Good planning does not always ensure good results. The second full week of August is when I’ve often been back home in Flint, Michigan for the annual Back To The Bricks car festival. This year has been the first since 2019 that the pandemic has largely unaffected my ability to do what I want. As I have hinted in some of my essays from earlier this year, I’ve been committed to taking hard-earned time off from work. It’s part of my total compensation package from my employer, and a very real way of taking care of myself.
I might have gone back to Flint for the big car show, but since I had been back a couple of times since June, I decided to pass on this year’s show, give thanks for where I live, and enjoy my second annual staycation right here in Chicago. Included as a bonus was my first-ever trip to the Indiana Dunes. Years ago, my therapist had suggested that I might enjoy taking pictures there, which is fully accessible by train without needing a vehicle, for a temporary change of scenery. I finally realized those plans exactly two weeks ago.
The idea had come to me on the Monday afternoon of my first day off from work. At first, the thought of leaving my neighborhood, locale, city, and state caused just a little anxiety. After all, “staycation” is supposed to be about enjoying places, foods, venues, and attractions in the place where one lives. However, the more I thought about it, the decision to go to the dunes seemed to make itself. It appealed to me to be able to take quick and easy public transportation downtown to get to Millennium Station, where I could purchase round-trip tickets for the South Shore Line commuter train that would drop me off about a mile from the dunes, where I could walk straight from the depot. A mile is nothing. I’ve spent hours at a time on foot, especially over the past couple of years, canvassing not only my neighborhood, but also the surrounding areas that are immediately adjacent.
At Millennium Station. Downtown Chicago, Illinois.
Thus, I had made up my mind. It was incredibly easy to make an online purchase for a pedestrian pass to the dunes for fifteen dollars, which was good for Monday through Friday. The park’s website showcased many things to do, including both hiking and a very nice beach. To sun myself on a completely foreign patch of shore on vast Lake Michigan, in another state, suddenly felt like an adventure that I was not only ready for, but relished thinking about. The next morning, I loaded my backpack with the things I’d normally bring to the beach, also adding a box of Aldi protein bars and a solar-powered USB charger. I didn’t have time to buy a sandwich beforehand in the interest of actually making my train as I had left the house too late, but my internet research had yielded many food options available for purchase near or at the park.
Aboard the South Shore Line.
Boarding my train at Millennium Station before departure, and thankfully facing in the direction of travel, I gave a big sigh of relief that I was headed for Indiana, with a smile on my face. My very first ride on the South Shore Line made me a little homesick for Flint, as the train passed through Chicago’s south side and many other urban areas. The friendly train attendant let me know that instead of riding the train straight through to the Dunes Park station, everyone would have to deboard at the Gary Metro Center station and ride a bus the rest of the way, since parts of the track were under construction.
City Hall. Gary, Indiana.
I have a big soft spot for urban, U.S. Rust Belt cities that have relied heavily, or still rely, on blue collar industry as an economic engine. Gary reminded me a little of Flint-lite, though I doubt very much that they have a “Back To The Steel Mills” festival to celebrate their industry like Flintstones celebrate the automobile. I’m not at all disrespecting Gary. Not only the Jackson family, but also Deniece Williams, another one of my favorite musical artists, hail from this city. I thought about that as I transferred to the dunes-bound coach bus at Gary Metro station. I might have listened to some Niecy on my earbuds at the transfer point, had I thought about it.
South Shore Line Dune Park Station. Porter, Indiana.
The bus arrived at the Dunes Park station in Porter a half-hour behind the scheduled time on the brochure, and I got off along with almost everyone else. “I’m here!”, I thought triumphantly, as I smiled and looked around… as everyone seemed to get into waiting vehicles which left the station with haste. So, okay. Now to find the way to get to the park. I mapped directions my phone and started walking along one main rural route that didn’t have sidewalks, toward traffic, of course. Because that portion of that stretch of tracks was under reconstruction, the walkway that pedestrians would normally take from the train station to the asphalt trail to the park was completely closed off. Instead of crossing the tracks and walking along the tree-lined bike and walking path, I walked along the Dunes Highway like a hobo for about fifteen minutes until I got to N. State Route 49.
After walking for about ten minutes in the wrong direction, I did an about-face and was finally headed to the park. As originally planned, I was to have an ample three hours at the park, with the train to arrive at around 2:00 PM and depart just before five. With the time it would take to walk to and from the station, in addition to the delay in getting to Porter, my time at the park was going to be significantly curtailed, and there was no way I was missing my train back to Chicago. These few compromises were just the beginning of my afternoon.
It was under these circumstances, once I was headed to the park, that I spotted this beautiful, eleventh-generation (2002 – ’05) Ford Thunderbird roadster in what appeared to factory Inspiration Yellow approaching on the road. It was just the reset my mind needed, in exactly the right moment. With one earbud out, I had been listening to the birds, insects, and nature as I walked very briskly along the path toward Lake Michigan, and here came the automotive equivalent of a yellow finch. When I’m the age of the occupants of this car, I want to be cruising in a convertible on an average, sunny, summer Tuesday without an apparent care in the world.
I was one of those car enthusiasts who had done an emotional backflip of joy when it was announced that the ’99 Thunderbird concept car would go into actual production in 2001 as an early 2002 model. After the seemingly endless run of the tenth-generation cars from between the 1989 and ’97 model years, here was going to be the Thunderbird’s return to its original roots as a V8-powered, two-seat convertible. Its style was undeniable, especially to someone like me who regularly draws inspiration from brilliant ideas and aesthetics of the past.
Though all models featured a Jaguar-sourced 3.9 liter V8 engine, the first-year cars which were the most plentiful at around 31,400 units sold had 252 horsepower, versus the later model years where output was increased by 11% to 280 hp. All cars featured a five-speed automatic transmission. A period test from Motor Trend reported that the first-year cars were capable of doing 0-60 mph in seven seconds flat, while later editions shaved a half-second off that time, according to Car And Driver. These were respectable numbers, especially for a 3,800-pound car, and the reborn Thunderbird roadsters were never supposed to be barn-burners. Or were they? For about $35,500 in 2002 to start (about $58,500 in 2002), or an extra $4,300 ($7,000) for the removable hardtop, many customers both actual and prospective felt that more content and capability should have been included. Initial sales tumbled by over half to just 14,700 for ’03, with a total of just over 68,000 cars over its four-year run.
This production span seemed particularly abbreviated, like my time at the dunes that afternoon, especially considering all the hype surrounding the reborn Thunderbird, which was also Motor Trend’s Car Of The Year for 2002. It just seemed like so much had gone into it, from its planning to execution, much like my day at the dunes. Here’s the rest of what happened that Tuesday. Following a mile-long trek to the entry kiosk at the main parking lot, I met the attendant at the window, pulled out my phone, and proudly showed her my digital pass as if handing in a homework assignment. “I’m sorry. That’s not good here. That pass is for the national park. This is Indiana Dunes State Park.” The voice in my head said, “Woman, what is it that you’re saying to me?” What I actually said was that I didn’t realize there were two separate parks called “Indiana Dunes”. She was very kind, courteous, and just doing her job well.
Having cleared up that misunderstanding, and with the knowledge that I now had less than an hour to spend at the park, I noticed a sign in the window that said that there was “NO SWIMMING” (all-caps) due to unsafe conditions, meaning big waves and undertow. I’m used to walking less than three blocks and ten minutes from my house to a big, festive beach, and I had just spent money and hours getting to the wrong park in a different state to be told that I couldn’t spend time in the water. No big whoop. I was really hungry (and sweaty) by that point, so I thought it would be a good time to check out the restaurant at the beautiful Dunes Pavilion. It’s a truly stunning piece of architecture, and it stands as a proud, monumental, welcoming beacon to all beachgoers.
I couldn’t tell at first if it was a new structure or an old one, going with the neoclassic theme of the last Thunderbirds, but it was originally built in 1930. Following a seven-year renovation, it was reopened last summer. Also like the Thunderbird nameplate’s interlude of absence between the ’98 and ’01 model years, the Dunes Pavilion had previously been vacant for years. Marching across the sand toward this building with the thought of a chicken sandwich and a refreshing, non-alcoholic beverage in my mind, I arrived to see things curiously quiet and words stenciled on the door that read that the restaurant is closed on Tuesdays.
Can you imagine the disappointment of the final Thunderbird’s planners that sales didn’t take off, or even stay constant? Best-laid plans. I ate a couple more protein bars for nourishment. Thankfully, the snack shop was open so I purchased a delicious vanilla-chocolate swirl soft-serve ice cream cone from the sweetheart of a lady behind the counter. There’s something so familiar about Hoosiers, reminding me much of the Ohioans from whom I’m partially descended on the cornfed, Midwestern half of my equation.
I didn’t “go swimming”, but I did get a few shots of the shore from the calf-deep waters of Lake Michigan. After less than forty-five minutes on the sand by the crashing waves, it was time to hike back to the Dunes Park station to mandatorily catch my transportation back to Chicago. The next train back would leave two hours later. In the case of both my Indiana adventure and the eleventh-generation T-Bird, there was a considerable gap between how things were supposed to go and how they actually went.
Then as now, I’m still a fan of these Thunderbirds and would drive one with pride, today. My time at the Indiana Dunes State Park may have been as similarly brief as these Thunderbirds’ production run, but I am so glad to have had that truly enjoyable experience. My summer has now been richer for having become acquainted with Lake Michigan from this magical beach, much like the automotive landscape is better for having been graced with these ‘Birds, no matter what the ultimate outcome.
Chesterton, Indiana.
Tuesday, August 16, 2022.
I didn’t know there were two parks there either, and have never been there despite its close proximity. Our lake exposure has been in lower Michigan, just above South Bend.
I could feel the disappointments from this piece. Well-made plans and high expectations being stomped on by one little problem after another. At least there was ice cream.
I need to stop thinking of these Thunderbirds as Thunderbirds and start thinking about them as simply fun V8 roadsters. I know I am in the minority but I think the designers completely missed the aura of the original Bird that had a crispness to it that is totally lacking in these melted blobs. The round headlights, round taillights, 2 seats and bright colors are pretty much the extent of the common features of the two. But as simply a fun and cheerful top-down cruiser, I think I could be on board with it.
one of those overtook me recently it did look like fun, rare car here first one Ive seen live
The 55-57s had forward angles to the protruding headlights and taillights pods, as well as the hood scoop, giving the car a much more dramatic look, trying to soften that to modern aero standards was a mistake. The result is the 02 Tbirds look a whole lot more like a (large) retro MGB than a vintage Tbird.
Ford got retro right when they later created the 05 Mustang which most likely sacrificed aerodynamics for the proper upright look to the front end.
I’ve heard the beaches of lower Michigan are also really beautiful. I’ve driven north and south along western Michigan, about ten years ago, and from what I’ve heard my friends say and from the accompanying pictures I’ve seen, I’d love to explore that area, as well.
This trip had disappointments, but was not a disappointment. I did a lot of fun and great things during that week of staycation two weeks ago, but few of them came close to this adventure. I just enjoyed being in a different place, taking pictures, interacting with the few people I saw, riding buses and trains, and looking out the window. And I now know better what to expect. I will go back.
I too, could live with one of these, but mine would have a 347 stroker 302. Sorry about your trip Joseph, but now you know and next time it will be easier. I would at least plan on staying overnight.
And stay away on Tuesday.
Thanks so much. I considered it great experience overall, and to your point, perhaps spending more time in the area, like an overnight stay, might be a great idea.
(And Peter Wilding ^, excellent point. LOL)
Earlier this summer, I found myself driving near that Indiana state park and after asking my companions (who are from the area) what it was, I have vowed to go back and spend some time there. This piece has just underscored that desire. That pavilion looks really cool. Being an East Coast guy who has always had access to big Atlantic Ocean beaches, I have to admit a certain fascination with the Great Lakes and just how “beach-like” Lake Michigan looks. I aim to spend more time there.
Thanks Joe for sharing your enthusiasm for the 11th generation Thunderbird. I’ve never driven one, but they’ve always caught my eye in a positive way. It’s been an enduring mystery to me (much like the concept of enormous beaches on the Great Lakes) as to why they were such a sales flop after the first year. I’ve always thought of them as part of the wave of retro-cool car designs/relaunches that included the PT Cruiser, Plymouth Prowler, the New Beetle, Audi TT, and of course the (BMW) MINI. It seems that virtually all of those other vehicles were met with more and longer lasting love than the Thunderbird. But aside from the MINI (which I did own for 10 years) the only one of the other retro designs I’ve ever found interesting was the new Thunderbird. Hence the mystery to me as to what happened to make it fail in the marketplace.
They do seem to be generally well taken care of by the folks who I on occasion see driving them. Generally older folks (same of course could be said of PT Cruisers and Prowlers) as in your example.
As always, great piece, good connections, and excellent pics!
Jeff, thank you so much. I’d highly recommend spending time here.
You bring up something else interesting. About a month ago, I had a chance to visit with an old college friend from 20+ years ago in Florida. He’s a native Floridian. A bunch of us were at brunch, and they were maybe a couple of cocktails in when the topic of my favorite, local beaches came up. My friend, without missing a beat, chimed in that it “wasn’t a beach… it was a lakefront”, which caught me completely off guard.
To me, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it’s a duck. I was trying to figure out if his criteria was whether the water had salt or not, but from what I’ve read, the Great Lakes are more like inland seas than anything else. No, we don’t get huge, California-like waves that we can surf, but we occasionally get ones that are big enough to keep us from going in if lifeguards are on duty. I think that maybe in his mind, and since he hadn’t been there, that Lake Michigan was something you could paddle your fishing canoe across to the other side if you had a few free hours in the afternoon.
It’s not “beach-like”. It’s a beach, whether or not parts of it are manmade or not.
Something else you said struck a chord – I have seen nice examples of the retro-wave cars you referenced, and the nicer ones are driven by more mature-in-age drivers. And I love that, because I do still like the PT Cruiser and Prowler, and other cars from twenty-years ago when retro was back with a vengeance!
Hope you had a nice breather just the same somehow, Joseph!
Interesting to hear Deniece Williams’s updated version for the 80s but I prefer the Royalette’s 1965 original. Gorgeous song!
Sam, it was a great time, all things considered! Thank you.
I also bought the download for the Royalettes’ version of this song, and I like it, as well. But I’ll have to say – the first time I heard the Deniece Williams version as a young kid, at an outdoor barbeque held by either church friends or maybe the family of one of my dad’s students from the university, it was one of the most beautifully sung, perfectly orchestrated songs my young ears had ever heard. The song stuck in my mind immediately, and occasionally for years afterward. To rediscover it later on as a young adult brought me so much joy.
Niecy’s version of this song, and not her Billboard No. 1 Pop / R&B / Dance smash “Let’s Hear It For The Boy”, was the “gateway” to me discovering the rest of her work. Listened to her album “My Melody” from ’81 just this morning after I saw this post had run.
I grew up going to the Dunes. They were only 30 minutes from my industrial South Suburbs. I remember going to the Dunes, stripping naked and pulling on my swim trunks and getting sun burned and exhausted riding back in my parent’s Rambler. The Lake is much cleaner now and so refreshing – thanks to the zebra mussels that took over the Great Lakes 40 years ago and ate everything that made food for other lake life. The Dunes were my escape from the stinky neighborhoods I grew up in.
I can’t even count the number of times I escaped to the Dunes during my college and young adulthood years. When I was without employment, I would take a break from job hunting and spend a day hiking throughout the parks. What makes the Dunes better than the City beaches is the incredible natural landscapes. City beaches south of Illinois Beach are fake, but the Dunes are made by nature. There is a reason it was made a National Park. It has incredible foliage and extremly unique geological structures. It was the romantic beach my wife and I escaped to. There were many times, we were the only ones there, doing what young couples in love do. Her birthday is in January, and on a warm January day, we had a picnic at the Dunes that she has never forgotten.
The National Park is new for this old timer, but I suppose it has been there for over 30 years or more. So for me, it has always been the State Park. Additionally, the park occupies land broken up by the old industrial areas of Northern Indiana. You have to know where you are going, because of this.
Chanute used the Dunes to launch his glider experiments into the wind 130 years ago. It is also the scene of a series of modern homes showcased during the 1932 Chicago Exposition. We are very blessed to have the Dunes today because the general area is so heavily industrialized. Be aware of the warning signage and be especially aware of the dunes that can suddenly open vertical tunnels in the sand. We still do not understand how these tunnels are formed or why.
One last thing – a very amazing visual phenomenae occurs at the Dunes that only began about 50 years ago. You can see the curvature of the Earth by looking northwest. You can see only the tops of the tallest Chicago skyscrapers. When I was a kid, you could just barely make out the old Prudential building off of Michigan, but today, with dozens of enormous skyscrapers, there are a cluster of shadows on the horizon that is really neat to see.
I love the Dunes. Please plan your trip to include the magificent trails that are directly behind the blowouts, in the beautiful forests. Some of the rarest vegetation in that part of the US are only located there.
The Dunes are way better than any Thunderbird.
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this. There’s so much great stuff you’ve included. I can tell specifically from your comment, and a few others, that the Indiana Dunes hold a special place for many people from around this and that area.
I did see the Chicago skyline from the beach at the Dunes, and it blew me away, just to see it so far away and looking so tiny, and yet so recognizable. Later that week, I went to the observatory of the Hancock Building on Michigan Avenue and looked toward where I might have been at the Dunes. I didn’t pay to use one of the telescopes, but I thought to myself how bizarre and great it was to be looking across that same stretch of Lake Michigan from two completely different vantage points.
It was time, money, and effort well spent – all of it.
And thank you also for sharing your terrific pictures!
Found a photo of the Dunes -Chicago skyline!
Here’s a shot when the Lake is doing its thing.
Great picture!
+1 – they’re both great!
Joseph – Your Inspiration Yellow T-Bird was an ’02. Each year had one or more unique, one year only shades; that yellow was limited to ’02.
They’re fine cars. Ford, as often is the case, did a poor job at introduction. There was too long of a delay between showing the concept and getting cars in the showroom. And they may have cost too much. They sure are nice.
Thank you so much for the confirmation on the color. This does make sense to me that a car with such initial, upscale, boutique-y appeal would have had model-year specific colors available.
Just remind yourself, it’s the journey, not the destination. And for us readers, your journey made for a much better story than if it had been a troublefree trip that left more time for you at the beach. Our son went to school in Chicago for four years and I have to confess only going there twice, once for drop off and then five years later for his graduation. I only saw the lake from afar. To someone who has lived all my life near the Pacific coastline, it seemed almost ocean like except for the lack of real surf. Not a huge fan of this TBird as a car, but I respect Ford for taking a chance on something outside the mainstream. And like so many cars, my appreciation for it has grown over time. CC has done that for me with many cars, helped by perspectives like yours.
Thank you. This was actually a really enjoyable trek. It’s not just your comment, but a few of the others that have made me think that maybe I had overstated or overemphasized the challenges presented, versus building up the really great takeaways from the day. I suppose that my disappointment was baked into the basic premise of my essay, but I did really have a fun and memorable time, and will probably always think about this adventure with fondness.
It is interesting that both parks are so close to each other and have virtually the same name. I see it as easy to confuse the two and am willing to bet you’re not the first person to run into that scenario. For a long time I’ve been wanting to take that trip on the South Shore on into Michigan City and experience the street running down 11th street. Sadly, I hear thet the old South Shore station on 11th has been shut down and the trains moved to a new rail alignment, ending the street running in Michigan City.
I like those Thunderbirds, but I’ve always felt there was something missing. I was looking at one in traffic the other day and figured out what it was. Since it it a retro design, the designers should have included some very slight vestiges of vertical fins that ran along the tops of the rear quarters, starting just ahead of the rear wheels, and tapered off just above the tail lights, teurning down at the same angle.
To take what you said a step further, I’m curious if I was the first person that day to make that mistake at the kiosk for the state park. I might have been, since most people were at work and it was an ordinary weekday for those who weren’t on vacation (or staycation) like me.
I’d be curious to see a photoshop of what the vestigial fins would have looked like on one of these. I think I like the idea, though I do really like the final execution of the styling as it ultimately turned out.
The Same Name thing reminds me of a cross-country trip we took two years ago. We spent one night at a motel in Oberlin, Kansas (a small town in far northwestern Kansas). When I was checking in, the motel clerk said she assumed that I’d never show up because usually when people with East Coast addresses make reservations there, the folks are no-shows because they mistakenly thought the motel was in Oberlin, Ohio rather than Kansas. I’m sure plenty of people have had some head-banging moments after making that mistake!
Great post as usual, Joseph. It’s always enjoyable to read your stuff.
For me, a huge T-Bird fan, I must admit I was a little let down by these. As mentioned before, I’ve had several T-Birds, starting with an ’83 Aerobird, and ending with the last T-Bird, a ’97 MN-12 example.
But having said that, for the most part, I’ve softened my stance on these, and would definitely welcome one in my fantasy garage, as having a roadster would be a must in a fantasy collection, and since I like T-Birds, this would be a natural choice. For some, Miata is always the answer, but at 6 foot tall, for me, not so much. This would be a better choice. As a retro choice, I’d have to go with whatever model year came in a turquoise! A true retro color for a Retro T-Bird.
Sorry your trip didn’t go according to plan, but if you like the area, then lessons learned will allow for a better plan and execution next time. Of course this is the eternal optimist in me talking here.
I can kinda relate on this, however. Normally, I am quite lucky at vacations working out ok (he knocks the wood on his desk). I attribute that to the one time my luck was awful. In 1988, I was scheduled to go to Cancun in four days when Hurricane Gilbert came through and destroyed the place. I felt that was enough bad luck for a lifetime…
FFWD to last Christmas, when my wife talked me into a road trip up to Deep Creek, Maryland. Having only been there to ski, I was looking forward to relaxing by the lake (actually a reservoir, as Maryland has no natural lakes). We loaded up the Civic and off to Western Maryland we went. Since the area is prone to snow, I ordered new rubber online and had my local mechanic mount them. Just before the trip and after the break-in period for the tires, I took the car to the dealer this time to have them change the oil, and while it was on the lift, they rotated the tires. A mounting anomaly, unbeknownst to me, was lying in wait…
The morning after we got there, I drove out to get us some breakfast. When I came out, I didn’t realize my tire was going flat while I was in the store. When the TPMS light came on I pulled into a gas station to check it out. It was then that I found out that the guys at the dealer cross-threaded one of the lug-nuts damaging the stud. I managed to get the tire changed out for the donut, and went back to our cabin.
Not wanting a donut on the right front for driving in a mountainous area, I tried to rotate the tires to put the donut on the back. That’s when the lug wouldn’t budge…
Did I mention that this was Christmas weekend? Yeah, good luck getting any help!
Triple-A came out and got the wheel off, but had to snap off the stud to make that happen. He gave me the number of a local guy to call that “might” be open. Well, long story short, that guy helped me out and got me back on the road (just in time to go home – sigh) with only 4 lugs on the front. We never did figure out why the tire leaked out almost all of its air. We filled it up, soap tested it, the whole nine. We found no leaks. What the heck?
Back to the “Mounting Anomaly” that I mentioned. The reason it went flat: At the store, my car was parked just wrong. You see, the neighborhood guy who mounted the tires didn’t quite seal one of them right, and up to then, I had not parked at just the wrong angle. That morning, I did park it just wrong.
So we had one really nice night of stargazing in the hot tub, trying to salvage our romantic weekend. It had rained the rest of the time! The next morning when it was time to go, I could not get the Civic to disengage its electric parking brake. We were stuck, 4 hours from home, on a holiday weekend with nothing open. My Mustang NEVER let me down like this!
Risking the definition of insanity, I stopped and restarted the Civic for 45 minutes, until finally, the parking brake let go. My wife said, “Go Go Go!!!”, to which I was more than happy to oblige. I always use the parking brake. I know some folks don’t. For the rest of the drive home, I drove it into my head NOT to engage that brake when we would stop. That worry, plus wondering if I was even safe in mountainous terrain with a stud and a lug nut missing on the right front, made for an anxiety laden ride home.
Sorry for this long post, but I could feel that when a relaxing, much needed, fairly local trip didn’t quite go your way, your story bright all of this flooding back into my mind.
Sometimes, I wonder if travelling is even worth it, but when it goes well, it is truly awesome.
Oh wow, the 13th comment. Good thing I don’t have triskaidekaphobia.
Great story Rick 🙂 As someone who’s familiar with W. MD, I’m both surprised that you got back on the road on Christmas weekend and also not surprised that you found a local who helped you out.
Yeah, cross-threaded lugs. Been there, done that.
And indeed, I have exactly your same thoughts about traveling for enjoyment…particularly when it involves other people and when I can’t just rest assured that I can roll with whatever happens (since so often something “happens”). I believe that successful travel requires the ability to be open to whatever possibilities present as they present – as Joe’s post stated – without the need to judge the value of experience against expectations. I could go on, but I’d best stop here.
Wow. RS Rick, that was quite the ordeal that makes my little mishaps from two weeks ago seem like literally nothing. Murphy’s Law in full effect! I can imagine the sense of relief you and your wife felt when the parking brake disengaged, almost like a fluke, to where you could finally be free. In my mind and in your shoes, I’m not sure I would even try for another Maryland vacation do-over for redemption, and thus tempt fate!
“Miata Is Always The Answer” – probably in the top-3 best automotive acronyms, ever. As much as I like them, I probably couldn’t do the Miata either, being about the same height as you. I saw a first-gen car on the road just this past Sunday (?), and the driver and passenger both seemed to be really enjoying the car. I think I could last maybe twenty minutes in a car that small before I’d feel my legs cramping up. Maybe for around town. I’d just go Thunderbird. 🙂
I learned a lot from your writeup, much more than the Two Parks thing I’d never heard of. I realize it’s possible to do a lot of Chicagoland traveling using only public transport, and it’s nice to know that Dunes are (give or take a mile) a possibility. Needless to say, I’m sorry for the day’s disappointments…..
Thanks for bringing the Thunderbird into the essay. The 2002 design wasn’t my ideal in every way, but I’d still happily and proudly own one, and have peeked at a few sale listings (and articles about maintenance 20 years on, etc.).
Thanks, George. I do plan to go back, and I’ll know better what to expect and what to do differently. I could even take the 10-something AM train (versus the 12-something) out of downtown Chicago to give myself an extra couple of hours there if I decide to keep it a day trip, as before.
Oh, the best laid plans! Sorry to hear of the minor mishaps that shortened your day at the beach, but I appreciate the report on the transit connections and the fact that there are now two parks with nearly the same names. I haven’t been there since the early 1980s, when a college friend whose family had a beach house in nearby Beverly Shores invited me to visit on a summer weekend.
The Dunes have been getting some good press lately in national travel publications and online and I have been very curious about the parks and water conditions in what has long been one of the most industrialized areas of the U.S. Reading your report makes everything looks absolutely delightful.
I can’t say I am as favorably disposed with the Thunderbird. A coworker drove one of these after waiting nearly a year to get one via special order when they were first introduced. He proudly drove me to lunch in it and, while he was very happy with the car, I remember looking around the plasticky interior and thinking that it didn’t seem all that special.
William, I will say that looking over from the shore at what have to have been the steel mills not too far away, was a little bit of a jarring juxtaposition. I’m sure the EPA would be all over it if there was a major issue, but again, the waters of Lake Michigan at Dunes Park looked sparkling and beautiful, and both have coexisted for a long, long time.
About these Thunderbirds and to be fair, I haven’t really investigated what the interiors look like and how well their materials have held up over the past twenty years or so. I’d still want one… enough so that I ended up writing about one.
I spent so much time in that area when the kids were young. Hiking (path starting at “Shellberg Farm”) mountain biking, sledding (“Devil’s Slide”) and of course swimming.
On one path we found a century-old crypt/buriel plot which has steps to go up and historical info about the people and town from back then. Deep in the woods, there are some very old stone bridges, a very old community swimming pool from the 1920’s that has two large trees growing out of it.
There’s a lot of stuff like that to find, if you go all out and really explore the woods. For us, the most interesting stuff wasn’t marked on a map or obvious from the roads.
In the fall when the leaves are changing color, it is a very scenic ride on Rt.12 through that whole area. Watch for deer.
To the west of the Dunes’ beach entrance, there is a beach called Porter Beach which is a little less crowded and just as nice. The only difference is that there are no lifeguards.This is a county beach and not part of the Dunes, but it’s all interconnected out there. Twenty years ago it was much less crowded than the official Dunes because mostly just the locals knew of it, or people like us who explored every bit of it and found it. Now the secret is out but we still prefer it there. They have added parking to try and meet demand.
Further west there is Portage Lakefront, a smaller (and shrinking) beach which is a nice place to look at the lake, walk the long breakwall/pier and see an excellent view of the Chicago Loop.
In the Beverly Shores area, there are many narrow winding roads which go up and down in quick succession and is an entertaining drive all by itself. In the winter, at night, it’s easy to see a lot of deer, raccoons, possum, and even some owls.
When I was in high school, around 1988, I had a Honda Spree scooter and I ditched classes and rode, on the waterline of the lake, from Gary all the way to Michigan City, a distance of maybe 10-15 miles (don’t remember exactly). When there was the occasional obstacle like a rock wall, I simply carried it over and kept going.
Much fun!
Thank you so much for all of this. I’m even more curious now about this area and will be researching it. When it was originally mentioned to me that I might enjoy going out here, the thought was for me to go there to photograph all the trees with the fall leaves and everything. Maybe that’s when I’d go back. It’s so hard to believe Labor Day is this coming Monday.
I’m not upset that summer’s ending, though. I’m so thankful for a terrific summer, and all the pictures and memories (and my CC essays) to prove it.
Great connection between the Best-Laid Plans for the Thunderbird and for your dunes trip. Both seemed like slam-dunks; both ended up being rather less.
I’ve vacillated between liking the Retro Bird, and being ambivalent to it — never love or hate, just varying degrees of Meh.
I recall several years ago the National Park Service created several new national parks, particularly in states or areas that had none. I suspect that’s how Indiana Dunes became elevated from a National Lakeshore to a National Park.
There’s an interesting economic development story behind this park as well. Back in the 1950s and ’60s, the State of Indiana wanted to create more heavy industry along its Lake Michigan shoreline, and was annoyed that Chicagoans wanted the Dunes preserved for “their” recreation (though many Indiana residents favored preservation as well). A steel mill executive, eager to swat away the preservationists, was famously quoted as saying “What’s better? A job or a picnic?”
Eventually, the federal government created the National Lakeshore with odd boundaries so that industry could be developed in the vicinity as well, with direct access to the Lake. Which is why there’s a steel mill surrounded by the Park.
Glad you were at least able get some good pictures, and a great story, out of you day’s excursion to Indiana.
Thanks, Eric. And yes – the steel mill surrounded by lakeshore! That one really threw me. Thanks also for the great history about Indiana and this area. Somehow, I knew that when this post ran, I’d end up learning a lot.
Typical black and white, zero-sum, thinking.
How about “Both”?
Yes, and I’m sure that executive took very nice vacations with his own family. The disdain that elites feel towards ordinary people never seems to improve.
But I’m glad that this area did eventually get the preservation that it warranted.
Still a dream car of mine.
I count myself as a fan of the ’02-’05 Thunderbirds as well, lots of people seem to slag on them but I like the styling, the engine, and the overall vibe. It (to me) is a very good update encompassing bits of the earlier models. And they are all convertibles with a hardtop option…What’s really not to like.
And the Dunes look great, I had no idea that was there either, sounds like a great little trip even with the foibles. Next time you can catch an earlier train (if there is one) and will know where to go and how to plan it to make the most of your time. Hey, as long as you got some good car pics and had a good time away from the hustle and bustle, what’s not to like?
Nice write up. I think the Dunes must be one of Indiana’s best kept secrets. I live in the southern end of the state but have travelled the northern part for work or on my way to Michigan many times. Unfortunately, I have never been able to stop at the Dunes.
As to the late T Birds, I have always liked the styling except for one thing. I have always thought the factory wheels look very cheap. They look like something you would buy aftermarket for about fifty bucks each. Why not offer the Bullett wheel from the Mustang? I have seen a few with nice aftermarket wheels and it sure changes the look of the car. Our local Ford dealer took one in on trade a few years ago and since he has a car collection he kept it. His wife drives it a lot in the summer. It is black and looks good going down the road.
Count me in as a fan of the T-bird. I have been thinking of adding a convertible to the fleet since I haven’t had a car version in many years. The wife agrees the T-bird is the one to get so I’ve been shopping them on and off for a while. I thought I had caught one in one of my preferred colors, as the seller had finally dropped the price to the market value, of course just before I was to be out of town for two days, so it sold before I could get there.
Another one I’m considering taking a look at is an Inspiration Yellow like featured in the article. It does have the full interior accent package which is a must and has under 10k on the clock. The sad thing is that I was close to that one when I was out of town but with the price drop on the other one I didn’t attempt to go see it.
Joseph is that a picture of the big waves and undertow up there? On a clear sunny day how big could waves really get? I ask because my association with waves is along the Pacific Coast of San Diego where I body surfed for a decade on 10 foot waves at times and our undertow was fierce in sections especially if caught unawares and no knowledge in how to handle.
Nope. That’s only calf deep looking west along the shore. The undertow is no joke on Lake Michigan, even if you can’t surf the waves. Too many people die every year by underestimating that / overestimating their own abilities. There’s lots to be read about the “inland seas” known as the Great Lakes. No one will ever claim it to be a substitute for Hawaii, but the waves can get surprisingly big for what some people assume about Lake Michigan.
The T-Bird styling is weird, if its supposed to be retro I don’t see it, doesn’t remind me of a 55-57 Bird at all other than its a two seater. Looks more like a bar of soap and if 3800 lbs is the real curb weight of these things what the heck is that! My 2012 Boss 302 doesn’t weigh 3800 lbs.
I’m a Ford guy thru and thru but I don’t think I could put one of these in my garage, I’d by a Vette.
Bought my 2002 yellow T-Bird early when they first became available. Have never regretted it. Still only has 28k on it. It’s been to Emerald Coast Cruise-in Panama City, FL and on the infamous Route 66. Who cares if it has a Jaguar drive train. They are great little cars.