July 14, 2021
Paradise - Robert’s Corner, MI
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We didn't set the alarm this morning. It was supposed to rain until the early hours and we had a short riding day. What a life! Plus, there was hot breakfast. Sunshine and free breakfast - life is good.
It took quite a bit of shuffling to get our panniers outside, the bikes outside, and then loaded up. I was ready first and took off. Riding in the sunshine is a fine thing.
We were on M-123 all day today. The road surface was good, but the shoulder was small and mostly taken up with a poorly placed rumble strip. Traffic continued to be light.
Humidity hasn't been an issue for me this tour. This morning I decided it was a problem. I felt hot. There were a few clouds that were gathering up and eventually made shade that I appreciated. I had originally told myself I would take my first break at mile 15. I extended that to mile 20, but quickly pulled in at a dirt road about mile 18. Open spaces are not to be undervalued in Michigan!
I no more than stopped than Jacinto pulled up. I was frantically waving a white cleaning rag around my legs, trying to figure out how I could pull my shorts down and keep the flies away at the same time. Jacinto laughed at me, but did volunteer to stand on the other side of the highway as an attraction for passing cars. That was my one full stop of the day. It took me several miles to out pace the black flies. I didn't stop again the rest of the day. I took a couple of scenery photos while riding slowly, but picked the pace right back up. As long as I pedaled, the flies didn't seem aware I was in the area.
The entire day today was a tunnel of trees with occasional ponds of water. We passed the turn for a couple of water falls and a campground. I don't think I'd want to camp with all of these biting flies!
Today was a whole bunch of the same. Which wasn't said in a bad way. Lots of smooth pavement through trees is a good riding day. I rode to the left of the white line the very large majority of the day.
Jacinto eventually caught up with me again and I told him to go ahead and pass.
About ten miles outside of Newberry I started to see some houses and cleared areas. I saw a sign for Oswald's Bear Resuce, which is 4.5 miles off route. It would be an interesting activity if you needed one.
My route took me on a side road to the motel. I skipped Newberry. I called Jacinto to tell him I was going the back way, don't wait for me somewhere in town. I asked for a V-8 if he stopped for a soda pop.
As usual, I was busy counting the miles down. Only one mile from the motel, I saw a lemonade stand! I stopped. For $2. I got my stainless bottle filled with lemonade, plus a rice krispie treat and a brownie. I asked the girl if they had many customers. Yes, quite a few. Maybe workers from the LP logging operation I passed?
In short order I arrived at the motel. I went inside, but the lady was on the phone trying to solve some sort of problem. It sounded lengthy, so I went outside. Soon Jacinto called to say he was in town, had purchased drinks, and when he came back out, his rear tire was flat! He tried pumping it up, but it wouldn't hold air, so he was walking. In the meanwhile the sky was very dark and he could see it raining. Jacinto was sure he would get wet. I did not have a vehicle to pick him up, so sorry.
A cleaning lady was waiting outside of the motel for her ride. I waited for Jacinto. She filled me in on the area. I was noticing a lot of tandem logging trucks go past. Instead of long logs, lengthwise, these logs were cut short and were stacked the width of the truck. The woman said her dad was a logger and that they bring logs from way deep in the woods. The common practice is to go load up in the evening, sleep in the truck, and leave very early in the morning to avoid the weigh stations. They don't want to weigh because they know the trucks are overweight. Thus, my hopeful idea of leaving early won't work.
We are on Highway 28 for the first 25 miles, then we turn north. The cleaning lady said that there's a good shoulder all the way, we should be fine, trucks or no trucks. I guess we will find out.
In the meanwhile, there were five fat drops of rain. I thought Jacinto really was going to get wet. But that's all there were. Here he came walking up and THEN it started to pour. Having a flat tire is bad luck, but at least he got to change in under the carport of the motel.
I went to see if I could check in, but she was still on the phone. On the third try, I succeeded. I felt like I should stay outside and provide moral support while Jacinto changed the flat. He didn't have a new tube, just an old repaired one. Didn't we both start the trip with two new tubes? Obviously not. I gave him one of mine. The hole was on the sidewall, at least not a suspicious spoke side flat.
We finally got in our large, spacious room. Maybe this is why we are out of town, I've been going for the newer, larger places. I am sitting in a recliner with my feet up, typing this report.
The only food close to us is a bar and grill. We are going to eat right now.
Tomorrow is 50 miles. I got kind of hot today, the motel clerk said it was 85 degrees earlier. Tomorrow is a high of 64. Wind from the north, as usual. Today I enjoyed the tailwind ride into town.
Jacinto has patched both tubes and offered me one. I am holding out for a new tube from a bike shop along the way.
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Today's ride: 42 miles (68 km)
Total: 608 miles (978 km)
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