It’s a wonderful day to be alive.

And, what a difference a week makes.

Last Saturday was truly a miserable day!

But the rowers still held their regatta on a choppy and often wet Crystal Lake.

It was so bad, spectators needed umbrellas.

This Saturday was so different.

It was a beautiful, sunny, warm enough day.

The Tri-County Pregnancy and Parenting Center, whose Crystal Lake office is on the same street as McDonald’s, held its annual Hike for Life.

It started at the Crystal Lake Park District’s Main Beach.

A sign pointed the way down Dole Avenue from Mister A’s at Route 14.

I noticed that a sponsor was Fuhler Real Estate.

People were registering at a big tent at the Main Beach.

And buying tee shirts.

I got several that will be featured on “Message of the Day.”

There were a lot of young people.

And families.

Kids were having their faces painted.

And, did I mention there were families?

I decided to follow the route to get some pictures of hikers.

Following the signs past the Wedgewood Garden Club plant sale at the Dole Mansion, I found a man signing up people to pray for the center.

Next there was a water guy.

He had a L-O-T of water bottles.

He was on Sunset about midway on the route.

The hikers went west on Broadway, up Sunset and came back along South Shore Drive.

There were bright vested guys to ease folks’ way across our neighborhood’s busy Lake Avenue.

There were 6,500 vehicles a day the last time I asked.

When I got to Gate 13, there was a table where Board Chairman Joe Edwards was trying to sign up people for the new web site.

I decided to park.

And chat.

And take some photos.

There was a family of bikers.

A big family.

I count nine in the picture.

I thought this was a hike.

But obviously other modes of locomotion are allowed.

And, you know what?

Rowers were out practicing their sport on a day I bet they wished they had been lucky enough to pick.

There was an eight-person boat with accompanying instructors in an outboard.

I also saw a two-woman skiff.

One man had a little boy whom he was walking beside, teaching him how to ride. You can see them in the distance in the photo below. And the shadows tell you that the sun way out.

Edwards told me there were about 80 signed up when he checked for me about 10.

All photos can be enlarged by clicking on them.