Michigan, National Parks

The Pull of Leelanau

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There is definitely something magical about Leelanau.  Standing upon the hills that are the remains of long ago glaciers, we get a sense of calm that we have yet to find elsewhere.  Miles of orchards, vineyards, shorelines, trees, and meadows continue to pull us in.  In reading that, one would think that the question at the end of our last post would be answered…will we be back next year?  It turns out that we indeed will be, and it will definitely be different than it has been in years past.  More on that in a minute.

I’m happy to announce that the rope project is complete!

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This is the last piece they asked me to do; a rudimentary barrier across a set of concrete stairs outside the Cannery.  Out of 200 feet of rope, I ended the project with a foot to spare.

Also, we had a nice surprise when a couple walked into the Cannery and asked “Are you exploRVistas?”

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It was long time blog followers Kathy and John, who came all the way from Delaware to visit Sleeping Bear Dunes!  It was fun to visit with them for a bit and we wish them well in their travels.

So, back to the future.  Over the past several years, I’ve had a habit of browsing on Zillow, the real estate website.  Those sessions always ended with a ‘maybe someday’.  Well, someday has arrived.  We found some land with a view, a hill, a driveway, a building site, deer tracks, trillium, and bunch of maple trees.  Seeing that it is a glacial moraine composed of sand and gravel, it passed the perc test with flying colors.  We mulled it over, sorted out the initial details, and closed on it this past week.  Will this take us off the road as fulltime RVers?  Not for several years, as we are going to build in phases.  We intend this to be a summer home, as we plan to continue to winter in Florida, sprinkling spring and fall travel into the mix.  We will change our status at the national lakeshore to community volunteers, once we complete our upcoming project.

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Here is our building site, looking south.  We have room for a small home, a large garage, and an RV or two.  A few of the trees will come out to open up a long view of the surrounding area.

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This view is looking north.  There are lots of possibilities as to what we will do with the space.  We will be doing most of the work ourselves, so plan on us taking a few years until our heads hit the pillows in our new home.

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One of the first things we wanted was a shed to store a few things in.  We’ll attempt to get that built in the time we have before we head to the UK.

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If it doesn’t get totally done, we will finish it when we get back.

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Diana is making sure the site doesn’t get reclaimed by the forest.

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She is making quick work mowing the ground cover the previous owner put in. Our new to us string trimmer is perfect for the job.

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A few of the leaves have started to turn color, so we should be in for quite a show when we get back from our trip.  Our trees are about 90-plus percent maples.

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Be sure to stay tuned over the next several years as we turn our little slice of heaven into a place to call home.  This next week will be a busy one, so look for our next post to come from somewhere in London.  Until then, safe and happy travels to all!

47 thoughts on “The Pull of Leelanau”

  10. Isn’t it so exciting to find that next place to settle! Love your property and that area. It is a very different feeling to have that place to go when one needs a rest from the road. Congratulations! Have a wonderful time across the pond!

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  12. What exciting news!!! We wish you much happiness in such a beautiful location. Safe Travels and can’t wait to see the future as you build it;o))

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  13. Oh, how exciting! That’s what happens when you “browse” Zillow, LOL! Seriously, it looks like a beautiful piece of property, and how cool that it’s in a location that you know and love. It looks like we’ll definitely get to meet up with you in Michigan one of these days! Hey, maybe even Florida this winter??

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  14. Congratulations! I’m so excited for you. I understand that pull to a location … a place that calls to and just feels like home. I can’t wait to see what you plan on building. Have a great time across the pond.

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  19. Wow! Congratulations! you found your piece of paradise. We ar so jealous, for here we are still uncertain and still looking for own piece of heaven.
    Can’t wait for your stories from across the pond. Have a safe trip and stay safe.

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      1. Have fun. Drop me a line if you think I can help with anything; I’m meant to know a bit about it – just a bit, though. And don’t forget to stay on the right side of the road, which is of course the left 🙂

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