I stopped at a store in Glen Arbor earlier in the week that had a sign “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” That really stuck me. Sometimes we get into a rut, doing the same things over and over again because they don’t take us outside our comfort zone. Well, I’m glad to say that I’ve done a few things for the first time this week. I can add a couple things to that list today.
I’ve always wondered what lay at the end of Boekeloo Rd. within Sleeping Bear. From M-22 it looks like a pothole-filled road that very few people have ventured down. And, that is very true. I decided this morning was the day to go exploring. Because it had rained last night, I decided to walk in the mile and a quarter to the end rather than try to drive or even ride my mountain bike. That turned out to be a good decision. There were potholes filled with water that spanned the entire width of the road. The bike would be a good option in drier weather.
It was a very pleasant walk through mixed woods and some marshy areas.
About 1.25 miles off M22 you come to the end of the road and this cabin off to your left. It is called The Boekelodge.
It seems to be in good shape. The interior looks dry and intact. The kitchen is still complete with coffee and tea pots.
There’s a nice fence still intact.
Off to one side there is a trail that leads to Lake Michigan, another 3/4 mile further. Again, it is a very pleasant walk through the woods to the dune area and finally the beach.
I saw several Monarch Butterflies along the way, but had a tough time photographing them. I will admit being lucky to capture two of them in flight.
The beach, as you would expect, is quite isolated. Lots of sand.
I should add that the road is accessible with a pickup truck or a high-clearance SUV. It might be in better shape than I saw when there’s no water standing in the road. However, it is a lovely walk to the cabin and on to the lake. Just don’t forget your bug spray.
On the way home, I was on Platte Rd between M-22 and Honor and saw an animal along the side of the road that I was not familiar with. I got by it before I could stop and try to get a photo. Amazingly, it just stood by the side of the road as if waiting for me to get the photo. Unfortunately, I did not have my long lens with me, so this is a bit fuzzy.
A woman on bicycle (Thanks for stopping, Esther) stopped to see three does on the opposite side of the road and asked if that was why I stopped. I showed her this photo and she thought it was a puma. She has seen pumas in the area for the first time this year.
Doing a web search, I could not find any better guess to its identity. It seems to lump cougar and puma under the same animal. It must be a young one based on its size. It only stood a little over a foot high. So, if you know what it is, please let me know in the comment section below.
OK, it looks like this is a young coyote, not a feline. Thanks for all the comments with the corrections.
So, that was my adventure for the morning. Lots of firsts.
Keep on adventuring!
Mark
Are you sure that isn’t a coyote? Doesn’t look like a member of the cat family to me. Glad that you have had many new adventures this year. So have we!
Thanks, Jane. That seems to be the consensus, coyote.
It would be very unusual to have a puma sighting in Michigan. BTW, pumas, cougars, and mountain lions are all the same animal. It would likely be an escaped pet if one were seen. I do think there was one confirmed sighting by the DNR a while back. Coyotes are found everywhere. We have even had them stroll through our yard in Lafayette and sometimes on summer nights we can hear them yipping and howling down by the nearby creek.
My father and his older brother cut the road now a trail to Lake Michigan in the late 1940s. The road is maintained by Benzie County Road Commission.