warren dunes state park, michigan. tuesday, july 21st the forecast was projected to be 70% rain. we decided to take the change and go anyway since i had called off work. the drive was roughly 1.75 hours long. like any other car ride, i was sleeping like a baby. no matter how awake i am, put me in a car and drive me around for 15 minutes and i’ll be snoring.  anyway, we arrived soon enough. i looked around. the state park looked mundane, like any other beach. however, we had to pay to get into this one, 8 dollars per car. i thought to myself, it be better spectacular or else imma be pissed. either way, i guess it was just nice to be hanging out with friends. let us hope the weather remains precipitation-less.  we were all famished. the cooler was unloaded. the bag of buttermilk bread was opened and each person took a pair. mayo was passed around along with a knife to spread the creamy white fatty deletable condiment. next came lettuce and tomato along with the choice of ham or turkey or both.  first activity of the day, ascend to the top of the mountainous dune of sand! pssh i thought to myself that looks easy enough, i’m quite fit and young! therefore, the proposal arose, “loser gets thrown down the dune!” off to the races we go after a group picture. it was a good start, paced breathing with swift strokes of the legs. half-way up, i’m still in the lead. still in the lead, let’s hold onto this lead. my breathing pattern becomes more forced, inhales were short, exhales were quick. SOB (shortness of breath, hehe, pharmacy humor). minhtan is gaining leverage. he is closing in. stopped dead in my tracks, i begin to recuperate. my legs are fatigued. noooo i cannot lose. i do not want to lose. i hate losing! ..must.. con..tin..ue. my legs started propelling through the soft tissued sand. my pace, not was efficient as when i had started but at least i am moving. minhtan, still in the lead. john cutting the distance between himself and me. i can feel that i will lose but i cannot and will not give up. we are almost there legs, just several more steps… wait what is that i hear, footsteps, quick ones. i turn my head, i see john pushing his way through the sand like a cheetah races after its prey. swoooosh i feel the gush of wind as he passes me up. reaching the top, the five fingers of his palm superimposes that of minhtan’s. i underestimated the hill. now i have lost. i will face my demise. i continue, reaching the peak, last of the three men in competition. i was disappointed. however, it was a good lesson learned-to never underestimate obstacles but most importantly, be humble or else you will be humbled.  looking down from the pinnacle of the dune, the shoreline of the beach was one of the most beautiful i have ever been to. the sand was, crispy tanned, so soft that it felt like i was walking on clouds (although i have never walked on clouds but i could imagine how soft they can be). maybe as soft as white fluffy marshmallows. the sky was blue with just the right amount of white clouds floating around. the water was a wonderful blend of green and blue. it could be turquoise. i could not wait to throw myself into the water and let it engulf my body. next stop! mudpit, one of the spectacles of warren dunes. we made our way to the entrance and saw a sign. a sign that read something similar to this ( i cannot fully remember what it actually said): “water toxic to human contact.” TOXIC. HUMAN CONTACT. no go. we went anyway, on land at least. Minhtan led the way and we each hesitantly followed. walking barefooted, the rocks and dirt did not help our journey to the toxic mudpit. We crossed a bridge. The only way from there to the mudpit was through the water way, the water way which consisted of toxic water. I could not do it. I pussied out. As future medical professionals, John and I decided to stay behind. Minhtan was the first to go. He reached his hands into the walls and painted himself with the greyish-green mud. He was started to looking like Blanka (street fighter character).  Edwin followed him. Then Rhea and Krystle. Edwin and Minhtan went all the way to the mudpit. We lost sight of them. Rhea and Krystle stayed near the bridge (not sure why) and played there. John and I stayed on the bridge and overlooked them, harping at how foolish they were to risk their health like that. “There is always next time guys.” However, they failed to heed the warnings. Minhtan and Edwin finally made their way back to us after some time. I knew exactly what was going to happen next. As Minhtan made his way up towards the bridge, his eyes grew bigger. He had a grin on his face, an devious one. I turned towards the exit, lifting my legs, I started to run. John followed and as predicted, Minhtan was not too far behind. Running in the sanded, rocky path was quite painful and exhausting.  oh man, i quit. i can’t write anymore. writing is hard. it has never been a strong point for me. to summarize: the rest of the day was us chilling on the beach, the sand and water. i suck at swimming too. ahha. gorgeous day!! the end. View high resolution

warren dunes state park, michigan.

tuesday, july 21st

the forecast was projected to be 70% rain. we decided to take the change and go anyway since i had called off work. the drive was roughly 1.75 hours long. like any other car ride, i was sleeping like a baby. no matter how awake i am, put me in a car and drive me around for 15 minutes and i’ll be snoring. 

anyway, we arrived soon enough. i looked around. the state park looked mundane, like any other beach. however, we had to pay to get into this one, 8 dollars per car. i thought to myself, it be better spectacular or else imma be pissed. either way, i guess it was just nice to be hanging out with friends. let us hope the weather remains precipitation-less. 

we were all famished. the cooler was unloaded. the bag of buttermilk bread was opened and each person took a pair. mayo was passed around along with a knife to spread the creamy white fatty deletable condiment. next came lettuce and tomato along with the choice of ham or turkey or both. 

first activity of the day, ascend to the top of the mountainous dune of sand! pssh i thought to myself that looks easy enough, i’m quite fit and young! therefore, the proposal arose, “loser gets thrown down the dune!” off to the races we go after a group picture. it was a good start, paced breathing with swift strokes of the legs. half-way up, i’m still in the lead. still in the lead, let’s hold onto this lead. my breathing pattern becomes more forced, inhales were short, exhales were quick. SOB (shortness of breath, hehe, pharmacy humor). minhtan is gaining leverage. he is closing in. stopped dead in my tracks, i begin to recuperate. my legs are fatigued. noooo i cannot lose. i do not want to lose. i hate losing! ..must.. con..tin..ue. my legs started propelling through the soft tissued sand. my pace, not was efficient as when i had started but at least i am moving. minhtan, still in the lead. john cutting the distance between himself and me. i can feel that i will lose but i cannot and will not give up. we are almost there legs, just several more steps… wait what is that i hear, footsteps, quick ones. i turn my head, i see john pushing his way through the sand like a cheetah races after its prey. swoooosh i feel the gush of wind as he passes me up. reaching the top, the five fingers of his palm superimposes that of minhtan’s. i underestimated the hill. now i have lost. i will face my demise. i continue, reaching the peak, last of the three men in competition. i was disappointed. however, it was a good lesson learned-to never underestimate obstacles but most importantly, be humble or else you will be humbled. 

looking down from the pinnacle of the dune, the shoreline of the beach was one of the most beautiful i have ever been to. the sand was, crispy tanned, so soft that it felt like i was walking on clouds (although i have never walked on clouds but i could imagine how soft they can be). maybe as soft as white fluffy marshmallows. the sky was blue with just the right amount of white clouds floating around. the water was a wonderful blend of green and blue. it could be turquoise. i could not wait to throw myself into the water and let it engulf my body.

next stop! mudpit, one of the spectacles of warren dunes. we made our way to the entrance and saw a sign. a sign that read something similar to this ( i cannot fully remember what it actually said): “water toxic to human contact.” TOXIC. HUMAN CONTACT. no go. we went anyway, on land at least. Minhtan led the way and we each hesitantly followed. walking barefooted, the rocks and dirt did not help our journey to the toxic mudpit. We crossed a bridge. The only way from there to the mudpit was through the water way, the water way which consisted of toxic water. I could not do it. I pussied out. As future medical professionals, John and I decided to stay behind. Minhtan was the first to go. He reached his hands into the walls and painted himself with the greyish-green mud. He was started to looking like Blanka (street fighter character).  Edwin followed him. Then Rhea and Krystle. Edwin and Minhtan went all the way to the mudpit. We lost sight of them. Rhea and Krystle stayed near the bridge (not sure why) and played there. John and I stayed on the bridge and overlooked them, harping at how foolish they were to risk their health like that. “There is always next time guys.” However, they failed to heed the warnings.

Minhtan and Edwin finally made their way back to us after some time. I knew exactly what was going to happen next. As Minhtan made his way up towards the bridge, his eyes grew bigger. He had a grin on his face, an devious one. I turned towards the exit, lifting my legs, I started to run. John followed and as predicted, Minhtan was not too far behind. Running in the sanded, rocky path was quite painful and exhausting. 

oh man, i quit. i can’t write anymore. writing is hard. it has never been a strong point for me.

to summarize: the rest of the day was us chilling on the beach, the sand and water. i suck at swimming too. ahha. gorgeous day!!

the end.

Notes