the most miserable day of the trip. Rain could certainly spoil what might otherwise be the most scenic day of the excursion, following the shore of Grand Traverse Bay. The forecast does hint that the chance of rain will be less in the afternoon (instead of just “rain” it says “rain likely”), so it could turn into another day of waiting out the weather.

My WordPress iPhone app doesn’t support replying to comments so I’ll post this response as a regular entry:

Traffic hasn’t been bad. I’ve had a few jerks tail me too close and then blow past me, and at one point near Muskegon I was convinced that the county had an unusually high number per capita. But for the most part the worst I’ve experienced have been people passing me when I didn’t think it was safe for them. I’m such a mother. 🙂

After yesterday’s improv, I mostly stuck to my planned route today. I skipped some of the Sunday-driving sightseeing detours in my plans just because they were too much hassle to keep track of. For example I just stuck to M-22 and the county roads that lead to Leelanau State Park rather than winding my way through the peninsula. I planned out a complex route to maximize my Bay time on the Old Mission Peninsula tomorrow, but I’m sure I’ll just wing it.

The state park here is rather nice. It’s at land’s end on the Leelanau Peninsula, and my campsite has a great view of the water. The ranger said “great site” when I signed in, and another camper said the same thing when she overheard him giving me directions. They’re right. It’s technically the only site “on the shore”, which means there’s no road or substantial treeline between it and the shoreline, but it’s still a good distance from the water itself.

The park service also described the site as being next to the foundations of the original lighthouse, which is true… but there really isn’t much to see: just a bit of a indentation in the ground with some rocks and trees lining it. The later lighthouse (a fairly traditional-looking house with a light on top of it) and the current light (a rotating beacon on antenna-style platform) are a little more to look at.

This park is “rustic” (no electricity or flush toilets), and nowhere near as busy (or as parkinglotty) as Ludington. It’s heavily wooded (arbor vitae), so the sites have a little privacy, and there are quite a few vacancies. So I didn’t need a reservation here… except probably to get this site, which is why I reserved it way back when.