July 25
Wednesday, July
25 Birch Run, MI to Port Huron, MI 89 miles
Relief! It finally came. We got up
this morning and I was so cool most of us wanted a light jacket on. What a welcome change this is. I don’t think I’ve put on a jacket because
of a cool morning since Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
It was cloudy all day and just five miles from Port Huron it started to
rain very lightly. Not enough that I
needed to pull out my rain gear. It
felt good actually. It had been so hot
for so many moons that the rain was a joy.
I arrived by 1:00 here and just afterwards
it really started coming down. Most of
the riders who have been arriving all
afternoon are really soaked. I’m sure
the farmers are glad today. Yesterday,
especially I couldn’t help feeling so sorry for the farmers because of how
terrible the crops looked. It down
right depressed me riding along seeing such dry, parched, shriveled-up fields
of corn, soy beans and sugar beets. All
the lawns were completely brown. But
now today the closer we came to Lake Huron the better the crops look and here
in town yards looked better too.
We all voted Michigan number one for crappy
roads. These motorists around here from Ludington to Port Huron must keep car
alignment shops very busy. The roads we came in on were either super nice or
just the opposite and the majority of the miles were ridden on the bad
ones. Minnesota comes in a close
second. Tonight we’re all checking for
loose nuts and bolts in our brains, I mean on our bikes.
This Holiday Inn Express has the neatest
thing. Right in the lobby area is a
room called “business Center”. It has a
computer, printers, everything all free for the guest to use. I could check my e-mail. Yippee! Thanks everyone for your notes. Also I was able to check my web site
too. Glad to see Nick is getting my
journal entries on in Paul’s absence.
Thanks son!
All morning on my ride today in my heart
and thoughts were those attending the funeral of, my Mother-in-law, Leone. It was hard to be out there trying to stay
upright on my bike (on those gosh awful roads) and at the same time pray for
those who needed to get through their difficult day.
Today Mike and Barbara Munk joined the
crew. Doug Torosian will be leaving us
for a few days when we get to Niagara Falls, NY. Mike will take over Doug’s duties as leader while he is gone. Actually, Doug is going to go catch up with
another ABB ride that is crossing the USA on a different route. That group is about a week ahead of us and
Doug will be with them as they finish in Boston.
I am getting somewhat familiar with the
person who appears in my mirror. Back
in Fond Du Lac, Wisconsin I popped into a beauty salon that I saw across from the hotel. Hair was getting a little bit shaggy and it
had been easy keeping it short during this trip. Makes it easier since we sweat so much and want a quick and easy
hair do to wash and dry fast after our day’s ride. So I walked in and said just follow the lines of the hair cut I
have now – trim it a little. Holy
Cow! I had to ask her if it was really
me when I looked it the mirror after the lady finished with the scissors. Short isn’t the word for it. Scalped is more like it. It dries so fast now I don’t even have to
use a hair dryer! I might have to wear a name tag when Paul
looks for me on Saturday when he comes to Niagara Falls to see me.
I was just about ready to report Michigan a
snake-free state. But I saw on the road
two of the ugliest snakes of the whole trip – right here on an ugly Michigan
road. One was this dark brown-blackish
thing with white rings. The other ,
Padre Jim told me , was a Copper Head snake.
Now I tell you it was the biggest, fattest, longest snake yet. I am just
so lucky someone or something has smashed them before I had to ride my
bike around them! Oh Canada save me
from these creepy reptiles.
And tomorrow we continue our journey across
North America by cycling into Canada for a few days. The road signs will be in kilometers (metric). I hope I don’t get lost. Speaking of lost, today I went two miles out of
the way. I should have turned left, but
went right before waking up. My first clue
was the road was too smooth, I knew I was
on the wrong road.
Time to hit the roll-a-way. My turn for that bed tonight.
Thank you for your prayers. I thank God everyday for this wonderful
experience I am enjoying on my two wheeled, open-air vehicle.