in water

"Is there a public pool near here?"

Our host family lived on fifteen acres outside of Omena, Michigan. As Jan and I got around Monday morning, it was Dan who gave us directions to the fitness center in Northport from his computer and not the museum photo below.

It was our way while we drove the whole route. On eight of the ten days, Jan and I did our aerobic workouts IN WATER. When visiting Geisert in Elkader Iowa, we made time to be at the local city pool. In both Rockford Illinois and Muskegon Michigan, before looking for a place to dine we spent an hour unwinding at the indoor motel pool. In Schaumberg outside of Chicago, it was the outdoor motel pool. As we entered Missouri through Hannibal, it was in the green lake water of the Mark Twain State Park. At Northport Michigan, it was the fitness center pool.

Resistance of moving limbs in the water helped keep us limber after hours of sitting in the car. When muscles twist and legs kick, my mind drifts, and gratitude washes over me. For my wife Jan, her aid, her knowledge, her company, her energy for the trip. For the amazing hospitality poured out by Dan and Amanda. Staying at their house, conversation over the evening meal, stories of bicycling, white skunks that ate pesky yellow jacket wasps, having cats, all about Jenks, grumpy red squirrels, our lives and the jobs we keep. Jan finished her fifth set. We noticed how the foam noodles in the pool were unlike those we use back in Carrollton. Completely solid, not hole in the middle running the length of it.

We follow Dan's advice and explored Northport. Seagulls hovered above, tilting a wingtip to glide sideways across the sky. Visiting kids bobbed up and down with the sway of the incoming waves on the beach.

The wind was blustery and the water by the beach choppy.

Jan enjoyed watching high school students assemble small sailboats at the beach near the marina.

The unique experience we shared in Chicago at The Publican restaurant paved the way for us trying new foods in Northport. Double click on images to enlarge.

Skipping breakfast made room for this pulled pork - beef pattie and who-knows-what-else-it-had. The waitress couldn't believe I had room for it all. Yum.

We ate at the Garage, downtown Northport.

 

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