Day 36, June 25^th, Lake City, MN to Eagan, MN.  This is the last riding day before my 5-day break, now an 8–day break, at the Rodstein’s Hostel for the Mini Pitt reunion.  We had about 60 miles to go for the day.  Dave was up and moving early because this is his last day on the tour.  For a variety of reasons, some physical and some mental, Dave opted to end the cross country quest in Minneapolis.  As I write this blog, Dave is somewhere in Eagan at Eric’s Bike Shop getting his bike prepared to ship back to Virginia.  Yesterday, actually over the weekend, the KirkWood Krew came up with a plan to provide a riding partner for me for the rest of the route.  Although I appreciate the love, concern, and sense of adventure of the Krew, I fear the logistics and cost would be too much.  Cindy and I will discuss and pray about the rest of the tour over the weekend.  We had the wind at our back today, from the SSE, and the ride was very fast.  We headed north on U.S. Route 61, the Minnesota Great River route, from Lake City about 7:30.  Route 61 was smooth and a wide shoulder.  We were right next to the Canadian Pacific railroad and several trains passed us.  I even saw a pair of SOO engines, a railroad purchased by the CP.  Coming in to Red Wing, I saw the reflection of the farm in a small lake.  We also passed a very unique building that turned out to be a prison built in 1892.  Our first stop, after 15 miles, was the town of Red Wing of Red Wing Boot fame at a Caribou Coffee, although Dave was hoping for a McDonalds or a DQ (too early).  We moved on and finally had to climb the bluffs of the Mississippi.  The climb was long, about 2 miles, but not steep.  Our next stop was in Hastings, MN, at 11:30, after 42 miles.  Wind is quite a friend at your back!!  We decided to eat lunch and got a great recommendation from a teenage girl riding a bike.  Emily’s, a Bakery and Deli, had good sandwiches and great desserts.    I had a Summer Sausage sandwich, potato soup, and an Apple Crispy, very similar to a turnover.  The ride from Hastings to the Rodstein’s went quickly and we arrived about 2pm.  Jay, however, did not inform us that 4349 Dorchester Court is at the top of a very steep hill!  Not the way we wanted to end the day but we survived.  Total mileage for the day was 62.05.  Total mileage from Yorktown to Eagan is 2021.6.

     

Day 35, Jun 24^th, La Crosse, WI to Lake City, MN.  We had an early start today.  Headed north on Route 35 and found the Great River Trail in Onalaska, MN, just north of La Crosse, with not much trouble.  The trail followed the Mississippi and went through several Wildlife Management Areas that are part of the Mississippi Flyway.  We met a father-son duo riding the same route, but they were lightly loaded and moving much faster.  They promised to buy us a beer at the end of the day, but we never saw them again.  The trail ended at a small town called Marshland, WI and we got on Wisconsin Route 35, the Great River Route.  We followed 35 for about 35 miles along the east bank of the Mississippi.  Surprise, surprise; the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad mainline follows the same route!  There were 4-5 trains every hour and I could stop to watch!  We at lunch at Alma near one of the Corps of Engineer Dams.  We watched a tug and barges going through the lock.  At the same time, there was a train waiting on the siding to move north.  At Nelson, WI, we crossed the Mississippi River to Wabasha, MN and then followed U.S. Route 61 north along the west bank of the river.  There was another railroad line but no trains on Sunday afternoon.  From our hotel, I have heard a couple of trains tonight so there is hope for tomorrow.  The afternoon route on the Minnesota side brought us to Lake Pepin, a natural lake that is part of the Mississippi River.  It is a spectacular sight that my picture probably doesn’t capture.  We saw the same tug and barges moving upstream through Lake Pepin.  We pushed hard today to make tomorrow shorter and the mileage was 79.13.  Tomorrow we should reach Minneapolis and a 5-day break.

Day 34, June 23^rd, Union Center, WI to La Crosse, WI.  There was no breakfast at the Garden City Inn so I got coffee at the convenience store across the street.  The sky was cloudy and gray; not what we expected from the weather forecast.  We loaded up and rode back to Elroy on the “400” Trail, named for the Chicago and Northwestern passenger train that went from Chicago to Minneapolis a total of 400 miles in 400 minutes with stops.  This was in the steam era!  We ate at the Family Diner in Elroy and talked with some fellow bicyclists doing a ride across Wisconsin on rail trails.  Wisconsin has a network of state supported rail trails.  The 2 bicyclists were going from La Crosse to Milwaukee almost all on trails.  We headed up the Elroy-Sparta Trail; 32 miles with some climbing (at railroad grade) to 3 tunnels along the route.  The last tunnel was ¾ of a mile long.  All were dark and wet.  We passed through several towns with refurbished railroad stations and some displays.  There were many families out and we talked to many about our trip.  The landscape of this area is different than anything we have seen.   We rode along small streams but the rock outcroppings show that long ago the stream was a large river, probably coming from glacier melt.  Attached is a swirled rock picture for Lauren and AG.   It was an enjoyable ride.  At Sparta, we switched to the La Crosse River trail for 21 miles into La Crosse.  This trail parallels the BNSF/CP railroad line and we saw several trains!!!!!  In the town of West Salem, we took a break but as we got ready to leave a young boy came riding up saying a train was coming.  A CP freight passed through going in excess of 60 mph on a downhill run to the Mississippi River bridge.  In La Crosse, we saw the Mississippi River and we will follow the river to Minneapolis.  We expect to arrive Monday night.  Total miles for the day were 56.11.  Not a long day but tiring.  Trail riding is not as easy as on the roads.

Day 33, June 22^nd, Wisconsin Rapids, WI to Union Center, WI.  There was no breakfast at the Mead Hotel but there was a Pancake breakfast at the High School as part of the Cranberry Festival.  We had trouble finding the high school and Dave wanted to stop at Burger King but I refused more fast food and found a great dinner.  The day was cool and clear; perfect riding weather.  We headed south along the Wisconsin River for several miles and then west to find County Route G to go south to the Elroy-Sparta Rail Trail area.  Wisconsin must be doing some major improvements to roads and Route G was closed.  We stayed on State Route 54 but traffic was fairly light and as usual Wisconsin drivers are very aware of bicycles and gave us plenty of room.  We followed the detour and the route was almost flat and straight through the Wisconsin farmland.  Attached is a picture for sister Barb of some baby cows.  We passed a Casino out in the middle of nowhere called No Chunk, one of several owned by the local Native American tribe.    Our first stop was the town of Necedah after almost 45 miles.  We ate lunch at the Little Crane Café, named because the Whooping Crane once migrated in great numbers to this area for the summer.  We made a 15 mile ride to Mauston, another flat stretch, took a short break for our usual ice cream break, and then headed for Union Center.  The stretch on Route O ruined my excellent route selection for the day.  The road took us up a small valley and over one of the hills in the area.  The last climb proved too much for both of us and we had to push the last 50 or so yards.  Once over the hill the ride was mostly downhill to Elroy and then we took part of the rail trail to Union Center.  Our motel, the Garden City Motel is a left over from the 60’s but was clean and the showers were hot.  There is a Golf Course across the street that had a great Friday night buffet dinner.  Total miles for the day were 76.6.  Tomorrow on to La Crosse. 

Day 32, June 21^st, Wausau, WI to Wisconsin Rapids, WI.  We had a fairly early start today.  I was moving early after falling asleep at 9:30 last night.  We ate breakfast at the motel and met a young boy named Isaiah.  He was to say the least hard to handle.  He wanted some of everything and expected his mother, with a 1 year old and one on the way, to wait on him instantly.  His mother claimed ADHD, but I wonder how much is nature and how much is nurture.  Isaiah seemed very bright.  The day was cool and some clouds.  This was quite a difference from yesterday’s hot and humid.  We headed south around Rib Mountain, the “mountain” in the Mountain Bay Trail on County Route N.  There were some hills but nothing too awful.  We stayed on county roads, mostly Route 0 through the beautiful Wisconsin farming areas.  Our first stop was Junction City where the 2 railroad lines meet.  We saw a Canadian National (CN) train switching to what is now the Wisconsin Central.  We didn’t realize it but we followed the train all the way to Wisconsin Rapids.  The CN train was taking a load of wood to the big paper mill in town.  There was a lot of road construction and we had to leave the lightly travelled Route O for State Route 43.  There were numerous trucks and more cars but all the drivers gave us plenty of room and there was a good shoulder area.   We did 54 miles by 1pm and arrived in Wisconsin Rapids.  There is a Cranberry Festival this weekend.  Who knew that this area produces the most cranberries in the U.S.  Tomorrow we will be on the Cranberry Trail for part of our ride to Union Center.  At the suggestion of the Chamber of Commerce, we chose the Mead Hotel in downtown Wisconsin Rapids so we could attend some of the festivities.  The Thursday night events were far less than advertised so we ate at the hotel.  We did get another view of small town America.  The residents were having a good time.  We were only there for the food and drinks, which were sparse.  All in all, it was a very good day.  It was a short day and the weather was perfect 75 degrees and clear.  Total mileage was 54.6     

Day 31, Jun 20^th, Shawano, WI to Wausau, WI.  Our hotel was right next to the Mountain to Bay Recreation Trail so we got a fairly early start.  The trail is pea gravel and has the usual railroad up and down grades.  The up-grades are deceiving and become quite hard and there is no glide.  We rode through some very sparsely populated areas.  The trail was through forested areas and farmland.  The Deer Flies were out and I was bitten right through my riding glove twice.  Left 2 little holes in the back of my hand.  At our first stop, we got out the Off and solved the problem.  We only stopped once for a snack in the tiny town of Bowler and made 45 miles before lunch which wasn’t until about 1:30.  Just before lunch we met fellow traveler at an intersection of 2 trails.  At first, I thought he just needed help deciding which trail to take, but upon further discussion, he was very lost.  Dave and I helped him with some directions.  After lunch we found him sitting beside the trail still lost.  Helped him again, but we weren’t too hopeful that he will find the right way.  It was hot and humid again but tomorrow is to be cooler.  We found a hotel in Wausau and ate dinner at the Great Dane Brew Pub.  The beer was excellent (I had a sampler of 4) and the food was pretty good too.  As we exited the restaurant, the sky was very dark and the rain began.  Total miles for the day were 65.05.   

Day 30, Jun 19, Green Bay, WI to Shawano, WI.  We slept in this morning (7:30), ate breakfast and then went to the National Railroad Museum.  The National Railroad Museum can use the “national” designation through an act of Congress, kind of a pork action.  The museum is not very large but does have quite a collection of steam and diesel engines and rolling stock.  There are a number of very old passenger and freight cars (like wooden box cars).  The museum does not receive government funding and appears to suffer from lack of funds.  A lot of the collection needs significant work. Still it was a very good morning for Arba and Wilma.  I think Dave also enjoyed the visit although he grumbled a lot.  We rode the excursion train around the grounds and got to ride in the ALCO S2 engine.   Back on the trail, we headed through Green Bay and linked up to the Mountain to Bay Recreational Trail (a rail-to-trail) in the town of Howard.  The MBRT is a lightly used trail.  The Howard County portion was well maintained but as we went west the trail became a little muddy from recent rains.  It was a nice ride and without auto traffic.  The day was very hot and humid and by 4pm we had all we wanted.  We stopped in the town of Shawano and found a cheap hotel, the Settle Inn.  Highlight of the day was the Railroad Museum.  Total mileage was 42.42.   

Day 29, Jun 18^th,  Manitowoc, WI to Green Bay WI.  Last night we did a check of the route across Wisconsin on the Adventure Cycling maps.  It turned out to be more of a ride around Wisconsin going far to the north of the state and then back south to Minneapolis.  I am sure the ride would be stupendous but Dave and I reasoned that it would be more of the same rural riding that we had in Michigan.  We both wanted to see some interesting places.  We were lucky to find a Wisconsin road map at the hotel and we started planning a new route.  First up was a trip to Green Bay which would not take us too far off the route and give us a day to further research.  The route was very simple.  Take County Route R north from Manitowoc to Green Bay.  Today the wind was quite strong from the south and we rode the wind at 15-20 mph most of the way.  We had a couple of hills but we made great time.  We saw a strange sight along the way.  It was the shell of an old hotel called the Maribell Cave Hotel.  We rode through downtown Green Bay and visited Lambeau Field, home of the Green Bay Packers and did a tour of the Packer Hall of Fame.  You don’t have to be a Packer fan to appreciate what this team has meant to creation and growth of the NFL.  The Packers are unique in that the community owns the team and have raised money through stock sales when times were tough to keep the team solvent.  We ate at the Curly Lambeau Pub inside the stadium.  I had “Titletown Booyah” a chicken soup and Dave had a sampler of pretzels and “cheese curds”.   We spent some time this afternoon finishing our new planned route to Minneapolis.  We found some neat “rail-to-trail” spots to ride.  We will go west, then south and then north again.  There is also  the National Railroad Museum in Green Bay that we couldn’t see today.  I am forcing Dave (jk) to sleep in and visit the museum tomorrow.  Haven’t seen a train in a couple of days and am getting cranky.  We finished the day with dinner at the Brett Farve Steakhouse across the street from our hotel.  Mileage today was 44.06.

Day 28, Jun 17^th Ludington, MI to Manitowoc, WI.  The mileage for today was zero.  We did ride from the hotel to the ferry and from the ferry to the hotel in Manitowoc which may have totaled 1.5 miles.  We had a very easy time boarding the ferry and settled in for the 4 hour ride.  As the Badger crossed the breakwater from the harbor the ride got quite rough.  I do suffer from motion sickness and after about 20 minutes I was not feeling well.  Dave and I sat at on the stern deck and watched the horizon but that didn’t help much.  I finally went into the cabin and found an comfortable chair and took a nap.  I slept for about 2 hours and when I awoke the ride had calmed down.  We met a couple riding around the Great Lakes and Patty and Joe gave us some tips for riding around Wisconsin.  We arrived by noon and gained an hour as we moved into the Central time zone.  My old friends from Fort Sheridan days, Chuck and June Reynolds drove up from southern Wisconsin and took us to dinner in Two Rivers.  It was great to see them.  Tomorrow we head out across Wisconsin on our way to Minneapolis.

Day 27, June 16, Luther, MI to Ludington, MI.  I was up early (about 6:15) and anxious to get to Ludington to see the big city.  When I made the hotel reservation I thought I was told there was a Beach Volleyball tournament at Ludington.  Dave and I were hoping to see the women pro beach volleyball players.  Dave was also psyched to get to Ludington.  To our disappointment, the tournament is 3-person basketball done for charity.  We have been in the rural areas what seems like forever.  Today started out the same with miles and miles of miles and miles.  Both sides of the road were endless forests although not large trees.  This area of Michigan was logged years ago.  We stopped at the recommended diner for breakfast at about the 3 mile point.  We were the first in and actually arrived before the 8am opening.  It was a breakfast buffet and quite good.  I had “creamed beef” on a biscuit, eggs, and apple pie.  Headed on done the road, which was surprisingly flat and we made good time.  Our next stop was in the town of Free Soil, MI, at about 30 miles, but we had made such good time, we weren’t ready for lunch.  Dave had his usual grouping of sweets; ice cream followed by a diet coke with a candy bar.  Not to be outdone, I had a blueberry muffin and coffee.  We pressed on and continued to make great time and arrived in Ludington at 1 with 50 miles behind us.  Our hotel room faces Lake Michigan (our second Great Lake!) and looks out to the Ludington Light House.  The hot tub at the hotel was a welcome relief from many days of riding.  We toured the town in the midst of a rain shower.  Another hotel guest recommended a wonderful Italian restaurant which was 3 blocks away.  Back at the room we watched the SS Badger arrive from Wisconsin.  The SS Badger is the last operating ferry on the lake and is coal fired.  We will board at 8 tomorrow for our trip to Manitowoc.  Total mileage for the day was 55+.

Day 26, Jun 15^th, Hardy Dam (Sandy Beach Campground) to Luther, MI (Four Seasons Campground).  We started later this morning.  I was the first up and  Dave was still snoring in his tent.  The sun came up over the lake (very beautiful) and the lake was glassy.  We broke camp slowly and rode to a convenience store for breakfast.  I had an egg, sausage, and cheese croissant and Dave went right for the donuts and apple fritters.  I had to join him with an apple fritter and COFFEE!!!!  It was another day in rural Michigan.  We saw a number of deer, Dave saw a red fox, and we saw 5-6 wild turkeys in a field.  The farms are smaller and there are many empty houses and barns and the area doesn’t seem as prosperous as earlier.  There were few snack or food opportunities today, so we stopped at all of them.  We passed through Big Jackson, MI and took a picture of one of the several very small schools we passed.  We lunched at the Last Chance Saloon in the town (used loosely) of Hawkins (Pop. 28 (est)).  The ride today was either up or down.  There was absolutely NO flat ground and it took a toll on us.  We stopped in the village of Luther and used the library for some needed charging of electronic equipment and their WiFi connection.  Mileage so far is about 55 with another 3-4 to the campground.  We did our best to find a motel but were thwarted at every turn.  Luther has 2 bars and we will flip a coin for dinner. 

 Day 25, Jun 14^th, Belding, MI to Hardy Dam, MI (Sandy Beach Campground).  We weren’t moving as fast this morning and headed out about 8:30.  The morning was a cool 59 degrees and we were in our jackets again.  It warmed up quickly and by 10 I was in my vest and by 11 just my riding shirt.  The first part of the ride was on Michigan route 44 and was some and easy grades.  We then got back on the rural roads with steeper hills and rougher pavement.   The  ride was another day of beautiful Michigan countryside and plenty of small lakes and scenery.  We made good time and stopped at the Coral Bar and Café, in Coral, MI. after 37 miles.  It was a real slice of small village America with Country and Western music videos on the TV and farmers talking about crops, rain, and equipment.  The afternoon stretch was also flat and fast with the wind at our backs for a change.  We took a couple of breaks but made the Croton/Hardy Dam area  about 4pm.  We are in the Muskegon River valley and there are 2 quite old hydroelectric dams built in the 40’s, one at Croton and one at Hardy.  Both dams also created recreational lakes dotted with homes and campgrounds.  This is our 2^nd night camping in the last 3 and tomorrow looks like a camping night too.  I am sitting at a picnic table and it is very quiet and still.   Mileage for the day with the trip out for dinner was 72.58.  Tomorrow we get a little closer to Ludington, MI and a trip on the SS Badger across Lake Michigan to Manitowoc, WI.  We got the last room at a hotel because there is a beach volleyball tournament this weekend.  Dave is looking forward to the women’s events.

Day 24, Jun 13^th, Yankee Springs Recreation Area to Belding, MI.  Last night was clear and cool, a perfect night for camping.  I was comfortable in my sleeping bag.  There were a gazillion kids at the campground but I was amazed that at 9:30 everything quieted down.  I had a bathroom run at about midnight and was stunned by the number of stars in the sky.  We just don’t see all the stars in Yorktown with all the artificial light from the cities.  We were some of the first campers moving and broke camp by 7:30.  It was very cool and we put on long sleeve jackets.  We had a great breakfast at Sandy’s Diner right outside the state park.  Today’s ride was almost a mirror of yesterday; rural roads, farmland, and lots of flowers.  The wind subsided some but there were more hills.  We rode steady and made 23 miles before our first junk food break in Freeport.  We pushed on another 20 and had lunch in Saranac at Germaine's, a restaurant frequented by touring cyclists.  We had intended to camp another night, but Dave took one for the team and claimed an sore knee.  We altered our plans, with much regret, and found a hotel in Belding, slightly off the route.  Total miles for the day 56.98

Day 23, June 12^th, Three Rivers, MI to Yankee Springs Recreation Area, Gun Lake Campground.  The day was cool, windy, and a bright blue sky.  This was one of the most scenic rides of the whole tr ip so far.  The route took us through rural areas of southwestern Michigan.  Interesting the roadswere numbered and lettered streets so we were on 36^th Street and W Ave to name two.  All the farms were well kept, everything was green, and there were many wild flowers blooming.  The wind was fierce and blowing from the northwest.  Unfortunately we were heading northwest and had the wind in our faces most of the day.  We did have some stretches that were down wind and sometimes we were shielded by the tree lines.  Still, this was a day I was happy to be out riding.  This part of Michigan is also dotted with lakes and we passed numerous lakefront communities (picture).  Our first stop was at a Covered Bridge built in 1887 and the longest of any such bridges left in Michigan.  We covered almost 40 miles by our lunch stop in Galesburg, MI.  Just before Galesburg, we met a fellow bike tourer, who was heading to Kentucky.  He was quite the free spirit and didn’t seem to have much of a plan just out riding.  He did send us to Billy’s Bike Shop in Galesburg.  We got air in our tires, a new Camelback mouth piece for Dave, a new back light for me, and a recommendation for lunch.  Andrea’s was a nice restaurant and good conversation.  Back on the road, we had another 30 miles to go and few choices for dinner.  We stopped at a Convenience Store in Praireville, MI, and bought some sandwiches, chips, fruit, and lots of sweets for dinner at the campground.  The night promises to be cool and great sleeping.  Dave and I believe this is only the 5^th camping night.  Total miles for the day were 72.14.  

   

Day 22, June 11^th, Chain of Lakes State Park (Albion, IN) to Three Rivers, MI.  The day started cloudy, cleared up for a while, showered in the early afternoon, and then cleared again.   After a couple of long 70+ mile days, we set off to make this a shorter day.  We did but not by much and the total miles were 68.39 to Three Rivers, MI.  As usual, we were out before the sun and headed out of the park to a restaurant for breakfast.  The Half Acre Café was just the ticket.  The pancakes were huge but Dave had to order twice to get enough French toast.  To shorten the ride, we stayed on Indiana Route 9 the entire morning.  There was a wide shoulder most of the way and the hills were longer but not as steep.  We rolled through Albion, (main line CSX and 3 trains), Rome City, Wolcottville, and on to LaGrange.  This is a very pretty lakes region of Indiana and Michigan and we passed many old lake homes and resorts.  We ate lunch at the Our Place Café in LaGrange and also stopped at a bakery next door for dessert.  This is becoming a habit and Dave seems to sniff out the bakeries.  I think he is trying to make up for Einstein’s Bagel Bakery.  After lunch, we stay on the regular back road route and crossed into Michigan.  I was hailed by an Amish farmer, Marlin, who wanted to know where we were going.  Marlin had worked at a local RV manufacturing plant, but when his parents wanted to quit farming, he took over the farm.  Said he was much happier.  On our way in to Centreville, MI, an old hound dog started running with us down the road.  He kept up for about a ¼ mile before I stopped so he wouldn’t get hit by a car.  Unknown to me, 2 boys in a golf cart had been chasing us and took the dog home.  In Centerville we stopped at Shell Station.  The cashiers, Tracy and Laura, wanted to know about our trip.  Thanks for the encouragement!  We could not find a campground near Centreville, so we went off route to Three Rivers and surprise, surprise we found a Super 8 Motel for the night.

Day 21, June 10^th, Hicksville, OH, to Chain of Lakes State Park (near Albion, IN).  Another early start from Beecher’s Den Motel and a quick, short ride to downtown Hicksville to the Sugar and Spice Restaurant for breakfast.  We were the first in the door.  I had a 3-egg omelet and Dave had 2 breakfast orders of French Toast.  We were hungry based on yesterday’s long ride and small meals.  Today I planned to visit to Antwerp, OH, where my mother was born and where the Williamson family spent many vacations visiting Grandpa and Grandma Long.  Antwerp is a very small town and a big night for Janet Belle, Barbra Ellen and Trip was to visit the A&W Root Beer Stand.  On the ride from Hicksville, I was struck by the endless fields and by an old tree carved to look like a rooster (pictures).  We arrived in Antwerp and after a brief tour of the town, I knew what street to look for the Long house.  As I neared where I thought the Long house sat, I met a woman staying at the house next door.  Mary Plumb remembered Lloyd Long and had visited with him to identify an old photo.  The owner of the house next door, Ron Farnsworth, came out and spoke about some familiar names and neighbors.  The house address is 211 County Road 424.  The front porch has been enclosed but otherwise looks very similar.  We left Antwerp with a set of Arba directions to rejoin the Adventure Cycling Tour route.  We had some difficulties, but many people helped us on the road and we got back on the route in Grabill, IN.  Grabill is smack in the middle of Amish country and we saw several farms without electricity and many Amish folk.  The Amish are being changed slowly.  We saw several teens at our lunch stop (a DQ clone) and one had a cell phone.  We pressed on toward Albion, IN, and the country got hilly.  It was very hot today, in the 90s, but the humidity was not high.  Northwest Ohio and Northeast Indiana are suffering from drought conditions and the fields and lawns show it.  The route took us through some very rural areas and the hills got steeper.  We got to the State Park before Albion and had to go into town for dinner (another DQ!) which meant 6 miles extra.  We planned on camping but when we got to the State Park, we found that cabins were available.  We are sooooo spoiled.!  Dave and I figure we have camped 4 times out of 21 days.  Total miles for the day were 73.03.    

Day 20, June 9^th, Bowling Green, OH to Hicksville, OH.   We got an early start although Dave was already grumbling about no waffles at the Days Inn breakfast.  The weather was cool at about 61 degrees with low humidity, but with a promise of 90+ by afternoon.  The worst of the forecast was the wind would be out of the west at 15-20 mph and right in our faces all day.  Undaunted, we rode through the Bowling Green State University campus, which has no character, and headed down the road.  We kept a slow steady pace because our planned route was 70+ miles and we stopped to take pictures frequently.  Wind energy has come to the Midwest and the turbines were moving at a brisk pace.  The first town of any size was Grand Rapids, OH, on the Maumee River.  Grand Rapids was the end point of a canal built in the 1830s from Lake Erie (Toledo) to the Ohio River (Cincinnati) very similar to the C&O Canal.  We followed the Maumee River into Defiance, OH.  As we headed toward Napoleon, OH, we saw a beautiful old barn (picture) and the world's largest soup can (picture).  After lunch in Napoleon we had 5 miles of road undergoing resurfacing and had been ground down to the old concrete and was quite rough.  After Defiance, we came directly to Hicksville and will visit Antwerp, OH, my mother’s birthplace tomorrow.  The 22 miles from Defiance to Hicksville were painful but we did stop for Ice Cream at the midpoint.   Wilma was very glad to see the Hicksville sign.  Total miles for the day were 73.61  Greatly enjoyed the phone call from the Krew from Mike Fore’s B’day bash.

Day 19,  June 8^th, Avery OH to Bowling Green OH.  We left Avery early, about 7am, to take advantage of the early morning cooler temperatures.  We turned west and soon were out in the middle of the Ohio farmland.  There was very little change in the scenery and the road was straight as an arrow for the first 10 miles.  This was to be repeated a number of times during the day, long straight stretches of roads throughout the day.  The next town was Clyde and we were routed on the North Coast Inland Trail, a paved rail to trail stretch for 10 miles.  We made great time and met a guy, Jan Pump, on a trike with full size wheels.  He only uses the trike on the trail because it is not very stable on turns. We had lunch at Kate and Al’s in Gibsonburg and also visited a bakery for something sweet.  We covered 44 miles for the morning so we only had about 20 Arba miles left.  The wind increased throughout the day and the next 20 were a slog all the way to Bowling Green.  We didn’t take many pictures today, but Dave did stop on the way out of Gibsonville to photo some of Pokey’s friends, 2 burros.  We arrived about 4pm and found a Days Inn.  We had time to unload the bikes and ride into town to explore a little and found a restaurant.  Dave wanted to stop at one of the tattoo parlors to get a “team” tattoo, but I refused and hurt his feeling.  Both Dave and I are feeling tired tonight and the plan is for another 65 miles tomorrow.  Miles for the day were 70.41.  Tomorrow we will leave the Adventure Cycling route and visit Antwerp, OH.

Day 18, June 7th, Cleveland to Avery, OH. Mileage today was 57.55 and the ride was basically flat. The weather was perfect at about 70 degrees and bright sunshine. The ride out of Cleveland took us along Lake Erie through some very nice neighborhoods like Edgewood and Lakewood. After leaving the city the ride continued to be flat and the small towns have built bike lanes along Route 6. Our first stop was in Lorain, OH, where we stopped at the City Park on the lake. There was a group playing bocci ball on the lawn and there was a beautiful rose garden. A member of the Lorain Visitors Bureau, Barb Bickle, stopped us as we were taking a short break. She did a short interview and told us about all the bike friendly things Lorain County has done to promote tourism. You can see the interview at BackRoadsandbeaches.blogspot.com.  There was also a nice restaurant overlooking the lake where we ate lunch. A fellow rider, Sam, that we met in Conneaut several days ago, rode into the park as we left. This might be a place for a long weekend bike tour for the KirkWood Krew and any who would want to join. We made great time to Huron so we pressed on to Avery. Tomorrow we head to Bowling Green, OH.

Day 17, June 6^th, Off day in Cleveland.  We slept in, got coffee at the Starbucks in the hotel and headed out for some breakfast and to find the auto rental office for Sam.  We got a recommendation for a breakfast place that was very good and walked around downtown Cleveland looking for the rental office.  The address said 1705 12^th Street but the hole in the wall office was actually on Superior Street.  The day was sunny and about 70 with a cool breeze off the lake.  After locating the rental office, we headed to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the Lake Erie lakefront.  The Hall of Fame building was designed by I.M. Pei with a lot of glass and open areas.  The exhibits are very well done and if you follow the recommended path, you learn a lot about the origins and early days of rock and roll music as well as information of legends of the industry.  There are wonderful exhibits about all the great bands and performers and a good mix of films, displays, and interactive kiosks.  I would highly recommend a visit.  I will need more time off after the ride to bring Cindy to Cleveland.  Sam Stoakley left about an hour ago heading back to Richmond.  The group now is 2 (Dave and I) with no adult supervision, not that Sam did much to keep us on track.  Tomorrow we hit the road across Ohio heading for Huron, OH.