In case you wondered, I DID make it home – I walked in the door about 8am Sunday morning after a fairly lousy night on the train. American trains rock and bounce too much for good sleeping – it’s not liked being rocked to sleep. The occasional sideways lurch from (I think) an uneven track makes you think you’re falling out of bed! I took a nap on Sunday, but didn’t feel normal until Monday, after a better night.

Final stats for the whole ride: 19 riding days, 1183 miles, 25,951 vertical feet climbed, and overall average of 13mph. Number of flat tires: 0!, number of mosquito bites: 3 (pretty good for the Great Lakes!)

Overall, it was a good tour – much more interesting than last year’s hundreds of miles of cows and cornfields. I didn’t have much extra stuff I never needed – never used my rain jacket or tools, but would have definitely wanted them if things had turned out differently, so no regrets on my load-out.

I think my favorite day was 14: Manistee to Montague. The combination of temperatures, views, the trail at the end, and just pleasant riding put it over the top. Seeing my sister for dinner at the end didn’t hurt either.

Least favorite would definitely be 17: Saint Joseph, MI to Portage, IN. That Calumet Trail was super unpleasant, and combined with the humidity and hot temperatures, it just wasn’t a fun day. At the end, I couldn’t even find decent food near my hotel, and resorted to a Dominos Pizza. Not what I was hoping for!

My favorite spot was Washington Island on Day 3. The Sunset Resort is a spot I have decided to take my wife to when I have a chance. It’s just a special place!

What would I change? Well that’s hard to answer. There were a few spots along the route where I wish I had the flexibility to stay an extra day, but with all hotel stays, everything was reserved and planned out ahead of time. I envied some of the touring cyclists I met who had camping gear and didn’t necessarily know where they would stop each night and could stay an extra day if they felt like it.

But do I want to camp when I do this? I don’t think so. I really like a comfy bed and shower at the end of the day, and camping doesn’t always come with that. I’m not sure how to make my ride more spontaneous without giving up the reserved hotel room I like.

I do think I should have scheduled another rest day or two. Before I left, my wife looked at the schedule and wondered why I hadn’t (as I had complained I needed more last year). Knowing where to put the extra rest days would be the challenge.

Where will I go next summer? I don’t know. Right now, I’m not sure I’d do this again, but remember feeling this way after returning last year. So amnesia sets in after a few months and makes you want to try something else. Check with me near the end of the year, and I might have an idea.

I do think I’m done with Amtrak for getting to/from destinations. As much as I like the $20 add-on to bring a bike with you, the experience is not great. I don’t sleep well, eat well, or feel relaxed. Delays are common. Maybe flying with a bike (while a bit pricier) is a better experience overall.

I do have to say, having no mechanical issues and never feeling unsafe (aside from the occasional close pass from a car) it was an overall great tour. I’m happy that (a year after my first solo tour) I can still do this, and want to keep doing it at some level.

Thanks to everyone who read and followed along, and your  good wishes.

All the best! John