Day #29 August 21, 2007

Day #29
Tuesday August 21, 2007

Mackinaw City, MI to Coloma, MI

363 miles today (19,544 - 19,907)
5, 797 miles total

Stayed in beautiful Michigan all day!


















Got up at 5AM today. Made a cup of coffee and then transferred all of
last weeks photos to the laptop. I heard NO WIND last night and
slept great! I checked out of the campground (turned in the key to
the cabin for deposit refund), got gas and ice, stopped for breakfast
and then hit the road. The sky was clear, but I am heading where
the rain was yesterday, and for several days prior.

I made great time the LAST 150 miles of the day. However, the first
200 took over 6 hours! The last 150 were all 4 lane, most of it I-196
on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan. But the first 200 were US 31.
Lots of small towns. Lots of stop lights in the towns. Some had a
very “tourist” feel to them. Saw some beautiful older homes, either
very well cared for or they’d been restored. Typically they would sit
up on a hillside with US 31 between the house and the lake. Some of
the little towns just gave the appearance of summer places where the
wealthy would come for their annual summer vacations. There was
a nostalgic feeling to them.

I went through Holland, MI where I saw a vendor I used called
Holland Barstool Co. That was a surprise! I’d forgotten all about them.

I got to Coloma, MI and the campground is all WET! I mean REALLY
wet. The picture above is just one of the sites, and some of the campers
who had been there a while said the water has really receded a lot
already. One whole section of sites, probably 30 or more, was completely
closed and parts looked like a small lake or pond. I am SO GLAD I
decided to stay an extra day in Mackinaw City! Good decision
(good listening!) and an answer to my prayer for wisdom to know
what to do.

Tomorrow it’s on to Iowa, J&P Cycle and the National Motorcycle
Museum.

Day #28 August 20, 2007

Day 28

Monday August 20th, 2007

Mackinaw City, MI to Mackinaw City, MI

45 miles today (19,499 - 19,544)

5,434 miles total

Traveled little today. The plan was to stay put and NOT go south into central Michigan where LOTS of rain is forecasted. The sky was very overcast here this AM, and a 50% chance of showers. Will consider moving indoors to a cabin while all my gear is still dry.

Plans included laundry (yuk), make pics of the bridge, go to the bridge visitors center, work on blog, work on route planning and read. I hate to take another “day off” after last Wed-Fri in Fargo, ND, but I don’t see any point in riding through a projected DOWNPOUR all day! Besides, I have NO clean clothes!

Decided to move indoors to a cabin. After moving and packing the tent away, I did laundry as planned, rode into town, crossed the bridge and rode on the metal grate lane coming back again. Couldn’t see water, but the wind was fierce! I was leaning pretty significantly, yet still going straight ahead. At two different sections on the bridge there are some modified turnouts (blocked by curbs) that provided a wind break. At that instant, as I came up to those, I nearly fell over for the LACK of wind all of a sudden. It really caught me off guard the first time!

I am not much of a “tourist.” Although I rode through the downtown area, I didn’t bother to park and look in all the little shops that had the same ol’ stuff I’d already seen in a dozen other little tourist towns. I’ll take the roller coaster ride on the bridge anytime!!

Had fun at the little t-shirt shop (pic above) when I asked the clerk if I they got a lot of snow here! Well...I didn't know!! She was silent for about 10 long seconds while she looked me over.

"Are you serious?" she asked in her most "is this guy for real" voice. She asked if I was NEW to town. HA! She proceeded to tell me how the town clears out except for one hotel and one gas station. "NO ONE stays here for the winter" she went on to explain. I even learned that the waterway under the bridge joining Lake Michigan and Lake Huron actually freezes over! I had no idea! Hey! If you don't ask questions you won't learn anything!

The rain never materialized today. Oh well. I’ll sleep good knowing I’m already packed and ready to go tomorrow.

Day #27 August 19, 2007

Day 27
Sunday August 19, 2007

Saxon, WS to Mackinaw City, MI
344 miles today (19,155 – 19,499)
5,389 miles total


1 new state today: MI
12 states total

Set my alarm for 4:00 AM. I wanted to get out of the dirt I was
in ASAP! Had to get up during the night and hit the can. As I glanced
up on my way, stars were EVERYWHERE! Wow! Totally amazing.
There were no clouds, so I felt better about the chance of rain, or
lack of. Reminded me of Piedmont, SD where I camped for the
Sturgis rally with the CMA guys. There is just so much around me,
if I will only take the time to stop and LOOK!

When I got up at 4:00 AM, and headed to the ONE shower,
the sky was different. Now there were NO stars, only clouds. Oh oh,
what it coming? So I showered quick (50 cents for 4:20 of time)
and then fixed breakfast of oatmeal (3 packages) and one cup of
coffee. I’ve got to figure out how to keep the grounds IN the little
coffee screen. I think I need a courser grind. I boxed up my gear,
dressed, tore down, hitched up and was ready to go by 6 AM.

When I pulled out, it was C-O-O-L! Brrrrr. I had to stop down the
road and eventually put on rain gear to help block the wind. I was
cold most of the day before, from Moorhead, MN to Saxon, where
I just left, and now it looked like I would be cold again. I stopped
in Ironwood, WS for gas and coffee. This to warm up! I had just
been through Hurley, MN and made pictures of all the
“gentlemen’s clubs” that lined Silver Street. I made pics of
several banners proclaiming Silver Streets fame, but I’m not
exactly clear as to “why” it was famous!

I stopped in McDonalds in Marquette, MI for coffee. I ate my
sandwich (made the night before), a banana and 2 fruit pies. Took
less than an hour break, maybe 45 minutes or so, just to warm up
good. The Upper Peninsula of Michigan is really very beautiful. It
reminded me of both Oregon AND Kentucky. There were stretches
of evergreens for miles, but then there were stretches of hardwoods
for miles. As I got to the Lake Superior Basin, the land turned flat.
Evergreens of some sort would just appear. Often they would line
the road for miles. As I got off of highway 28 and on to US 2, the
terrain became more hilly and rocky. Finally, as I rounded the
corner near Gros Gap, MI, the Mackinaw Bridge appeared. YIKES!
What a sight. I heard it was 5 miles long.

I am staying in Mackinaw Mill Creek Campground. Very nice spot.
The breeze (i.e. wind?) is blowing off the lake. I suspect it will blow
all night long. That is one thing I DON’T miss about Sturgis, the
stinkin’ wind! The lady who runs the store here, Linda, has a brother
in Eugene, OR. She thinks he’s a geriatric doctor. Wow...another
Eugene connection!

I am trying to not only write every night, but now I am trying to go
back and reconstruct the early nights (1-20?) where I only recorded
on paper. It has taken me some time to get the computer up and
running. And now, I am yearning for an IPOD so I can have music
on the road. I will especially want that on the Gulf Coast stretch home.

I should be in KY by end of this week. I’ll re-evaluate the plan then.
I have already started a list of things to do to the bike, the trailer, etc.
before I head out again.

“Father, again, you have blessed me with a DRY day. Sunshine and
clouds, just like life. But you protected me from the knothead that
“almost” made a left turn in front of me, the speeding traffic, and
even kept the Mackinaw Bridge from collapsing! And you have
directed me to a wonderful campground. Thank you, Lord. Give
me a good nights rest.”

Day #26 August 18, 2007

Day 26
Saturday August 18, 2007

Moorhead, MN to Saxon, WS
347 miles today (18,808 - 19,155)

5,045 total

1 new state today: Wisconsin

11 states total

Didn’t get out of camp in Moorhead until nearly 9 AM. Had another visitor wanting to know about the trailer.

I hit the showers early so I could beat all the softball players to them.

There was only one guy in there at 5:30. I had my oatmeal and one

pop-tart and drank some milk. The milk may go bad by tomorrow.

I left camp with rain gear on as the sky was looking threatening. For

3 days now the rain has been moving this direction from the

southwest. It may finally get here today.

I made good time today I thought. I stopped at an Indian Casino

near Walker, MN and had lunch. I was SO COLD! Again, an extreme

contrast. I traveled all day and never saw the temp climb above 62

degrees. Good grief! Two weeks ago it was 40 degrees warmer during

the day. What contrast! Saw the Mississippi River, narrow enough I

could throw a rock across it!

I made my goal of at least Duluth, the 2nd goal of Ashland, and am

only 16 miles from the 3rd goal of Ironwood, MI. I am almost in

Michigan. Tomorrow, with fair weather, should have me at Mackinaw

City, at the long bridge. I’ll cross on Monday I guess, unless I get

there really early tomorrow.

I am staying at a mom and pop campground, with the office in a

bar. It’s only $14.50 but I’m camping on DIRT!

If it rains….oh oh; wet dirt = mud!

Hope to sleep better tonight. I think it’s a little quieter here.

Good day, good mileage.

Day #17 August 9, 2007

Day 17
Thursday August 9th, 2007

Hot Springs, SD to Piedmont, SD
175 miles today (17,658 – 17,833)
3,723 miles total

No new states today
8 states total

Slept in till 6 or so this morning. I went straight to the shower first.
I sometimes don't like to, as I get hot and sweaty packing stuff up.
I get especially hot putting the tent away and hitching up the trailer.
And the sun will be hot once it comes up today.

I starting packing up right away. Moved stuff for the bike out to
the picnic table. Stored stuff inside the trailer as I went. I am
s-l-o-w-l-y developing a system for getting things packed away
so I can get on the road. I’m going to need to get some tent poles
and a larger tarp after yesterday afternoon’s rain! I want to put
the whole camper under cover in case I have a downpour like
that again.

I went to breakfast at the pavilion here. Had pancakes, bacon
and good coffee. Got out just before 9. Headed up 385 to Custer
where I went to the Nat’l Woodcarvers Museum. Got instructions
on how to get there from the lady at the downtown Custer
visitors center. She had a good friend who had lived in Eugene
and had heard it is so beautiful. Lots of Eugene, OR connections
along the way!

The museum consisted of just one mans carvings. He was a
Disney animator. In fact, he was one of the first to work on sets
for the Anaheim Disneyland in the 1950’s. I wondered if he was
a Nazi though, as several of his works had the swastika in them.
(I later saw this same thing at the CORN PALACE in Mitchell, NE
and read that the swastika was an early Indian good luck symbol.
It was shown on some Indian like work in the museusm as I recall.)
It was interesting, but Nat would have HATED it. I’m so glad we
didn't stop last year when we were here. Both Custer and Hill City
have blocked off their main streets for the Sturgis Rally.
There are lots of bikes here already on this beautiful warm day.

Got into Rapid City in the heat of the day. Went to a sporting goods
store AND a WalMart...but no tent poles. Got a few things I
needed, including the single cup coffee screen for a single cup of
drip coffee. I made a phone call to Selco, transferred money and
got a cash withdrawal at a bank inside Wal-Mart. I am amazed
at how little T-Mobile cell service there is in a city the size of
Rapid City.

Got to the CMA campground. Made camp right under a shade tree,
next to a camper similar to mine. Went back to the Black Hills
HD dealer, just off the interstate, but several miles before Sturgis,
where about 50 more vendors are. JM radios is there. Going
to try and get them to adjust my radio tomorrow.

I will get to breakfast early and then the 9AM church service so
I can volunteer to help somehow. The CMA'ers do several things
during the rally.

My campground is just a 1/2 mile off the freeway and the bikes
are a constant drone in the distance. I suspect they will last all
night. I'll sleep with ear plugs TONIGHT!
And I am sunburned too...on top of my nose. It is really sore.

Turning in. A good day, but less than 200 miles traveled.

Day #14 August 6, 2007

Day 14
August 6th, 2007

Pueblo, CO to Kimball, NE
344 miles today (16,880 - 17,224)
3,114 total
1 new state today: Nebraska
7 states total

It rained hard, saw lots of lightning and had some thunder last
night. I have been waking at 6AM most mornings.
Packed the trailer, except my clothes, so I was pretty much ready
to go. Checked the oil again and it looked good. Later the low oil
level light would come on.

Lori went to work about 8:30. She was glad I came and wants me
to come back. Guess I wasn't THAT BAD of a guest! I showered,
got ready, hitched the bike up and prayed with Terry before leaving
shortly after 9. Went by the post office to drop a card to Stacey,
then headed out. Before I even got to the freeway (I-25) the low
oil level light came on. Grrrr...so I pulled in the Days Inn where
Amber (Kraus's daughter) works and said goodbye to her AND
added some more oil. The bike has an aftermarket oil filter
relocation kit. The additional lines require a little more (1/3 qt)
oil than factory specs. It's taken a little fussing to determine this.

Got to Colorado Springs with no additional problems.
Called Judy (my sister) then Zachary (her son). He was still in
Salida, so we didn't get to meet. :( Went to the Vistors Bureau and
got a map of Colorado. Found out the cycle shop I came to Springs
for was CLOSED on Monday. Visited with the groundskeeper for
15 minutes. He's been all over the US on his Goldwing.
He gave me some gas and road tips. It's funny how just being in
leathers, or pulling the trailer, just really opens people up to talk
to me about my journey.

Got out into eastern CO and it was pretty dull and boring.
Had two hours to go to the Kansas line. Thought I'd pick that state
up on the way north. Just TOO BORING to go two hours to check
it off. I'll have to get Kansas City on the way to KY I guess.

Headed north from Limon up Colorado 71. Little traffic,
fair scenary, and good roads. I made 344 miles today. I think
that's my 2nd highest day.

Had lunch in Limon where I "tried" to put diesel in the bike.
OH NO! DUMMY! The pump would not let me select the diesel
hose, then try to select a gasoline grade. GOOD THING as I had
the diesel nozzle IN MY TANK. I was ready for lunch. I was hot,
tired, and ready to be refueled myself.

And God answered my prayer. I prayed earlier today
"Lord, get me WHERE I need to be, WHEN I need to be there."
A trucker named Mario, from FLA, came by and inquired about
the trailer. He had sold 3 other trucks (tractors) just to keep 1 so
he could keep driving. He was near bankruptcy and foreclosure.
They saved some cash back in case they were evicted and his
26 year old son gambled it away (he thinks). He just needed
someone to vent to. God provided me. I offered him the HOPE
of God. We chatted a few minutes and parted.

My "low oil level" light came on again (flickering) just after lunch
outside of Limon as I was climbing the first hill. I stopped, added
just a little bit of oil, and went on my way. Not know exactly how
much I lost before getting the drain plug in, it's hard to determine
exactly where the oil level is at. The little sight window at the
bottom of the crankcase is USELESS! I can't hold the bike upright
AND look UNDER the bike at the same time!! BAD DESIGN
I think....

I had a good afternoon of riding. Staying in Kimball, NB tonight
at the KOA. Cabella's the big sporting goods store is just down the
freeway about 25 miles. I spent about an hour there I'd guess.

Bought a cap for $5, some wire clothes pins I'd been looking for,
and some candles. I still can't find the wire basket filter for one
cup of coffee. I think I left my OREGON cap in Whitefish, MT.
Ready to hit the hay. Thunder and lightning has tapered off here.

It sprinkled while I made my dinner of canned soup.
I ate so much at Terry and Lori's. Glad to be back to small meals.
I'm limiting myself to two meals a day usually.

Day #13 August 5, 2007

Day #13

Sunday August 5, 2007

0 miles today

2770 total

Got up at 6AM...as usual!

Went to church with the Kraus family in downtown Rye, CO.

First, the environment, then the message...

the whole inside was done in knotty pine. The layout of the 2

sections of pews reminded me of my home church, Fairfield in

Eugene, OR. The lights above were old wagon wheel style with

5 or 6 fixtures on each wheel. They looked like something you'd

find in an older restaurant. But they fit this southern Colorado

town.

The message...from Luke 12 was about life not consisting in
the abundance of "stuff." Traveling by bike, even pulling a

trailer, I just don't have room for a lot of stuff. My trip is

giving me time to think about what is important in life. I've

neglected that for a long time.

After lunch, Terry and I changed the oil in the bike. This was

a 2 man job for 2 NON mechanics. We actually had a blast

doing this. We were laughing, joking and cutting up. When

laughed even more when we realized I forget to put the drain

plug in the crankcase! It took 2 quarts for us to realize this!

(This would haunt me for several days I would soon discover.)

Hey, like I said, we are NOT mechanics. Kudos go to Lori

for letting us use one of her glass baking dishes to catch the

oil. Everything else I had was too tall to fit under the bike

frame/crankcase. Hopefully, next thanksgivings day

dinner dressing will not taste funny! Thanks Lori!

I finished off the afternoon with packing the trailer, fixing

the mirror on the bike, checked tire pressure and just

generally relaxing around.

Tomorrow, it's on to Sturgis for my first visit there. I received

an email from my sister saying her son and a friend were in

Salida, CO just west of Colorado Springs. I'll call him tomorrow.