MISummerFun 2022 - Take A Sand Dune Buggy Ride Traditional Cache

This cache has been archived.

MI_SUMMER_FUN: Thanks to all who visited. Pathtags will be in the mail soon to those who earned one but have not yet received it.

We'll see you all next summer!

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Hidden : 5/21/2022
Difficulty:
1.5 out of 5
Terrain:
2.5 out of 5

Size: Size: regular (regular)

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Geocache Description:


Welcome to the inaugural MI_SUMMER_FUN series. In this series, there are 14 caches plus one mystery bonus cache. In order to locate the bonus, you need to visit this cache and 13 others in this series first. At each cache you will find a bonus code that will substitute in to the following phrase (observe the capitalization) and form the final coordinates (there is a checker at the bottom of the cache page).

 

CAcHESUMmeRFuN

The sand dunes along the eastern coastline of Lake Michigan are one of nature’s marvels and the largest collection of fresh water dunes in the world. Over the past 80-plus years, tourists could experience their majesty on various dune rides. Those breathtaking spins on natural “roller coaster” trails in duneland offered magnificent views of Lake Michigan, Silver Lake, Glen Lake and Goshhorn Lake.
Some tours offered “scenic” excursions with stops at lookout points as well as “thrill” rides emphasizing speed and daring. They ranged from 8 to 13 miles and usually took 30 to 45 minutes.

The first person to tour dunes in an automobile was Malcolm “Mac” Woods, the operator of Flora-Dale Resort on Silver Lake near Mears. The rides were started in 1930 when Woods took guests out to watch the sunset on his first “dune scooter,” a Model A Ford converted with balloon tires and later modified with extra tires, creating a “10-wheeled monster.”

Woods first offered dune rides only to Flora-Dale guests but soon opened them to the public. He added more scooters to his fleet over time, including Ford convertibles (1934, 1936 and 1948), a Dodge Power Wagon, a 1960 Studebaker, a 1968 International and others. The Woods family sold Flora-Dale Resort in 1960 but continued operating Mac Woods Dune Scooter Rides. Today, fourth-generation members of the Woods family still operate the dune rides and lease state-owned land at Silver Lake State Park in Mears.

Bill’s Dunes Rides near Silver Lake offered some competition. In 1954, Bill Lathers converted a two-ton Dodge Power Wagon using tires from old WWII bombers and bus-type seats that accommodated up to sixteen adults. Lathers expanded the business over the years and added more vehicles. He sold his 391 acres of duneland to the state in 1973 and continued his rides through the 1977 season.

Dune rides also were once popular at Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes, where Louis and Marion Warnes started their “dunesmobile” rides in 1935 with a used 1934 Ford convertible. Like Woods, Louis Warnes fitted the car with a set of balloon tires. By 1942, eight more dunesmobiles had been added, including a 1935 Ford, four 1937 Fords, two 1939 Fords and a 1941 Mercury. After WWII, 10 new 1948 Ford convertibles were purchased to replace the aging fleet. Red and white Oldsmobile Super 88 convertibles came in 1956. They were ordered without the optional heater or radio. The 1964 red Ford dunes wagons were the last fleet for the company. The 13-mile dune rides lasted over 40 years but were discontinued in 1978 under an agreement with the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore to protect the fragile ecosystem of the dunes.

Goshorn Lake Dune Schooners date back to 1954, when Ron Jousma started the business by turning his 1942 Ford convertible into a dune buggy with added seats. He bought dune property east of Saugatuck Dunes and soon added two Ford coupes (1946 and 1947), cut off the tops and outfitted them with super-wide tires. In 1964, Jousma converted two half-ton Ford truck chassis and equipped them with seats bolted on to steel beds. Still later, Dodge Power Wagons were added to the fleet. Jousma sold the business in 1981 to Linus and Janice Starring, who eventually changed the name to Saugatuck Dune Rides, which still is going strong.

Over the years, there were a few other less well-known dune rides. Oscar and Lucille Shogren operated their “dune cruiser” rides in the early 1940s at Silver Lake near Hart. In the late 1950s into the 1960s, John Klomp of Grand Haven started giving dune buggy rides on dune property he leased from Construction Aggregates on the north shore. Melvin Essenberg operated the Spider Lake Dune Rides just north of Atwood on U.S. 31 in the 1960s using his four-wheel drive International Harvester Scout.

You may also drive the dunes in your own ORV.

Dune Rules
 The Silver Lake State Park ORV area has adopted new rules that apply to Sound Levels and Testing, the Voucher System, and Operators and Licensing and Training Requirements (see below). Entry into the ORV area will be denied for vehicles not meeting these standards. A complete list of current rules and regulations is available from the Michigan DNR website.

Only one person is allowed to ride on an ATV-4 wheel vehicle or dirt bike
S.A.N.D. Rules
Wrong Way
There are directional traffic zones that you need to be aware of. You can find a map of the off-road vehicle area at www.michigan.gov/dnr. Please respect these areas and orientate yourself prior to riding.

Topographical Changes
Silver Lake Sand Dunes can change drastically from day to day, even hour by hour, depending on the severity of the weather. Be on the watch for steep inclines, changing slopes, natural hazards, and/or sudden drop-offs.

Where Am I?
Review the ORV map prior to riding. Drive throughout the area and be sure to slow down as you approach the top of the hills. Travel the Dunes in its entirety and get a feel for north, south, west, and east. Do not park or stop your ORV on the backside of a hill.

Driving Alone
This one is simple; if possible, don’t do it. Have someone accompany you so that if an accident occurs, someone is there to seek help immediately. If you know a seasoned operator, have them take you up and show you around first.

Fast and Furious
The beach area has a designated speed limit of 25mph. Other areas do not. Exercising common sense and adopting an operating speed that you can control goes a long way. Extend courtesy to fellow operators and provide a safer environment for everyone involved.

Licensed
A valid driver’s license or ORV Safety Training Certificate must be in the operator’s possession at all times. Persons may not operate any vehicles if their license is suspended or revoked. 

Busy, Busy, Busy
Just like with any major highway or roadway, generally speaking, the more operators you have, the higher the level of risk. You need to be more aware of your surroundings and drive defensively on major holidays and during the peak season, which is typically mid-June through Labor Day.

What to Wear
We live in a world full of safety concerns. It is imperative that you follow strict safety measures when operating your ORV. General ATV and cycle riding gear includes: helmet, goggles, gloves, chest protector, riding boots, shoulder guards, elbow guards, long pants, knee pads, and shin guards. Full-sized vehicles require seat belts, roll bars, and eye protection.

Under the Influence
Do not, at any time, operate your ORV under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Violation of this rule or any others may subject operators to court citation, eviction, and/or vehicle(s) impoundment.

Know Your Dunes
Do your homework. Challenge businesses in the community to help you with your experience or answer questions. Look for businesses that promote the “Drive Safe, Know Your Dunes” campaign.


The series this year focuses on fun summer activities that you can (maybe) only do in the great state of Michigan! The caches in this series are: 
Walk Across The Mackinaw Bridge
Explore The Gerald R Ford Museum
Take A Sand Dune Buggy Ride
Dive A Great Lake Shipwreck
Hunt For Yooperlites
Search For Petoskey Stones
Go Wild At Michigan Adventure
Chase That White Ball
Trail Ride In A Topless Jeep
Enjoy A Pronto Pup
Climb A Lighthouse
Celebrate Christmas In July
Paddle The Pictured Rocks
Root Root Root For The Tigers
GO GEOCACHING!! (Bonus)

This year's MI_SUMMER_FUN team was comprised of the following cachers (listed alphabetically). We hope you enjoy the series!

CCSquire
MIKEY MAC
RedhedMary
TJPost
Wayward Wanderers

Additional Hints (Decrypt)

Oruvaq gur ybtf

Decryption Key

A|B|C|D|E|F|G|H|I|J|K|L|M
-------------------------
N|O|P|Q|R|S|T|U|V|W|X|Y|Z

(letter above equals below, and vice versa)


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