DUNE: The Double Metric

Arrakis... Dune... bike camping.

The midwestern summer was fading into fall, and we knew only a few weekends remained before the planet froze over again. It tends to do so abruptly, and always sooner than expected. Fall is by far the most pleasant season for both cycling and camping, yet it seems to be the shortest season of all... One of the midwest's many faults.

So, we set our sights on Dune... the Indiana Dunes State Park. From Chicago, it's a 60-something mile ride, which seemed like the perfect distance for an overnight trip - A metric century out, followed by a metric century home the next day. Being the Muad'Dib that he is, Marcus packed his bike with all of the camping equipment necessary for the weekend, while I dropped mine off with Dan the night before. He graciously agreed to drive my gear out to the dunes (along with some food and libations) and meet us at the campsite. I really need to invest in some packable camping gear... and perhaps a proper touring bike that can carry it all... but until then, this worked out perfectly.

The ride out was one of the windiest in recent memory. It never let up. I had hoped that this meant we would have a nice tailwind to carry us home the following day, but of course, that would not be the case. Otherwise, the ride was extremely pleasant. We took the lakefront path south, stooping for a quick snack on Promontory Point. We were treated to views of the water and wooded trails for a good portion of the ride. Eventually, we found ourselves lost on the property of what appeared to be an oil refinery, or something very industrial. Just beyond the Indiana border, the trail lead over Wolf lake. This portion of the trail is a favorite of mine. Riding across the elevated pathway surrounded by water feels like the scene from Spirited Away - you know, the train scene.

Well, we eventually made it to the dunes, and Dan arrived just as we did. We quickly set up camp, changed out of our gear, and set out for a sunset hike. We were met with an endless array of stairways leading up the dunes, and for a moment, I regretted the decision to ascend. After 60-something miles into a constant headwind, climbing multiple flights of stairs was less than ideal, but very much worth it for the views below the sherbet-colored sky. We carefully made our way down the other side of the dune, keeping watch for the Shai-Hulud, then walked along the lake before returning to camp.

The next morning started with coffee and breakfast before hauling our tired legs back to the sand. We partook in what is known as the "three dune challenge", which involves climbing to the top of the three tallest dunes in the park. Really quite a feat after the long day prior, but again, worth it for the views. After we had our fill of picturesque landscapes, we packed up our gear and headed homeward for another metric into the wind.