A Handful of Sand and Photographs Keep Memories Alive of a Special Friend and Our Trip to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

BY ANDREW MORKES, FOUNDER AND AUTHOR OF “NATURE IN CHICAGOLAND”

When our friends pass away unexpectedly, we’re often just left with memories and—in the instance of my friend Dave Fode—a little sand and a few photographs from a trip we took together with our nine- and 13-year-old sons.

In August 2019, we camped at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was Dave’s first visit to one of my favorite spots in the Midwest, and I was excited to share it with him. I’m glad that he said he loved it despite driving through monsoon rain and flooding to arrive at Twelvemile Beach, where we camped. I thought it would be the first of many trips to Pictured Rocks with our boys after our annual trips to Lake Kegonsa State Park, but primarily Kohler-Andrae State Park, in Wisconsin. But it was not to be. In 2020, the COVID pandemic halted our camping get-togethers, but we took a fun kayak trip down Nippersink Creek in Glacial Park in Illinois. In 2022, we were booked to return to Pictured Rocks in August, but in July, Dave passed away suddenly.   

It was shocking then, and it remains shocking now. And now I’m just left with memories.

This story is not about Pictured Rocks (but you can read my article about this natural gem by clicking here). It’s about a few moments in time that sometimes come back to me in the years since my friend’s death. It’s weird how these little moments out-twinkle the North Star memories of high school hijinks (I knew him for nearly 40 years), a 12-state trip in our 20s, kayak trips, long campfire talks that “solved” all the problems of the world, and other times that we experienced together.

I think these moments resonate because they capture a mood and provide a glimpse of that person’s essential essence. So, allow me to share a brief memory of my beloved friend Dave along with some photos from that day.

Pictured Rocks National Park, August 2019

AFTER HAVING LUNCH IN GRAND MARAIS, we stopped at Grand Sable Lake because Dave’s son wanted to fish, and I wanted to hike to the top of the towering Grand Sable Dunes across the road from the lake. The dunes, which rise more than 300 feet above nearby Lake Superior, are the highest formation in the park.  

I left the boys and Dave at the beach, crossed the road, and began climbing to the top of the dunes. It was hot in the occasional sun. I remember being wowed by the orangish color sand as I walked, my hiking boots sinking deep into the sand. It reminded me of photos of soil from Mars taken in the 1970s. I also remembered how my ears “rang” in the absolute silence of the dunes—especially when the twists and turns of the path took me to areas sheltered from the road. As a city person, it’s always jarringly wonderful to experience the silence of wild and rural areas—other than, that is, the sound of the wind and wildlife.  

I reached the top of the nearest dune and took in the stunning scenery. Lake Superior loomed in the distance. Pine trees, sand dunes, rare plants, and Grand Sable Lake created a vista that would never bore a landscape painter granted 1,000 years of splendid living atop the dunes.

Dave and the boys were specks in the distance. I watched them as Dave lounged on the sand and his son cast a line into the placid lake. I reveled in my sudden solitude in what is one of the most beautiful places in the Midwest. It was quiet and peaceful. I took a few photos from the dunes, including some with a zoom lens.

It was also windy, but when the wind shifted, something about the acoustics of the area allowed me to occasionally hear Dave and our sons’ voices from far below. Despite the distance, I heard bits of their conversation—Dave asking them questions about the trip, giving them fishing advice, talking about the puffy clouds and water, and making the occasional joke. I heard an occasional laugh and a yell or two of excitement when Dave’s son thought he’d caught a fish. It was such an odd—but not unwelcome feeling—given that I was so far away from them.

My sudden acoustic gift provided unexpected glimpses of my friend being himself: funny, kind, enthusiastic, and gentle with his son and my boy. My friend was at peace in a place that I loved, and that made me happy.

I stood atop the dunes and watched them for a few minutes—and listened as their words wafted toward me occasionally from far below, the dune grasses and small evergreen trees dancing in the breeze. I resisted the urge to yell or wave to try to attract their attention; instead, I savored the moment and embraced the solitude. I watched them for a few minutes and then began exploring the dunes.

My friend is gone, but I have some photos, a handful of orangish sand that I found in my boots after I returned home from Michigan, and beautiful memories of a great trip to Pictured Rocks and a wonderful friend. 

Dave loved the outdoors.
He loved to hike and camp.
He was a talented artist.
He had an offbeat sense of humor.
He was always up for an adventure.
He was my friend who left this world much too soon.

Copyright (text/photos) Andrew Morkes

Additional Stories About Dave:

I wrote a long essay about Dave that traces our relationship from our high school days to our early 50s, when he passed away. It also discusses the qualities that made him such a good friend. Please read “Remembering David Fode” if you’d like to learn more about him and the fun and adventures that we had during our nearly 40-year friendship. My second story, “Celebrating the Artistic Excellence of my Beloved Friend David Fode,” is a tribute to my friend’s talents with illustration and stained glass art and our sometimes artistic collaborations.

Looking for some great nature destinations in Chicagoland? If so, check out my book, Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit. It features amazing destinations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Click on the title to learn more. The book has 306 pages and 210+ photos and is only $18.99.

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ABOUT ANDREW MORKES

I have been a writer and editor for nearly 30 years. I’m the founder of College & Career Press (2002); the author and publisher of “The Morkes Report: College and Career Planning Trends” blog; and the author and publisher of Hot Health Care Careers: 30 Occupations With Fast Growth and Many New Job Openings; Nontraditional Careers for Women and Men: More Than 30 Great Jobs for Women and Men With Apprenticeships Through PhDs; They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 100 Interesting College Majors, which was selected as one of the best books of the year by the library journal Voice of Youth Advocates; and other titles. They Teach That in College!? provides more information on environmental- and sustainability-related majors such as Ecotourism, Range Management, Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Built Environment, Sustainability Studies, and Sustainable Agriculture/Organic Farming. I’m also a member of the parent advisory board at my son’s school. 

In addition to these publications, I’ve written more than 60 books about careers for other publishing and media companies including Infobase (such as the venerable Encyclopedia of Careers & Vocational Guidance, the Vault Career Guide to Accounting, and many volumes in the Careers in Focus, Discovering Careers, What Can I Do Now?!, and Career Skills Library series) and Mason Crest (including those in the Careers in the Building Trades and Cool Careers in Science series).

Here’s a list of the environmental-focused titles that I’ve written:

• Nature in Chicagoland: More Than 120 Fantastic Nature Destinations That You Must Visit
• Wind Turbine Technicians (Great Careers Without a Bachelor’s Degree series)
• Environmental Scientists (Cool Careers in Science series)
• Renewable Energy Careers (Cool Careers in Science series)
• Environment (Getting Started series)
• Solar Power Technicians (Careers in Infrastructure series)