It’s been weeks since my last post thanks to a couple relatively brief, but very memorable summer vacations.

First was a trip to the Wisconsin Dells with my immediate family, my parents, and my nephew. My wife and kids went for the first time last summer and loved it, and after showing my parents the photos, they wanted to go this year. Thankfully, it all worked out and they were able to come. As an added bonus, our nephew was able to come as well.

Being an science nerd with my bachelors Earth and Planetary Science (mainly meteorology and geology) the unique sandstone of the Dells has always been appealing. It reminds me in many ways of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, though far less dramatic.

We stayed in a condo a few miles from the main strip and any water parks. We had a free, private pool and beach—This is the way to do a Dells vacation, in my opinion.

Lots of laughs, arcade games, go karts, mini golf, runs fist bumping strangers running too, and quality time with family was had and we are hoping to do it again next year.

Next, just over a week ago, was a trip to Chicago for a baseball game. Two things were revealed for the first time in the history of Goshen Weather, though I’m not entirely sure why. For one, I revealed a picture of myself. My wife pointed out that it was the first time I’d ever posted a picture of myself as the “face” of Goshen Weather. Again, I have no idea why it hasn’t happened before. But anyway, it’s out there now. Second, I revealed I am an Arizona Diamondbacks fan. Since I always get asked why, here’s my answer: I started paying attention to baseball seriously in 8th and 9th grade. If things would have turned out differently in the 2001 World Series, I’d probably be a Yankees fan. It also helped that at the time, the Diamondbacks low-A affiliate was the South Bend Silverhawks and I got to meet and have a foul ball HE HIT to me in a game signed by #1 overall pick Justin Upton.

Fast forward to a week ago Wednesday and my wife and I were at Rate Field in Chicago checking another stadium off the bucket list* and watching the D’Backs play at least one game in person each year. Of course they lost, but oh well.

In addition to getting the ball from Ketel Marte, I met recent call up Blaze Alexander’s family and talked for a bit with his grandma and aunts. After the game, as ushers were shooing people away, Blaze brought his family on the field. As his grandma made it into the field, she looked back and saw me, and immediately began waving me over. I was still holding the ball from Marte and probably still grinning like an idiot, but she asked if I’d like her grandson to sign it. I said of course and handed her the ball, much to the chagrin of the usher who had been yelling at me to leave moments before. Even better, after she handed me the ball back, D’Backs 3B Eugenio Suarez popped into the dugout and signed the ball for me, too. I was a kid in a candy store.

Lastly, for the better part of the last week, me, my wife, and our kids have been in Michigan. My in-laws live on a lake near Flint and we arrived last Friday. I made my annual swim across the lake and the next day my wife and I were off to the Upper Peninsula to celebrate our tenth anniversary.

We made a similar trip last summer, driving from Flint to Munising and visiting pictured rocks, then spending the night in Marquette before traveling down to Traverse City the next day to spend the night there. This year, we opted for two nights in Marquette. We are Marriott snobs and there is a beautiful new Fairfield there with two of the best hotel managers in the world. There was a mix up with our room and when we returned from hiking, we found this…

We visited some new places and revisited some old ones. We stopped in Mackinaw on the way up and had lunch at the White Buffalo. Then drove to Kitch-Iti-Kipi.

This was a really cool stop. Crystal clear, spring-fed water that is a consistent 45°F year round with large brown, rainbow, and lake trout swimming around within it.

We then headed for Marquette and returned to one of my favorite pizza restaurants, Third Coast Pizza. They also make some incredible mixed drinks. My favorite is the Midnight Run Mule. The next day we hit Sugarloaf Mountain and Dead River Falls—both are must see stops if you ever make it to Marquette.

Late lunch at the Ironworks and then I went for a 5 mile walk around the lake while my wife rested a bit.

We ended up meeting on the beach on my way back from my walk and went back to Third Coast Pizza for another round of drinks and a late dinner. After another nice walk around town, it was time to head back to Flint and back to the kids.

That pretty much sums up the last few weeks. We are also in the midst of trying to sell our house, so if it seems like things have been quiet on goshenweather.com that’s why!

Now back to the weather. I hope you’re all enjoying the heat. The humidity returns tomorrow and combined with the heat will make for a steamy weekend ahead. It does look like we will get closer to climatological norms next week (highs in the low 80s, lows in the mid 60s) and the humidity should be more reasonable, too.

Pretty meager rain totals expected overall, but we will see sporadic chances for pop-up showers and storms over the next week. When it’s this hot and humid, any one of them can dump a quick 0.5-1.0” and change this in a hurry.

Fair week will be here soon. Early indications are that this heat will stick around. When it gets hot like this and stays that way for more than a week or so, it can “lock in” the pattern and it becomes physically difficult for cooler air to displace the warmer air.

That circle of above normal temperatures in the Mountain West would indicate ridging that way, which often leads to a trough in our neck of the woods. However, with our hot air more or less locked in at this point, it remains to be seen how much cool air we will see if a trough does indeed set up. It could mean better chances for rain, if nothing else.

That’s all for now, Happy Fourth of July!

–pw

*I have seen the Diamondbacks play at the following MLB stadiums:

• Chase Field (Phoenix, AZ)
• Daikin Park (Houston, TX)
• American Family Field (Milwaukee, WI)
• Wrigley Field (Chicago, IL)
• Rate Field (Chicago, IL)
• Comerica Park (Detroit, MI)
• Great American Ball Park (Cincinnati, OH)
• Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore, MD)