Thursday, August 13, 2015

Travelogue: Camping in Michigan with Author Joselyn Vaughn, Seeing You Again

Travelogue on Thursday
Hello and welcome. I'm thrilled to host my friend, crit partner, and best-selling author, Joselyn Vaughn, today! Joselyn has a brand new release (August 11), Seeing You Again. A warm, laugh outloud worthy romance. Be sure to check out her new story below.

Today Joselyn takes us on a family camping trip in scenic  Northern Michigan including views of Sleeping Bear Dunes, voted #1 in Good Morning America’s Top 10 Most Beautiful Places in America in 2011. Take a peek at this magnificent view of the dunes in abc's video of the Sleeping Bear Dunes.

Grab your roasting sticks, hot dogs, marshmallows, and sleeping bags for a fun camping escape.

Campfire ready for roasting
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Camping in Michigan by Joselyn Vaughn

We spent a weekend in Glen Arbor, Michigan in June. Despite predictions of rain that never materialized into more than a few sprinkles, we had a pretty good camping trip.
Michigan: Sleeping Bear Dunes
Camping is not my favorite adventure and with the new challenges of dairy- and gluten-free diets for myself and my daughter, I feared cooking over an open fire would be too much of a hassle.

Unfortunately, the availability of hotel room  that could accommodate three kids and a very large dog were in short supply. We loaded up the boat with three tents and a variety of camping supplies. (Given how  many trips my husband made to the store for must-haves, I think a resort stay would have been cheaper.)

We chose Glen Arbor as a destination because I wanted to do a half marathon there that circled Glen Lake. The course was beautiful, although my race photos show how tired and sore I was. After the race, we went back to our campsite, so I could take a shower (my main requirement if we have to camp).

Half marathon course around Glen Lake
Photo by Joselyn Vaughn
Joselyn in blue shirt in front.
Photo by Joselyn Vaughn
In the afternoon, we unloaded our supplies from the boat and took a tour of Glen Lake. From the lake, we could see the monstrous dune climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes. The water was an amazing Caribbean blue, despite the cloudy skies. One of the super tired kids and the dog got a much needed nap.
Sand and Lake Michigan
Photo from Flickr: Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore

Later we went to the other side of Glen Arbor and saw Lake Michigan. The public beach was small and a cold wind was blowing off the lake.

We intend to visit the Sleeping Bear Dunes area again this fall for the Sleeping Bear Marathon. Hopefully we will be able to explore more of Glen Arbor and Empire during that trip.
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Back of the Book:
After twenty-five years with Sam, their lives revolving in circles that barely touched let alone overlapped, was it time Margie consigned their marriage to an album of faded photographs? The Christmas ball at her mother-in-law's retirement home would either be the final straw for their failing marriage or the perfect chance to reignite the old flame. Can the happy-go-lucky shenanigans of the retirement community remind Margie and Sam that falling in love has no age limit?

Now available at amazon


I am a stay at home mom who has walked on the dark side of potty training. When not traversing that valley of shadow, I write, run, and sew. Sometimes with successful results. For more, check out my website.

I love writing romance because I enjoy stories where everything works out all right in the end and the main characters have a happily ever after. My stories are set in small towns with quirky characters that take on a life of their own.

10 comments:

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Joselyn. Thanks for sharing your camping trip with us. What's you or your kids' favorite food to roast over the campfire? Let me guess. S'mores?? Mine too!

Patricia Kiyono said...

The Lake Michigan shoreline is the perfect place to go for a family trip! We don't camp, but I remember spending many hours playing on the beaches. Nice pictures!

Joselyn Vaughn said...

Smores are definitely up there. My husband also bought a pie-maker and the bite I had was pretty tasty (although it wasn't gluten-free).

J.Q. Rose said...

Hi Patricia, thanks for stopping in. Kids can't resist climbing those dunes. And it wears them out too, for awhile anyway.

J.Q. Rose said...

Oh yes, those pie makers are popular, however they need a sensor to tell me when the insides are done. I usually have charcoaled bread by the time I check it. :-[

Marsha said...

Hey, JQ and Joselyn. Love the pics and it must've been cool in Michigan. I could almost feel the breeze from off the lake.
You are a gutsy gal to try camping with the food restrictions. I gotta have a cabin and an indoor potty or I'm not going. LOL
Love the sound of your latest book. Best to you. I'll share, JQ.

Kenneth Hicks and Anne Rothman-Hicks said...

The dunes look terrific. One of the reasons we went to Cape Cod for so many years was the beauty of the dunes in Provincetown. This looks like a place we would like to visit.
Thanks for a great post!

Joselyn Vaughn said...

Marsha - it was warm the morning of the race, then cooled off. It was actually pretty nice for camping. Everyone wasn't hot and sweaty.

Kenneth - the dunes were beautiful. Maybe next trip we'll send the kids on the dune climb. :-)

J.Q. Rose said...

Hey Marsha, I'm a camper, but in a fifth wheel RV with AC, microwave, and of course shower and potty. Joselyn's book is a quick read and so sweet. Makes one stop and think especially when in a long-time marriage.

J.Q. Rose said...

Kenneth, my son-in-law takes his Jeep on the dunes at Silver Lake, MI near Pentwater. What a ride and a view. He's told me he would take me, but so far, I haven't been available. hee hee. I don't think they allow vehicles on the dunes at Sleeping Bear. Do you know Joselyn if it's possible? Thanks for stopping in Ken.

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