Cindy Lou visits the Saugatuck Dunes State Park

My younger sister Norma and I are 20 months apart in age. I am the older sister. She is the smarter sister. She studied. I did not.

But we were always close. It was, without a doubt, our children who kept us apart in our adult years. Not in a bad way.

School activities, hockey, 4H, horse shows -- the usual stuff -- kept us busy with our respective families for a long, long time. It was probably a longer separation than most siblings as our children are 15 years apart. In fact, our youngest son babysat her children the summer before he started college.

Now that her children are spreading their wings and finding their own way in life, Norma and I are connecting again. It actually started before our sister Donna passed away. The three of us would meet on Saturdays at the assisted living center where Mom lived to take her out for coffee. Often the staff at Mom's living center would plan a special event for Saturday mornings and we would attend with Mom. Coffee/breakfast was always served by the staff but generally by the time we got Mom back to her room she would have forgotten and would be asking where we were going for coffee. I get it. Mom loved her outings. Even when Dad was alive she and Dad were always going somewhere. When Dad had his license taken away (by us) I suspect they would sneak away occasionally.

After Mom passed away the three of us continued to meet for breakfast. And Norma and I continued the tradition after Donna passed away. We had a major outing last spring when we traveled to Florida to visit our sister Kay and to go to Universal Orlando. Checking out all things Harry Potter had been on Donna's bucket list.

Our weekly Saturday meetings have changed for the summer as this year, in honor of her 60th birthday, Norma is preparing for her third marathon. (One every 10 years). She chose an event in Marquette, Michigan in September. "It's mostly downhill," she confided to me. Hey, kudos to her. I get tired driving 26 miles. But since it means Saturday mornings are training days we had to find an alternative date for our weekly get together.

This week we met at the Saugatuck Dunes State Park one evening after Norma got out of work.

Norma and Cindy Lou

Cindy Lou came along. Norma had not had the opportunity to meet Cindy Lou. We met at the park picnic area, had a quick taco and then set off on our hike. We chose to take the North Trail to Lake Michigan. It's a "short"  hike through the woods and over the dunes. According to the DNR it is 2.5 miles but I don't know if that is one-way or round trip.

Norma had no problem with the hike. I survived it and am ready to go back next week as my body should  recuperate by then. Thankfully the new knees made the walk bearable; however I am incredibly out of shape.  I was about 15  minutes behind Cindy Lou and Norma for much of our hike. I used the excuse of having to stop to take photos. It actually took me five minutes to stop breathing hard and another 10 minutes for my legs to stop shaking long enough to hold the camera still.  So Norma and Cindy Lou made it to the beach first.  As I stood on the dune overlooking the lake Norma called up to me. "Just stay there, I'll come up to you." I wasn't going to tell her I had just enough ooommmppphh left in me to walk back to the parking area so not climbing down and then back up the last dune was absolutely fine with me.

Cindy Lou was not impressed with the lake. I think it was too big. When she and Norma climbed back up to the top of the dune where I stood, Cindy Lou flopped down in the sand. Thank  you

 Norma and Cindy Lou along the shoreline

Cindy Lou, I really needed that extra few minutes to further catch my breath.

The Saugatuck Dunes State Park is an approximate 1000 acre day-use  park. I covered the dedication of the Saugatuck Dunes Natural Area in October 1988. I can't remember if I was working for the Holland Sentinel or the Grand Rapids Press at the time. Memories and newspaper clippings kind of fade and then blend together. The Natural Area has since been renamed the Patricia Birkholz Natural Area, after the late Michigan Senator Patricia Birkholz, who worked to make the natural area a reality. The "challenging" 5.5 mile South Trail winds through the 300 acre natural area, according to the Land Conservancy of West Michigan .

Both my sister and I had been to the park years before. Norma had explored the trails with a friend during her high school years -- long before the park was a reality. I had been there with a co-worker during the winter months and skied some of the trails.

With the warmer weather it is a popular spot for hikers. The trails are wide and well-marked. I must have been in better shape when I skied there as I don't remember the hills being quite so steep.  Maybe we skied an easier trail.

The park offers about 2.5 miles shoreline and a variety of hardwood and dune forests. According to the DNR website Saugatuck Dunes State Park has "freshwater coastal dunes that are over 200 feet tall." I will not dispute that fact.

The park is located at 6575 138th Ave., Saugatuck, Mich. A recreation passport is required for entry.

Cindy Lou made it back from the beach. 

View from mid-way up one of the many dunes.