Silver Lake Sand Dunes. . . a pile of sand
and a pile of memories...

I spent a good part of my vacation a couple of weeks ago at Silver Lake Sand Dunes. The dunes cover approximately 2500 acres. They are divided into three sections: the ORV section; the "dead" dunes area, where vegetation has caught the shifting sands; and the living dunes, moving approximately two feet a year.

By the time everyone jumped on the "family camp" plan, there were fifteen of us hanging out together. Fitting, as Silver Lake was the place we loved to come as children. I have pictures of my brother J.R., my father, and me on one of Mac Woods Dune Scooters dated 1956.

I had thought that I would just take the Dune Scooter rides, leaving the climbing of the dunes to the younger set. Well, you know how that goes. The State Park has added stairs to get you halfway up the first dune wall. How could I resist? So while I couldn't keep pace, I did make it out onto the gigantic sandpile, for the first time in more than twenty years.

And oh, the memories. As I stood atop the highest ridge, I could see Lake Michigan a mile and a half to the west. I could see the dune buggies to the north, coming down a sand face. Silver Lake lay below me. And I could see that family of yore, seven then eight strong. Too many memories to enumerate.

And new memories were being made, as the younger kids played ball, dune dove, and took the trek over to Lake Michigan.

The circle keeps on turning.