A few short days after leaving the "Grand Canyon of the East" we are back in the dunes. The frantic pace of the last loop—lots of 1 and 2 night stops—was a little dizzying. We covered somewhere between 8000 and 9000 miles in 73 days and visited 15 states. While we've agreed to longer stays through the next stretch even if it means fewer stops, I've come to realize that this is more of a reconnaissance than full exploration. We're amassing a staggering list of places to return to when we "have more time."

Home, once again finds us mired in deferred maintenance of both the home and relationship sort. Time for contemplation has been hard to find. While the list that follows is far from definitive and subject to change, I offer these pearls of wisdom, gleaned from 6 months on the road:

"Aha moments" are relatively rare. "Creeping realization" is far more common.
Everyone has a story if you make the time to listen.
Home ownership is society's choke chain.
Unlimited resources breed thoughtless consumption.
It is unwise to wear the same pair of Chacos nearly every day for 2 months.

I'm very excited about the next loop of the trip—through Minnesota and west to some of the most beautiful parks in the country. Anything could happen. I hope you'll follow along.

Stay: There's not much in the way of "park" at Traverse City State Park, but you can't beat the location for convenience. Our campsite backed up to the extensive TART Trail and the beach was just across the street. Just as convenient but a little more rustic, Sleeping Bear Dunes' D.H. Day Campground offers a beautiful stretch of national lakeshore beach and easy access to the awesome new Sleeping Bear Heritage Trail. Further south, the Betsie River Campsite is also located on a bike trail, as well as the quiet and scenic Betsie River.