RVing Women

April 6, 2014 by Dr. Karen E. Vigmostad

I actually joined RVing Women (RVW) before I bought my motorhome, Ecovision, in 2009. I had been to a women-only Elderhostel (now called Road Scholar) in Oregon called something like “Writing, Walking, Yoga”. The week was awesome–think breaching whales, beach walks, bald eagles, great people, sunsets, tide pools, seafood, yoga, writing and learning. The organizing group was Coastal Journeys and Carol and her husband were fantastic.

While there I got to know a retired professor who arrived in her motorhome and was heading to the Baja with RVing Women. Just what I was looking for! So I joined online right there, contacted the Great Lakers chapter and starting going to meetings when I got home. Then in October 2009 I bought Ecovision and the rest is history :-) I even kept a blog for several years that now kinda languishes with move to Ann Arbor, writing, photography, working part time and circling the lakes getting hold of me.

Anyway, RVW is wonderful and I just renewed for another year.

Dreams of Summer

March 28, 2014 by Dr. Karen E. Vigmostad

Even before the first tulip has appeared, my thoughts wander to the lakes and my August circling of Lake Michigan. I have much to do to get ready starting with my motorhome, Ecovision. She needs to be dewinterized and cleaned inside and out.

Last year a family of mice moved into her engine compartment making a nest and eating wiring. $500 later she was rewired and drivable. Hopefully the natural, strong-smelling balsam I put in the engine compartment will defray the little creatures this year.

Thoreau says it best

March 23, 2014 by Dr. Karen E. Vigmostad

A lake is a landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature. It is Earth’s eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.

Henry David Thoreau in Walden

So enjoyed speaking about the Great Lakes yesterday to about 100 people at Washtenaw Community College. Heartwarming that so many love the lakes and care about their condition and welfare. Especially loved having friends Kathe and Susan there. While I presented technical descriptions of just what a lake is, I still think Thoreau says it best. Agree?

Staying informed

March 22, 2014 by Dr. Karen E. Vigmostad

I am giving a lecture today at Washtenaw Community College on the environmental conditions of the Great Lakes. I promised to post links to help those interested in staying informed about the Great Lakes find resources.

Staying informed

Great Lakes Information Network www.great-lakes.net
Great Lakes Echo greatlakesecho.org
The Environment Report (Michigan Radio 91.7 FM)
Tues & Thurs at 8:50 am and 5:45
www.epa.gov/greatlakes/
www.usa.gov

My Twitter handle @aboutthelakes
My blog circlingthelakes.com with Twitter @circlethelakes

Winter wonderland

March 15, 2014 by Dr. Karen E. Vigmostad

When I grew up in Detroit we had long snow-filled winters. Weekends and holidays were filled with building snow forts, throwing snowballs and ice skating on the frozen pond in nearby Palmer Park. This winter brought back these memories because snow, ice and frigid temperatures were this year’s story of the lakes. Nearly 90 percent of the lakes froze solid and satellite images and updates of the percentages filled the news.

For me the best part were the photographs of the ice caves in the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. I so wish I could have done the walk to the ice caves across a frozen Lake Superior! I saw and photographed the caves from the boat tour I took in 2012 like the one below.

But what a thrill to see the images captured by those who walked the mile across Lake Superior to experience the ice caves and photograph them. I enjoyed so many images and found a nice collection of 18 by photographers Eric Miller and Paul Johnson in Alan Taylor’s photography blog in the Atlantic. Starting with the journey over the big lake to the caves, below are a few of my favorites from Miller and Johnson (hover over the images with your mouse for the name of photographer and click for a larger view). I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! And, of course, I trust you will respect the copyright protections of these photographs as well as my own.