Beautiful Michigan, Fudgies, Into the Mitten

Hello from the mitten of Michigan! The end of my trip suddenly feels very near.

My dad and I have had great fun going through the UP. After leaving Escanaba, we biked to Indian Lake State Park, where we weathered an exciting thunderstorm in the evening. Here's a pic of the Bay De Noc, which we passed on the way:


Here's one near Manistique, MI:


The next day we biked 85 miles to Brevort Lake State Park. We were a bit disappointed with this location. We were all excited to camp at Lake Michigan Campground, but it was full up. I tried to talk the camp manager into letting us set up in a non designated spot, but he wasn't having any of it.

Lake Michigan is breathtakingly beautiful. It is crystal clear, aquamarine, and goes on forever.




Today we finished up the last little smidge of peninsula, and then took the ferry to Mackinaw Island, and then on to Mackinaw City. They don't allow motorized vehicles on the island, which conjured images of quiet relaxation to me. However, there were so many tourists it ended up being a bit of a circus. Many of them also rent bikes. I saw several people with their helmets on backwards. on the upside, I got to eat fudge.


Apparently the longest porch in the world is on the island. Great claim to fame.


Here's one of the Mackinaw Bridge from the ferry:


From Mackinaw City we continued on to Harbor Springs. It was very pretty and very hilly. After dinner we hopped back on the bikes for a quick ten more miles to Magnus Park, in Petoskey. There's a storm just north of us that made a lovely sunset.


Now I'm really sleepy. Good night!
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Location:Little Traverse Wheelway,Petoskey,United States

French Toast, Escanaba, Into the UP!

The last few days have been filled with rolling hills (some pretty steep), farmland, and forests. We actually ran into a bear the other day! He was crossing the road as we were coming around a curve. I think he was more frightened than we were.

Boulder Junction ended up being a very good location, food wise. I had a yummy walleye sandwich for dinner, and the most amazing stuffed French toast in the morning. It was so amazing. Oh man.



I ate that.



...and that.



Dad complaining about his bites.



I found a giant chair.

From Boulder Junction we biked into Michigan and camped in Iron River. The campground host is a VERY enthusiastic country music player, who practiced his craft (with amplifiers and everything) for hours. Literally. It was a lot.



Michigan!

The next day we biked to a little town called Hardwood, and camped next to the river.


On the way



I put moleskin on dad's nose to protect him from his glasses.



Part of dinner (thanks for the tip, Andrew).



From camp



Today we had a short day and biked into Escanaba. We got a motel, and have spent the afternoon doing laundry and fixing up our bikes.



On the way here

We're hanging out now for a bit, then we're gonna go see a movie! Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty stormy, hopefully we won't get too soaked.

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Location:7th Ave S,Escanaba,United States

Picking Up Speed, Thunderstorms, Flies!!

Me and pops seem to have hit our stride. Each day we're managing to go a bit further. Today we made it 65 miles, despite being caught in a storm! Or perhaps it was because we were in a storm. As my dad says, not having a choice is good incentive.

Yesterday we biked around 57 miles to Glidden, WI. We had a bug filled evening camping in the city park. They had a cool tank there.






The scenery is fantastic out here. Rolling hills and lots of lakes. Lots of deer flies also. Dad is getting eaten more than me, due to my faster speed uphill, I suspect. There have been some epic chase scenes the last few days where I can look in my mirror and I see a swarm of giant flies chasing me.









Nathan is kicking butt in Montana at his field course, so I'll mix it up a bit and post some pics That he sent me of where he is.






His pictures may have won this round. I'll get you back, Andersen!

Looking forward to getting into the UP in the next few days. Can't wait to get home and see all my friends again.

Onwards!

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Location:County Highway M,,United States

Slow Progress In High Heat

Well, we're trucking along. My dad is keeled over in the grass right now from exhaustion. He's having a rough time of it-he also smooshed his big toe on a rock when we were camping a few days ago






It's pretty hot out, but not quite as muggy as it has been.

After leaving the Twin Cities we camped north of Osceola at Interstate State Park. I was worried it would be closed because of the MN government shutdown, but the park is luckily run by Wisconsin (although they have their own issues right now...). At night, the woods around the campsite filled with fireflies, which lent a bit of enchantment to the evening. Someone left firewood at our campsite too, so I got to have my first campfire of the trip.



I want to point out to Andrew that in addition to there being the previously-mentioned Andrews Lake in MN, there is also a Taylors Falls!



Last night we camped on Fox Creek, and kept cool by sticking our feet in the water off of the dock. Now we're at Bear Lake, which is near Haugen, WI.

I'm anxious to pick up the pace, so I can be at home in Seattle for a few days before I leave town for good (well, for two years). Weather is supposed to cool down somewhat after today, so I'm hopeful.

Brittany: I've been thinking a lot about the state-rating. I'm gonna do a post about that next, and just fit in WI and MN to the ranking once I'm done. I might post that later today, since I have all afternoon to kill now!

Missing everyone!
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Location:U.S. 53,Rice Lake,United States

There And Back Again, Extreme Hotness Of The Temperature Kind (unfortunately)

Just after posting from the bicycle bunkhouse a few days ago, I was excited to get some company!

One thing that I've really liked about this trip are all the opportunities I've had to meet people that I normally would never get meet in my bubble of work and friends. I mean really, I never thought it would be in my cards to be sitting at a table in a converted barn in the middle of the Minnesota countryside with an army helicopter pilot/farmer and a career coast guarder drinking boxed wine and chatting into the evening. We found so much to talk about! Plus, I got to hear an amazing story about how Donn survived chainsawing himself in the neck. Really good story. Here's a pic if me and Donn before I biked off the next morning.



The only picture of Dale that I have, unfortunately, is the one he accidentally took of himself when he was trying to use my newfangled device (iPhone).



From the bicycle bunkhouse I took Donn Olsen's directions to Stillwater, MN. It was a dreary day that ranged from drizzle to downpour.

I had a pretty awful but short ride the next day from Stillwater to meet my dad at a hotel by the airport in the Twin Cities. It was pouring rain all morning before I left, and I waited as long as I could before leaving town. I had two pots of coffee while I was waiting in vain for the weather to change, so you can imagine how incredibly hyper I was. In the early afternoon I just decided to go for it. It was like biking in the shower.



Steamy.



Putting on my brave face. That's a fake smile.



Trying to take pictures while biking is a bad idea.

In the course of this thunder and lightning filled ride I:
1) Fell in the mud
2) Got lost
3) Got a flat on a bridge and had to change it in really bad place

Finally got to hotel and met up with dad! Yesterday we poked around the city while his bike was getting put back together at the shop. We went to Mall of America, which was disgusting.






And ride the lightrail around town doing errands.



There is now a horrible heat wave going through the area. Me and dad left early this morning, but fell short of our goal as the heat index rose to 110 degrees (the low tonight is 81).






Tomorrow is gonna be the same, so we're gonna get up even earlier and try and get somewhere.

Feeling a bit frustrated by lack of progress. Also missing Nathan. Is a bit if an adjustment to have him be busy doing awesome stuff all day, instead of being available to talk to me whenever I want! :( I guess the world can't revolve around me all the time...sigh.

Wish me and dad luck as we muck our way through the heat tomorrow!

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Onwards MN!, river crossings, Adventure Bicyclist Bunkhouse!

Wonderfully nice last two days. No dog chasing/running! Plus, it has been blessedly cooler and less humid than it has been.

Yesterday morning I biked from Pokegama Dam into Grand Rapids and had a nice breakfast at a hippy place that reminded me of Seattle. I had my egg and cheddar breakfast sandwich on Great Harvest bread, and also a divine almond-praline bar with coffee. Nom nom nom.

After breakfast, with a heavy heart, I dropped a huge check in the mail to FHCRC. They mistakenly paid me for all of June, instead of only one day, so I had to pay them back. ...I had spent one lovely day thinking I was rich. Ah, well.

I spent the rest of the day on a rather circuitous route to Aitkin, MN. I think I've crossed the Mississipi River about 10 times since leaving it's source, Lake Itasca, a few days ago. I also saw a town named after me! Andrew tells me there is also an Andrews Lake nearby:)



The Mississippi


My town

This morning there was beautiful sun and mist over the river near my campsite.


Today I biked to a cyclist only bunkhouse near Dalbo.






Don Olsen and his family have a farm here. It is lovely. He built the bunkhouse, complete with a solar shower! Plus, he gave me a map with a better route to Stillwater than the ACA route.

Tomorrow it's supposed to rain up to an inch! I've got my rain gear all ready to go. For now, I'm enjoying a peaceful and sunny evening. I'm reading a really good book right now, too.

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Location:Helium St NW,Dalbo,United States

Effing Detour!, Dog Hating, Grr.

Well, I'm in a bit of a foul mood, which began a few hours after leaving Bemidji this morning. I had set out for a respectably long 83 mile day to Grand Rapids, when I was stymied by a road closure that caused me to first backtrack 5 miles and then cut back up to Hwy 2 on a poorly maintained, aggressive-bike-chasing-dog infested county road. I gave been chased by dogs no less than 4 times in the last 24 hours and I am really starting to get pissed.

I guess on the upside I got to have a longer, more in depth tour of the Chippewa National Forest.
Here's a pic of my route today- you can see my back tracking. Later in the day my map directed me to take another side road, but I decided to ignore this and just stayed on 2 the rest of the day. More traffic but no dogs or road closures. Grr!



If you look back to my third post (I think), there is a link to my shared page which will allow you to look at my route more closely.






Now I'm camped at the Pokegama Rec Area. The state parks are unfortunately closed right now in MN (ah, government shutdowns), but the federal and COE camping areas are open. I have a nice view of the Pokegama Dam from my campsite.



Here's me, signing off for the day (still a bit disgruntled).



OH BTW! My Dad is going to be joining me in a few days in Minneapolis! Then this will be a team endeavor!

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Location:U.S. 2,Cohasset,United States

Sweating For Reals, Lovely Biking, Muggy As Heck

Had a very nice ride today from Fargo. A sweet little tailwind in the morning put me in a good mood. As I wound my way NE, I entered some pretty rolling hills and started seeing TREES! I remember those!

As I biked through Tamarac Wildlife Refuge I had a mild freak-out because of the horseflies chasing me. They seem to have abated somewhat.









Camping tonight near Round Lake. I'm abouts to go eat me some dinner!

The campground owner also runs a restaurant next door, and she said they have ice cream (score)! It's extremely humid and still quite hot. I think it was almost 90 today. Bleh.

Hoping the thunderstorms miss me tonight and tomorrow!

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Location:407 Ave,Ponsford,United States