That’s 60 years…. not miles. Here’s some more of what we’ve learned.
Support your local businesses (bike shops, restaurants, brewers, grocers, etc.). We knew our bikes were due for some maintenance so we called Trailhead Bike Shop a few days ahead to get on their schedule and give them the skinny on what might need to be done to the bikes. We took the bikes in Monday morning and by Monday at 4pm they were ready to ride.
Both the Co-Op and the Cannondale are riding like new. Jeff, Andy and Kendra were over-the-top helpful in explaining what was done and why.
Northern Tier riders, if you need a mid trip tune up, supplies or just air in your tires, this is the place. Call ahead to schedule the tune up though. Their mechanic, Andy, is willing and able but busy (’cause he’s good and thorough).
Protect the bods. Every day we’ve been slathering on the sunscreen and SPFing our lips with ChopSaver. Since we’re outside everyday for most of the day, sometimes in areas with very little shade, our skin and lips get torched. And the protection has paid off. No sunburn, no scorched lips.
The ChopSaver lip balm is one of the items that makes the cut to include in the bag I keep in my back pocket (ChopSaver, drivers license, insurance card and Rosary). It’s just that much of a necessity.
Take time to visit. Our camping destination on Tuesday was 6 miles east of LeRoy. The plan was to stop at a small local restaurant to get dinner before heading to the campground since we were unsure of the skeeter situation at the campground. Not fun to eat and cook in Skeeterville.
We found the restaurant tucked back off the road with a view of Sunrise Lake. Walking into the restaurant we were flagged down by Katie who had a coupon for us to use. She herself was stopping in to cash in her birthday dinner coupon.
As we most always do when we enter a restaurant we scan the walls to check for available outlets to charge our devices. Meanwhile Katy invited us to join them for all-you-can-eat fish and chips.
Pretty sure the restaurant didn’t make any money off all-you-can-eat deals when feeding two hungry cyclists. The fried fish was so, so tasty and the convo with Katie, her husband, Butch and friend, Beth even better. Butch and Katie have a farm in LeRoy and shared a few amusing stories about when they were raising their children in Alaska. Beth, thanks for sharing Katy and Butch at dinner. Katie and Butch, thanks for treating us to the best fish fry I think we will ever experience.
Besides the tuneup on our day off, we were able to stock up on food, get to Mass, get laundry done and putz around Ludington meeting a few locals and Mark from Scotland who is from a town very close to our future son-in-law. Small world.
Oh yea we added a route tracker if you want to track our progress toward the finish line in Bar Harbor, ME. Check it out here.
We also cycled down to the Lake Michigan waterfront to watch the sun set which was a pretty righteous way to end our recovery day.
The ride report on Tuesday? A lot less humid, very little wind and a near perfect day of riding.
Looking ahead the weather appears to offer more of the same providing us with a few days of stellar riding conditions as we make our way across Michigan’s mitten, averaging a little over 70 miles daily.
Keep Calm and Pedal On 