Michigan – Dennis' Cross-Country Bike Trip

Day 17/18 -Part 2, St. Thomas, Ontario, Canada

Mileage for the day, 51.5 miles, (83 km). Once again, the day appeared to be an easy ride, about 50+ miles or so. Once again, the invisible forces of nature were out to get me: wind.

The winds today were even worse than yesterday, gusts of up to 35 MPH (60 km/h). At times I would ride along until the headwind was so strong I just couldn’t push against it. I would just stop, put my feet on the ground and wait. What else was there to do.

As I rode along, I kept a close watch in my rear view mirror. A few miles back I could see that the clouds were dropping rain. Oddly enough, we traveled at the same speed for about eight hours and it never did catch me. I guess we were both having a struggle. The rain clouds were the front of a dying tropical depression named Gordon. I didn’t even stop for lunch, for fear the storm would catch me. It was a very long, tiring day.

Speaking of my rearview mirror, I’m going to recall an event from last week, in Clair, Michigan. This is to demonstrate what goes through my head (yeah, I can hear Jane saying “not much”) when I’m riding along and need a distraction from the wind and to keep me from thinking about the current misery.

In Clair, first thing in the morning, I was on my way to Ray’s bicycle shop to try and fix my shifter. The sun was just rising and it was very cold out, especially for August. The route consisted of mostly flat terrain with one rise in the road for an overpass. I had just left the motel when, in my mirror, I spotted an Amish fellow in his carriage pulling out behind me.

Now, I am going to describe the thoughts going through the heads of the three participants in this event: First, the bicyclist (me), the Amish fellow, I’ll call Gutenberg (I’m certain his wife calls him “Gutty,” when he isn’t around, but “Mr. Gutenberg,” when he is there) and the horse that I’ll name “Pherd.”

Now Pherd has just had a belly full of oats and isn’t very motivated, needing time to digest things. The bicyclist has an empty stomach and is looking to fill it. Gutty has had six cups of coffee, two more than usual and is feeling his oats. Maybe he should have had some of Pherd’s oats? Maybe he did?

The bicyclist looks in his mirror and notices that Pherd and Gutty are gaining on him. The bicyclist is cruising along at a hefty 12 miles per hour (I’m going to ignore metric here). Gutty has eyed this bicyclist and sees an opportunity to use his 13th-century technology to beat the bicyclist’s 19th-century technology. I don’t know for certain, but I suspect the “good book,” doesn’t allow racing, but this isn’t exactly “racing,” it is a demonstration of technology, so Gutty permits himself the luxury. Pferd isn’t so keen on this, what with a full belly of oats and all.

The race ensues. The bicyclist pulls slightly ahead, up to 14 MPH. Gutty gets out the horsewhip and urges Pferd to stop daydreaming and put some oats into the effort. The coach climbs up to 15 breakneck MPH. The wheels start to creak on the coach, Gutty just knows he’s going to get after one of the twelve kids to put more grease in those axles.

The bicyclist sees the coach gaining, and there is the overpass up ahead. This could be serious. The bicycle, with all the gear, weighs around 85 pounds and hills are anathema. Regardless, honor is at stake here, so the bicyclist pours it on, wishing he too had some of Pferd’s oats in his stomach. Pferd, encouraged by the horsewhip is pouring it on too.

Flames are spouting out Pferd’s nostrils, fire is in Gutty’s eyes and the bicyclist is losing ground. Using the hill to advantage, Gutty is going to show the bicyclist what 13th-century technology is capable of. Pferd demonstrates his opinion of all this by leaving a few of the oats on the street surface. Passersby wonder what is with Gutty today, is there a BOGO (Buy one, get one free) at the farmers market today? Maybe they should check the going price on summer squash?

The bicyclist puts everything into hyperdrive. Sweat is pouring from his brow, the calves are aching; steam is pouring from the nostrils. The bicyclist’s beard is parting into two from the wind, Gutty’s can’t part, it is too tangled, something of a fashion statement. Pferd is breathing down the bicyclist’s back. Holding off the attempted pass, the two teams crest the hill and start down the other side.

The 19th-century technology now has the advantage. Pferd can only move those legs so fast and Gutty has to actually apply the wooden brake and burn off some of the kinetic energy just when he could use it the most.

Gutty is getting a good look at the synthetic, plastic panniers (saddlebags) on the bike and thinking what heresy that is, they should be made of good leather. Pferd, on the other hand, is looking at the plastic bags and thinking that is a really good idea, he isn’t a big fan of leather if you get my drift.

I digress, back to the race: With a clear advantage, the bicyclist pours it on. He can see the fury in Gutty’s eyes as the bicyclist opens a small lead. The intersection where the bike shop is located is clearly visible, this is going to be a win for the 19th century! Three blocks from the destination the bicyclist sees the 13th-century technology turn right and disappear…a win. The bicyclist rolls up the winners circle, dismounts and goes to get two well-deserved trophy doughnuts. What a way to start the day.

The events depicted here did actually happen. The names have been, well, at least changed, if not totally made up. I hope Gutty doesn’t get in trouble, the race will be discussed for years and he could be brought before the elder’s council. Then again, he might be one of the elders, it was hard to tell.

Sorry if I ramble, but things go through my mind when all I have to deal with is wind, and more wind.

When I arrived at the outskirts of St. Thomas, I went into the Wayside Restaurant to get a bite to eat and use the WiFi to see how far the hotels were. One, the Cardinal Court Motel, was just down the street and the other I was interested in was about 5-6 miles. Tired as I was, it was the Cardinal.

After a plate of spaghetti, I headed to the motel and just beat the rain. Once again, exhausted, I unpacked everything and then took a long nap. This was getting to be the routine…fight the wind all day, then sleep. Looking at the upcoming weather I was certain that I wouldn’t be riding tomorrow. The remnants of Hurricane Gordon were approaching and they were expecting heavy rain locally. I was ready for a break from all the rain and the unseasonably cool temperatures.

Day two was a rest day. I went into town in the morning to find breakfast, riding in the rain. It was about three miles (5 km) to town. The hotel had the usual assortment of really lousy food for breakfast, I just couldn’t face it. I’ve discovered that the fast-food chain, Tim Horton’s in Canada has a really good steeped tea, so I went there. Everything else is “sorta” McDonalds, although they also have an assortment of doughnuts. It is almost like McDonalds and Dunkin Donuts had an illegitimate child. The tea certainly is good, so I’m a customer.

I returned back to the motel and spent most of the day updating blog posts and fixing up things that needed fixing on the bike, etc.

Late in the afternoon I put up my antenna wire and operated the ham radio for a while. I talked with Mary, KA4TIE in KY, Cliff, AE5ZA in TX, John, W8VYM in GA and a station in St. Charles, MO that is a special station that is set up to honor Route 66, W6P. Most of them were on a digital mode over the radio, but W6P station was on Morse code.

That ended my day. I didn’t even do photos, all they would be is looking into a parking lot with rain coming down. I don’t need that reminder. The forecast for the next few days is warmer, sunnier, and most importantly, with little wind. I hope they’re correct. I suspect later in the week, or next week, I will be running into the remains of Hurricane Florence. We’ll see.

Day 15 – Part 2, Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada

Resting on a rail trail bench. Wondering why they’re not harvesting the corn.

63.97 Miles for the day, plus about two miles on a ferry to Canada. Leaving Yale, MI, I figured I would be in Canada later that day. My plan was to get to Marine City, Michigan and take the Blue Water Ferry across the St. Clair River to Canada.

The route through the Marysville, MI, area wasn’t well marked and, therefore, confusing. I made a number of wrong turns, but after losing maybe an hour, I did find my way. The bike route through there was really rough. The road shoulder surface was in terrible condition and the actual bike path, where it could be found, was even worse. The ride was bone jarring. My vision was blurring from all the bumps.

Finally, I arrived in Marine City but couldn’t find the ferry. I rode up and down to no avail. At last, I asked a couple, Matt and Laura walking their dog, Quincey, if they knew where I could catch the Blue Water Ferry. They looked at me a bit puzzled. “Why, that was seriously damaged last winter and is out of commission.” My mind raced, why didn’t I check to make certain first?” when I had a WiFi connection. Anytime I considered calling, I was out of range of a T-Mobile connection, which is most of the upper mid-west.

While the Quincey and I made friends, Matt jumped into action. He was on his phone and called down-river to the Algonac ferry crossing. They were open for business and would be until late. I was saved! It was about ten miles south, but if I had crossed where we were at I would have had to head south on the Canadian side anyway, so it all worked out. I rushed to Algonac to catch the next available ferry, not knowing the schedule. It turns out they run constantly and I didn’t need to hurry.

My last view of the USA for a while, from the Algonac Ferry.

Thanks to Matt, Laura and Quincey, all was well. Otherwise, I would have had to go all the way back North to Port Huron, 29 miles (47 km). I would not have been a happy camper, but it would have been on account of my own stupidity. Give Quincey an extra treat for me. Do leave a comment, I would love to hear from you.

The ferry only takes a few short minutes and I landed in Canada. A quick pass through customs and I was on my way. My goal was to make it to Wallaceburg, Ontario before nightfall. I hustled along and after about ten miles (16 km) I made it to town. My phone was of no use, so I stopped at an intersection to assess the situation and take a guess on which direction there might be a hotel.

A couple pulled up next to me in their car and could tell I was lost. We chatted for a bit, there were delightful and interested in what I was doing. They told me there was only one motel left in town. It was across the very bridge that I had decided against, so thank you. I rode about a mile to the Days Inn and found a room.

Successfully sheltered for the evening, it was time for dinner. I asked at the front desk about possible destinations and they suggested a new place within easy walking distance, Crabby Joes. I ordered their cashew chicken, it was absolutely fantastic. I would order it again in a heartbeat. I told my server that she wasn’t qualified to work there, she wasn’t crabby at all.

Fed and tired, I ambled off to bed. I was in Canada.

Day 14 – Part 2, Yale, Michigan

Bologna Festival in Yale, Michigan. Who knew?

56.69 Miles today. I really wanted to go a bit further, but it was getting late in the day and I didn’t want to be caught out there in those open fields far from anything and no place to sleep. The next area that helps prospects was around Marysville, MI and with no phone communications, it was just chancy.

James (?) on his custom-built recumbent. He could really move on that thing.

On the way to Yale, I was riding through and stopped in North Branch for Gatorade. As I was leaving town I spied a machine fast approaching from the rear in my mirror. These days it is quite common to see bicycles with electric motors attached and they race along the city streets. They’re dangerous and usually violate a long list of laws, but they’re everywhere.

As the rider pulled up next to me he slowed to say hello. It was a recumbent and he was really moving. No electric motor, just human power. The recumbent bicycle can really fly, although, they can be slower up-hill. They are heavy and the rider can’t get up out of the saddle to force more pressure on the pedals. That said, they do cover serious ground.

Further along the way, we stopped to chat for a few minutes. James is also headed for the east coast. He is traveling about 3-4 MPH (5-7 km/h) faster than I and should arrive there many days before I do. He mentioned that his brother works for the company that made the recumbent and that his brother had welded the frame. I poked around on the Web and found his blog at http://www.ransbikes.com/category/blog/ For more on the bike, see: http://shop.ransbikes.com/product-p/mabk0100.htm

James is doing considerably higher mileage each day than I. In some cases, almost twice as much. The recumbent speaks for itself.

I stayed in Yale Motel for the evening. The listing on Google said something about it being “quaint.” Little did they know. It was a very old hotel, no elevator and shared bathrooms. For $25.00 a night, I gave it a try.

The staff let me put the bicycle in a first-floor pool table room to save carrying it up the stairs. I was assured that the door would be locked; just in case, I put my bike lock on it and attached it to the fireplace. (in the morning, the bike was still there, but the door wasn’t locked).

The staff was nice enough and I slept well, but I felt like I was on the set of an old Alfred Hitchcock movie. A traveling bicyclist might do better at the Sweet Dreams Motel, about a mile north. Carrying everything up and down three flights was trying when tired. There were very few electrical outlets in the walls, and they were so old that nothing stayed plugged in. There must be smoke alarms somewhere, but I didn’t spot any. Several times someone banged on the door when I was in the bathroom showering, yelling for “Leech,” or something like that. I think it was their dog, a large mutt. I answered them several times, but they must think Leech can talk, they were convinced he was in there.

I did sleep well and was up early and ready to go.

Day 13 – Part 2, Vassar Michigan

There are all sorts of fascinating farm machines here. My grandkids would love to play with this.

41.36 Miles for the day. Tonight would be my first night to camp in my tent. I arose early enough, but before I knew it, the morning was wasting away. Such is the pleasure of having an air-conditioned room and relaxing seating and beds. At long last, I dragged myself from the creature comforts of the modern world and went out into the sunlight.

It actually was sunny. Lately, at least most mornings, it has been overcast, dreary and chilly. As usual, with poor Internet service, thanks to T-Mobile, my GPS was hopeless. At some point, as someone suggested in the comments, I need to look at changing that.

After making several wrong turns, I finally was underway. Usually, I avoid a large, “Lumberjack,” breakfast. Three eggs, bacon, ham, home fries, four slices of toast, tea, orange juice, etc. make one too full to actually go out and do work, and riding is work.

Approaching noontime I was getting anxious to find a place to stop for lunch. I was also curious about my surroundings. As I was riding the Harger Line Trail (bike/pedestrian trail), I stopped to chat with a rider going the other way. Gordie was a wealth of information. My first question was about a root plant that I saw them harvesting a few miles back. See photo below:

Next, I asked him why so much corn had not been harvested, the cobs were drying up on the stalks. I love corn, I would never let it get to that state! Gordie told me that the corn was “industrial corn.” I thought about that and concluded that it could be used for ethanol product, or perhaps for clothing fiber. Curious about my travels, he then asked me a few questions about my ride. It was a nice encounter, but I was hungry and wanted to move on. Sorry, Gordie.

I’ve learned that a bowl of raisin bran or Cheerios, some fruit and an orange juice and a cup of tea is plenty. However, this means that by noon, I’m getting hungry. At about 25 miles (42 km) I came into Frankenmuth, Michigan. I had never heard of the place but it is very European themed, especially Germany and Austria. The first establishment I encountered was The Old Christmas Station Restaurant (Currently, as of 2021, The Station 100 Restaurant). The menu was pricey, but I didn’t want to eat too much anyway, so I ordered a house salad and a curry chicken sandwich from the appetizer menu.

The salad was ample and excellent. It had all sorts of vegetables in it and a nice dressing. The sandwich was actually about as long as a sub sandwich, but open-faced and covered in chicken and curry sauce. It too was excellent and a very sufficient lunch, and not too pricey. The place was really ritzy and I thought perhaps they would throw me out on my ear, but they were very gracious and welcoming and I went away a very happy diner.

I learned later that the town was having a special event weekend, starting the next day, and it draws on the order of 80,000 people and has all sorts of parades and celebrations. It would be worth checking on if you’re in the region in early September. I don’t know where they would put all the people, the village isn’t that large.

Satisfied with lunch, I headed east. As the afternoon dragged on I had to decide on where to stay for the evening. The GPS (while I was in the restaurant and had WiFi) showed there was one motel in Vassar, MI. After Vassar, there wasn’t much for at least 30-40 miles. It would be a gamble to try and make it to 70 miles (110 km) for the day and beat sunset, so I opted for Vassar. I found the Vassar Inn Motel, which was about a mile from the bicycle route.

I was tempted to call ahead for a room, but I didn’t have any T-Mobile phone service, so I just had to chance it. When I arrived the woman that manages the place told me they were full. She offered that I could camp behind the motel and I jumped at the offer, there wasn’t much else I could do.

When I rode around back she came out the door with a nice big glass of ice water…I must have looked the part. Sue was a wonderful host and warned me that I couldn’t pay for camping there, it was her gift.

I set up the tent and threw in the sleeping bag and rode off to find something to eat. It was a choice between a Subway shop and a McDonalds. I’m not a big fan of McDonalds, but they have fantastic WiFi and, if it is only once in a while, it won’t kill me. The manager of this McDonalds talked to me after I had my meal and I was complimenting him on having installed electrical outlets at a bunch of the customer seats so one could charge a phone. He proudly said it was his idea and it worked great for me. I do carry backup charging gear, but McDonalds made it so convenient that I was beholding to them. It really did make my life easier. Not only that, I had an excellent connection to call home.

A number of years ago NPR did a series on McDonalds and how they were trying to improve their image with the public in respect to animal care. They hired Temple Grandin, a Ph.D. in animal behavior and worked with her to improve the lot of the animals involved in their products, such as chickens, pigs, and cattle. The series changed my view of McDonalds to where I will stop in once in a while. It had been at least 25 years since I had been in one of their stores. There was a movie about Temple Grandin and it is worth a watch if you haven’t seen it.

My campsite at Vassar, MI. I put a wire into the tree at the far right for my antenna.

I returned to the motel and finished unpacking the bike. I took a short nap and shortly after sunset I threw a wire into a tree and set up my ham radio station on two folding chairs. Just as I was ready to settle down for some radio fun, the skies opened up and it started to pour. The stars were out only a few minutes earlier.

I hurriedly dragged everything into the tent and set everything up again. I managed to operate for a while and then my legs were getting cramps, so I shut down for the night.

It poured all night long, intensely at times. I awoke about 7 am and it was still pouring, so I turned on the radio and, using Morse code, connected with Henry, K1PUG, in Harwinton, Connecticut. He lives near the high school that I graduated from back in 1965, Lewis S. Mills. People are often surprised to hear that I actually talk with Morse code these days. In the world of amateur radio, it is still a very popular way to communicate. It is my favorite, even with all the newer digital modes that have come along over the years. It is always a good skill to have.

Anyway, we’re into the next day here and I’ll close this out for now. The rain has finally stopped and I will be on the road again by 10 am or so.

Day 11 – Part 2, Luther, Michigan

As a solo bicycle rider, I take the day as it comes. Pedaling out of Ludington, MI, after spending the night there was like any other day; surprises awaited discovering.

The ride to the hotel the night before was uneventful, but in the dark after disembarking from the S. S. Badger ferry ride across Lake Michigan. I have plenty of rear lights for the bike, but the headlamp is a smaller, less powerful version that I use when traveling. I don’t plan on doing much riding at night when away from home. In Sarasota, I have a light that would blind.

The names of places can be puzzling at times. I rode into Free Soil, Michigan. I can’t begin to imagine how that came to be. I suppose I could research it, but, like in college, I’ll leave that to the reader. The skies kept threatening to drown me, but so far, so good. I gambled that a quick lunch would allow me time to get to somewhere safe for the night. The forecast was for severe thunderstorms, but I was hungry.

I stopped at the Heidi Hof House and had a nice meal. As usual, a customer noticed the bicycle and was appalled that someone could actually ride that far, especially a senior citizen. We had a nice chat about it. He offered to buy me a beer, but I don’t like to drink alcohol while riding. Lunch went well and still no storm.

This area of Michigan, at least according to my Adventure Cycle Association maps, is devoid of anything looking like a hotel. I was certain that I would be camping tonight. As I came into the outskirts of Luther, MI, I rode down a side road to check on the Carrieville State Forest Campground. It was late afternoon, and other than a bunch of noisy dirt bikes riding the trails, the place was pretty empty. I attempted to sign up for site #4, but, since didn’t have the correct change for the drop box, I planned to ride into town, have an early evening meal, and get some change.

Luther was about three miles from the camp. I rode into town and looked to see what was open (This was Sunday of Labor Day weekend, most places would be closed). On the left side of the main drag there appeared to be two places, I think one was Loggers Landing, and the other was North Bar. The North Bar had a crowd gathered at the front door so I wasn’t hopeful about being able to get in if there was a long line.

I walked the bike up to the bar on the sidewalk and as I approached the crowd, I was greeted with by some very happy sounding people, and loud music coming from the bar. My mind raced, did I want to try and wait out the crowd or try to get something to eat?

I tied the bike to a pole and at once several folks gathered around with a bunch of questions. I answered what I could and then asked about how long the wait was to get in. They said there was no wait (they were mostly outside to have a smoke) and told me to head on in. Just then, a woman came out and peppered me with questions and explained that the North Bar was having their annual Customer Appreciation Day. The woman, Jen, was managing the festivities. The fact that I wasn’t a regular customer and it was my first time there didn’t matter in the least. I was treated as a long-lost friend and dragged in before I could protest.

Welcome to Customer Appreciation Day at the North Bar, Luther, Michigan.

In just a few sentences Jen managed to squeeze out my life’s history. She went up to the microphone and said something about having a minor celebrity in their midst, a fellow riding a bicycle coast-to-coast and then pointed at me. There was a big round of applause…I really had to like this crowd.

They were bringing just about everyone in the place to the stage area to sing – most of them solo. Surprisingly, many of them were really good singers. Most of the songs were country western and a few, quite humorous. There was free food and I sat there and ate to my fill. What a crowd.

I was terrified that they would ask me to sing, I don’t know a single word of any songs, it would have been a disaster. I wrote down the name of my book, Three Hundred Zeroes, on the back of my business card and caught Jen’s attention and went outside to explain to her that I’d like to give a copy to anyone that helps me out, and I had just had a free meal. I told her about the book and how it was dedicated to my brother Tom that was killed in action in Vietnam. The next thing I know, she drags me inside and hands me the microphone! I had warned her that I didn’t want to be a “downer” on such a lively party by telling my abbreviated story. She assured me I wouldn’t be a “downer” and that everyone there would be interested. She asked if I was doing the ride as a fundraiser for a cause and I replied, “no, just for my bucket list.”

It didn’t matter, she seemed to think that it was a fundraiser. Someone had just handed me $20, and I didn’t know what to say. I took the microphone and explained how my brother, Tom and I were going to hike the Appalachian Trail together when we finished our military duty, but it didn’t happen because he was killed in 1968. Further, I explained that I hiked the trail with his Purple Heart Medal and in spite of having to get off for three hundred days for a six-artery heart bypass surgery, I did go on to finish the whole 2200 (3540 km). Now I was doing this bike ride. I told them I’m not doing a fundraiser, but somebody had given me a twenty, and I would put it to good use for a veteran in my town.

Then to liven things up I told them that I had been riding across Wisconsin for over a week (lots of state rivalry in the midwest) and that in that entire time I had never seen anything like this. That brought a good laugh and applause. I didn’t want to drag it on, so thanked them and handed the microphone back. What a great crowd. Following that, a few more rushed up to me and handed me more cash, in all, $102.00. I promised to put it to good use when I get back to Florida, we have plenty of veterans there that can use the help.

It made me so proud to be an American, they didn’t care about where I was from, my politics, my religion, etc., all that mattered was a common bond with caring about others, in this case, veterans. Thank you, Luther, Michigan. I’ll report back after I get home.

Following all that, a woman named Cheryl approached me and offered a cabin room to stay in for the night. It was getting late and I was exhausted from a 60+ mile day. I said certainly. She had me follow her to the cabin and set me up there for the night, then she went back to the festivities.

Her two chihuahuas, Roco and Maxie (sp?) were left with this stranger. I showered and hit the hay. Maxie never did warm up to me and sulked away, but Roco was scared of the approaching thunderstorm and quickly became my buddy, he wanted protection.

I went quickly to sleep about 20:00. I was exhausted and it had been one of the finest days ever on my bike ride. Thank you, Luther, MI.

PS: The next morning, Cheryl gave me two tomatoes from her garden. These are not the run-of-the-mill tomatoes one gets in the market, these are juicy, flavorful, wholesome creations. I treasured them all day. Later, I stopped at a Subway shop and picked up a few scoops of tuna fish and feasted on two delightful tomatoes.

Day 10 – Part 2, Manitowoc, WI / Ludington, MI

The SS Badger, 1 September 2018. Coal-fired steam engines.

Today, I finally made it to the ferry boat, the SS Badger. It was only a 28-mile ride, counting a side trip to a very nice bakery. Most of the ride was hot and humid, but down near Lake Michigan I stopped to put on a long sleeved riding jacket; it was foggy and cool.

Bakery at State St., Ludington, Michigan.

The doughnuts in the State St bakery were top notch. They didn’t have tea, so I settled for coffee, only the 4th cup of coffee I have ever had. It was okay, I survived it. If you’re in town, check out their doughnuts.We sailed at 17:00 and after a four-hour voyage, we landed in Ludington, MI. Currently, I have to leave my hotel room in Ludington, MI in less than an hour, so I’ll enter some more later, or in tomorrow’s update.

As promised, here some additional notes about the day:

The voyage was full of vehicles. There were two buses full of an Amish contingent. It was quite a sight to see them running all over the place. They seemed to be quite fascinated with the ship, it may have been a first voyage for many of them. Who knows?

I met another lad as we were boarding, Jesse. I think he said he was from New York. He just finished his civil engineering degree and decided that he would like to do a coast-to-coast bicycle ride before plunging into a carrier. I thought that a wise decision, it may be some time before he gets another chance.

We parted ways on the ship for a while. I then ran into him in the cafeteria and joined him at a table. The ship has lots of activities going on and had Badger Bingo playing when I arrived. The ship’s captain had just finished answering questions about the ship. I caught a few facts:

The ship goes through fifty tons of coal a day.
The ship is considered a national landmark.
The engines are two, 3,500 horsepower steam engines that spin at about 125 RPM.
The ship is 410 feet long.
To see more: https://www.ssbadger.com/about/

I’m not a bingo player, but Jesse had a card and played on, to no avail.

Later they switched to a trivia game. I’m not much for trivia, but I offered to help Jesse since teams were allowed.

He was very smart and was doing well. I assisted with a few tough ones and he ended up with a score of 34, the highest in the room. When they called him up for his prize, he insisted I go too. The game master interviewed us for a short bit, asking about our rides, etc. and then had us choose prizes. Jesse went for the Badger playing cards and I took a Badger bumper sticker that he had showed interest in. When we returned to the table, I gave him the sticker, he seemed thrilled.

In all it was a fine voyage and a fun thing to do if you are in that area of the world. The Badger is truly one of the last steamers in active duty.

Enjoy.

Day 7 – Part 2; Antigo, Wisconsin

I managed 65 miles (105 km) today. I love distance in kilometers, it sounds like you’ve accomplished more. It feels better to see the odometer actually clicking up more often too.

So far, for the week, the hotels have been really nice about me bringing the bicycle into the room. They even go out of their way to arrange things so I can either be on the first floor or very near an elevator. I’ve been a real wimp this week, no camping at all.

The route from Antigo, WI to Manitowoc, WI. Source: Google Maps

I’m currently in Antigo, Wisconsin. That puts me about 125 miles (201 km) from Manitowoc, WI where the S. S. Badger sails to Michigan. The Badger is a ferry that costs $6.00 for the bicycle and $52 for me. I will get across to Michigan without pedaling 90 miles (145 km). I must be getting old, I’m looking forward to it.

I won’t be on my ham radio for the next few nights, I’ll be too tired and working too hard to make the ferry. Look for me from MI.

Today I was riding through some deep woods. Since it was the perfect country to site bears, I kept an eye out for them as I rode along. At one point, a young bear, maybe a two-year-old, ran across the road in front of me, about a quarter-mile ahead. It was slightly downhill so I didn’t linger to investigate. I was carrying a fresh banana, that may have been too much of a temptation.

Wild turkeys. All females, the males don’t seem to form large bunches at this time of year.

Throughout the ride, I have been seeing hordes of wild turkeys everywhere. After the first bear sighting, I saw another bear trying to chase after a turkey, but the bird was sly and quick and easily got away. I didn’t think a bear would chase a turkey but they are opportunists and I suppose just about anything is fair game. At least the bear was distracted by the bird and ignored me.

My front derailleur (the front shifter on a multi-speed bicycle) is giving me trouble. On the really steep hill climbs it is resisting shifting into the lowest gear (known as the “small ring”). At home, it would be a simple replacement, but out here on the road, I’ll just find a bike shop to do the work. I’ve temporarily fixed it with a small elastic Bunji cord.

In all, the bike has been performing very well. It should, it is built for this sort of riding. I purchased it used from a fellow hiker and he had already used it to ride coast-to-coast before me.

Tomorrow is supposed to be nice. In the morning it will be in the mid-40’s °F (4.5 °C) and is supposed to warm up to 70°F. It was supposed to be that warm today but never made it. I rode most of the day with a jacket and long-fingered gloves.

Well, it is off to bed, I need to let the motor rest.

On the road again?

It looks like, if things go well, I could be on the road again around the 8th of August, 2018. The bike is almost ready, I just need to change the tires, the replacements have arrived. The following photo is a page from AAA magazine, they came and rescued me when I crashed in Minnesota.

The Florida weather has been terribly hot this summer so most of my riding has been around midnight. In the summer there is practically zero traffic at that hour and I don’t have to suffer the sun’s intense rays. In a twenty-mile ride I may see only two cars and one a police car.

My ham radio friends will be interested to know that I will have my radio station with me. I’ve been exercising it lately and everything seems to be in good working order. Radio conditions are not great, but I have to take what nature throws at me.

Anyway, just wanted to bring things up to date. I will be starting around Stacy, MN, then over to WI, then the ferry across Lake Michigan, MI, up into Canada, dropping down to Buffalo, NY, then across NY, into VT, NH and at long last MA and onto Newburyport, MA. Stay tuned.

Dennis, K1YPP

The light at the end of the tunnel is not a freight train.

Hi All: Just a quick update. I’m still alive and celebrated my 71st birthday on Saturday, St. Patrick’s Day. The really good news is, unless something prevents me from doing so, I am planning on getting back on the road this summer.

The current plan is to load up the bicycle in a rental car around 6 August, 2018, get up to around Stacy, Minnesota and start riding. With luck, and good weather my route should take me through the last few miles of MN, then into Wisconsin. From there I’ll hop the ferry from Manitowoc Port, to Ludington, Michigan. I’ll wander across Michigan to the Detroit/Windsor crossing into Canada and then ride east to the Rainbow Bridge crossing from Canada into NY. I’ll certainly visit my cousin in the Buffalo, NY area and then move on to cross NY into Vermont, New Hampshire and finally Massachusetts.

I’m told by my daughter, Áine, that I face the toughest hill climb of the entire journey going into NH. One would think the Cascades or Rocky Mountains would garner that honor. Who knew?

That is the quick update. Hopefully, more to follow soon.