Day 24 - 30 June, Monday, Outside of Grand Rapids, MI - Dewitt, MI (35 Miles)

     Last night Sara picked me up in Ludington, MI when the ferry came in and drove me to their house in Belmont, MI.  Nick was there with Brandon and Jordan making dinner.  We had smoked beef brisket and smoked pork butt in his new smoker...it was great.  I plan on buying one of those smokers.  I can't beleive that I didn't take any pictures.

     This morning Sara gave me a ride out of the Grand Rapids area.  This would alow me to have a lower mileage day to give my legs a break.

     Thanks Nick and Sara!!!

     The ride today was good the weather was overcast and the humidity was high.  I made it to Dewitt, MI which is just north of Lansing, MI.  I'm staying at the Sleep Inn in Dewitt.  Oh yeah I left all of my camping gear with Nick and Sara since the remainder of the trip I will be staying at hotels.

     Tomorrow I plan to have a full day of riding (50 miles) to Fenton, MI.  That will leave my last riding day on Wednesday make it to the cottage!

 As we pulled into Ludington looking out at Lake Michigan

                                             A bike trail that I was on for a few mile

                                                      Portland River

Day 23 - 29 June, Sunday, Little Chute, WI - Manitowic, WI (50 Miles)

     Today when I woke up early I heard the rain.  It was pouring...I decided to get ready to ride with the hope that it would let up.  By the time I was ready to go around 6:45am the rain did slow down.  So I donned my rain gear and left my room which was on the thrid floor.  The lights in the hallway were out which was a bit strange...when I got to the elevator it wasn't working.  Turns out they had a power failure and I had to take my loaded bike down three flights of stairs!!  What a way to start the day!

     So the reason why I had to get an early start is because I wanted to make sure I was on time for the 2pm ferry across Lake Michigan.  The weather was cloudy and threatening rain for the whole ride...it seemed that I was running from the storm.  I never got rained on and made really good time.  By the time I got to Manitowoc I saw the SS Badger pulling in from Ludington.  I had time to have lunch before boarding the boat.

     When I get to Ludington, MI Sara will be picking me up and taking me to their house in Belmont, MI.  Nick will be preparing dinner in his new smoker...sounds good!  I think Brandon and Jordan may be joining us at Nick and Sara's house.  I haven't planned out the next phase of the trip but I am thinking it should take me 3 or 4 days to get to Metemora, MI....my final destination.

                                                 Memorial outside my hotel

                                                   Kaukauna Dam

                                                         Fox River

                My garmin took me on this dirt path...good thing it was only one mile!

                                        Looks like someone was having fun!!

                                               SS Badger pulling into Manitowoc,WI

                                                     Manitowoc, WI

                                         Took a break when I got to Lake Michigan

                                    This sign on a bench caught my attention....

                                                   SS Badger in port

                                                       Finally leaving Wisconsin!

                                           Lighthouse leaving Manitowoc

Day 22 - 28 June, Saturday, Clintonville, WI - Little Chute, WI (47 Miles)

     Today was a little warmer and sunny.  I was heading SE and the wind was strong coming from the SE.  So that was today's challenge...at times it felt like a was standing still.  Always a challenge...

     When I got to the Country Inn & Suites in Little Chute, WI. they told me that they didn't have any rooms available.  After talking to them for a while amazingly they found a room...this was good because I didn't feel like riding any more today.  I'm not sure how I miscalculated the mileage for tomorrow but I thought I would only have 35 miles...it turns out that I will have to ride closer to 50 miles.  So my plan is to start riding earlier than normal so I can make the 2pm ferry to MI.  If I miss this ferry then I will just have to wait till Monday.

             You see a lot of road kill on a bike but this was the biggest and freshest.

                                                   Embarrass River

                                                         Wolf River

                                                   Break to have a pear.

Day 21 - 27 June, Friday, Weston, WI - Clintonville, WI (53 Miles)

     Today I woke to a pouring rain.  I was thinking about changing my plan but decided to have breakfast first...by the time I finished eating the rain slowed to a drizzle.  So I decided to press ahead...I didn't put on all of my rain gear hoping that it would stop.  Well the rain got worse as I rode...I was in a pretty good down pour for a couple of hours.

     My garmin took me on a trail for 10 miles...I think it was a snow machine trail.  It wasn't paved and the grass was long and wet.  The good things about the trail were not cars or trucks, no dogs, a lot of deer and it was relatively flat.

     I checked into the Cobblestone Inn & Suites in Clintonville, WI.  Tomorrow I plan to ride to Little Chute, WI.  I also made reservations for Sunday on the SS Badger that leaves out of Manitowoc, WI and will take me to Ludington, MI.  When I get into Ludington, MI on Sunday night Nick and Sara will pick me up and I will stay the night with them at their house in Belmont, MI.

                                                    I liked this house

                            This is the beginning of the trail I was on for 10 miles!

                                                             A lot of deer!!

                                                          In the middle of nowhere

Day 20 - 26 June, Thursday, Abbotsford, WI - Weston, WI (46 Miles)

     Today was a good day to ride.  It was a little overcast and a little cooler in the low 70s.  The other good thing was that all of the roads were paved.  I rode 30 miles on the same rode...County Road N.

     I am staying in the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Weston, WI.  Tomorrow I plan to ride to Clintonville, WI.

                                 I found the home of Colby Cheese - Colby, WI

                                              Paved County Road N

                                           These wind machine blades were huge!

                                                Took a break to eat an apple.

                              Golf course below a Ski Lodge...I'd rather be playing golf.

                                                      Wisconsin River

                                                  

Day 19 - 25 June, Wednesday, Cadott, WI - Abbotsford, WI (47 Miles)

     It was a good thing that I got a motel last night because it rained.  When I left the motel this morning it was drizzling...that puts a damper on the ride.  The rain got a little heavier before it finally stopped.  My next challenge was that my garmin put me on a soft gravel road for the last 15 miles of the ride...that was grueling!!  Hopefully I won't have to ride that long on a dirt road again.  Oh yeah because I was on a dirt road passing many farms, I had about 12 dogs chase me...good thing I had my Sound Defense!  As soon as I use it they stop in their tracks!

     I'm staying at the Rodeway Inn in Abbotsford, WI.  I haven't been camping because rain seems to always be in the forecast and I don't want to have to deal with the rain.  Tomorrow I plan to ride to Weston, WI.

                                                     Leaving Cadott

                                                          More cows...

                                                       Yellowstone Trail

                                                  Another Llama Farm

                                           Passed through an Amish Community

                                       The dirt road that I road on for 15 miles.

Day 18 - 24 June, Tuesday, Menomonie, WI - Cadott, WI (46 Miles)

     No rain last night!!  Broke camp at Twin Springs Campground at about 0800.  Made coffee and oatmeal with my Jetboil stove.  The sky was clear and the temp was starting to increase so I got on the road to get my ride done early.  I road on country roads all day passing many farms through rolling hills.  It was a very peaceful and scenic ride.  After noon the temperature got up to 100 degrees.  By the time I pulled into Cadott, WI I was pretty wiped out.  I checked into the Countryside Motel in Cadott, WI.  There is a restuarant across the street so I won't have to ride to get food.

     Tomorrow I plan to ride to Abbotsford, WI.

                                                         Cedar Falls 

                                                      Cedar Falls

                                          I think they are growing beans here

                                                    Country road

                                                        Country Road

                                                   Still making cheese

                                                        Lake Wissota

                                                   Another cheese store!

Day 17 - 23 June, Monday, St Croix River - Menomonie, WI (55 Miles)

     Today's ride was great!  Brian gave me a ride out of the Twin Citys so that I didn't have to contend with the morning traffic.  He dropped me off just over the St Croix River.  The ride in Wisconsin is very hilly...a lot of ups and downs.  Overalll I climbed 1700 ft and decended 1700 ft.  The weather was a little warm but not too bad...I think it got up to about 93 degrees.  The roads were pretty good...not much traffic so I ended up riding further than expected.  That could have also been because I had two days rest.

     Since it wasn't raining when I got into Menomonie, WI I decided to camp.  I am camping at the Twin Springs Campground.  This is a very nice campground just 2 miles outside of the city.  It is right on Lake Tainter.

     Tomorrow I plan to ride to Stanley, WI.  Hopefully I'm not wet when I wake up!

                                                         Minneapolis

                                                        Making Cheese

                                                I think he knew I was from California

                                                         Llama Farm

                                           My camp at Twin Springs Campground