Saturday, Sept 28, 2013
Today was a great day riding. Not too cold in the morning. About 60 in the "heat" of the day. The roads were great. At the end of the day, the shoulder was wider than the lane for the cars. It is getting hillier.
Lots and lots of orchards. And thousands of trees just barely turning into fall colors.
Roadkill - 1 possum (and he wasn't "playing" dead).
In Wolcott, New York. A small town close to Lake Ontario. I may be out of touch for a while. Heading for the mountains. Sometimes phone and Internet service gets patchy.
Doing great. The tendinitis is still lingering, but seems to be getting better.
Til next time.
Saturday, September 28, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
Friday, Sept 27, 2013
Friday, Sept. 27, 2013
Happy birthday to my brother a day early!!!
The biking has been good the past two days. Got to see the power of Niagara Falls, and a bit of history by riding for 40 miles next to the Erie Canal.
The tough part of the past two days has been logistics. Finding places to spend the night. Finding good things to eat. Finding a Laundromat before the clothes started to smell like a road-kill skunk. The biking is the easy part.
Got lost yesterday. Still don't know how it happened. Once I knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be, I tried to find someone to give me directions. That turned out to be a young flagman on road construction. Found out about a generational thing. He had no clue how to get me back to where I needed to be. He always relied on the GPS on his phone. Except it wasn't working. So he asked an older worker(30 instead of 22). He knew for sure. And gave me some incredibly confusing directions. I understood the first part, so I headed in that direction. Flagged down a 60 year old guy, and he whipped out a map and showed me where to go. Just up my alley. Turns out I was only about two miles off course. Maybe I need to get with it and get a smart phone with GPS.
Am currently in a town southeast of Rochester, NY. Will start to head up to Lake Ontario tomorrow, and then over to the Adirondacks.
Frustrated about logistics, but the outlook usually seems brighter after a good night's sleep and getting on the bike in the morning.
Oh, the animal report. Blue Heron haven along the canal.
Til next time.
Friday, Sept. 27, 2013
Happy birthday to my brother a day early!!!
The biking has been good the past two days. Got to see the power of Niagara Falls, and a bit of history by riding for 40 miles next to the Erie Canal.
The tough part of the past two days has been logistics. Finding places to spend the night. Finding good things to eat. Finding a Laundromat before the clothes started to smell like a road-kill skunk. The biking is the easy part.
Got lost yesterday. Still don't know how it happened. Once I knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be, I tried to find someone to give me directions. That turned out to be a young flagman on road construction. Found out about a generational thing. He had no clue how to get me back to where I needed to be. He always relied on the GPS on his phone. Except it wasn't working. So he asked an older worker(30 instead of 22). He knew for sure. And gave me some incredibly confusing directions. I understood the first part, so I headed in that direction. Flagged down a 60 year old guy, and he whipped out a map and showed me where to go. Just up my alley. Turns out I was only about two miles off course. Maybe I need to get with it and get a smart phone with GPS.
Am currently in a town southeast of Rochester, NY. Will start to head up to Lake Ontario tomorrow, and then over to the Adirondacks.
Frustrated about logistics, but the outlook usually seems brighter after a good night's sleep and getting on the bike in the morning.
Oh, the animal report. Blue Heron haven along the canal.
Til next time.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
Wednesday, Sept 25 , 2013
Am in Fort Erie, right across the bridge from Buffalo, New York. Tomorrow, headed towards Niagra Falls. Ended the day on 20 miles of great bike path and start the day tomorrow with another 20 miles. I LOVE good bike paths.
Biked for a while with a fellow bike camper. He instantly diagnosed my leg/foot issue. Tendinitis. I have had issues for about a week. I can bike ok, but by the end of the day, my leg and ankle are swelled up like a balloon, and I can't walk without a lot of pain. The good news is that the pain and swelling are getting better. I stopped taking pain medication. So hopefully, it will gradually go away. One of my tires blew out. After the riding was over for the day. Better than if I were on the bike, I guess.
I've really enjoyed Canada, but am ready to get back home to the USA.
Til next time.
Am in Fort Erie, right across the bridge from Buffalo, New York. Tomorrow, headed towards Niagra Falls. Ended the day on 20 miles of great bike path and start the day tomorrow with another 20 miles. I LOVE good bike paths.
Biked for a while with a fellow bike camper. He instantly diagnosed my leg/foot issue. Tendinitis. I have had issues for about a week. I can bike ok, but by the end of the day, my leg and ankle are swelled up like a balloon, and I can't walk without a lot of pain. The good news is that the pain and swelling are getting better. I stopped taking pain medication. So hopefully, it will gradually go away. One of my tires blew out. After the riding was over for the day. Better than if I were on the bike, I guess.
I've really enjoyed Canada, but am ready to get back home to the USA.
Til next time.
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Tuesday, Sept 24, 2013
Great rhythm with the bike today. It was a treat to ride next to Lake Erie most of the day.
Saw three signs today warning of turtles crossing the road.
Passed the 3,000 mile mark. That is a lot of miles.
Was missing eating veggies, so I went on the prowl for a salad bar. Success.
Currently in Port Dover. A few more days in Canada. The riding has been great. Nice roads, and the drivers have been incredibly accommodating. Also clear and cool. A bit too cool early in the morning, but better than too hot.
Til next time.
Great rhythm with the bike today. It was a treat to ride next to Lake Erie most of the day.
Saw three signs today warning of turtles crossing the road.
Passed the 3,000 mile mark. That is a lot of miles.
Was missing eating veggies, so I went on the prowl for a salad bar. Success.
Currently in Port Dover. A few more days in Canada. The riding has been great. Nice roads, and the drivers have been incredibly accommodating. Also clear and cool. A bit too cool early in the morning, but better than too hot.
Til next time.
Monday, September 23, 2013
Monday, Sept 23, 2013
There are little things that give notice I am in a different country. The streets aren't named Washington or Jefferson or Madison. More along the lines of Trafalgar, Nelson, and King George. Then there is the whole thing with flying the flag. I saw so many American flags flying on this trip. Now there are just as many flags, but they are Canadian flags. It is just different. A lot of farmers fly the flag. And there are signs about supporting the troops, just like back home.
Lots of apple orchards. Harvesting going on. The trees are really short, and FULL of apples. One orchard today had the trees trimmed so they looked more like being part of a vineyard. But with LOTS of apples.
Dogs were after me today. Until the end of the day there was an interesting pattern. The dogs would give chase, but they wouldn't come into the road. I got a bit confident that ALL dogs in Canada were like this until the last dog today. By then I was assuming that I didn't have to worry about being attacked. Of course that is when the dog came after me on the road. And it was a big dog.
Besides the apple orchards, there were hundreds of pumpkins being harvested. And the usual corn, soybeans, etc.
There were llama's again. But the intriguing animals on the road were snails. I didn't see one of them squished. But lots. Seeming to be headed for the other side of the road.
Lake Erie is BIG, like the other Great Lakes. I am in Port Stanley. You can tell it is a big touristy area, but this time of year it is mostly deserted. I was one of two people on the whole beach.
Had some brief conversations with some locals. There is definitely an accent going on. Can't really place what it is, but it is a lot more pronounced than I expected.
Met another cyclist today. From Ontario, just taking advantage of the clear weather to do a bit of biking and camping.
Tired, but feeling good.
Til next time.
There are little things that give notice I am in a different country. The streets aren't named Washington or Jefferson or Madison. More along the lines of Trafalgar, Nelson, and King George. Then there is the whole thing with flying the flag. I saw so many American flags flying on this trip. Now there are just as many flags, but they are Canadian flags. It is just different. A lot of farmers fly the flag. And there are signs about supporting the troops, just like back home.
Lots of apple orchards. Harvesting going on. The trees are really short, and FULL of apples. One orchard today had the trees trimmed so they looked more like being part of a vineyard. But with LOTS of apples.
Dogs were after me today. Until the end of the day there was an interesting pattern. The dogs would give chase, but they wouldn't come into the road. I got a bit confident that ALL dogs in Canada were like this until the last dog today. By then I was assuming that I didn't have to worry about being attacked. Of course that is when the dog came after me on the road. And it was a big dog.
Besides the apple orchards, there were hundreds of pumpkins being harvested. And the usual corn, soybeans, etc.
There were llama's again. But the intriguing animals on the road were snails. I didn't see one of them squished. But lots. Seeming to be headed for the other side of the road.
Lake Erie is BIG, like the other Great Lakes. I am in Port Stanley. You can tell it is a big touristy area, but this time of year it is mostly deserted. I was one of two people on the whole beach.
Had some brief conversations with some locals. There is definitely an accent going on. Can't really place what it is, but it is a lot more pronounced than I expected.
Met another cyclist today. From Ontario, just taking advantage of the clear weather to do a bit of biking and camping.
Tired, but feeling good.
Til next time.
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Sunday, Sept. 22 , 2013
In Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada. The trip today was good. Got to ride on bike trails again. It certainly makes a difference. It didn't rain today!!!! And it does look clear for 5 days or so. A bit cool this morning - low 40's. One more day of cool weather and then it will start to warm up a bit.
It is definitely fall. I finally found a store that sells long underwear. In Michigan they don't think it is cold enough yet.
Ontario is similar to the Michigan that I just left. Agricultural. Rode by some fairly large apple orchards. Then we have the usual corn, soybeans, etc. The speed limit seems to be lower here, so I feel a little safer on the road. I will need to practice my kilometer estimations. So far I haven't been good at it.
Very courteous people helping me to get where I need to be.
I am getting a bit homesick. The biking is still really good. It would just be nice to be around familiar things. Now at least 2/3 of the way done. Almost 3/4. In two days I will hit the 3,000 mile mark. Feels good.
Til next time.
In Wallaceburg, Ontario, Canada. The trip today was good. Got to ride on bike trails again. It certainly makes a difference. It didn't rain today!!!! And it does look clear for 5 days or so. A bit cool this morning - low 40's. One more day of cool weather and then it will start to warm up a bit.
It is definitely fall. I finally found a store that sells long underwear. In Michigan they don't think it is cold enough yet.
Ontario is similar to the Michigan that I just left. Agricultural. Rode by some fairly large apple orchards. Then we have the usual corn, soybeans, etc. The speed limit seems to be lower here, so I feel a little safer on the road. I will need to practice my kilometer estimations. So far I haven't been good at it.
Very courteous people helping me to get where I need to be.
I am getting a bit homesick. The biking is still really good. It would just be nice to be around familiar things. Now at least 2/3 of the way done. Almost 3/4. In two days I will hit the 3,000 mile mark. Feels good.
Til next time.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Saturday, September 21, 2013
Had a great surprise this morning. Someone from Frankenmuth ended up riding with me for the first hour. It had been a while since I had ridden with other cyclists, and it was really uplifting. Bill from Frankenmuth. We talked about hunting wild turkeys and pheasants. Michigan. Roads. Kids. Life. It made my day. I hadn't realized how much I missed that commraderie(sp).
It rained again, after the weatherman promised 5-6 days of clear skies.
Rode through Vassar, Brown(city), and am staying in Yale.
More bike trails today and a few more on the horizon tomorrow.
Last day in Michigan tomorrow. On to Ontario, Canada.
Til next time.
Had a great surprise this morning. Someone from Frankenmuth ended up riding with me for the first hour. It had been a while since I had ridden with other cyclists, and it was really uplifting. Bill from Frankenmuth. We talked about hunting wild turkeys and pheasants. Michigan. Roads. Kids. Life. It made my day. I hadn't realized how much I missed that commraderie(sp).
It rained again, after the weatherman promised 5-6 days of clear skies.
Rode through Vassar, Brown(city), and am staying in Yale.
More bike trails today and a few more on the horizon tomorrow.
Last day in Michigan tomorrow. On to Ontario, Canada.
Til next time.
Friday, September 20, 2013
Friday, Sept. 20 , 2013
Today was a combination of the sublime and the miserable. The sublime involved riding on the bike trails. Fantastic. And a lot more than I thought originally. Three different trails. Not much road kill on bike trails. Animal theme of the day - rabbits.
A totally different Michigan today. Completely agricultural. Corn, soybeans, etc. No lakes.
The miserable related to rain and wind. Fighting a headwind for a lot of the day. The rain was light, but still wet. So now it is supposed to be cłear for a few days. Yeah!!!!
I finally got out the painkillers. After taking a day off a week ago, I had a hard time getting my form back. I have somehow aggravated my shin. Feels like shin splints, but I don't know. I think it is getting better. We will see.
In general the day felt more on the sublime side. Will be in Canada starting Sunday. In Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Til next time.
Today was a combination of the sublime and the miserable. The sublime involved riding on the bike trails. Fantastic. And a lot more than I thought originally. Three different trails. Not much road kill on bike trails. Animal theme of the day - rabbits.
A totally different Michigan today. Completely agricultural. Corn, soybeans, etc. No lakes.
The miserable related to rain and wind. Fighting a headwind for a lot of the day. The rain was light, but still wet. So now it is supposed to be cłear for a few days. Yeah!!!!
I finally got out the painkillers. After taking a day off a week ago, I had a hard time getting my form back. I have somehow aggravated my shin. Feels like shin splints, but I don't know. I think it is getting better. We will see.
In general the day felt more on the sublime side. Will be in Canada starting Sunday. In Frankenmuth, Michigan.
Til next time.
Thursday, September 19, 2013
Thursday, Sept 19, 2013
The past two days have been great. Fantastic roads. Little traffic. And some real inspirational scenery. The tree canopies were like cathedrals again. Lots of small lakes. Similar to Wisconsin.
I forgot to mention the crops the other day. There were lots of orchards. Apple and pear and others that I couldn't tell because they had no fruit left. There were fields of sunflowers, which was surprising. Also lots of vegetables, with frequent road side stands.
Road kill counts - 4 porcupines, two raccoons.
Lots of deer and a huge number of flocks of wild turkeys.
Great conversations with motorcycle riders. They LOVE their state. Great scenery for them too.
It has rained for part of the last three days. Tomorrow it will rain about half of the day. And then it is supposed to be clear for 5 days or so. Cold, but clear.
Got a chance to ride on a bike trail today. Tomorrow I will get back on that trail for about 35 miles. That will be really nice.
Am in Clare, Michigan, heading mostly east now.
Til next time.
The past two days have been great. Fantastic roads. Little traffic. And some real inspirational scenery. The tree canopies were like cathedrals again. Lots of small lakes. Similar to Wisconsin.
I forgot to mention the crops the other day. There were lots of orchards. Apple and pear and others that I couldn't tell because they had no fruit left. There were fields of sunflowers, which was surprising. Also lots of vegetables, with frequent road side stands.
Road kill counts - 4 porcupines, two raccoons.
Lots of deer and a huge number of flocks of wild turkeys.
Great conversations with motorcycle riders. They LOVE their state. Great scenery for them too.
It has rained for part of the last three days. Tomorrow it will rain about half of the day. And then it is supposed to be clear for 5 days or so. Cold, but clear.
Got a chance to ride on a bike trail today. Tomorrow I will get back on that trail for about 35 miles. That will be really nice.
Am in Clare, Michigan, heading mostly east now.
Til next time.
Tuesday, September 17, 2013
Tuesday, Sept 17,2013
Two much better days after spending Sunday in the rain. This part of Michigan has been hilly. Makes for some nice vista's, but I'm not too hot about climbing hills. Saw lots of deer. A raccoon ran into the road, looked the other way and then turned my way. He scooted back into the woods.
As in Minnesota, came upon 3 alpaca's or maybe llama's this time.
Ran into my first closed campground. They closed it on Sunday for the season. It could make it interesting if I run into too many more of them. Last night I spent in a county park campground right on the Lake Michigan shore. Not many in the campground. It was COLD again. Down to 41 this morning. Decided I need to get some more warm clothes.
Now the issue is to find a store. I went through Traverse City today, but I didn't know where the stores were. And it is hard to negotiate larger cities.
I missed a turn again today, but this time I caught it before going too far out of the way.
Spending the night in Interlochen, Michigan. Will start wending my way east and south to make it to the Canadian border. Going well.
Til next time.
Two much better days after spending Sunday in the rain. This part of Michigan has been hilly. Makes for some nice vista's, but I'm not too hot about climbing hills. Saw lots of deer. A raccoon ran into the road, looked the other way and then turned my way. He scooted back into the woods.
As in Minnesota, came upon 3 alpaca's or maybe llama's this time.
Ran into my first closed campground. They closed it on Sunday for the season. It could make it interesting if I run into too many more of them. Last night I spent in a county park campground right on the Lake Michigan shore. Not many in the campground. It was COLD again. Down to 41 this morning. Decided I need to get some more warm clothes.
Now the issue is to find a store. I went through Traverse City today, but I didn't know where the stores were. And it is hard to negotiate larger cities.
I missed a turn again today, but this time I caught it before going too far out of the way.
Spending the night in Interlochen, Michigan. Will start wending my way east and south to make it to the Canadian border. Going well.
Til next time.
Sunday, September 15, 2013
Sunday, Sept 15,2013
Not much to report today. It started raining at 5 this morning and except for a 30 minute break that allowed me to take the tent down, it rained all day. Hanging out in Petoskey, Michigan. If it weren't for the rain, I think this would have been one of my favorite rides. Lots of coastline. Plenty of trees. And some incredible homes. Harbor Springs had several miles of huge, stately homes looking out over the bay.
I keep running into people who LOVE their state.
Til next time.
Not much to report today. It started raining at 5 this morning and except for a 30 minute break that allowed me to take the tent down, it rained all day. Hanging out in Petoskey, Michigan. If it weren't for the rain, I think this would have been one of my favorite rides. Lots of coastline. Plenty of trees. And some incredible homes. Harbor Springs had several miles of huge, stately homes looking out over the bay.
I keep running into people who LOVE their state.
Til next time.
Saturday, September 14, 2013
Saturday, Sept. 14, 2013
Today was a break day. Went to Mackinac Island and looked around for a good part of the day. Only horses and bicycles on the island, so it was right up my alley. My total mileage for the day was 13.13 miles. Interesting that yesterday was 9/13/13. My lucky number is 13 .
The island was a bit touristy, but fun and interesting all the same. On the boat ride to the island they took us underneath the Mackinac Bridge and gave us some history. Used to be the biggest suspension bridge in the world.
Am spending tonight in a campground on the mainland side of the bridge. Right next to Lake Huron this time, with a view of the bridge again.
I pulled into the campground right into the end of a 7 day biking trip sponsored by the organization that printed my maps (Adventure Cycling Association). They were up in the UP also, so we told some good biking stories - of course about how it rained every night for 5 straight nights. It was good to touch base with other cyclists. And they all had big smiles on their faces from having a great trip. Even the guy who locked his keys in his car.
Tomorrow wiłl be back to somewhat normal riding, but not too far for a while - it doesn't fit in with finding a place to spend the night.
Til next time.
Today was a break day. Went to Mackinac Island and looked around for a good part of the day. Only horses and bicycles on the island, so it was right up my alley. My total mileage for the day was 13.13 miles. Interesting that yesterday was 9/13/13. My lucky number is 13 .
The island was a bit touristy, but fun and interesting all the same. On the boat ride to the island they took us underneath the Mackinac Bridge and gave us some history. Used to be the biggest suspension bridge in the world.
Am spending tonight in a campground on the mainland side of the bridge. Right next to Lake Huron this time, with a view of the bridge again.
I pulled into the campground right into the end of a 7 day biking trip sponsored by the organization that printed my maps (Adventure Cycling Association). They were up in the UP also, so we told some good biking stories - of course about how it rained every night for 5 straight nights. It was good to touch base with other cyclists. And they all had big smiles on their faces from having a great trip. Even the guy who locked his keys in his car.
Tomorrow wiłl be back to somewhat normal riding, but not too far for a while - it doesn't fit in with finding a place to spend the night.
Til next time.
Friday, September 13, 2013
Friday, September 13, 2013
Two great days. The biike riding has been sweet. Not much traffic at all. And the camping has been great. Last night I spent at a state camp ground - Hog Island State Forest Camp ground Right on the LAKE. Beautiful views. Quiet. Nice people. I met two couples from the non UP part of the state who said that the campground was their favorite and that they love UP. There were a few drawbacks - no shower and no flush toilets, but small potatoes compared with the rest.
It did rain again, but only after 8:00 which is around my time to hit the hay anyway.
Oh, and it was COLD. I just put on three shirts and a jacket and dusted off my ear warmers.
today was a much shorter ride. We got off the main road for a while and it was like back in Wisconsin. Great road. No traffic. And trees arching over like a gothic cathedral.
Tonight I am in a campground across the road from the LAKE, but with access to the LAKE. We have a great view of the Mackinac Bridge. Going over to Mackinac Island tomorrow. The campground is still about 4 miles from the ferries,but they have a free service to pick people up at this campground. Loaded bike and all. Which is great news. I tried riding the bike into town to buy groceries. It is a little crazy. Supposedly there is a gigantic truck rally happening tomorrow.
I settled for a convenience store. Had my first pasty. My sister-in-law, Dee, would love them. They are all made with rutabaga's. Basically, it is dough stuffed with meat and veggies (I had the veggie one). It was good.
Til next time.
Til next time.
Two great days. The biike riding has been sweet. Not much traffic at all. And the camping has been great. Last night I spent at a state camp ground - Hog Island State Forest Camp ground Right on the LAKE. Beautiful views. Quiet. Nice people. I met two couples from the non UP part of the state who said that the campground was their favorite and that they love UP. There were a few drawbacks - no shower and no flush toilets, but small potatoes compared with the rest.
It did rain again, but only after 8:00 which is around my time to hit the hay anyway.
Oh, and it was COLD. I just put on three shirts and a jacket and dusted off my ear warmers.
today was a much shorter ride. We got off the main road for a while and it was like back in Wisconsin. Great road. No traffic. And trees arching over like a gothic cathedral.
Tonight I am in a campground across the road from the LAKE, but with access to the LAKE. We have a great view of the Mackinac Bridge. Going over to Mackinac Island tomorrow. The campground is still about 4 miles from the ferries,but they have a free service to pick people up at this campground. Loaded bike and all. Which is great news. I tried riding the bike into town to buy groceries. It is a little crazy. Supposedly there is a gigantic truck rally happening tomorrow.
I settled for a convenience store. Had my first pasty. My sister-in-law, Dee, would love them. They are all made with rutabaga's. Basically, it is dough stuffed with meat and veggies (I had the veggie one). It was good.
Til next time.
Til next time.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Yesterday I only remember passing one lake. Today I only did encounter one lake, but it was a LAKE and it will take me a few more days to pass it. Lake Michigan is impressive. And I am only going by a small section of it.
Even though I am only slowly going north ( mostly east) I can tell that the tree's are gradually changing to evergreens. Still pretty. Still a lot of them.
Am trying to dodge the weather. It should be better tomorrow and for a few days. We have had a lot of unpredictable rain. Luckily last night and tonight I finished before the rains got here.
Road kill account. Another Porcupine!!. And frogs and snakes. Not much to report, really. I was on a major highway most of the day. Spending the night in Manistique. Michigan.
I think one of the best things about the trip is how much I am learning about the country. I have glanced at Michigan on the map, but didn't really know anything about it. I was listening to the weather last night and they were talking about two "lake effects" at the same. One from Lake Superior and one from Lake Michigan. Makes for interesting weather.
Thank you everyone for all of the birthday greetings ( mostly on Facebook).
Til next time.
Yesterday I only remember passing one lake. Today I only did encounter one lake, but it was a LAKE and it will take me a few more days to pass it. Lake Michigan is impressive. And I am only going by a small section of it.
Even though I am only slowly going north ( mostly east) I can tell that the tree's are gradually changing to evergreens. Still pretty. Still a lot of them.
Am trying to dodge the weather. It should be better tomorrow and for a few days. We have had a lot of unpredictable rain. Luckily last night and tonight I finished before the rains got here.
Road kill account. Another Porcupine!!. And frogs and snakes. Not much to report, really. I was on a major highway most of the day. Spending the night in Manistique. Michigan.
I think one of the best things about the trip is how much I am learning about the country. I have glanced at Michigan on the map, but didn't really know anything about it. I was listening to the weather last night and they were talking about two "lake effects" at the same. One from Lake Superior and one from Lake Michigan. Makes for interesting weather.
Thank you everyone for all of the birthday greetings ( mostly on Facebook).
Til next time.
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
So what do I do for my birthday? Ride 75 miles on the bike to Escanaba. Michigan. It was a great ride. The road improved a lot today. Great road. Not much traffic. It was overcast most of the day - kind of a carryover of the rain from yesterday. It is supposed to rain again tonight. Then I hope it calms down.
Still lots of trees. Not quite as closed in as in Wisconsin, but still nice. A few more fields of alfalfa, and not much water ( a few rivers, but I think only one lake).
More flocks of turkeys. After so many days of no road kill, we had some today. A porcupine ( first since North Dakota) and surprise of surprises a wild turkey. The turkey was a bit of a shock. The ones that I passed by were either too skittish or seemed too road smart to end up as road kill.
More nice people. I was stopped next to the side of the road eating some lunch and a guy pulled over to see if things were ok. He volunteered to go get some ice water from his house. We just chatted for a while. It was great.
Picked up a spare tire at the Post Office in Escanaba ( Leslie sent me one from home). So now I feel more prepared for emergencies. The next few days will be shorter in distance ( a result of where there are places to spend the night. I think I will take a day off when I get to Mackinaw Island. Spend some time roaming around.
We switched to eastern time today. One result is that I can't start riding until 7:30 or so. I'll just sleep on in the morning. Feeling great on my birthday.
Til next time.
So what do I do for my birthday? Ride 75 miles on the bike to Escanaba. Michigan. It was a great ride. The road improved a lot today. Great road. Not much traffic. It was overcast most of the day - kind of a carryover of the rain from yesterday. It is supposed to rain again tonight. Then I hope it calms down.
Still lots of trees. Not quite as closed in as in Wisconsin, but still nice. A few more fields of alfalfa, and not much water ( a few rivers, but I think only one lake).
More flocks of turkeys. After so many days of no road kill, we had some today. A porcupine ( first since North Dakota) and surprise of surprises a wild turkey. The turkey was a bit of a shock. The ones that I passed by were either too skittish or seemed too road smart to end up as road kill.
More nice people. I was stopped next to the side of the road eating some lunch and a guy pulled over to see if things were ok. He volunteered to go get some ice water from his house. We just chatted for a while. It was great.
Picked up a spare tire at the Post Office in Escanaba ( Leslie sent me one from home). So now I feel more prepared for emergencies. The next few days will be shorter in distance ( a result of where there are places to spend the night. I think I will take a day off when I get to Mackinaw Island. Spend some time roaming around.
We switched to eastern time today. One result is that I can't start riding until 7:30 or so. I'll just sleep on in the morning. Feeling great on my birthday.
Til next time.
Monday, September 9, 2013
Monday, September 9, 2013
Three days to catch up on again. Seems to be a pattern. For some reason, Wifi is hard to find up here in the north woods.
Roads have continued to be great. On Saturday had some trouble. Road construction. Total of about 6 miles with new gravel and then some other surfaces to boot. I was confused at one point. The sign said road construction, but there were no flaggers and the equipment was on the road. I had a scraper and a water truck coming at me at the same time, covering both sides of the road. Luckily, the water truck was slower than the scraper and I moved into the other lane. Interesting.
Saw a flock of wild turkeys. Actually I sneeked up on them and surprised them as I went by. 10-12 turkeys scattering and flying into the trees a bit panicked.
Ended up staying at the Loon Lagoon campground. Aptly named. I never saw a loon that day, but they were looning away ( or whatever you call their vocal outbursts).
The dew was really heavy on the tent in the morning. The wettest I have experienced in a tent. Took me two extra hours to dry out the tent before I could get going.
The roads yesterday were great again. Discovered quite few bike paths around Boulder Junction. Lots of riders out enjoying the freedom from cars. Was enjoying the bike paths so much I missed a turnoff. All of a sudden there was a lake next to the bike path and the map didn't have the lake located there. So I ended up going an extra 8 miles. Was already going 60 miles, so the extra 8 wasn't appreciated by my tired body. I was just having too much fun to notice my mistake.
Today it rained most of the day. I had noticed on the weather map that rain was in the forecast, but when I asked the locals, they didn't think it was going to happen. Oh well. It wasn't a hard rain, just wet.
Today was another day for turkeys. Three flocks. All had from 8 - 10 birds. Not so skittish. They calmly waited until I passed and then continued crossing the road, even splitting up the flocks.
It was a treat.
Today I am in Michigan. I noticed lots more smokers. Roads not as in good a shape, but still great scenery. Kind people. Crystal Falls, Michigan. Escanaba tomorrow.
When I get to Escanaba, it will be in the eastern time zone. Something to mark for those who call me. I tend to go to bed early.
Tomorrow is also my birthday. The big 60!!!!!
Til next time.
Three days to catch up on again. Seems to be a pattern. For some reason, Wifi is hard to find up here in the north woods.
Roads have continued to be great. On Saturday had some trouble. Road construction. Total of about 6 miles with new gravel and then some other surfaces to boot. I was confused at one point. The sign said road construction, but there were no flaggers and the equipment was on the road. I had a scraper and a water truck coming at me at the same time, covering both sides of the road. Luckily, the water truck was slower than the scraper and I moved into the other lane. Interesting.
Saw a flock of wild turkeys. Actually I sneeked up on them and surprised them as I went by. 10-12 turkeys scattering and flying into the trees a bit panicked.
Ended up staying at the Loon Lagoon campground. Aptly named. I never saw a loon that day, but they were looning away ( or whatever you call their vocal outbursts).
The dew was really heavy on the tent in the morning. The wettest I have experienced in a tent. Took me two extra hours to dry out the tent before I could get going.
The roads yesterday were great again. Discovered quite few bike paths around Boulder Junction. Lots of riders out enjoying the freedom from cars. Was enjoying the bike paths so much I missed a turnoff. All of a sudden there was a lake next to the bike path and the map didn't have the lake located there. So I ended up going an extra 8 miles. Was already going 60 miles, so the extra 8 wasn't appreciated by my tired body. I was just having too much fun to notice my mistake.
Today it rained most of the day. I had noticed on the weather map that rain was in the forecast, but when I asked the locals, they didn't think it was going to happen. Oh well. It wasn't a hard rain, just wet.
Today was another day for turkeys. Three flocks. All had from 8 - 10 birds. Not so skittish. They calmly waited until I passed and then continued crossing the road, even splitting up the flocks.
It was a treat.
Today I am in Michigan. I noticed lots more smokers. Roads not as in good a shape, but still great scenery. Kind people. Crystal Falls, Michigan. Escanaba tomorrow.
When I get to Escanaba, it will be in the eastern time zone. Something to mark for those who call me. I tend to go to bed early.
Tomorrow is also my birthday. The big 60!!!!!
Til next time.
Friday, September 6, 2013
Friday, August 6, 2013
Wisconsin has been incredible. Almost all of the route has been on back roads. Quiet, peaceful. Almost no traffic. And trees, trees, trees. There is shade most of the day.
Sttayed in Birchwood last night. City campground next to a lake. An older gentleman came by in the evening and we chatted about farms, the Twin Cities, and life in general. Kind, gentle, considerate, friendly. It was an absolutely clear night. Stars were out in force.
I seem to be in lake country. Lots and lots of small lakes with the shores dotted with cabins and homes. All of the advertizing is for "resorts". Some of them have one cabin to rent, some have 15 to rent, but they all want to be called "resorts".
Most places have a personal familly sign out front with some kind of original art or design.
The Johnnsons - Fred, Mary, Pete and Linda, with a painting of their house or boat or trees.
Lots of names that end in .......son.
No road kill. Nada. None. A result of back roads,little traffic and slow speeds, I assume.
A bit of bad luck today. Another spoke popped. Back wheel again. It was wobbly, but allowed me to ride the last 28 miles into Clam Lake. I was a little forward in Clam Lake, since there are no bike shops for a while. The first place I stopped, I asked if someone could loan me a cresent wrench to put in a new spoke. Sure enough, a guy loaned me the right wrench, told me where to find his shop, and told me to put the wrench in the front door when I got done - unlocked, of course.
I put in a new spoke ( it wobbles, but not as bad as before), put on a new tire, and a new chain and didn't even say very many bad words. You who know me, realize that I am not a very good mechanic. I will do it, but it usually takes 3 times as long as it should.
Today was the offical ( for mileage) half way point of the trip. Feels good. The riding is going great. It is supposed to rain on Monday, but that leaves two good days to ride until then.
Til next time.
Wisconsin has been incredible. Almost all of the route has been on back roads. Quiet, peaceful. Almost no traffic. And trees, trees, trees. There is shade most of the day.
Sttayed in Birchwood last night. City campground next to a lake. An older gentleman came by in the evening and we chatted about farms, the Twin Cities, and life in general. Kind, gentle, considerate, friendly. It was an absolutely clear night. Stars were out in force.
I seem to be in lake country. Lots and lots of small lakes with the shores dotted with cabins and homes. All of the advertizing is for "resorts". Some of them have one cabin to rent, some have 15 to rent, but they all want to be called "resorts".
Most places have a personal familly sign out front with some kind of original art or design.
The Johnnsons - Fred, Mary, Pete and Linda, with a painting of their house or boat or trees.
Lots of names that end in .......son.
No road kill. Nada. None. A result of back roads,little traffic and slow speeds, I assume.
A bit of bad luck today. Another spoke popped. Back wheel again. It was wobbly, but allowed me to ride the last 28 miles into Clam Lake. I was a little forward in Clam Lake, since there are no bike shops for a while. The first place I stopped, I asked if someone could loan me a cresent wrench to put in a new spoke. Sure enough, a guy loaned me the right wrench, told me where to find his shop, and told me to put the wrench in the front door when I got done - unlocked, of course.
I put in a new spoke ( it wobbles, but not as bad as before), put on a new tire, and a new chain and didn't even say very many bad words. You who know me, realize that I am not a very good mechanic. I will do it, but it usually takes 3 times as long as it should.
Today was the offical ( for mileage) half way point of the trip. Feels good. The riding is going great. It is supposed to rain on Monday, but that leaves two good days to ride until then.
Til next time.
Wednesday, September 4, 2013
September 4, 2013
A few days of being out of internet service and mostly out of phone service.
So, spent Monday biking with the guys from Boston (Jerry and Frankie). They invited me to stay with them in Sauk Centre. We stayed at the Palmer House. Classic, old hotel with great
personality. They let us put our bikes in the breakfast room, and were incredibly
helpful. They washed our clothes for us and were generally welcoming. The Palmer
House has been on some tv show dealing with ghosts. We didn't see any, but supposedly
the hotel is haunted. Answer to the trivia question about a famous author from Sauk
Centre - Sinclair Lewis.
Continued to ride on the bike trail (Lake Wobegon). Great riding. Jerry and Frank
were fun to ride with. I learned a lot about Boston and Massachusetts. They continued
towards Minneapolis and I split off to follow the Northern Tier Route.
Ate in an amazing cafe in Bowlus. Cyclists get off the trail and head straight for the cafe. There were waves and waves of cyclists stopping and having lunch or a treat.
In some ways it was too many people for me. I thought about camping there (across the street from the cafe). Ended up riding another 20 miles to a farm house called Alice's Attic. She has remodeled her barn to show off her antique business and has allowed bikers to spend the night on mattresses on the floor. It was peaceful and restful.
The animal theme has changed to domestic animals. Cattle, horses, and now that we are in farm country - dogs. Chased by 4 dogs yesterday. Today my heart beat a bit faster as I watched a Doberman start to give chase from a ways away. Fastest I have moved for a while. I'm glad it wasn't as close as the other dogs. Also passed 3 alpaca. Unusual.
Great riding. Small country roads with little traffic. The drivers that are there are accommodating.
Yesterday I spent the night at the Adventure Cycling Bunkhouse( near Dalbo). Fantastic. Converted barn with bunks, pads to sleep on, pillows, a shower heated by the sun, lots of room, and pictures and stories from the many cyclists who stop by.
I had just arrived and was looking around when Don(the farmer/owner) came out to greet me and invite me to lunch. Another refreshing evening.
Today's ride was good. Still cool, although the heat is coming back on Friday. I rode on some newly improved roads. These had rumble strips on the shoulder and also on the center line. No wandering around on the roads in Minnesota.
In St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Minnesota was great. I hope Wisconsin is just as good.
Til next time
A few days of being out of internet service and mostly out of phone service.
So, spent Monday biking with the guys from Boston (Jerry and Frankie). They invited me to stay with them in Sauk Centre. We stayed at the Palmer House. Classic, old hotel with great
personality. They let us put our bikes in the breakfast room, and were incredibly
helpful. They washed our clothes for us and were generally welcoming. The Palmer
House has been on some tv show dealing with ghosts. We didn't see any, but supposedly
the hotel is haunted. Answer to the trivia question about a famous author from Sauk
Centre - Sinclair Lewis.
Continued to ride on the bike trail (Lake Wobegon). Great riding. Jerry and Frank
were fun to ride with. I learned a lot about Boston and Massachusetts. They continued
towards Minneapolis and I split off to follow the Northern Tier Route.
Ate in an amazing cafe in Bowlus. Cyclists get off the trail and head straight for the cafe. There were waves and waves of cyclists stopping and having lunch or a treat.
In some ways it was too many people for me. I thought about camping there (across the street from the cafe). Ended up riding another 20 miles to a farm house called Alice's Attic. She has remodeled her barn to show off her antique business and has allowed bikers to spend the night on mattresses on the floor. It was peaceful and restful.
The animal theme has changed to domestic animals. Cattle, horses, and now that we are in farm country - dogs. Chased by 4 dogs yesterday. Today my heart beat a bit faster as I watched a Doberman start to give chase from a ways away. Fastest I have moved for a while. I'm glad it wasn't as close as the other dogs. Also passed 3 alpaca. Unusual.
Great riding. Small country roads with little traffic. The drivers that are there are accommodating.
Yesterday I spent the night at the Adventure Cycling Bunkhouse( near Dalbo). Fantastic. Converted barn with bunks, pads to sleep on, pillows, a shower heated by the sun, lots of room, and pictures and stories from the many cyclists who stop by.
I had just arrived and was looking around when Don(the farmer/owner) came out to greet me and invite me to lunch. Another refreshing evening.
Today's ride was good. Still cool, although the heat is coming back on Friday. I rode on some newly improved roads. These had rumble strips on the shoulder and also on the center line. No wandering around on the roads in Minnesota.
In St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. Minnesota was great. I hope Wisconsin is just as good.
Til next time
Sunday, September 1, 2013
Sunday, September 1 ,2013
A few days to catch up on. The animal theme of 4 days ago was still dead frogs. Only about a hundred instead of hundreds and hundreds. Still seeing lizards/salamanders. Seems strange to see either frogs or lizards on the road.
Made it to Valley City. Stayed in city campground. It was nice. Good shade and all. The thing that struck me was the number of peope who seem to be living in campgrounds. It has been an issue from the first day of the trip. Most city campgrounds have some kind of regulations to discourage people from coming and staying long periods of time. Something along the lines of 15 consecutive days being the limit. At Valley City they did the opposite. They actually had monthy rates posted. Most of the people I had met earlier were who were living in campgrounds were living in campers,trailers etc. In Valley City there were those who were also living in tents.
I met one of them. Very nice guy. Came home from his job and took a shower. Ate dinner and then the next morning got up and walked to work. His wife stayed back at the campground in the tent.
I don't know why people find themselves in this situation. Economy. Tight housing market. Could have been this way for the last several years and I didn't know about it. It is just something new for me. Something I didn't know was going on.
Next day very, very foggy. The ride into Fargo was about 60 miles. Good ride and I was glad to get to a bigger city, although I had to ride the last 6 miles into Fargo on the sidewalk. Busy, busy road.
Had a great time in Fargo. Stayed with Leo ( cousin of Rich W. of Casper). Great time talking about books, movies, politics, religion, etc. etc. Leo's house was built in the late 1800's. That was fun.
On to Minnesota. The landscape changed. Trees are once again a riding companion. Lots of green. lakes and ponds everywhere. The roadkill of the day were turtles. Not a bunch, but it catches your eye to see a dead turtle next to the road.
Today was an increible day. I was riding against the wind at the end of the day yesterday. The wind shifted and it cooled down. The whole day was cool and I had a tailwind ALL DAY LONG. Rode most of the day on rail trails. No cars, cool and wind at the back. Couldn't be much better.
Rode with two guys from Boston most of the day. That has been a lot of fun. They are both my age and really fun. Ended up riding 93 miles today. Tired, but the wind helped a LOT. Spending the night in Sauk Centre, MN. Trivia question. What famous author grew up on Sauk Centre?
Great, Great day.
Til next time
A few days to catch up on. The animal theme of 4 days ago was still dead frogs. Only about a hundred instead of hundreds and hundreds. Still seeing lizards/salamanders. Seems strange to see either frogs or lizards on the road.
Made it to Valley City. Stayed in city campground. It was nice. Good shade and all. The thing that struck me was the number of peope who seem to be living in campgrounds. It has been an issue from the first day of the trip. Most city campgrounds have some kind of regulations to discourage people from coming and staying long periods of time. Something along the lines of 15 consecutive days being the limit. At Valley City they did the opposite. They actually had monthy rates posted. Most of the people I had met earlier were who were living in campgrounds were living in campers,trailers etc. In Valley City there were those who were also living in tents.
I met one of them. Very nice guy. Came home from his job and took a shower. Ate dinner and then the next morning got up and walked to work. His wife stayed back at the campground in the tent.
I don't know why people find themselves in this situation. Economy. Tight housing market. Could have been this way for the last several years and I didn't know about it. It is just something new for me. Something I didn't know was going on.
Next day very, very foggy. The ride into Fargo was about 60 miles. Good ride and I was glad to get to a bigger city, although I had to ride the last 6 miles into Fargo on the sidewalk. Busy, busy road.
Had a great time in Fargo. Stayed with Leo ( cousin of Rich W. of Casper). Great time talking about books, movies, politics, religion, etc. etc. Leo's house was built in the late 1800's. That was fun.
On to Minnesota. The landscape changed. Trees are once again a riding companion. Lots of green. lakes and ponds everywhere. The roadkill of the day were turtles. Not a bunch, but it catches your eye to see a dead turtle next to the road.
Today was an increible day. I was riding against the wind at the end of the day yesterday. The wind shifted and it cooled down. The whole day was cool and I had a tailwind ALL DAY LONG. Rode most of the day on rail trails. No cars, cool and wind at the back. Couldn't be much better.
Rode with two guys from Boston most of the day. That has been a lot of fun. They are both my age and really fun. Ended up riding 93 miles today. Tired, but the wind helped a LOT. Spending the night in Sauk Centre, MN. Trivia question. What famous author grew up on Sauk Centre?
Great, Great day.
Til next time
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