4,300 miles...riding
for lung health!
Where's John?
Daily Journal
July
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30
July Saturday (Day 64) Starting Point: St. Clair, MI Ending Point: New Glasgow, Ontario Via: East China, Marine City, Sombra, Port Lambton, Wallaceburg, Dresden, Troy, Morpeth, Palmyra and Clearville Mileage: 82.1 Time: 6:52 Mph: 11.9 Terrain: flat Weather: 80s, overcast, humid Cumulative Mileage: 3,366.9 To Go: ≈ 985 The humidity today was again almost palpable and it was certainly visible along the entire route. Simon and I were scheduled to be cooks for the day (which involves dinner, breakfast and lunch, in that order). Naturally there is some pressure that comes with that; not the least of which is meeting the group at a specific time at a rendezvous point to buy and transport groceries. For the past two months I have faithfully brought up the rear of the “peleton.” Keep in mind that this ride is not a race so the peleton is merely a designation for the group of us. Along the way there was really on Wallaceburg where a rider could stop for distractions. I stopped there to go to the library and catch up on answering e-mail. So the three o’clock deadline at the grocery store was met. Morpeth grocery store left a lot to be desired, mostly product. We had to switch to the stand-by plan for dinner; go out to eat. We ate well at the campground so that was acceptable to everyone, it seemed. During the night, the rain was deafening at times thanks to its ferocity. It woke me up more than once. Mercifully, by morning, it had stopped. |
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29
July Friday (Day 63) Starting Point: North Branch, MI Ending Point: St. Clair, MI Via: Brown City, Capac, Riley Center, and Memphis. Mileage: 66.8 Time: 5:57 Mph: 11.2 Terrain: flat with some gentle rolling hills Weather: 80s, sunny, humid Cumulative Mileage: 3,284.8 To Go: ≈ 1,051.8 It’s time to explain the “To Go” figure above. Originally the trip was supposed to have been 4,308 miles. Right now (Friday 7/30) it stands at 4,351.9. Due to map errors and rider errors the final trip distance is approximate. The itinerary has tentative mileage for each day until the end and I’ll be putting in actual miles as I ride them. The little squiggly figure “≈” means “more or less equal to.” This was a day without photos. The terrain was flat and agricultural. Corn was visible almost the entire route. There was one interesting farm along the way: a turf farm. There was an entire field, probably ten acres, covered with turf worthy of any putting green. Only one small section on the edge had been harvested. I’m pretty certain that that was the first turf crop I had ever seen. There has been a strong resemblance to eastern Minnesota in this part of Ontario. There is a persistent flatness interspersed with farms, crops and some trees. The humidity has been so thick that riders up ahead of me almost disappear into it. |
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July Thursday (Day 62) Starting Point: Bay City, MI Ending Point: North Branch, MI Via: Fairgrove, Caro and Mayville. Mileage: 66.7 Time: 5:47 Mph: 11.5 Terrain: flat with some gentle rolling hills Weather: 80s, sunny, humidity Cumulative Mileage: 3,218 To Go: ≈ 1,090 Charlie and I had discovered the Coffee Tree Café yesterday morning and I thought it would be a good experience to go back to some place more than once. I wasn’t disappointed. Mike, the owner, was glad to see me. He was very interested in trying bike touring and had good wishes for the rest of my expedition. Mike gave me a free scone for the road and a coffee mug with their logo on it. These kinds of interactions and the phenomenal generosity of people continue to surprise and impress me deeply. Summer humidity was the defining characteristic of this day. The shade provided a welcome relief (when I was able to pass through it) from feeling baked. In Fairgrove, the supermarket had a “Welcome Adventure Cyclists” poster in their window, so I stopped in. They were friendly and happy to see us, they said. A father/daughter pair had passed by yesterday and told them about us, so she was expecting to see our group. People in the library were all interested in hearing about the trip; the usual details (how many miles a day, how long have you been on the road and the like). Flags were at half-mast in the town and I asked the firefighters assembled in the center of town about that and about why they were setting up their video equipment. They said that a local boy, who had graduated in 1982, recently died in Iraq and his funeral procession was going to be passing through. The rest of the ride was somewhat somber even though the sun was out. It was somber until shortly before Mayville. Katie and Tanya had left an interesting warning on the road with chalk that Susan and I had given them. “Warning: Dinosaur X-Ing”. Check out the photos for more graphic detail. In Mayville, there was clear evidence of youth smoking; a gang of fourteen-year old boys were puffing away. It made me wonder how they obtained their cigarettes. |
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26-27
July Monday-Tuesday (Day 60-61) Starting Point: Clare, MI Ending Point: Bay City, MI Via: Loomis, Coleman, North Bradley, Sanford and Farwell. Mileage: 52.8 Time: 4:46 Mph: 11 Terrain: flat Weather: 70s, sunny, no humidity Cumulative Mileage: 3,151.3 This was another ideal bicycling day: sunny, dry, 70s and windless. The first thirty miles were on the Pere Marquette Rail-Trail. There is the Rail-to-Trail Conservancy whose main activity is to convert old unused railroad beds to useable bicycle trails. This trail ran parallel to the main road between Clare and Midland, so at any time it was possible to leave the trail and find a café or some other business just a short distance away. The best part about it was that except for intersections, there was no traffic to worry about and thus it was fairly relaxing. The grade up hills was gentle, as one would expect for a railroad. In Loomis, I biked off the trail to visit a café for some hash browns. Did I mention I was doing a national comparative survey of hash brown potato quality? This restaurant’s preparation was just fine. As I came out and went to my bike, a lady came around the corner, looked at my bike and trailer and said, “That looks like fun! Is your girlfriend in there?” In Midland I was looking for a good bike shop to give me an opinion about the new problem with my trailer (other than the fact that I was carrying my girlfriend in it!): oscillation while moving. One bike shop gave the opinion that it was due to the tread on the tires I was using and that I should use tires with little or no tread. They sent me to another shop to purchase them, since they didn’t have any in stock. Before I went off in search of that shop, I spotted Nigel and Bernd in front of an espresso bar, so I stopped too. They were being interviewed by the local newspaper. I took the opportunity to make sure that she interviewed me also. I’ve tried along the way to ensure that people are aware of my odyssey for the American Lung Association of Maine. At Bicycle Headquarters, Mickey replaced my tires with smoother ones, but the oscillation didn’t completely go away. At this point I’m not sure what will solve the problem. Michael had a fine suggestion for any bicycle problem that crops us: Ignore it! I may yet do that. In recent days I’ve had three powerful reminders about just how effective ALAM and the Partnership for a Tobacco-Free Maine have been. Currently in Maine, smoking is banned from restaurants, bars and all public spaces. In Michigan, it isn’t banned from restaurants or bars at all. In one restaurant recently, we wanted to have a breakfast. When three of us entered, the server didn’t even ask if we wanted smoking or non-smoking and just sat us down. It turned out to be right smack dab in the middle of the smoking section and there was no lack of smoke. I removed myself and went to the “non-smoking” section. It turned out to be on the other side of the room where there was a fan to keep the smoke “away.” In another restaurant, I stopped in and there was no one there except the owner, at least at first. Then a couple of his friends walked in and within seconds, lit up without so much as a thought as to whether I might prefer them not doing so. This evening we were to meet at a restaurant for a fish-fry. When I entered, it turned out that the “non-smoking” section was right next to the smoking section with nothing dividing them except tables. So, in frustration, I went on to try and locate a place where I could eat. These kinds of occurrences remind me thoroughly about how important ALAM is. They also remind me of the importance of their legislative watchdog function. There are still legislators in Maine who would like to repeal the smoking bans that are in place. Thanks to the monies that ALAM raises each year and that all sponsors contribute, including mine, they’ve been able to fight off these efforts. Today is a day off in Bay City, MI where I can catch up on commentary, photos, shopping and the like. An eagerness is filling my spirit to see the sign, “The Way Life Should Be.” |
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July Sunday (Day 59) Starting Point: Luther, MI Ending Point: Clare, MI Via: Le Roy, Avondale, Temple, Lake George, and Farwell. Mileage: 70.6 Time: 7:05 Mph: 9.9 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 70s, sunny, no humidity Cumulative Mileage: 3,098.5 The day began with a group breakfast at 8am at Loggers Landing in Luther. You’d think with a name like that, I should have had lamb and lasagna, but I dispensed with the alliteration and had eggs, sausage, hash browns and toast. The sign out front read “Welcome Bikers.” Once inside the restaurant, I was certain that the owners hadn’t meant us or our kind of vehicle. The wall over the bar was filled with various animal heads from successful hunting expeditions. There was even a fine example of the jackalope—the mythical beast that sings to the cowboys. As almost always, the food was very good and filling and lasted well into the late morning. There was a man on horseback who tied up his horse out front to a post. The horse was much more able to walk a straight line than the rider himself. He was interested in hearing about our adventure…the fact that we were on bicycle impressed him to no end. The rest of the day was more hills while going through lake country. I was eager enough to get to Bay City for our rest day that there was really not much of note during the ride. It was another beautiful summer day with low humidity and sun. The best part of the day was the showers at the Herrick Recreational area just outside Clare. As a general rule, a shower at the end of the day is always the best part. |
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July Saturday (Day 58) Starting Point: Interlochen, MI Ending Point: Luther, MI Via: Karlin, Mesick, Yuma, and Garlets Corner. Mileage: 58.8 Time: 5:15 Mph: 11.2 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 60s, sunny, no humidity Cumulative Mileage: 3,027.9 Today, as you can see, we passed the 3,000 mile mark. There is still 1,300 miles to go. We’ve completed about 70% of the ride in distance and 63% of the days. There are still a few more rest days to go. It is five weeks from yesterday (Friday) that we’ll be rolling into Bar Harbor, Maine. Right now the challenge doesn’t seem to be a physical one, but rather a psychological one. I’m eager to be home in Brunswick; eager to be singing again, seeing all the people I know and love and having a real bed with a real shower and real cookware. The list is endless. The challenge is that there are still five weeks to bicycle and 1,300 miles to cover. Being eager won’t get me there any faster, but it will sure keep me going! Reid State Park – here I come. I’ve lost count of the number of people in Michigan who’ve said to me “Have a safe one!”, “Ride Safe!”, “Be Careful!” and “Take Care of Yourself!” It has been probably a dozen people. I have to admit that it’s gotten to a point where I’m more worried than normal about cars. With every car that approaches me from behind, the thought goes through my head, “is this the one?” It might be an exaggeration to say “every car”, but it occurs often. I know that’s a rather dark frame of mind, and I’m hoping that once we’re out of Michigan, I’ll be able to be less fearful. In Karlin, the first town we encountered after leaving the campground, I stopped for a coffee at a convenience store there under new ownership. One of the owners, Rhonda, was very curious about our odyssey. She mentioned that her husband has always wanted to go to Maine, so I gave her a Maine lobster and a Maine potato pin (courtesy of the Maine Lobster Council and the Maine Potatoe Association). She was talking about her store in that it wasn’t her life plan to run a store; she is about to complete dental school. In explaining why she and her husband bought the store, she related this story: The store had changed owners and changed the menu offerings. The previous owners got rid of the roast chicken that used to be available. Rhonda said that her husband told her that he missed that roast chicken. She responded, “Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just buy a chicken roaster than an entire store?!” It was another uneventful day going through scrub pines forests and moderate hills. When I arrived in the campground there was a message at the front gate that said what sites we were on and it also said, “Welcome to the sound of Americans having fun.” I wasn’t sure what that meant until I heard and saw them: ATVs and motorcycles. The ATV trail went right by the State campground and was used constantly from 3pm until who knows how late (it is now 8:30pm and they’re still at it). The dust is everywhere; it’s so thick sometimes you’d think that it was a foggy Maine morning, but no…. I promise pictures for tomorrow. |
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July Friday (Day 57) Starting Point: Alden, MI Ending Point: Interlochen, MI Via: Rapid City, Barker Creek, Mabel, Williamsburg, and Traverse City. Mileage: 47 Time: 4:29 Mph: 10.4 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 70s, sunny, no humidity Cumulative Mileage: 2,969.1 The big highlight of Alden was that I got my computer back in working condition so I could continue these narratives. I have to give thanks to Adventure Cycling for some creative bicycle route design. Their route kept us off the busiest road to Traverse City by taking us into farmland. Corn is a lot more noticeable here than it has been earlier. Passing by so many cornfields gives me a hankering to stop in one and taste a corn fresh-picked. I’ve heard so much about true fresh corn but I’ve never experienced it. Just outside Traverse City there is the TART bicycle path. It is miles long and comes from the suburbs right into the downtown area. An interesting aspect of the trail is that at various points along the way there is a planet and a descriptive sign. So, of course, coming in from the suburbs, the first planet one comes to is Pluto. It must have been designed in sort of a solar system in miniature; the planets are relatively the same distance apart. I thought this was a very interesting design, especially for younger cyclists – this can give the sense of the great distances in the solar system. I spent the better part of two hours at an internet café catching up on these narratives and sending them out to all of you. The day itself was another of those ideal summer days: no humidity, sunny and cloudless with a brilliant blue sky. The water of the bay by the edge of the city was as blue with whitecaps. There was a fair amount of wind; it seemed that the sailboats liked that quite a bit. We camped in the State Park right across the street from the Interlochen Center for the Arts. I took some evening time off to go listen to Saint-Saens Carnival of the Animals and Handel Water Music played by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. It was such a marvelous musical event. The pianists were outstanding; of note was the conductor, Robert King, who is world-renowned. I was happy to be sitting listening to music instead of bicycling even for a short time. |
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July Thursday (Day 56) Starting Point: Petoski, MI Ending Point: Alden, MI Via: Clarion, Walloon Lake, Boyne City, East Jordan, Ellsworth, and Eastport. Mileage: 67.6 Time: 6:36 Mph: 10.2 Terrain: rolling hills; some as much as 13% Weather: 70s, sunny, no humidity Cumulative Mileage: 2,922.1 The day started as an ideal Michigan (and Maine, for that matter) summer day-sunny and no humidity; it ended the same. Many of the hills (and there were many) reminded me a great deal of the bike routes around Brunswick. They were short and steep going up and likewise going down. One member of our band decided to skip the prescribed route and take the most direct way to Alden; he described the trajectory as flat. Some were jealous but most were happy to have experienced the roller coaster countryside. The mountains of Vermont are in the back of my mind all the time, so I figure I need all the preparation I can get. I’m hoping that Middlebury Gap won’t be a physical repeat of Logan Pass. In Boyne City I was able to locate a bike shop that had flags for my rig. They’ve seen some wear and needed refreshing. When there is no humidity, biking seems so much easier. It’s a real pleasure and if it weren’t for hills, I could probably go all day. It was a lovely route alongside Torch Lake. I came rolling into Alden not long after a couple others of our group and we congregated at a local café for a cold drink. I was eager for the arrival of the IBM technician who, I was hoping, would have my system in working condition so I could send this installment. So far so good. He left me with some shock-proof padding so I’m hoping that it will last until Maine. |
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July Wednesday (Day 55) Starting Point: St. Ignace, MI Ending Point: Petoski, MI Via: Mackinaw City, Bliss, Cross Village, Goodhart, Harbor Springs and Bay View. Mileage: 58.5 Time: 5:30 Mph: 10.6 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 80s, sunny, humid Cumulative Mileage: 2,854.5 Today began in fog so thick that when we were standing at the tollbooth at the beginning of the Mackinaw Bridge, we couldn’t see any part of it. I was the first to arrive at the designated rendezvous point: the Michigan State Police Barracks. I walked inside and wanted to be sure this was the right place. I asked, “Is this where you can get a ride?” The sergeant behind the desk answered, “Depends on what kind of ride you want…to jail?” I answered, “I probably wouldn’t like the food.” He seemed to enjoy that response. Bicycles are not allowed on the bridge so we had to get ferried over the Straits of Mackinaw by employees of the Michigan Department of Transportation. They were very helpful and efficient. It wasn’t long before we were back pedaling on the road south to Petoski. There was a twenty mile stretch after Bliss that was signed as “Tunnel of Trees.” The trees lining the road made a dense canopy along much of this route. The road was winding, narrow and not much traveled. As usual I was bringing up the rear of our group, so I was able to enjoy the solitude and beauty of the route undistracted by others. Another advantage to this part of the ride was that the sun’s hot rays didn’t reach very well into the canopy so it was cooler than in exposed places along the route. At times, when I did bike out into the open, it felt like I was being well-baked. It was only in the mid-80s or so; I was glad it wasn’t hotter. A stop at the general store in Goodhart was a welcome break. John, the proprietor was very interested to hear about the details of the trip and about the Lung Association in Maine. Before this ride I knew nothing about this part of Michigan (I would say that I still don’t know very much.) but Harbor Springs was a complete surprise. It was a very upscale town with quaint shops, art galleries, fine coffee places; it seemed like wealth was just pouring through the town. It reminded me of Westport, Connecticut a great deal. This seemed like an even more high-class place than Sandpoint, Idaho. The contrast to most of the places that we’ve been seeing this entire trip was shocking in a way. Afterwards I regretted to some degree not stopping and spending more time there at a specialty coffee shop. The route we followed stayed along the west coast of Michigan. There were countless shoreline homes, many of which seemed to be for sale. If only I had brought my checkbook! In Petoski, we stayed in Magnus City Park. There was a really intense rain storm round about dinnertime; so it was delayed. Even so, Berndt worked his chef magic and produced a fine meal of salad, shish-kebob and lentil stew. After dinner I ran into Don, who had just completed the Trek Across Maine with his daughter on the Tom’s of Maine corporate team. We had a long conversation about fundraising and cross-county bike rides. He seemed to have that look in his eye as though he might be doing this very ride next year. |
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| 20 July Tuesday (Day 54) - No Entry | ||
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July Monday (Day 53) Starting Point: Naubinway, MI Ending Point: St. Ignace, MI Via: Epoufette and Brevort\ Mileage: 33.1 Time: 2:53 Mph: 11.5 Terrain: generally flat Weather: 70s, sunny Cumulative Mileage: 2,796 Other than our first day touring around Anacortes during our shakedown ride, today was the shortest ride yet. I’ve never arrived at the campsite for the night before lunch…until today. This liberates a lot of time; for laundry, setting up camp, seeking out bike shops and other necessities (like taffy and fudge, for instance). Much of the ride was along the topmost shore of Lake Michigan. At Pointe Aux Chenes there were dunes between the shore itself and the road. In several places, just as in Maine, there were protected areas that were set up to preserve the piping plovers nesting on the beach. I didn’t go down to the shore to see them; I was trying to keep sand out of my bike. In my experience, sand and mechanical parts don’t go together all that well. Tomorrow is a rest day where I’ll probably go and explore Mackinac Island. One facet of this place intrigues me: even though it is spelled “Mackinac”, it is pronounced “Mackinaw”. This is according to the Chamber of Commerce in St. Ignace; a reliable source. There are many souvenir stores in St. Ignace as well as fudge, taffy and pasties. The latter item shouldn’t be confused with an important accoutrement of exotic dancers. It is a pastry dough with a sort of shepherd’s pie filling. It’s not clear at this point how we will get to Mackinaw City, on the mainland…our options are ferry and vehicle since bicycles are absolutely not allowed on the five-mile bridge across the Straits of Mackinaw. |
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July Sunday (Day 52) Starting Point: Manistique, MI Ending Point: Naubinway, MI Via: Gulliver and Blaney Park Mileage: 61.8 Time: 4:51\ Mph: 12.7 Terrain: generally flat with some hills Weather: 70s-80s, sunny Cumulative Mileage: 2,762.9 This was the first day when I’ve been able to actually ride with a group of our riders. I started out with Tanya and Katie; eventually John joined us. Before he did though, I did have another adventure that smacked of what happened with my front tire in Havre, MT. Charlie passed us at one point and mentioned to me that my left trailer tire looked a little low. When we took a cookie break, I found that not only was it low, it was flat out flat. I don’t carry spare tires for the trailer since I was reassured by my bike shop that the tires would be fine for the trip. As we were stopped there on the side of the road, a man came out of his home and invited us to use his garage and compressor to fix up the tire. What joy, what rapture! To be able to use a compressor. Don and his wife, Arloan, were very happy to help me and gave us all sodas and a quick rundown on his career with GM. I’m fairly certain that I set a personal record for getting into camp early despite this setback. We were able to spend the afternoon swimming in Lake Michigan, lounging at the beach and watching a tiny island just offshore teaming with seabirds. |
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July Saturday (Day 51) Starting Point: Escanaba, MI Ending Point: Manistique, MI Via: Gladstone, Kipling, Rapid River, Ensign, Isabella, Garden Corners and Cooks Mileage: 60 Time: 5:01 Mph: 9.1 Terrain: generally flat with some hills Weather: 70s, sunny and windy Cumulative Mileage: 2,701.1 When riding on roads with a great deal of traffic, I find that most of a rider’s attention is drawn to survival and not reflection or sight-seeing. This day adhered doggedly to that cycling law. We were on Route 2 most of the day; this route is heavily traveled with tourist traffic. There doesn’t appear to be any easy, direct way to get across the Upper Peninsula. Highlights of the day included several conversations with people who were interested in finding out more about recumbent bicycles and about our transcontinental odyssey. The vegetation has coastal characteristics; shorter trees, wetlands and sandy soil. The days are definitely beginning to feel like summer; bright intense sun but so far without the humidity. Our campsite at Indian Lake State Park was in amongst many other campers. There was without a doubt a feeling of a small moveable town with all the RVs, campers and tenters. |
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July Friday (Day 50) Starting Point: Crystal Falls, MI Ending Point: Escanaba, MI Via: Sagola, Felch, Foster City, Hardwood, Helps, La Branche, Whitney, Schaffer and Hyde Mileage: 80.8 Time: 7:02 Mph: 11.4 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 60s; rain, torrential at times. Sunny in the last 10 miles Cumulative Mileage: 2,641.1 I was late starting because Susan was departing today, so we had a breakfast together at a fine breakfast nook in Crystal Falls. The rain began not long after I left town. It was challenging to dress properly for it because it would rain hard then stop. I would get overheated with the raingear on and remove it. Then it would start raining again. My focus for the day was just getting to Escanaba. In Felch a downpour began and I sought shelter in a covered pavilion with picnic tables. There was a building right next to the pavilion. A woman came out and told me that they were setting up for a wedding reception for the next day and that the pop machines were set up. I could just come in and help myself. This was a wonderful opportunity to see local color and hear about local families. It turned out that it was that woman’s son who was getting married. They were very curious about what we were doing bicycling across the country. They seemed pleased that I was doing it for the American Lung Association of Maine. The woman, Tina Anderson, said that it was too bad we had all passed Felch by. She invited us to partake in the reception the next day since they have an open-door policy. I expressed my appreciation with regrets. She had her son fetch a loaf of her mother-in-law’s Swedish rye bread and give it to me! That was a high point in all the rain. I got in late enough so that I went directly to the restaurant where our group was meeting for a Friday evening fish fry. No pics today due to rain. |
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July Thursday (Day 49) Starting Point: Star Lake, WI Ending Point: Crystal Falls, MI Via: Conover, Phelps, Nelma, Caspian, Gaastra and Alpha Mileage: 71.4 Time: 6:33 Mph: 10.9 Terrain: rolling hills; some 13% grades Weather: 65º at 6am, 91º at 2pm, sunny. Cumulative Mileage: 2,560.3 The past days have been a special helpful treat because Susan has been visiting and following us in a car. This has meant that people have had a respite from having to carry three meals worth of groceries each day on their bikes because Susan has happily and willingly driven those highly necessary items. Some riders have taken advantage of the opportunity by allowing her the privilege of carrying their panniers, group cooking gear, computers, adult beverages(i.e. beer), sleeping bags and other sundries. I was tempted to let her carry all of my stuff to see if I could ride any faster, but I thought that might be “cheating” so I gave her only some things. At dusk, I went into the lake to try and get clean there were no showers at this campsite) and in the process found a crayfish interested in pinching my toes. After a short time, it came up to the water’s edge and seemed to want to come on land. It still must have been interested in pinching. In the middle of the night at Star Lake, WI we were graced with a fine chorus of loons singing. There seemed to be two choruses calling out to each other. It was deeply mysterious and a rich auditory/musical experience. In Nelma there was a fine restaurant, Y Not Stop, serving the best cherry turnovers I’ve found on this entire trip. Susan and I stopped there to rendezvous for lunch. The server was intrigued by our transcontinental voyage and she was especially impressed when she found out we had left from Anacortes, WA. She had cousins living there. She was happy to hear that I was doing this for the American Lung Association of Maine. In the evening, Susan gave a special post-dinner lecture on Renaissance art by using tableaux vivants to depict works by Leonardo, Michelangelo and Raphael. Fran, our intrepid leader, portrayed the Mona Lisa. Charlie and I took part in depicting the Creation of Adam from the Sistine Chapel ceiling. Tanya and Katie were the “putti” from the Sistine Madonna by Raphael. The photos say it all. This was an enriching, enlivening and highly entertaining diversion from the roller coaster hills of the day. |
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July Wednesday (Day 48) Starting Point: Glidden, WI Ending Point: Star Lake, WI Via: Butternut, Mercer, Manitowish Waters, and Boulder Junction Mileage: 81.2 Time: 7:18 Mph: 11.1 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 70s Cumulative Mileage: 2,488.9 The North Woods have some wonderful scenery: quiet roads canopied with evergreen and deciduous trees, open fields, lakes, ponds, streams, rivulets and wetlands. There was a mysterious body of water called the Turtle Flambeau Flowage. It wasn’t clear to me if it was a lake or or wetland, but apparently it was a place well-known for its fine fishing. So far there have been three dominant smells along the Northern Tier route so far: sage in the West, fresh mown hay in the agricultural region and now there is the wonderful pine smell that reminds me of home. A feature that is becoming prominent each day is the presence of rolling hills. No sooner do I crest the top of a hill than the next crest is visible. Our leader has suggested that a rider can get enough momentum going down one hill to make it up the next one. So far with the weight I’m towing I haven’t been able to achieve that feat. It is something to hope for though. A highlight, besides the canopy of trees over the road, was a very fine ice cream at Mad Dog Jake’s in Boulder Junction. |
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July Tuesday (Day 47) Starting Point: Hayward, WI Ending Point: Glidden, WI Via: Clam Lake Mileage: 60 Time: 5:21 Mph: 11.2 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 70º Cumulative Mileage: 2,407.7 The ride to Glidden was uneventful for the most part. There were lovely side roads to go on that were chosen to get us off the more traveled roads. Many lakes, streams and wetlands were visible along much of the route. The highlights of the day were probably the pizza we ordered for supper and the private showing of the Historical Society building by the local historian of Glidden. We discovered a very delicious bakery in town which we gladly bought some donuts the following morning. |
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| 12 July Monday (Day 46) - No Entry | ||
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July Sunday (Day 45) Starting Point: Solon Springs, WI Ending Point: Hayward, WI Via: Gordon, Wascott and Minong Mileage: 43.7 Time: 4:22 Mph: 10 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 60º at 7am with thunderstorm, 80º and sunny at 2pm. Cumulative Mileage: 2,347.7 The day started at 5:15am when I awoke to the sound of thunder. The previous evening hadn’t been that peaceful; there was a wonderful fiddle concert just down the hill from our campsite but there were campers who were talking loudly until 12:30am. I packed up my equipment in record time just in time to enjoy a rain-soaked breakfast. For a while we all ended up sitting around on benches in the men’s shower room where we could at least have shelter from the intense rain. We amused ourselves (we were there for quite a while) by doing Rorschach tests on patterns we saw on the walls. Finally it seemed like an opportune time to leave. The rain was letting up and actually once I started out on the main road, it was fairly finished. This was a special day in that I would be seeing Susan later that afternoon, so no matter the weather, I was bound to proceed down the road on my trusty bike. The thunderstorm gave way to partly cloudy skies and warm temperatures. Reaching Hayward, WI brought with it a feeling of achievement and relief. Tomorrow would be a very welcome rest day and it would be the day when I would be able to get this computer fixed and I could continue my chronicle and perhaps even catch up on email. Hayward is in the heart of fishing country. There are museums to display the largest catches of bass, trout, muskellunge, whitefish and walleye. There are fishing supply stores, bait shops, and bait shoppes. The town is also in The North Woods where lumbering is a major industry, as in Maine. There is even a daily lumberjack contest (not to be confused with the Lumberjack World Championships at the end of July) which we did attend. The town seems a bit touristy with a main street not unlike that of Bar Harbor. Instead of t-shirts with puffins, there are t-shirts with muskellunge being hawked. Hayward is also the home of the American Birkebeiner, a 51-kilometer ski race that originated in Norway. Once the computer was fixed and we were able to seek out important pie flavors at the Norske Nook, a local restaurant featuring Norwegian lefse, we had quite a relaxing rest day. |
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July Saturday (Day 44) Starting Point: Carlton, MN Ending Point: Solon Springs, WI Via: Thomson, Oliver, Superior, Hawthorne, and Bennett Mileage: 52.4 Time: 5:51 Mph: 8.9 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 50º and foggy at 7am, 80º and sunny at 2pm, some wind. Cumulative Mileage: 2,304 The prospect of having Susan, my wife, arrive tomorrow for a visit has helped melt away some of the misery I’ve been feeling. This departure of misery has left what in its place? A determination to enjoy as much as possible and to make sure that I do something that is fun every day while biking. At times biking is fun, but it is also job-like in that I have to get up early in the morning and do it. Then tomorrow I have to get up and do it again. So what might be a fun thing, you might ask? One example might be not passing up taking a good photo for the sake of “getting to camp.” Not passing up an opportunity to have a cooling ice cream or a conversation with a local. Today the lack of rain was decidedly enjoyable. It was fun coming into Wisconsin even though there was no welcome sign. There was a simple green sign after crossing the St. Croix River Bridge that said “Wisconsin.” This wasn’t exactly a warm welcome; I guess Garrison Keillor might have a point about how reticent Midwestern Scandinavians can be! On leaving Jay Cook State Park, there were many deer to see. The only facet of those sightings that were somewhat irksome was that I always, without exception, got to see only their deer butts and tails flip away into the woods. They would sense me before I could see them and Hop! Off they went. There was a very small side trip to see Big Manitou Falls (165 feet and the highest in Wisconsin). This was a pleasant diversion from biking. The park was uncrowded and quiet. The falls were relaxing to listen to and to watch. |
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July Friday (Day 43) Starting Point: Grand Rapids, MN Ending Point: Carlton, MN Via: La Prairie, Gunn, Blackberry, Warba, Swan River, Floodwood and Cloquet Mileage: 83.9 Time: 8:02 Mph: 10.4 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 60º at 7am, 80º at 3pm, partly sunny Cumulative Mileage: 2,251.6 A long day with some route vagueness built in. What’s surprising and discomfiting is just how much the terrain resembles that of Maine. So many miles look like those that I normally ride around Brunswick, that I become unaware of differences and thus don’t feel moved to take pictures. It becomes all too easy to forget that I’m still two thousand miles from home. There is much wetland and there are many deciduous trees now. There are some evergreens as well. If it weren’t for meeting local people and having conversations with them, I would be hard pressed to know that I wasn’t in Maine. On closer inspection, however, there is one glaring difference: the number of freshwater lake resorts we pass on any given day. Minnesota is known as the land of 10,000 lakes; on many of those lakes there are cabins, camps, cottages, resorts, fishing posts, fishing guides, bars and restaurants. Of course we have that in Maine, too. It seems that things are a bit more spread out Down East. I almost entered an interstate highway by mistake. We were supposed to be looking for a State Route 45; I never found it and ended up on an on-ramp instead. I was hoping that there wouldn’t be the fateful sign that said that bicycles were prohibited. But, as usual, my hopes were dashed and I had to turn around and add miles to the day when it is hardest to do so-at the end. A helpful Forest Ranger at the Natural Resource Management office was instrumental in my getting into Jay Cook State Park “on time.”. We lost our first rider today; Doug had to go home to go back to work on Monday. Now we’re down to thirteen members. This was the first evening when I tried to sleep without a rain fly. There was no rain so I would have to say that I lucked out! |
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July Thursday (Day 42) Starting Point: Pennington, MN Ending Point: Grand Rapids, MN Via: Bena, Ball Club Mileage: 65.7 Time: 6:14 Mph: 10.5 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 65º, partly cloudy Cumulative Mileage: 2,167.7 There were plenty of wetlands, hawks, Mississippi River crossings and nice people at stops along today’s route. I spent the day thinking up lyrics for a talent show for the evening that would encapsulate the nature of our bike tour. We were having a celebratory festival to bid farewell to Doug. It was preplanned that he would leave at the midpoint, because he had to go back to work on Monday. In fine festive fashion, we had key lime pie and much fun and laughter at our talent show. The three judges awarded First Prize to my song; it was to the tune of Ode to Joy (from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony). So we’ll all get to sing the piece over the phone to Adventure Cycling at our first opportunity. Today I was able to arrange to have my computer repaired. But it won’t be until Monday in Hayward, WI. |
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July Wednesday (Day 41) Starting Point: Itasca State Park, MN Ending Point: Pennington, MN Via: Becida, Bemidji Mileage: 56.3 Time: 5:19 Mph: 10.6 Terrain: rolling hills Weather: 55º at 10am, 77º at 3pm, sunny, no wind Cumulative Mileage: 2,102 With great relief, I biked in the sun and enjoyed every moment. There were many loons at Pennington. Along the way, there must have been at least half a dozen times when we crossed the Mississippi River as it meandered from its headwaters at Lake Itasca. Most of the time, it was not wider than eight-ten feet until the last couple crossings when it was actually beginning to look like a river. There were many hawks visible along the way; my guess is that they were red-tailed hawks. An eagle flew across my path somewhere along the road. The warm sun helped my spirits immensely and made the ride seem to end all too quickly. At our campground, there was a female turtle digging in the earth along the edge of the camp road and laying eggs. She didn’t choose very suitable spots; it was clear that any hatchling wouldn’t survive the traffic. She didn’t look like she could be dissuaded from her efforts though. |
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July Tuesday (Day 40) What was challenging about this day besides the rain was that there wasn’t much on the route. We had made a rendezvous for one o’clock at the store in Two Inlets to buy our groceries, then we would have to divide them up and ferry them the last sixteen miles to the park. This was due to the fact that there was nowhere within the park to purchase such items. The biking was challenging and cold. It was a great relief to reach that store and be able to have a hot thing to eat, that is, pizza. It gave me the energy to do the last part of the day. It was Al’s and my turn to do the shopping and cooking. The cashier was all interested in how our process worked. She asked what we were going to do with all the food we had just purchased. I told her that we were going to put it on our bikes for the last sixteen miles to the park….unless she would consider delivering it for us. That suggestion planted the seed that did sprout. She did bring it to the hostel for us in good time. That was the best thing that happened all day. Aside from being able to get out of the rain for the night. |
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July Monday (Day 39) This day was a basically uneventful, unremarkable day leaving the comforts of Minnesota State University at Moorhead. We had chosen to take a route different from the one recommended by Adventure Cycling. It seemed like a long way to Hitterdal. As a matter of fact, there were some roads that I came to that bore the same numbers as the ones on the ACA map and I began to worry that perhaps I had actually taken a wrong turn. Apparently each county can number its own routes and those numbers can apply to different roads in the next county. Despite the confusion, we all successfully arrived at our camping destination for the night. It began to rain that evening. There were many loons on the lake next to which we were camped. They were singing well into the evening and they came nicely close to the shore so we could appreciate them. |
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July Sunday (Day 38)-Rest Day I told him about the bicycle trip to Bar Harbor and he made mention of the fact that he had a friend from Bah Harbah from years back. He hadn’t yet visited there yet. He also mentioned that he farmed 5,000 acres. As Maine farms go, I think that’s rather large. Afterwards he drove me back to the business and I continued on. In Erie there were no people around either. I had stopped at a gas station in the hopes of finding some snack, but it was closed so I ate one of my sandwiches. As I was standing there eating an old dog came by to inspect me. He gave a sort of obligatory bark but didn’t seem to unfriendly. I offered him a cookie, but he wouldn’t hear of it so he barked some more. Eventually I arrived in Fargo-Moorhead (twin cities, by the way) in good spirits and enough energy to actually go to a movie. The theatre was far enough away so that it was either ride bike or take a taxi. There was no question; we all took a taxi. The taxi driver on the way there wore a cowboy hat and began spewing ideas that smacked loudly of white supremacy. I was glad to arrive as quickly as we did. Around the corner from the theatre was a pizza place where I walked. It was only about a quarter of a mile away. A violent storm with impressive lightning came up though with wind that bent trees sideways and made the rain do likewise. There were three of us trying to get back to the theatre so I asked a couple of guys who was also leaving in their car if they could help us. We were stuffed into the back of their pickup with a very large box of fireworks. There was a lightning storm going on outside and here we were stacked up next to some volatile materials. Was this a good idea? As luck would have it, we weren’t struck by lightning and made it safely to the movie. The taxi driver on the way back to our dorm took a route that ended up costing $3.00 more than on the way there. When he was confronted with that fact, he responded that it “wasn’t science, it was driving.” July 4 Sunday was a rest day with no pedals to pedal, no tires to get tired with, and no spokes to get spoken for. Tomorrow we head east into the wilds of Minnesota, land of ten thousand lakes and ten trillion mosquitoes. |
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July Friday (Day 36) This particular day was characterized too by some concerns about the weather. Off in the distance, serious storm clouds were visible. In Cooperstown, there was talk at the gas station of a tornado watch in Barnes County just south. As always with these storms out here, it is possible to see them from a long way off (10-30 miles, I estimate) and I can only hope that the wind is blowing just right so as to make it miss my trajectory. I arrived in Hope somewhat late because of the distance for the day, but it was just in time to go to the local ice cream/food restaurant. After dinner there were some incredibly beautiful views of the sunset. The sounds of the town went on for some time after sunset; the typical sounds of a small town: squealing tires and firecrackers. |
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