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.