Wedding and Honeymoon Update

Dear friends,

On 11 October 2009, I married my best friend in a quiet, personal ceremony at the Wabasis Lake Shelterhouse in Greenville, Michigan.



Rick and I planned the wedding around the fall color, perfect weather for hiking, and a lecture by popular scholar and scientist, Dr. Jerad Diamond (Collapse, and Guns, Germs, and Steel.)

On our way from Minnesota (we went through Northern MN, WI and the upper peninsula of MI), we stopped to hike a segment of the Superior Hiking Trail in northern Minnesota. After the wedding we took a leisurely tour of Michigan.

THE SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL



Immediately after the wedding, Rick and I went to Ludington, MI with our best man, Todd. We camped and hiked around the park for a day. It was cold, but refreshing. I got a little queasy from the height of the lighthouse!


LUDINGTON STATE PARK

In Alma, Michigan ( my alma mater, Alma College) we stopped and listened to a lecture by Jerad Diamond. Diamond is the author of popular nonfiction books that discuss the relationship of the environment and the success and failure of societies (Collapse). We also were able to speak briefly with him in person. For more details on the visit, Rick has written a very good summary of the themes of the visit on his website, rickdelong.com.

After visiting Alma, we went up north to visit my father's family. En route we stopped (no camping because I was ill), in Tahquamenon Falls to hike a bit. It was beautiful. (See pictures below).

TAHQUAMENON FALLS STATE PARK

We stayed with my uncle and aunt while visiting for a family potluck. The food was delicious. Plenty of dessert. . .enough entrees to satisfy :D We then spent a couple days in the Porcupine Mountains of Michigan. There we encountered one of Rick's friends from the Pacific Crest Trail which he hiked this summer. Kurt, the friend, ended up camping and hiking with us. We walked a well-kept trail and saw very little wildlife. The views and smells were fabulous and we would like to return to the park at some indefinite time in the future. Rick has written more on his website. To read his article, follow the link above to his website.

PORCUPINE MOUNTAINS STATE PARK

Finally, we made a visit to Nickerson, Minnesota to stay with Rick's grandparents. It was nice to visit with them and get to know them better --- and I won't deny that the set of pies grandma made were pretty fantastic too!

I started back at work this week past, it was rough, but after such a rejuvenating time off -- I have been in a great mood regardless!

Best.

(All photos are property of Rick DeLong. To ask about use, please contact him via his website.)