Indiana and Michigan Fun in the Outdoors

I was born in Indiana, and lived here for around 60 years, when we decided to retire to New Mexico. We were there for over ten years, but came back to be near family. With that many years here, I can recall many outdoor fun times and recreational areas.

La Porte, Indiana is where I grew up. There were five lakes in La Porte, where one could fish all summer. Some folks also ice-fished in the cold winter months. Pine Lake was the best for boating, water skiing and fishing during the warm months. It was also the largest lake in La Porte.

The last few years we lived in La Porte we lived on what was called the Island. It was not a true island, since there was one road that was an exit from the mainland. We owned a pontoon boat, and enjoyed boating at that time. We were just across the road from Pine Lake, which was convenient.

The main attraction of Stone Lake was a large bathing beach. When I was in high school I recall spending many a summer afternoon working on my tan. In the winter, there was an ice skating area on another lake, which was Clear Lake. The other lakes probably had ice skating areas also, but Clear Lake was our favorite.

Near another side of Pine Lake, where we lived earlier during our time in La Porte, we had a private beach. At that time, we had a sailboat. We and some of our neighbors enjoyed sailing after we jibed and turned over a few times. We had to learn the ropes. We also had area picnics there, and got to know most of our neighbors.

There are a lot of more famous outdoor areas and lakes in Indiana. Michigan City, which is about 12-15 miles from La Porte, and borders on Lake Michigan is one. Their beach is gigantic compared to our La Porte beach. If one wanted to travel a little farther, there was another great beach at New Buffalo, Michigan. There was also a place for dancing at that time, now there is a large casino, restaurant and a dancing area.

Another area of southern Michigan is Warren Dunes State Park, which is much larger than most of our dunes in Indiana. These sand dunes are great for picnicking, walking or jogging. There are many barbeque grills placed conveniently, where we often took our children for a Sunday outing. Camping is great there, and there is a grand beach, where the children can swim and play.

If you want to go south in Indiana, there are some State parks; Turkey Run is one that is beautiful and good for hiking and seeing wild life. There are also some streams that flow through that area. Another is Brown County, where many people travel just to see the autumn-colored trees. It is noted for a lot of walking trails, biking trails and camp sites. There are also areas for fishing or just boating.

I'm sure all of our states in this great country have much to offer also. Since we live relatively close to our neighbor, Michigan, I thought I would pinpoint these two states. Lower Michigan is also great for outdoor activities and not too far from our home. Birding has become one of my favorite outdoor hobbies. Have fun in the outdoors this summer wherever you live or visit.