It's time, Muskegon...

Pure Pere Marquette.

"Don't wait for your ship to come in. Swim out to it." --Author Unknown

Today was a very exciting day for me, Muskegon, and you'll be thrilled to hear why: The water in Lake Michigan is warm enough to swim. I did jump in after a two-mile run, but I played in the waves for more than a half-hour ... And yes, I was at the nationally ranked Pere Marquette beach.

This was the first summer day I've gotten to swim in Lake Michigan in five years, and I was thrilled to experience that familiar wonderful feeling of being in a huge, blue bath, underneath the gorgeous azure sky with some wispy white clouds ... Seeing the beach houses and dunes stretch out to the left and right from the water ... I got out, did a little workout on the beach - which felt like I had entered one of those workout videos with the gorgeous backdrops - then just had to go back in for a second natural bath ...

This was all after 5 p.m., Muskegon, soon after the sun had come out. I just love that the long summer days allow for a full day of work followed by hours of vacation in your own city. And there's no better way to describe time at a Muskegon beach than being on vacation. We often think we need to go to some exotic locale to actually be on vacation. Not true - especially not here, especially not in the summer...

On my way back from the water, I stopped to swing ... and as my view went from sugar-sand beach to sparkling waves to bright blue sky and back the other way, I had one of those moments where I realized that it really doesn't get better than that ... And people spend lots of money for a few days or weeks on a beach somewhere, and here it is in our backyard...

Think about that, Muskegon, the next time somebody says something negative about the area. Better yet, go experience it. If you have to - as I did - go explore other places, other beaches. You'll see what I mean...

The beautiful thing is, many people already get it. After my swims, I walked along the Pere Marquette concrete path and then the boardwalk ... I noticed several houses holding celebrations - one even included beer pong in the front yard. Along the path and the beach, people were strolling, running, talking, thinking - and a group of women were doing yoga right next to the lake (a real-life workout video :) ... 

There weren't many people in the water, but that'll soon change, I'm sure. It's too amazing of an experience for it not to. I, for one, am grateful beyond words to have the opportunity for a beach vacation everyday...

See ya in the water.

--Imaginer