Sunday, September 5, 2010

14th State Paddled–Michigan (for real–Sep 5, 2010

Had a nice visit with my former mother-in-law and brother-in-law… and he knows the Detroit River, been boating all his life.  So got good instructions for my Michigan paddle.

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Jim Bailey and his mom, Peg Bailey on Gross Isle, MI.

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I launched the kayak in my mother-in-law’s back yard on a canal.

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Labor Day Weekend party-goers… gather in this little cove… to PARTEEE!  (have a video but can’t figure out how to load it)

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There was suppose to be a water way cutting through all this growth, but I didn’t find it and got stuck, ending up stowing my paddle and pulling myself through with my arms and hands.

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Finally I broke through and was greeted by a pair of white swans.

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On the way back along Gross Isle, I saw herons, cranes, etc.  Awesome.  Hard to believe all this beauty is right there by Detroit.

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So, I did, for sure, kayak Michigan.  And it was wonderful spending time with my delightful mother-in-law, Peg Bailey.  We spent hours going through the Bailey Family photos and I scanned as many of them as I could for my sons and grandchildren.  What a treasure, both the photos and Peg.

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Who is Swankie?

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Anywhere, USA, Full-Time USA traveler, United States
In 2006, I was shopping for a wheelchair. By 2007, I had new knees, better health and by 2008 a kayak. In Aug 2013, I kayaked my 49th state, Alaska, at the Holgate Glacier and in May 2014, I kayaked Hawaii, my 50th state, to celebrate my 70th Birthday and the finale to the wonderful adventure of Kayaking America? Next up... Solo Hiking the Arizona Trail, 820 miles? Maybe. Still healing from shoulder and trying to decide.

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