Loreen Niewenhuis prepares to connect the portions of her Lake Trek in Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas by taking part in the annual Mackinac Bridge Walk this Labor Day. She began her adventure in March on Chicago’s Navy Pier and from there walked south from Chicago, east across the entire Indiana coastline, and north up the west coast of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula to Mackinaw City. Then, in July, she traversed the southern edge of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, around the west side of Green Bay, and across the Door Peninsula. Then, in August, she covered the miles between Manitowoc and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
“There is only one day when foot traffic is allowed on the Mackinac Bridge,” Niewenhuis said, “so I’m back-tracking a bit to cover those miles across the Straits of Mackinac.”
“It feels amazing to have so much of my adventure completed,” Niewenhuis said. “I am excited about reaching the finish line back in Chicago on Saturday, September 26.” She will complete her adventure on Chicago’s Navy Pier where she began in March of this year. Details of the final day celebration – to which everyone is invited – can be found by following the link on her blog at: LakeTrek.Blogspot.com
Her website, http://LoreenNiewenhuis.com provides additional information and insight on the author and her work, both published and in progress.
The outcome of her seven-month adventure will be a book Niewenhuis proposes to be a “cross between Bill Bryson’s humorous and information-
Niewenhuis has a Bachelor of Science degree from Calvin College, then a Master of Science from Wayne State University. This makes her uniquely qualified to explore and discuss some of the pressing environmental issues facing the lake: invasive species, pollution, water usage issues, and the effects of climate warming on the lake.
Most recently, Niewenhuis received a Masters of Fine Arts in Writing from Spalding University. Her short fiction has appeared in a variety of publications including The Antioch Review and The Bellevue Literary Review.
