Day 39 - Birch Run to Port Huron MI 90 miles

Day – 39 – Birch Run to Port Huron, MI
A nice day for a bicycle ride through the country, this big wide country of ours.

Special thanks!
Just a note to let all of you know how much I appreciate the comments and feedback on the blog. It really helps me feel connected to friends and family and makes it all that much more fun to keep this up. Again, your comments and names are really appreciated. Special thanks to Russ Morgan, my long time biking buddy who has been the most prolific commenter. I wish you were riding this with me Russ. It really is your kind of ride. I am glad you are at least enjoying it vicariously.

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 6
It is a good thing that I enjoy riding my bicycle. I am getting a lot of it. It is difficult for me to feel euphoric (an exaggerated feeling of elation) when the days start to feel like deja vu all over again. Today was another flat, corn and soybean field day of 90 miles starting with no wind to a brisk headwind half way through the ride. Most felt the ride was a pleasant rolling recovery type of a ride. As a group I think we are getting pretty good at this, for whatever that is worth.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 90 miles
Riding Time: 5:19 hours
Max Speed: 27.4
Average Speed: 16.9
Total Miles traveled: 2,858
Miles to go: 771

Weather:
I am getting nervous writing about this anymore. It would be hard to script a better bicycling day. Starting shortly after dawn with a hint of “chill” in the air…66 degrees and a little humid. We rode through some fog and thick, humid air. The sky was overcast but cleared up as we rode. The sun peeked in and out of the clouds and it never did rain on us, although it felt like it wanted to. Gerard, the bird watcher pointed out the the sparrows were flying low, a sign of impending bad weather. Cows were laying on the ground, another such sign(?). However, it never did rain on us and the only negative was a brisk headwind for the second half of the ride. I’ve decided headwinds are a worthwhile price to pay for such glorious weather. Thank you God!

Incidents and Rider Report
None known… Tri motor and everyone else made the ride uneventfully as far as I know.

How I Feel (1-10): 10
It is almost embarrassing to feel this good! We took it a little easier today than the two previous days, but I still felt like I had plenty of reserves. Maybe it was the 16” x 10” x 4” high plate of mushroom pasta I finished off completely yesterday at Tony’s in Birch Run Michigan. What they lacked in quality pasta they made up in quantity!

Stuff that happened:
Last night I finally got through to my wife Cindy who is on vacation with some girl friends. It was good to hear her voice again after a two day hiatus. It was especially good to hear her laughter, know that she’s having a good time and know that it is only 11 more days until I can see her and hold her in my arms again. I miss you honey and can’t wait to see you again!
This morning we had breakfast in two shifts. Shift one started at the hotel at 5:00am. We all loaded at 6:00am. Those that ate at 5:00 could take off. The second shift eaters began eating a nice sit-down served breakfast at a nearby establishment. The food was very good, but the service was hard to explain. About twenty of us took this option. Those that showed up and ordered first got served last. It’s the second time this phenomenon has occurred on this trip and it is hard to understand. In any event the second shift eaters all departed at roughly 7-7:15 for the long flat ride to Port Huron.
My good riding buddy Gerard and I hooked up at the restaurant and rode side by side today for almost all of the 90 miles. The roads were pretty quiet and we were able to chat about all sorts of things. He has been studying bridge for the last few years. Gerard and his wife belong to two regular clubs; play in tournaments and he plays at least 3 times a week and periodically on line to stay sharp. Bidding strategies, technology tools, bridge unions, and many other aspects of the game were shared by Gerard. We also discussed the privatization of the City Bus Company that Gerard has worked for in Nimegan Holland and the role he played in that conversion. For years Gerard drove a bus and shared what a great job it was because he was able to read almost 4 hours a day and learned all sorts of things and read many many books which he enjoys doing.
It is nice having company for 90 miles with someone who rides along at your pace. Gerard has been a very nice companion for these rides. We seem to help each other when needed and the companionship makes the ride seem to go pretty quick. Thanks Gerard!

Tomorrow we get to ride across the famous “Blue Water Bridge” to Canada. The really exciting part about it is that this very busy bridge will close temporarily so that we may cross as a group, in unison, all 75 of us with a policy escort.

Day 35 - Fond du Lac to Manitowoc - Colleen's Ride

Day – 35 – Fond du Lac to Manitowoc, WI
Chicago Colleen breaks away

Euphoria Meter (1-10): 5
Today was a very pleasant day, cooler temperatures, some headwinds, some tailwinds. Rolling terrain with very prosperous looking farmland. The trip was accented with a trip to John Hubert’s high school alma mater, a Franciscan seminary school, a 3 city fireman’s parade we participated in and our first view of lake Michigan.

Ride Stats:
Distance: 60.6 miles
Riding Time: 3:52 hours
Max Speed: 33.3 mph
Average Speed: 15.6 mph
Total Miles traveled: 2,574
Miles to go: 1,055

Weather:
Hard to believe…. Our 35th day in a row of perfect bicycling weather. Not a hint of cloud or rain in the sky. The winds were mostly cross and at our backs 10-15 mph. There is bad weather around us we see on the weather channel each morning, but wow have we been fortunate!

Incidents and Rider Report
I may have forgotten to mention that Max Mendelson ran with the Gerard pelaton yesterday and at the very end broke his chain and was able to coast in to the sag stop for repairs. Colleen fell yesterday while riding at a decent clip. She was trying to take her rain jacket off without dismounting her bike but did not succeed. Fortunately she wasn’t hurt badly but did draw blood. Her four year old nephew is very interested in the blood part. Although Colleen’s injuries are now a day old and pretty cleaned up, here’s how the hands looked after 24 hours for little Matthew’s benefit:

How I Feel (1-10): 10
I felt really good today physically. All systems were a go. There were a few times my rear end complained, butt for the most part it felt pretty good. This week was full of very long rides, four centuries in four days and we’re still riding. These were not flat, tail wind days either. What amazes me is the stamina and extra resilience I seem to have on these long rides. I do get worn down but seem to bounce back after a little food, gator-aid and/or rest stop. That is bounce back to riding with zest and enthusiasm.
Emotionally however, I am starting to really miss the companionship of my wife, family and home life. Now that I only have 15 days remaining, I am getting eager to complete this big goal that I set. This is a long time to be away for me. The longest ever n my 30+ year relationship with Cindy. For 35 days now I’ve been doing the same routine over and over and over again. Tonight Bob Frame and I broke away from the buffet line to treat ourselves to a big night out at Applebees and be served. It was a nice treat. The thing that keeps me going on this trip is kind of like the Balucci in Animal house and his sense of a “mission from God”. That mission is my desire to propel myself from “sea to sea” on my own power and bicycle. The different city every day definitely breaks things up. The people I am riding with and rooming with are all great travel companions. They are interesting, fun, adaptable adventurers all interested in the same goal, to ride “every inch” of the Northern route across America. This is what keeps me going now.

Stuff that happened:
The ride today was brief and pleasant. We were able to sleep in, we didn’t have to load our bags until 9am. Everyone was ready at 8:30, but the box didn’t open til 9. Everyone took off shortly thereafter. John Hubert took Colleen and I to his High School alma matter, St. Lawrence. This was a prep school for seminary life. He went there for two years and enjoyed the experience, but wanted to complete his education in a public school system. John is now a first office for American Airlines and lives in Connecticut. It was interesting being with him as he wandered around the small campus explaining the purpose of each building. The buildings were closed for the summer, but he did meet a brother and a maintenance fellow who both talked with us at some length about who still taught there and what had happened to various people John knew thirty years ago when he attended the school.
From the campus of St. Lawrence we road to the town of Mt. Calvary. The town was preparing for what looked to be a really big event in a really small town. Through the 2 mile main street lawn chairs were lined 4 rows deep filled with people who eagerly awaited the fire trucks, bands and who knew just what else. We figured the only way out of town was through that street so away we went. Little did we know that we were to become part of the Parade! It was kind of fun, people waving at us and cheering us on. We are easily amused.
After this little bit of fun, John Hubert took off and I had the pleasure of riding with Colleen Brier. She is a young teacher in Chicago who is a strong rider, but doesn’t realize her potential just yet. I had fun getting her to ride with me at a faster clip. She hadn’t been used to drafting and did very well at it. She encouraged me to go faster so she could get more of a workout! It was a fun day getting to know her and John better.