I heard this song while driving out to Central Beach with my dogs this morning. So I had it in my head while enjoying a relaxing hike on the beach and on a huge sand bar in the lake. Due to my complete exhaustion from a lack of sleep and working a lot because I am on call this week, I really needed this beach visit more than the dogs did.
" I've got a bad disease
But from my brain is where I bleed.
Insanity it seems
Has got me by my soul to squeeze."
" I've got a bad disease
But from my brain is where I bleed.
Insanity it seems
Has got me by my soul to squeeze."
It's another beautiful morning in Indiana as we walk along the access road to the beach.
My two hiking partners already know what is down that dune in front of us, so they start to speed up.
"Well all the love from thee
With all the dying trees I scream.
With all the dying trees I scream.
The angels in my dreams (yeah)
Have turned to demons of greed that's mean."
Running down a sand dune is still fun for this old man.
"Where I go I just don't know
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
When I find my piece of mind
I'm gonna give you some of my good time."
We ran right down the dune and into Lake Michigan.
About 15 feet from the shore was a giant sand bar that started out knee deep...
...and further out it was higher making it ankle deep water about 50 feet from the shore.
"Today love smiled on me.
It took away my pain say please
It took away my pain say please
All that you had to free
You gotta let it be oh yeah."
"Where I go I just don't know
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
When I find my piece of mind
I'm gonna give you some of my good time."
Instead of hiking along the beach, we hiked westward on the sand bar.
Eventually we made it to shore and continued hiking west bound toward Beverly Shores.
After another quick dip in the lake...
...Nola shaking herself dry.
"Oh, so polite indeed
Well I got everything I need.
Well I got everything I need.
Oh make my days a breeze
And take away my self destruction."
The devastation of the dunes completely captivates me while hiking here.
This almost looks like a giant wave of sand that is about break over me and carry me into the lake.
These two are pretty good about stopping when I take pictures. But if I spend too much time stopped, I get the WTF look from Nola.
Hiking along the black sand.
"It's bitter baby,
And it's very sweet.
And it's very sweet.
I'm on a rollercoaster,
but I'm on my feet.
Take me to the river,
Let me on your shore.
I'll be coming back baby,
I'll be coming back for more."
"Doo doo doo doo dingle zing a dong bone
Ba-di ba-da ba-zumba crunga cong gone bad"
Ba-di ba-da ba-zumba crunga cong gone bad"
Someone created a nice shelter from all the driftwood on the beach.
The dunes on the west end are in better shape than the east side....
....but you can see areas that have collapsed onto the beach.
"I could not forget
But I will not endeavor
But I will not endeavor
Simple pleasures aren't as special
But I won't regret it never."
It took awhile but I finally got Oslo to turn around and head back. It is getting too hot and we are a long way from the car.
Another view of an impressive natural building on the beach.
Nola starting climbing up the dune. So I let go of Oslo's leash and followed my inquisitive dog on her search.
We climbed up pretty high before I made her turnaround.
The old man just waited for us on the beach.
Then Nola disappeared into this storm tossed pile of drift wood.
This girl loves to check out everything on the beach.
While Nola got all tangled up in drift wood, Oslo decided to go for a swim.
He swam right back to me when I called him. At least I have one good dog.
"Where I go I just don't know
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
I got to got to gotta take it slow.
When I find my piece of mind
I'm gonna give you some of my good time."
Hey Gregg, wait a minute while I check this out.
The shifting sand sliding down the dune reminded me of an hour glass. Now I want to turn it upside down so the sand goes back up the dunes. We stopped here because a guy walking on the beach asked if the dogs were friendly. He just lost his 16 year old golden retriever and want to pet Oslo. We had a wonderful conversation about dogs, beaches and life in general. Just what I needed to restore my faith in humanity. Since Oslo had already flopped down on the sand, I joined him.
"Where I go I just don't know
I might end up somewhere in Mexico.
I might end up somewhere in Mexico.
When I find my piece of mind
I'm gonna keep you for the end of time."
Nola always on guard...
...Oslo, like me, is enjoying the views.
Some more fun on the sand bar.
What an incredible day...
...looking east toward Michigan City...
...and looking west to the section of beach we just hiked along.
The NPS just opened the trail through the woods to the parking lot...
...so Oslo decided to take that route back to the car.
Your tax dollars being spent wisely for a change. The NPS just rebuilt this staircase down to the parking lot. We ran into a young couple from southern Indiana with three little boys...HMMM...that seems familiar to me. While the brothers played with Oslo & Nola, I had another lovely conversation with the parents who love the outdoors and were glad they stopped here after I told them how much I loved this beach. I hope they had fun today at Central Beach...maybe some day in the future one of their sons will write blog posts about how much he loves America's National Parks.
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