Have you heard? Michigan Waterways Adventure Labs

 The adventure is afoot, again! 

The Michigan DNR and the Michigan Geocaching Organization (MiGO) are at it again! 

As part of the 75th anniversary of the Michigan State Waterways Commission, the DNR has partnered with MiGO and Jay’s Sporting Goods to help you explore Michigan's waterways and maritime heritage. There are seven adventure labs located throughout the state. Each Adventure Lab has 10 locations for you to visit. [link]

Complete the designated Adventure Labs in each of the 4 regions to be awarded path tags - collect all 4 path tags to earn a commemorative Waterways 75th Celebration Geocoin. 

ShelleyJean, TaGeez and I started the series Sunday - touring from the Ohio border, up along the coast and around the thumb, landing in Bay City!

Wayne-Monroe Waterways

Each lab visits 10 sites and 10 code words for the tour passport. This first one ran from Bolles Harbor near Monroe, through Detroit, and into St. Clair Shores. Not sure what to expect, we are excited that these stops differ from the centennial tour, and included many birding habitats such as the spectacular Detroit River IWR - Strong Unit!

Detroit had four stops, including the Mariner's Church, Outdoor Adventure Center, and Milliken State Park. 

ShelleyJean, Scrapcat and TaGeez

Milliken State Park

Unfortunately, we couldn't finish this lab as the Grand Prix blocked the Dossin Great Lakes Museum. We would've been "first to log" 😞

Bay-Huron Waterway

Realizing what a lovely day for a car ride, we decided to continue onto Bay-Huron, starting with Harbor Beach (and a new Virtual). From there we headed West, where we visited two of my favorite locations on the tour: a lighthouse...

Point Aux Barques Lighthouse

and an ice cream shop! Yum for Stroh's ice cream! 

While we were stuffing our faces, SJ was becoming fast friends with an American Redstart - swoop! We added several new feathered friends to our "life lists" including the Orchard Oriole and the Black-crowned Night-Heron!

Photo credits: ShelleyJean and/or her camera 💗

We've heard criticism of this tour as it's just a bunch of remote boat access launches - this is not like the geocaching heavy centennial tour. Yes, in the 19 we completed, there were a few underwhelming locations, but most were in or next to previously-unknown-to-us nature preserves and [heavenly] Michigan waters! So looking forward to seeing where the remaining 5 bring us!

Michigan State Park Centennial Celebration

The Michigan State Park System made a big announcement today! Their Michigan State Park Centennial Website has gone live! 

100 YEARS - HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

The announcement kicks off a yearlong centennial celebration for the inception of our State Park System. A year of reliving memories, centennial celebrations and even a Geotour! That's right! Scroll to the bottom of the screen because the State Parks, in conjunction with MIGO, has something special planned!

MIGO (Michigan Geocaching Organization) has been hard at work to setup Michigan's first Geotour, kicking off Memorial Weekend and spanning 3 years.

The tour will consist of 100 fun and interesting caches, 25 in each MiGO region.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in any region will net you a nice, regional pathtag.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in three of the four regions will net you a nice GeoCoin from the DNR.  Achieving 20 of 25 finds in all four regions will net you a special gold GeoCoin from the DNR.  Finding all 100 caches in the GeoTour will get you recognition from Geocaching HQ. [MIGO Website]

I'm SO excited to have a Geotour in state - so much so I sponsored a geocache on the tour. Plans are already underway to enjoy and conquer the tour this summer. And I'm SO impressed with the changes MIGO has made in the last year that I finally doled out for a supporting membership.

It's shaping up like an amazing year ahead!