Life Lessons from The Swim

Somewhere along the river I figured out that this swim meant more to me than just an expedition or even the opportunity to promote the wonderful work of the Huron River Watershed Council.

I think it began when people would say, "I can't imagine swimming all day!" I realized that I had imagined myself into becoming a long distance swimmer. I certainly didn't know that I could swim and swim and swim, no matter how much I like the water. I had no training or background in swim clubs and swim meets. But I did have training in Imagination. It goes back to my childhood when my mother would tell me that I could fall asleep easier if I thought about what I would like to do the next day, or how I could write a story or anything like that. Every since childhood I have been imagining my life. I had never really put this all together until I was doing the swim. This concept called Imagination is akin to the Army's slogan, "Be all that you can be". And you don't have to join the Army to find your Imagination.

Another Life lesson from the swim has to do with jumping to conclusions. Everyone does it, but not everyone has the opportunity to see that there are more than one way to jump to conclusions.

When I met this person who had volunteered to crew the Swim, I jumped to the conclusion that I didn't particularly care for his personality. He seemed to be quite a know it all and besides, talked alot about himself and his adventures. A day on the river in a kayak with him nearly drove me crazy. And that was also the day that I saw the error of my ways. There was much more to him. He really cares about people and doesn't want any harm to come them. His fierce love of nature and people were demonstrated many times I saw him in action. The gift he gave me, probably unwittingly, is that he helped me see that jumping to conclusions is a very risky thing to do--much more so than a swim in the Huron River for sure! Furthermore, if I hadn't realized what he was really saying and doing, I would have missed out in knowing a fantastic, imaginative person. The loss, really, would have been mine.

Stories always come in threes, so the final one in this Life Lessons from the Swim must be about the intrinsic value we gain when we volunteer. There were 50 volunteers on the river throughout the 14 days of swimming. There were at least that many more that helped the staff--people like Elsie, Eric, Inger's husband and friends who took care of her so she could take care of me, and countless more. One that stands out is Mark Clancy, an airline pilot who lives on Ford Lake and is on sick leave while he has some cancer treatments. While he knows that his cancer is not curable, it can be treated. His personal story is not unlike the lake he loves. Ford Lake may not ever be pure and free of blue green algae blooms in late July, but he is working very hard to convince the people with the power of the purse to at least treat it right so that it will be clear of some of its problems. Mark is taking his treatments to stay alive; he would also like Ford Lake to have the treatments it needs to also stay healthy.

The swim has been a beautiful experience. I know so much more about the river, and especially about the people who love it, take care of it, and play in and on it. Let's celebrate the 40 years of clean up that the Watershed has led and help them make the next 40 years see the end of degraded water anywhere in the 'shed.

The End

We were practically an armada as we paddled away from South Rockwood's Labo Park on Saturday morning, July 21. My immediate family, Gary, Karin, Kirsten, and Kirsten's husband, Serge, paddled their kayaks. Canoeists, Nels and Linda, were again on the team, as they had been the first day, as well as other days. Bob, who had traveled with us yesterday, stayed in the area and joined us as he was paddling from Pt. Mouilie. And, Inger, who has been crewing every day except one.

The water was fabulous--the best yet! And it had a good current going. Finally!!

We literally sped to the finish line. There were many people along the way waving from their docks and boats, but one in particular stood out. The Irvings who live very near the Marina had decked out their porch with signs about the swim, like "Go Liz Go!" and all their extended family were waiting for us. We HAD to stop and talk to them for a while.

Then a shortly we could see the Marina and in the distance, the DNR Pt. Mouilee park.

We were supposed to arrive at 1:30, but it was more like 11:30. There were some people waiting for us--the staff of HRWC and people who were just interested in the swim.

Over a celebration lunch and cake and lots of stories, it was time to say goodbye. Inger left to get back to Washington DC and others had other responsibilities awaiting them.

We are sorry if you missed the finish. It was truly a great feeling!

July 20 Expedition: Flat Rock to South Rockwood

This is the second to the last leg of our journey down the Huron River. We knew there was shallow water after the Flat Rock Dam and scouting had indicated that we would see very little water until we were almost to South Rockwood. Thus, I paddled my own kayak along with Inger, Bob, and my daughter, Karin. We were done within about 2 hours, surprising the people of South Rockwood who were busy getting ready for our arrival.

This historic village had plans for us. One was to dedicate a tree to honor the swim. It is a very handsome Cleveland Pear Tree, donated by DTE, Ford Motor Company and others. Tim, the HRWC board member in this area had made arrangements for the city of Rockwood to supply the siting and installation of the tree. I contributed a few ceremonial shovelfuls of dirt and then they took over.

This community was really into the Swim. They went all out with their warm hospitality.

They let us know we could expect a big crowd the following morning when we would be swimming to Pt. Mouilee.

Last Swim in the MetroParks

Today was the last of our swimming in the MetroParks. It has been a beautiful trip in each of them. From Kensington to Oakwoods, we swam through Huron Meadows, Hudson Mills, Dexter Huron, Delhi, Lower Huron and Willow. They are treasures of the River.

Our crew today included Mike George of the MetroParks administration, who is also a first rate paddler. He and Larry, a friend of his who is also an experienced paddler took good care of me on the river. I think someone even took a photo of me slurping the last of my Gatorade which was one of Larry's job to make sure I got all my morning carbs.

We also had Donna S., Inger, Eric, and a photographer, Kohl, from The Monroe Evening News, the daily newspaper of Monroe, Michigan. Look at their website for the story tomorrow afternoon!

We aborted the swim about a mile from our destination at Rockwood due to thunderstorms and finished at the nature center at Oakwoods MetroPark. If ever you are in the area, you should see this beautiful and well done center. We saw some kids from a camp in Gibraltar having a ride in the magnificent replica of a Voyageur canoe. Mike promised that we could have a ride sometime after the swim. I'll keep him to it, too!

Just two more days till we are done. It has gone by fast and given me some important life lessons. I'll tell you what those are on the last blog! I promise!!!

In the meantime, think about coming to Zukey Lake Tavern on Monday, July 23, the Liz Swam event that will celebrate everyone's hard work and great adventure!

Swimming along the MetroParks

While swimming is forbidden at all the Huron-Clinton MetroParks, the Watershed Council did get permission for me to swim the river as it flows through the parks. Today we covered nearly 10 miles traveling from the Lower Huron MetroPark to Willow MetroPark.

The water was low, as it is all along the river during this drought, but still we found deep-enough water that allowed me to swim about 5 miles. The rest of the time I was in the water on my flotation device, kicking like crazy and enjoying a lovely fresh and strong current. I always expected to be "going with the flow" in the river's current, but in fact we have had very little of that kind of experience. Until today! It was great fun and I had time to do some river botany along the way. We saw butternut trees laden with their oblong fruit, some button bush groves, bladder nut trees, Paw Paw trees and Joe Pye Weed to name just a few. The two main birds sighted very often were the Great Blue Heron and Kingfisher. There was at least one sighting of a cedar waxwing sporting its summer colors.

This section of the swim reminded me of the 2001 swim in Lake Michigan. We moved right along but had time to have two rest stops with great food donated by Whole Foods. We sat on sand banks that have surfaced since the water is so low and in one place even provided us some downed trees on which to sit.

The crew included Inger, Donna, Ron, and Michael.

As we clambored out of the river in Willow Park, we couldn't help but wish that the MetroPark would install some permanent, safe canoe/kayak access to the river. Currently all the access spots are random and created as catch can. This is a beautiful river and deserves to be accessible to small non-motorized watercraft.

Hydro Park to French Landing

I considered wearing kayaking clothes. It had rained during the night and there were thunderstorm warnings for the area. But the optimist won out. I pulled on my swimming gear and waited for Inger. Right on time, we headed for Hydro Park. The rest of the crew were already there when we arrived. Nels and his red canoe, Carole, Bob, and the ever present, Jen Wolf of the HRWC. While cars where shuttled to the take out, Carole got the Liz Swim flags on the kayaks (with a bit of help from me...). We talked to some folks who came out to see us off.

Right on time, we all pushed off into the water and were on our way to Belleville Lake.

Around 11 am we reached the UM rowing club where we were to meet some children who were participating in a Van Buren Township summer camp. We also were met by the Channel 4 NBC crew. You may have seen Roger Weber's report on the 5 o'clock news show.

After playing questions and answers with the children, we had a little lunch and continued swimming.

We were again escorted by Mark and his trusty and beautiful white boat.

We finished about 2:30 or so. It was a great day on the lake.

The lesson continues to be learned. The people who live and play on this fabulous river really love it and know it well. They are helping me know just how important it is that we continue to improve the water quality of this an all of our rivers.

Michigan is a very special place in the world. We have access to four of the five Great Lakes, our map is filled with rivers and lakes--all fresh water. No place on earth is like it. We must remain vigilent to make our rivers the safest, cleanest, and most beautiful of all. Not only does our drinking water come from the rivers, but they also feed the Great Lakes.

Water Wonderland was Michigan's theme many years ago. I remember it being on our '59 Ford when I was in high school in the Soo. It is still a good theme!

Hidden Treasure: Geddes Dam to Peninsular Dam

There is a beautiful river connecting Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti, and it can be seen in all its glory paddling (or swimming) from Geddes Dam to Peninsular Dam. As Gary H., said as we started out on this stretch of the river Monday morning, "You are about to see the treasure of the Huron." And, was he right! The water was clear, cool, and deep enough for swimming. Just after the wooden bridge that leads to one of the famous Ford family's home, I plunged into the water. We were the only people on that section of the river on Monday morning. It was quiet, absolutely beautiful and seemingly untouched.

We saw some beautiful houses and even the Harry Bennett boathouse. Mr. Bennett was known as Henry Ford's right hand person. It is a long and very interesting history, but not one for this blog. Perhaps someone reading this blog could suggest a source for the stories.

Anyway, we made good progress towards Ypsilanti, enjoying the scenery with every breath. The crew was led this day by Gary H. and his son, Peter, who consider this their part of the river. Gary canoes this section nearly every day when he can.

One of the few if not the only dam that people rarely see is Superior Dam. We portaged around it and soon were in the next impoundment created by Peninsular Dam. This was a special lunch stop where we all got to meet the Huron River Radicals, a group of 4 young women who recently graduated from Lincoln Consolidated High School and have been involved in several Huron River environmental projects together. They will soon part ways as they head off to their respective universities: Eva and Elly to the U of M (Art School and LS&A); Heidi to MSU's Fisheries and Wildlife program, and x to Michigan Tech to study engineering.

We were greeted also by their moms who helped them prepare a delicious lunch. If you haven't had pizza from Aubree's in Ypsilanti, you have missed a real treat. Just like home made.

We also celebrated one of the paddler's birthday--Kate even had a cake with a candle!

Kate, who works for Google here in Ann Arbor, took the day off to paddle and celebrate her birthday, not knowing that Jen would have a cake, too!

Mr. Ernst, who I saw on the way to Barton Pond a few days ago was here again and in person. It was fun to talk with him. We also were visited by the Ypsilanti City Manager, one of the councilpersons, and Helen, who is the chair of the Glacier Hills Board of Directors.

The Ypsilanti delegate to the HRWC organized the event! She was just minutes from leaving to celebrate her wedding anniversary with her whole family in Banff, but she found time to do this too! Thanks so very much.

But the trip was only half done!

We pushed on through Ypsilanti, in a stretch of the river that needs some TLC. It goes right through the city, but is very unkempt. So much junk filled the river--everything from grocery carts to bicycles and much more.

We were met in Ford Lake by its champion, Mark Clancy. He guided us through while I swam. It was a long, and at times a hard swim with gusty winds and choppy "seas". Afterwards, at his home, he told us about the problems and their solutions to Ford Lake's prime problem: blue-green algae. Luckily we made it through before it "bloomed". He believes there is a solution, but there isn't the will to spend the money to fix it. But he champions on, hoping that those who hold the governmental pursestrings will find a way to make it happen. He is hopeful that the research that Prof. Lehman is doing on Ford Lake's problems will lead to concrete solutions.

Thanks to Mark's hospitality, the great paddling of Gary, Peter, Inger, Kate, and Laura Rubin, the Director of the HRWC, we had a successful and safe journey.

Hope to see you on the river!

Barton Dam to Huron River Day at Gallup

Unlike Saturday, the Huron River Day dawned beautifully sunny and with the promise of air temperatures in the low 80s. The crew gathered at the Barton Dam putin spot about 7:30 and went into the prep drill that takes nearly an hour and a half--drop boats, shuttle cars, load boats with all the expedition stuff and shove off by 9 am. The crew this time included Nels C., Linda Z., Gary, Kirsten and Karin Elling, Tom, Margaret and Inger.

I was mindful that at least 24 residents and some staff of Glacier Hills would be expecting me to be at Gallup Park Canoe Livery by noon, at the latest. I swam as fast as I could. We got to Argo Dam in about and hour and a half, maybe a little less. Then I was in Nels' canoe through the sluice and down the river to a point past the Arb. The water was very very low. But around the area of Furstenberg Park it deepened and I swam again until I was at the Gallup Dock.

I made it in time to hug and kiss all the Glacier Hillians who had been there for about an hour and a half, munching on muffins, having coffee and enjoying a beautiful day on the river.

After they left for lunch I talked to a lots more of people including Trudy, Allison, Nancy, the crew, Heidi, Joe, Jean, Nella, Britton, Austen, Kurt, and Otto. It was a lovely afternoon.

But after a bite of lunch it was off to the new Hydro Park Dock and refurbishments in Ypsilanti Township where I swam a hundred yards to dedicate their new fishing dock. I had the pleasure of meeting a great group of people who were enjoying a summer day on the river. They even contributed to the Watershed Council.

Tomorrow is another day and I need to get some sleep to be ready for it.

Dexter Huron MetroPark to Barton Dam

Today we added the "flotation device" concept to our arsenal of ways to circumnavigate the major problem of low water patterns in the Huron River during the current drought. We considered a boogie board, but the only one I ever had, I left in California--Really!! It lives with the Materkas when they are in Laguna. And I could not find a replacement in Ann Arbor. so I bought a plastic blow up decorative 'tube. The water was low all the way to Tubbs Road bridge, so I laid in the flotation device and held on to Linda's canoe and kicked my flippers. Too much fun!

Along the way, we portaged at Delhi Rapids and were met by Dick S. and his grand-daughter, Danielle. That was a welcome surprise. We took the portage as an opportunity to eat lunch, but did it quickly, because the sky was getting quite gray and the air was cool.

Luckily, we were soon at Tubbs Road and then I could stay warm swimming.

It was fairly quiet on the river, but there was one person keeping us company from the bridges and other take out spaces--my friend Sally G. who lives near the river and was very enthusiastic from the beginning about the swim. Bless her for coming out to cheer us on our way!

The crew was fantastic. Chris G., who grew up on the river and paddles it nearly everyday now; Inger S., who is on the river every day with us and is planning our swim in the English Lakes in 2009; Linda Z., in her wonderful one-woman canoe who watched over me when I was in the water; Paul Girard, who is a whirling dervish in the water in his whitewater kayak; and Mark Z., who did a fabulous job as well as sharing his gorp with me.

Another wonderful day for the books.

We finished up near Barton Pond and promised to stay in touch! Chris did a great job scoping out the river in advance so we could get as much deep water as possible!

The Ann Arbor News photographer and reporter did a great job. Must have been a slow news day, but I am glad they are letting their readers know about the HRWC swim.

Hudson Mills to Dexter Huron MetroPark

We had another wonderful crew for the swim from Hudson Mills to Dexter Huron. They were led by Chris and included Karin, Inger, Ruth, Michael and Joan Martin (Joan is the HRWC staffer who convinced me to do this swim once she saw that I had done the Leelanau Swim in 2001).
Our trip was a quick one, leaving at 9 ish and arriving around noon. I swam some, but after many in and out trips from the canoe, we settled down and recognized that the river was really too shallow to swim safely. This swim project is not just about swimming--it is also about heeding safety rules, giving all the paddlers as well as me, the best experience possible.

After we got all the gear and watercraft back in our cars, we sat down to a wonderful lunch provided by Whole Foods, which has agreed to provide food for each day's expedition. One of our volunteers at Glacier Hills who works at Whole Foods contacted the Watershed Council's Development Director, Margaret Smith, to put this generous donation in place. We are all reaping the benefit of their good work. Peter made the deal with Whole Foods and Margaret picks up the food every evening before the next section of the swim.

I am having a day off today from the swim, so I have time to water some of my very dry shrubs and flowers. I even soaked the Sweet Gum tree on the easement. I love that tree and would hate to see it die. It always reminds me of Prof. Jean Paul Slusser, who introduced me to so many wonderful things in the world, including Sweet Gum trees.

On my agenda today is to go to lunch at Glacier Hills. I really miss my colleagues and the residents. I'm also going shopping for a Boogie Board that will allow me to be in the water more than I am now.

Take care and see you on the River--especially Huron River Day at Gallup Park on Sunday, Noon!!

Glacier HIlls--My Home Away From Home

I got an urgent call from Linda Bennett, the VP of the Glacier Hills Foundation, with whom I work. She said she needed to know how the swim is going"--all the residents are anxious to know how the swim is going". I called her as fast as I could (after a very good nap!) and told her that I am keeping a blog that everyone can see.

So I hope my friends and colleagues at Glacier Hills are reading this.
I miss you very much and hope everyone is well and beating the heat.
I am asking Madelyne to print out the blogs that I have written about the swim to post on appropriate bulletin boards.
I'm looking forward to seeing you on Sunday at Gallup Park. We are scheduled to arrive a little before noon. I think I will actually be able to swim in Argo pond and then ride a canoe to about the Arb, afterwhich I can swim again right up to the Gallup Park Canoe Livery. That is what I think now and if anything changes, we'll let you know. See you Sunday if not before.

A Non-Swiming Swim Day: July 11

Today we were scheduled to swim from Baseline Lake to Hudson Mills MetroPark. It was scrubbed last night due to very low water in that portion of the river. The rains keep missing us, which is nice for the swim, but dreadful for the river, gardeners, and farmers!

Instead we had a beautiful session with WFUM, the University of Michigan's PBS television station. Jennifer White interviewed me about the swim, while the crew filmed it. We were staged right along the river in the Picnic Grove area. They were very professional and creative. They told me that the documentary is part of a series on people doing unusual feats. One that is already ready to go is about a woman who walked the entire length of the Great Wall of China. The series will air in October. Both the HRWC and I are honored that they are including our project.

UM Sailing Club Picnic and Ice Cream Social

Thanks to the work of several HRWC volunteers, spearheaded by Mike Brooks and Jennifer Wolf, we had a lovely evening on Baseline Lake. Some cottagers, some sailors, and some folks from all over the Watershed came.

It was great to see Karen, a former colleague at Matthaei Botanical Gardens (now known as MBGNA). A group of Sinkers (members of the Alva Gordon Sink UM Alumnae Club) came out, just before they headed north for a week in the UP. I may be a swimmer, but I am also a Sinker!

I met two ladies, Linda and Laura, from Ford Lake who will help us get across that great expanse of the river. They are avid kayakers and love the river. They are now learning how to sail and also want to learn to windsurf.

Cottagers, Bill and Kathy, their four children and his mother, Marge, also came to the party.

Paul Cousins who is the chairman of the Watershed Council was the focus of one of the picnic tables--watching what delectable dinner he had prepared for his wife and himself.

Also a slew of kids had fun in the water, learning to fly fish and just enjoying a beautiful evening on Baseline Lake.

Have I told you lately how fantastic the Huron River is? If you think it is a body of water to be avoided, think again. The HRWC has performed miracles in bringing the water back to a safety. And we all are the beneficiaries.

Happy Sailing, Paddling, Fishing, and, of course, Swimming!

Thanks to the Sailing Club

July 10 Swim

On a beautiful, but very hot Tuesday morning, we set out on a swim from Huron Meadows to Baseline Lake's UM Sailing Club. There were a few unusual aspects to starting this swim, as it always is. This time it was the beginning of the filming of The Swim by WFUM television for what may be a documentary on the swim.
The paddlers including Inger, Scott, Chuck, Tricia, Jane, and Bob. With his incredible knowledge of the river, Bob was made the lead kayaker to guide us. The "wings" right begind Bob were Jane and Scott. Those three people are always on guard for any obstacle or problem that may impede the expedition or cause harm to me, the swimmer. I'm here writing about this the day after the swim, so you know they did their jobs very well.
Chuck and Tricia, in a canoe, were my immediate lifeline, communicating with me when I was in the water, helping me in and out of the canoe when it wasn't safe to swim, and generally cheering me on. Inger has taken the role of being my "handler". She will come on all the expeditions to help in every way she can, and especially to keep me focused on the work and not worrying about anything else. It was a most generous and auspicious offer she made that we could not turn down!! She also helps Jennifer by being in constant communication with her about logistics and the care and feeding of Liz.

I was able to swim nearly all of the river--maybe less than a mile of sitting in the canoe or floating on a leash from behind the canoe.

We continue to not be able to match the planned times of the swim. I am slower in the water than we thought I would be.

Some logical reasons: current isn't as fast as anticipated; we don't travel in a straight line; there are those trips into and out of the canoe; and then the wind picks up right so that we are paddling or swimming right into the wind.

But we made it. Approximately 7 miles in almost 7 hours (including rest stops and lunch).

So if you are looking for us at the take out place, you can add an hour or two to the estimated time of arrival.

Thanks for reading! See you on the River!

Liz

July 9th Paddling

At this time the stretch of the Huron from Kent Lake Dam to Huron Meadows MetroPark is too shallow for swimming. So I was in a kayak the whole way. And just to be sure I didn't try to swim, I left my swimsuit at home. The paddlers were Jim, Bob, Carole, and me.

This beautiful section of the river was difficult due to so many downed trees. It was one long obstacle course. But it did keep us from going too fast--we had a chance to see some fabulous flora and fauna. This stretch has lots of button bush, a water loving shrub that is distinguished by its show of round pincushion like white, fuzzy ball flowers. We had a close up encounter with a pair of sandhill cranes that were dining on lovely morsels in the sand flats. They kept an eye on us but continued to feed while we paddled quietly by.

Shortly after the sandhill crane treat, we arrived at the riverside home of Val and Mary Jo who had a greeting party assembled on their lawn by the river. They welcomed us with open arms, photo ops, and shared their bathroom and water with us. We shared the bounty of food provided each day by the Ann Arbor Whole Foods store.

After the respite, we all got back in our kayaks and now we were six traveling the rest of the way to Huron Meadows. Once there, Val and Mary Jo helped Jim and I get back to our cars and just generally were wonderful supporters. They love the river, especially since they live on it, but they are active with the HRWC and the Green Oak township initiatives to protect the river and its tributaries.

Thanks for another terrific day!

July 8 Swim

After a great swim to Milford, the real river showed up. We set out on day 2, July 8, with two local residents who live on the river and are so glad we are showcasing it with the swim. They stayed with us from the Central Park area through to the dam that makes the impoundment in front of the park.
Over the dam, I got in the canoe with Inger and Bill because the water was too low for me to swim. We saw more evidence of human disregard for the environment--picnic tables pushed into the river, the ever present bait cartons, and just junk.
But we did also see families picnicking and children splashing in the water.

Finally the water was deep enough to swim as we entered the Kent Lake impoundment at Kensington MetroPark. The swimming was wonderful, to a point. About half way down the lake the wind picked up and I started noticing that the water wasn't just gently caressing my face, but was starting to slap and sting. I kept looking, when I could, for Martindale Beach where we were supposed to be by noon. It was much past noon and the people gathered on the shore were just the size of ants. That lasted forever. Finally Linda, the canoeist in charge of my welfare, said, "We are going to put you in the canoe. It is just too difficult to get through this headwind. " So, tired and a bit disappointed, I somehow climbed back into Inger and Bill's canoe and they started paddling as fast as they could. Everyone had trouble getting through the wind, but finally we landed. Some of our well wishers had left, but it was a great welcome at any rate. We met a dear couple, Mary Jo and Val, who are geeked about the river and the swim. They are avid HRWC volunteers and live the environmental ethic in their daily lives, right on the Huron River.

The children of the HRWC staff were there too, as was Elaine, my colleague at Glacier Hills. She dragged both daughters and her husband to Kensington, just to say hi and support my work. . Two of my friends who live from Glacier Hills also had been there but had to leave before we arrived.

Thanks every one for your moral support and caring. You make it worth while!

The Huron River Swim Begins

Two days of swimming the Huron and I am learning that people in the northeast section of the river are very devoted to it. Not only do many come to see the caravan of kayaks and canoes helping me swim, but they tell come to share the stories of their lives on the Huron.

• Starting at Proud Lake on 7/07/07, we had a wonderful and lucky send-off. Channel 4 caught the actual beginning of the swim from their mobile television studio truck.
• The personnel of the the DNR's Proud Lake Recreation area were very hospitable. They served sweetrolls, coffee, and water to all of the crew, and threw open the doors of their fine education building and the "facilities".
• People lined the street overpasses as we neared Milford and there was one fellow in particular that I hoped I would meet at the Ice Cream Social in Milford's Central Park, but didn't. I'll describe him. He was an older gentleman dressed in white shirt and pants. I could hear him tell me that we were almost "there". The last time I saw him was just as I finished at Central Park. Then I didn't see him again. And everyone with me says they didn't see him. I guess he was my angel. Thanks for your good vibes, Mr. Angel.
• The ice cream social was fun and since i had done a fair amount of swimming, I indulged!

So much for stories. You probably want the facts:

How many miles did I swim on 7/7/07? Probably about 4 of the estimated 5 miles. The swim team (paddlers, staff, etc.) have limited my swimming to where the water is at least 4 feet high. Sometimes we go to 3.5 feet, but that is the final limit. So there were some times that I had to sit in Nels Christensen's canoe. The timeouts are actually a blessing. It is tiring to swim for hours.

How many paddlers did we have on that first day? About 7. Probably too many but it was a great party.

What were some of the highlights of the trip? The wild and beautiful flora and fauna of the Huron River. Everything from sandhill cranes to green herons and kingbirds as well as wild roses and arrowroot in full bloom! Also some interesting snakes, lots of small pan fish and a beautiful blue sky.

What were the low-lights? Seeing litter everywhere. Why do fishermen/women leave those white plastic bait cartons and water bottles along the shore? Why do people throw perfectly valuable used beer cans (10 cents a pop!) in the river? And why does anyone through picnic tables in the river?

I hope this swim reminds people how important the river is to all of us. We are cooled by the water on these hot days, we get our drinking water from the river, it provides beauty and solace. We must be mindful of its importance in our daily lives.

It is hot in the room where I am blogging. Gotta go and get a drink of water . . .

PADDLER MEETING

The paddlers meeting last night was fantastic! To be in a room with so many capable people, with lots of good common sense. It was wonderful to meet all of these good folks who will accompany me on my swim - taking time out of their busy lives to help raise awareness for the Huron. I think we'll also have a lot of fun together - lots of good humor in the room!

Kayaking the Huron

I've been kayaking on parts of the Huron that I have never seen before. It is a beautiful and even wild river. Last Saturday a friend and I kayaked from Lower Huron Metropark to Willow Metropark. We were astonished by a number of facets: 1. No one else was canoeing or kayaking on the river--oh, yes, we did see two fishermen in a skiff, while paddling for two and a quarter hours. Rarely saw any sign of civilization--a house here or there and once in a while some electric lines. You would have thought we were up north, not just a few miles from Metro Airport. The river water was fairly clear. We could see large rocks and downed trees under water. I can't wait to swim in the river!

One month and a day until the Swim begins

We are just 31 days from launch. The time will go fast now. I'm swimming two miles everyday in the Y pool, working out (especially abs work), and talking to the media. Yes, and working full time, too.
Whilst I swim, the Watershed Council works overtime. They are starting to see the fruits of their labors with some significant underwriting from very caring, environmentally oriented businesses like KeyBank, CDM, and Toyota. Individuals are also sending donations in support of the swim. We'd really like to see the goal of $20,000 met if not exceeded. The need is great, the cause is good, and I really hope to see all my friends, neighbors, and all those who care about water (should be everyone!) participate in meeting the financial goal.
Check out the web site for some ways you can make a difference! Lizzie

Streamgirl

Dear Streamgirl, Thanks for your comment about Heather O'Neal's Trekking The Huron and all the other activities that the HRWC has planned to involve people in the swim. I am so happy that they have come up with such great activities to involve everyone. With this involvement, there will be much more awareness of the river, its role in our daily lives, and how much it means to everyone. We can do without alot of the stuff we have, but we really need water.

Answering Readers' Questions

Dear Jwolf, thanks for your question about how swimming in a pool is different from swimming in a lake or river. The big difference is enjoying the outdoors. It is also so much more interesting than just swimming back and forth in a lane. You swim with the fishes! I find that the time goes by faster since I am not looking at a clock and wondering how fast I am swimming. It is just more natural. I like to look at what is on the bottom of the river or lake, what the shore looks like from the water and all in all, enjoy the outdoors.

Dear KrisO, you asked about how will I know when I should get out of the water due to safety concerns. Without a crew I probably wouldn't know when to get out of the water. But I do rely on the paddlers to be aware of the time, air and water conditions as well as keeping an eagle on the river for any obstructions or dangerous debris in the river. The crew will be doing everything in their power to keep us all safe as we wend our way through the mighty Huron.

Certainly if there is an electrical storm in the area, we will leave the river. If there is a rain event I will not be able to swim for the following two days, due to the higher level of E coli and debris that flows into the river from all of its creeks and other non-point pollution sites.

Dear Fike, you asked about how many calories are need to swim long distances such as we will be doing on the Huron River. The daily swims range from 6-10 miles, depending upon where we can safely and publicly put in and take out canoes and kayaks. I believe that calorie wise, I'll use fewer calories than I did in my 2001 swim in Lake Michigan. The Huron is warmer and has a current. Both will affect the amount of nutrients I'll need. What I did before is stay hydrated and fueled by alternating 8 oz of Gatorade and water every half hour, with a couple of short stops to munch an MFit bar or a peanut butter sandwich. My daughter is actually working right now to refine the plan. When I get a full-fledged plan in hand, I'll write another blog.

Thanks for your questions. If anyone has other questions please feel free to ask!

Trekking the Huron River

Heather O'Neal who has a extreme experience travel business, Of Global Interest, will be leading treks along the Huron during the July swim. She also leads treks from Ann Arbor to Ypsilanti on New Years Eve, complete with wintry dining opportunities. If she can take trekkers to base camp of Mt. Everest, she can certainly provide a safe, fun adventure in S.E. Michigan. Contact her at Ofglobal@aol.com

Nutrition Aspect of Long Distance Swimming

Based on her experience in helping me eat healthy for my swim in Lake Michigan around the Leelanau Peninsula in 2001, my younger daughter, Karin, caught the nutrition bug and is now a Registered Dietician. Now fully trained and ready to go, she is planning my menus for the 14-day swim on the Huron. Luckily she is more than a dietician, she is also a CIA trained chef. Look for a blog coming soon for information about how and what she is preparing to keep her 60-year-old mother healthy and swimming at peak performance.

Is Swimming in the Huron River Hazardous?

People ask me "Aren't you going to get sick swimming in the Huron River? Aren't you concerned about your health?" "Isn't it hazardous where water is coming out of sewage treatment plants?"

The answer is no, it does not concern me because the water discharged from the plants is cleaner than the water in the river! I know that seems counterintuitive, but that is how effective the plants are at removing the “waste” from the waste water before it is discharged.

Others have heard that waste water plants sometimes dump raw sewage into the river.

It is a rare event. For that to happen, first there must be a power outage. Second, the back-up generators (installed to keep the plant online in the event of a power outage), must fail. I can only recall this happening once in the last ten years. Of course, if that happens while I am swimming, I will have no choice but to get out of the water. At that time, it would not be safe for anyone to go swimming in the river.

Then there is the Big Question that was asked at my friends' weekly Thursday afternoon tea party today, "What about E. coli?"

There is E. coli in the Huron River. Studies by the Washtenaw County Drain Commissioner have used DNA testing to determine the sources of E. coli. The main sources are goose, raccoon, cats and dogs. I would be more concerned if high levels human E. coli showed up in the sampling because we know that it can transfer from one person to another. And just in case, I did get my hepatitis vaccinations prior to the swim since I will be in the water for such a long time each day.

There is even more incidence of E. coli after a rain event and I have been told that I cannot swim for two days after the last rain.

Awesome workout

People ask me how I prepare for swimming 100 miles. Besides swimming regularly, I do some weight and resistance training. I also try to make my abs stronger and flatter. But I can't do it alone. Luckily, one of the perks of working at Glacier Hills is having access to The Wellness Connection and the opportunity to hire a personal trainer from our Physical therapy department to utilize all the professional equipment. I feel I am in the best trained hands I could ever imagine. Mindy has been working with me for several months now, on a two to three week interval. She puts together an interesting workout that includes lifting weights, strengthening abs, rotator cuffs, arm muscles, effective stretching exercises and the ubiquitous squats! She is a fierce taskmaster, but is also compassionate and a real cheer leader. Now if could only get those abs tighter!!

More Stories from Glacier Hills

Today Mr. Ernst tracked me down. He had remembered me from the days when I was the volunteer coordinator in the Care and Rehab Center five years ago. He comes twice a day to help his wife with her meals and once in a while goes up north to hunt and fish. Especially fish. On this fine day he was looking for me because he had seen the Ann Arbor News article and wanted to tell me that he had been a swimmer at Ann Arbor High in the '40s. He placed first in the state championship swim in 1942 when he was a senior. Says he couldn't do that now if he tried, but he felt a kinship with my swimming. We walked together to my office in the Manor so I could print out the Liz Swims the Huron schedule. He reminded me that he had gone fishing in the rapids of the St. Mary's River many years ago and thought that I knew the family--sure enough I remember him telling me the story. It was the Leitz family and they had a fishing and hunting store back then. I love the way this swimming expedition makes connections and re-connections to all the people I know who love the water. Afterall, we really can't live without friends and water.

How you can make a difference

People have been asking me how they can support the swim this summer. You have lots of options. You can sign up to be support crew for any of the days we are swimming--July 7 through 21. Or, you can help the HRWC staff with a myriad of tasks right at the office which is in NEW Center on N. Main. If you live along the river you can host a fundraising party. There are lots of tasks, all of them fun, especially since the HRWC staff is such a great group of people.
Another thing you could do is tell your friends and relatives about the swim. My niece who lives in southern California is so geeked about the swim that she sent an email to Oprah! Yeah, you can do things like that too.
You probably have read that I am hoping to raise $10,000 for the HRWC. It only takes 1,000 people sending in a check for $10 to meet that goal. Or 100 giving $100. If everyone who uses or lives on the Huron gives something, we'll make the goal with room to spare!
By the way, how do you use the Huron River? I'd love to know your stories.

Another dip in the Huron

Yes, I did it again! Yesterday my husband, daughter, and her husband, kayaked from Dexter Metropark to Barton Dam--an 8.5 mile outing. The river was running pretty full since we had an inch of rain the other day. There were several gentle rapids and still lots of trees down, making it interesting to navigate our kayaks. As we were nearing Delhi Metropark, we encountered some low-hanging trees and a very tight squeeze to continue on the river. G got through nicely as did S. It was just K and me. I went first and this time I was very quickly dunked into the river. It was colder than last Sunday and the current was very strong. However, I got the kayak out of the way, kept my paddle and scooted over to the bank. G. helped me get the water out and before long was paddling away. K. managed to get through just fine. I think my kayak is a bit too long and unwieldly in these situations. I will probably have to just plan on a dunk every outing! Our become a better paddler!!
This morning as I write this, I am rather stiff and sore from the long paddle. But it is worth it. This was a beautiful day to be on the river, watch people shoot the Delhi Rapids, soak up some sun, and see the trout lilies and even some trillium in bloom.

Excitement at Glacier Hills

I work at Glacier Hills as the Director of Planned Giving. Staff and residents are getting really excited about this swim. I am so glad that they are enjoying this adventure with me. One of my friends here asked me how the swim will raise money for the Huron River Watershed Council. My answer was that you can log onto the HRWC web page and donate directly to the swim that way. You can also send a check to the Council and note that it is supporting the swim.
The professionals at the Council have been talking to businesses about sponsoring the swim, members of the council are having parties, and we are also sending letters to the many people who support the HRWC. If you want to be a sponsor or donate to the swim, please contact Margaret Smith at MSmith@hrwc.org
If you would rather participate in helping with the swim, please contact Jennifer Wolfe at jwolfe@hrwc.org, an amazing woman who is organizing all the volunteers.

Talk about the future of the River motivates me more!

Wow! I can't believe it. The Ann Arbor News did an Op Ed piece on the swim This on top of the front page article. This makes me want to swim every inch of the river. I know it won't be realistic, because there will be times when I cannot swim it due to safety concerns, but I am going to do as much of it as is humanly possible!

I went to a talk tonight about the future of the Huron River, with projections out to 2030. Based on the models, it doesn't look good. The speaker, UM professor Mike Wiley, pointed out that the only thing that keeps the Great Lakes healthy is clean rivers - that if the rivers draining into the Lakes are polluted, then the entire system is in trouble. But he also pointed out that these are just models - the future does not have to look like this, with degraded rivers, streams and lakes. And he stressed that local stewardship will make the difference - which motivates me even more! We need to reverse our current trend of ignoring our fresh water resources. We cannot live without fresh, clean water. This swim gives me hope - lots of people are getting involved already - let's make a real difference!

Getting ready to swim 100 miles!

I am getting really excited about my upcoming swim down the Huron River this summer! The article in the Ann Arbor News yesterday made this event hit home for me. I got up at 4 am this morning, waiting for the pool to open so I could do my training for the day. I swim 2 miles each day at the local YMCA. I try to work my training times in during the day, before work or over my lunch hour, as I am more of a morning person. I also do some weight lifting, to help build up my shoulders. Of course, plenty of sleep and eating well are also important. My daughter is a dietitian and she has helped me devise a great “diet” to follow to be sure my body is optimally fueled for endurance events.

Ironically, on a kayak outing this past weekend, I fell in the river. I was actually thrilled! It was warmer than expected, and got me thinking hard about what 100 miles of swimming down the Huron would be like...