Woman Completes 1,000 Mile Walk Around Lake Michigan

Sept. 30, 2009 - PRLog -- Loreen Niewenhuis, age 46, completed her journey on foot around Lake Michigan on Saturday, September 26. 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.  In August, she covered the miles between Manitowoc and Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Finally, from September 21-26 she hiked the remaining miles between Milwaukee and Chicago.  

“I took on this adventure in order to fully explore Lake Michigan, but it has become so much more,” Niewenhuis said.  “I have challenged myself in so many ways, met some fascinating people along the way, and I’ve been able to actually walk the varied geology of the lakeshore.  It feels amazing to have completed my Lake Trek.”  

“I’ve learned so much about Lake Michigan,” Niewenhuis continued, noting that the turnover time for the lake -- the time it takes to completely replace the water with incoming water from rivers and streams and precipitation -- is 99 years. “The lake still contains over half the same water that I splashed around in as a kid.”  She notes that this should make us realize that what we put in the lake today will be with us for a long time.

Niewenhuis also commented that everyone who cares about the Great Lakes should contact their representatives about the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative making its way through Congress.  “This is an important piece of legislation which provides money vital to tackling some of the issues which threaten our lakes.  These include invasive species, toxic pollution cleanup, and habitat restoration for wildlife,” Niewenhuis noted, adding that, “this funding comes with a detailed strategy on how to best use the money for maximum results.”

“I’ve seen the challenges facing the lake  on my walk,” Niewenhuis continued.  “There were huge blooms of the algae Cladophera on the lake this year.  Enormous mats of the algae were heaped up on the shore by waves.  This algae is growing at an accelerated rate possibly due to the symbiotic relationship with the zebra mussel which is an invasive species.”  

Niewenhuis reached Navy Pier at 2pm on Saturday, September 26. This is the very site where she began walking in March of this year.  She was greeted with cheers and applause by over 40 supporters gathered to meet her as she completed her hike around the lake.  The group then went on a celebratory lunch cruise on Lake Michigan.  

Details of her adventure can be found 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-packed A WALK IN THE WOODS and Elizabeth Gilbert’s self discovering EAT, PRAY, LOVE.”

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, and water usage issues.

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.