[tecpatl]

Originally Posted by magellan

Yowzers! I've never made it all the way over to the Lake Michigan side of the dunes. Incredible!

All you have to do is drive to the overlook on Pierce Stocking Drive. The walk from the designated Dune Climb is pretty long...a couple miles.
People who go down to the lake there really need to think it over before they make the run down to the shore. A few minutes of sheer fun getting down, and total misery trying to climb back up that sandy slope. The Glen Arbor Fire & Rescue is going to start charging for "rescues" of numbskulls who go down and can't get back up. They've got better things to do with their time than dealing with people who can't pay attention to warning signs.
It IS fun though...did it myself a number of times when younger. Wouldn't dream of going down there now unless I was planning on walking all the way around on the beach, which is pretty nice if you have the time.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by tecpatl

All you have to do is drive to the overlook on Pierce Stocking Drive. The walk from the designated Dune Climb is pretty long...a couple miles.
People who go down to the lake there really need to think it over before they make the run down to the shore. A few minutes of sheer fun getting down, and total misery trying to climb back up that sandy slope. The Glen Arbor Fire & Rescue is going to start charging for "rescues" of numbskulls who go down and can't get back up. They've got better things to do with their time than dealing with people who can't pay attention to warning signs.
It IS fun though...did it myself a number of times when younger. Wouldn't dream of going down there now unless I was planning on walking all the way around on the beach, which is pretty nice if you have the time.

I've noticed that just on the main dune climb. A couple of times I thought I was going to see someone have a heart attack (usually extremely obese guys who have no idea how out-of-shape they are).

[JGatti]

Originally Posted by timeofseasons

Wouldn't expect in Michigan for someone to find those in their pool, interesting.

I grew up in Southfield and we would look for slamanders during the summer, roll over old logs etc. I had never seen these until I moved to Highland. I've never had this many in my pool before. Frogs yes ( from the pond across the street) these no. Years ago before the internet was so huge( I could not varify anything) I found a lizard on my property up near Gaylord. NOBODY believed me. Everyone made jokes it was some kind of mutant snake with legs. It looked like a small blue racer snake with little legs and this thing ran fast as hell. I tried to trap it under a pot where I found it and went to find something to keep it in. When I came back it had either dug under it in the sand or got out. Turns out we have a breed of skink's or newts here in Michigan.
So now I move out here and I start finding these little guys around. I've read up on them and they say they make great pets. They are born in the water but lose their gills as they reach adulthood. Their skin is very sensitive and I'm glad I had not shocked the pool and it was overdue for chlorine when they made their way into it. Otherwise they would have all died like the 3 I found dead the next day.
I'll look for the photo I took of the dirt they pushed up under the basketball stand. They are pretty hard workers.

[timeofseasons]

Originally Posted by JGatti

I grew up in Southfield and we would look for slamanders during the summer, roll over old logs etc. I had never seen these until I moved to Highland. I've never had this many in my pool before. Frogs yes ( from the pond across the street) these no. Years ago before the internet was so huge( I could not varify anything) I found a lizard on my property up near Gaylord. NOBODY believed me. Everyone made jokes it was some kind of mutant snake with legs. It looked like a small blue racer snake with little legs and this thing ran fast as hell. I tried to trap it under a pot where I found it and went to find something to keep it in. When I came back it had either dug under it in the sand or got out. Turns out we have a breed of skink's or newts here in Michigan.
So now I move out here and I start finding these little guys around. I've read up on them and they say they make great pets. They are born in the water but lose their gills as they reach adulthood. Their skin is very sensitive and I'm glad I had not shocked the pool and it was overdue for chlorine when they made their way into it. Otherwise they would have all died like the 3 I found dead the next day.
I'll look for the photo I took of the dirt they pushed up under the basketball stand. They are pretty hard workers.

Your pool must be dug into the ground, otherwise I don't see how they got in. Yeah they are very interesting, definately wouldn't expect to see one in mid-Michigan.
Quick question: What did you do with all of the slamanders?

[wordsmith680]

Another beatiful day inthe U P. (and the water is warm too!)

[mkfarnam]

The salamaders I remember finding in Michigan years ago, started out as Pollywags that turned into salamaders and then frogs.

[JGatti]

Originally Posted by timeofseasons

Your pool must be dug into the ground, otherwise I don't see how they got in. Yeah they are very interesting, definately wouldn't expect to see one in mid-Michigan.
Quick question: What did you do with all of the slamanders?

Yes it is an in ground fiberglass pool. We've had just about everything you can think of fall in there at one time or another. Frogs, turtles, salamanders, mice, chipmunks, skunks.......

Oh and we just let them go in the woods next to our house. I can only hope they were mature enough to survive on land. Knowing what I know now I will let them go closer to the pond. But if they made it so far on land to fall in my pool, I'd guess they could make it back.

[JGatti]

Originally Posted by mkfarnam

The salamaders I remember finding in Michigan years ago, started out as Pollywags that turned into salamaders and then frogs.

Although they do start out in the water these are slamanders and will never be frogs. When they reach adulthood they lose their gills and live in the ground.

[stanman13]

Originally Posted by wordsmith680

Another beatiful day inthe U P. (and the water is warm too!)

"Warm" is a pretty relarive term -- especially for the UP! Of course that pic (nice one, BTW) looks like an inland lake, which would be considerably warmer than say, Superior.

[CorvyMarie]

We went to Frankenmuth for the first time yesterday


The is the wood bridge:



The waterfall at River Place:



I love the style of decor on the buildings. Even the 7-11 and the banks had the same theme to enhance the feel of being in "Little Bavaria"