Day 40

Location - London, Ontario Miles/Total Miles - 81/2,927 Climb - 1,500

Today we crossed the Blue Water bridge into Canada, clearing customs and heading into a country side that looks much like what we've been through in the USA. I could only get a picture of the group queuing up and then we were told to put the cameras away while crossing over the bridge.

I've noticed that all across this northern tier of America people like to take care of their yards more than us city dwellers. This shot is a great example of what hard work and great results that are commonplace all the way across. I've seen perfectly mowed lawns that are three acres and nine times out of ten, the women of the house is out mowing them.

This is what I'm staring at most of the day, on the lower left part of my handle bars you'll see the top edge of my mirror (installed after a truck almost hit me). The paper with the clips is our route sheet the shows all the turns and mileage to them, my GPS which has mileage, speed, time of day, time on the bike and %of grade(how steep the hill is).

I'll bet you can't guess what I'm doing.

Day 39

Location - Port Huron, Michigan Miles/Total Miles - 87/2,846 Climb - 800

I'm beginning to think that Michigan is the flatest state in the union - not that I'm complaining but if it wasn't for the trees, you could see all the way to New York. The ride started out on the cool side and for the most part was in farmland. With the wind at our backs

we made good time over the 87 miles and arrived at noon. Next stop was the quay brewery in downtown Port Huron, an old town with many restored buildings.

This is the bridge we will be taking to get over the St Clair River to Canada. They are going to close the bridge to car traffic while we cross.

These are shots of houses along the lakefront. Although the area is beautiful with all the beautiful landscaping and green lawns, I wouldn't be caught dead anywhere near this place in January.

OK, I'm on for this but I don't see one person I know on the list of registrants. If you all go, I'll go.

Day 38

Location - Birch Run, Michigan Miles/Total Miles - 74/2,759 Climb - 625

Today was one of those days that you got on the road, put your head down and got it done. The terrain was virtually flat so I jumped into a pace line that was averaging 21 mph and that did the trick. We did have a bit of a scare when a cat ran out of a corn field and across our path narrowly missing the lead rider. I being second and anticipating the impending crash pulled wide just as a car was coming (which also saw the cat and pulled wide) - the cat missed the first bike by a fraction of an inch, mine by a foot and the car by a fraction of an inch on it's terrified sprint across the road. Our speed dropped considerably after this encounter.

Knowing that John (my room mate) stops at almost every bakery along the way, I stopped at one in a small town that I was sure he would try. I bought a Cinnamon roll, put it in a bag with his name on it, placed it on the counter for pick up and continued on. He was a bit surprised when he walked in a bit later and the lady knew his name and what he wanted.

Flowers are the theme of the day - If you look closely there is red sumac in this picture that Bill told me is blooming everywhere right now

Day 37

Location - Mount Pleasant, Michigan Miles/Total Miles - 113/2,685 Climb - 2,400

My Brother in Law, Bill Osborn, meet me at the hotel this morning and road 50 miles before he had to turn back to get his car and head home. He lives in Grand Rapids, about a 90 minute drive from Ludington. It was great to see him, for one thing, his map skills are better than mine and he got us through every turn headed in the right direction. My question to him when we first thought of riding together was why he didn't just ride with us the whole day. His answer was "Hey, I've got to go back and get my car". So because he had to retrace his steps, he also did a century today.

I saw this contraption on a corner in big falls . . . it's a drinking fountain.

An old school house just outside of Mount Pleasant

Day 36

Location - Ludington, Michigan Miles/Total Miles - 7/2,572

Today we took a ferry 60 miles across Lake Michigan into the state of Michigan (Where Kati's brother Bill lives). The ferry was coal fired (of all things - not what California would allow) built in 1952. It took us four hours and also put us into the eastern time zone which added another hour. The day, being dedicated to the transit, was about the most boring one we've had so far - not much to report other than I'm all caught up on the sports scene after watching four hours of ESPN.

There was a bunch of old Victorians like this on the way out of Ludington to the hotel.

Day 35

Location - Manitowoc, Wisconsin Miles/Total Miles - 57/2,565 Climb - 1,350

We reached the edge of lake Michigan today on the final day of this leg. The day off tomorrow couldn't be more appreciated . . . I am tired, real tired. We got off to a real slow pace and never really got going averaging around 15 mph but to our surprise, nobody caught up to us. It was evident that everyone else was feeling the same.

We were greeted today at the hotel by the local bicycle club to wish us well. They had a table set up in the lobby and were serving ice cream donated by the local creamery. Hospitality like this has been evident throughout the trip. When you get away from the big cities, the idea of "Home Town America" is still alive. The hotels set out soap and towels to clean our bikes, they provide cookies and lemonade, one place even had a cooler full of beer.

The houses and barns in this area are built of brick and stone instead of wood siding. It gives the countryside a European look.

Day 34

Location - Fond du Lac, Wisconsin Miles/Total Miles - 83/2,508 Climb - 1,800

We arrived in beautiful Fond du Lac at noon today and I got talked into walking down (2 1/2 miles) to see the lake. As you can see, not much different than our big lake (Pacific) on a windy day (gray and dismal). The falls were at a little town called Packwaukee (say that ten times), looks like an old quarry.

He's a couple of statistics - Today was actually 84 miles (there they go again) and I did it by noon going 18.8 MPH (not Armstrong speed but quite respectable, 1st in too). I traveled 542 miles this week burning 39,000 calories on the bike.
I ride a lot with these three guys Jack (one of my room mates), Larry and Steve. They're all stronger riders which keeps me pushing harder each day and getting stronger. Kati, I hope there are a few of these hotels left on the schedule. Not Bad.

Packwaukee Falls

Day 33

Location - Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Miles/Total Miles - 75/2,425 Climb - 1,200
Wow, what a beautiful day . . . They sent us on a bike trail for 35 miles today that was limestone instead of being paved. The trail was built on an old railroad bed winding through towns with the depots still intact and used as tourist information centers and shops. There were three tunnels that you had to walk your bike through using a flashlight because each one was about a mile long and curved with water leaking through the overhead and running in a stream down both sides. If you turned off the flashlight you couldn't tell which way was up. It started raining just as I left the dirt path and rained all the way in . . . being first in, I was wet but missed the mud, not many did.
I also have a bone to pick with this company (see Jenn, I can Bitch). The mileage I give each day is out of the brochure, but each day it seems a little bit longer. yesterday was really 92, the day before 91, then 102 and 106 . . . tomorrow supposed to be 90 which makes five 90 plus miles this week . . . wow.

A shot looking out of the tunnel . . . it was dark!

Day 32

Location - La Crosse, Wisconsin Miles/Total Miles - 89/2,350 Climb - 2,850

Out of Minnesota and into Wisconsin and yet another state in or North American Tour. The scenery as definitely change today with more changes in elevation and much more foliage. The farms are almost manicured, it's a beautiful area. We went through the town of Rutherford which had a bike path that went for sixteen miles along a river, through fields and country side. It's used for snowmobiling in the winter. A deer broke from the woods alongside me and ran parallel for about twenty yards before it could duck back into the underbrush . . . wow, what a sight.
Kati, can I have this? We have to move it to San Diego though . . . it's too cold in the winter here.

I think I'll try this next, not quite as demanding.

Nice farm, Huh?


I forgot to say that we crossed the mighty Mississippi River today. It borders the two states.

Day 31

Location - Rochester, Minnesota Miles/Total Miles - 100/2,261 Climb - 2,400

We rolled into Rochester (Home to the Maio Clinic) this afternoon around 1:00 pm to finish up the second century in two days (another first). The scenery is beginning to change a bit, rolling hills, stands of trees, and of course, corn. Altogether now . . . "Old McDonald had a farm".

Look at this picture . . . check back in two days and I'll post one that looks exactly the same. If you want I can dig one out from last week and post that too.

This is a beautiful lake (they have a lot of these in Minnesota) with houses lining the edges.

Day 30

Location - Mankato, Minnesota Miles/Total Miles - 102/2,161 Climb - 1,000

There were just about no elevation changes today and a bit of a tail wind to boot so it was ride, ride, ride. We pushed it to see how well we could do on a century. We had three SAG stops and I think we spent a grand total of about three minutes at all three. The miles flew by and we did a hundred miles in five hours and twenty minutes. By the time we went through town our MPH dropped a bit to 18.6, still not to shabby. This isthe seventh century of the trip and definitely easy and fast.

Your typical mid west town . . . where is everybody?



Another courthouse in another town.

Day 29

Location - Worthington, Minnesota Miles/Total Miles - 70/2059 Climb - 1,300
We had a rain delay today for about twenty minutes before we could load luggage. As it turned out, it was the only rain we would see the entire day. We left on the same bike path I took on our day off so I had a chance to see the scenery and the falls one more time before heading out into farmland. Overcast skies and cool temperatures made the seventy miles pretty much a breeze. We slipped quietly out of South Dakota and into Minnesota today adding another state to the trip and going over 2,000 miles. Although we're in a different state, the scenery remains farms and more farms.

Like my fancy new rain jacket?

We're all beginning to come to grips about our addiction to Dairy Queen . . . I think I may need rehab after I get back.

Day 28

Location - Sioux Falls, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - Day Off

I had a pretty nice day today . . . I jumped on my bike this morning with John and we took a bike path along the river into town. The area was just beautiful meandering along the river bank, by parks, soccer fields and playgrounds. The river splits and rings the town - the bike path does the same providing a circular route of the entire city. We popped out at Sioux Falls which used to provide mill and electrical power to the city. The picture to the left is the old courthouse that has been turned into a museum. Got back and had a great lunch of pizza and salad which brings me to the next subject, a nap.

This is and old automobile bridge turned into a pedestrian bridge.

Day 27

Location - Sioux Falls, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 72/1989 Climb - 1,000

We're in Sioux Falls and the best thing about it . . . it's time for a rest day, no riding tomorrow. So guess what I'm doing . . . going for a ride on my bike around town.

Hey! I got a comment from Alex, that's just too cool. I'd also like to thank everyone who's checking in on me and sending words of encouragement.

Well . . . back to the ride - Here's what I saw today:

1. Farms

2. Farms that look just like yesterday's farms.

3. Farms that look just like day before yesterday's farms.

Actually the scenery is just amazing, especially for a SoCal boy. The farms look like they're out of the movies, not like the dry, parched, on the edge ranches in our area. While riding today, I startled a pheasant which flew across the road in front of me, it was just beautiful.

This is Anne and her family . . . They surprised her out on the road at one of our SAG stops. That was pretty thoughtful of them.

Our room just after we arrived. Three of us get stuffed into a little room bumping into one another, stepping on shoes, kicking bikes and making just enough room on the bed to sleep on one side with your gear on the other. The guy with the hide a bed gets any remaining space.

Day 26

Location - Mitchell, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles - 70/1,917 Climb - 1,000

We were all were walking back from dinner last night and took a better look at Marquee at the hotel. Kati, I thought you, Jenn and Jason would get a kick out of this. Can you believe I actually caught it? Because of the distance we got a bit later start today around 7:30. With flat terrain and a favorable wind we still got in before noon.

Then it was off to the corn palace which is a sports arena completely covered in corn cobs. When we arrived the workmen were busy applying corn to the facade with scenes of the the space shuttle, Mt Rushmore and the corn palace itself.

After a tour we went to a pub that was built in the old train station. In honor of out arrival they put on the Tour D France and it was buffalo burgers all around. Don't worry, we still made it to Dairy Queen prior to our departure to the corn palace.

What's a day without a visit to the Tractor Museum?

Day 25

Location - Chamberlain, South Dakota Miles/Total Miles 84/1,847 Climb - 2,500

We've passed the halfway point today and much to my surprise, to not much fanfare. There was a couple of cows looking on to mark the occasion, but short of that, just the wide open prairie. I was feeling the effects of yesterday's long ride and decided to go it alone today. I started out riding slow to recoup from yesterdays grind with every muscle and joint in my body sore. By the time I hit the first sag things started feeling a little bit better and I started moving. Although the gain in climbing was minimal, it came in three 7% hills which was quite a challenge. I ended up being first in.

The picture above is of the Missouri River; it looks more like a huge lake.

Kati, when these two cars arrive, could you make room in the front yard?

A sea of never ending grassland today. The only break was when it had been baled.