Date: 2007-07-15
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Miles today: 0.0

7-12-07Bruce Crossing, MI51 miles today2030 easterly miles6116 total milesIt was cool this morning....in the low 40's. That felt great!!I had my Starbuck's, then a couple donuts from the motel in Ironwood.We had a short day planned, but it was so nice out this morning that we couldn't wait to start riding.We had a nice westerly wind and clear blue skies and very smooth roads. It seemed like it was an effortless ride.We were riding through Bessemer and I thought I saw a large dog running towards me. When I looked, I saw a doe running towards me and she ended up running right in front of me.We rode on to Wakefield and stopped for a sit-down breakfast. They serve a large breakfast up here in Yooper land.We finished eating, then when we started riding again, we turned off Rt 2 and onto Rt 28. We have pretty much followed Rt 2 ever since Montana.There was a visitor's center near a small lake, so we went inside looking for stickers for the bikes. I wanted a Yooper bumper sticker, but they didn't have any.There was a Finnish Yooper in there and he was quite a character. He said we chose the right road to ride our bikes on because the other road was "worser".He also said his Mom and Dad were both Fins, but he was German.Huh?? :-))He said that at least we weren't walking because walkers are crazy. People who walk are straight out of the loony bin.I didn't tell him about our backpacking trips. :-))Mrs Gorp mentioned that she was born in southern Michigan and he called her a troll.Not sure what that's all about other than anyone who lives "down below" in Michigan and not in the Upper Peninsula is a troll.We headed on and really were glad we were off Rt 2. This Rt 28 is so nice and the countryside is beautiful.We passed through Meriweather and were just to the north side of Gogebic Lake when we ran into a westbound rider by the name of Jamie. He's taking 5 years to ride around the perimeter of the 5 Great Lakes and is on the last of the 5 lakes. He has a website athttp://jmfivelakes.crazyguyonabike.comWe headed on and stopped in Bergland for a soda.The clouds were starting to build to the west and rain was in the forecast, so even though we had a short day planned, we kept moving.The sad part of today was when we saw a dead spotted fawn on the side of the road.We rolled into Bruce Crossing and I went in to check on a room.My bike was gone when I came back outside. It had started raining and Mrs Gorp had moved both bikes in a side door.I knew she was the one who moved the bikes, but that was still a strange feeling to come out and see my bike gone from where I parked it.We had just beat the rain again!! :-))There was a place across the street called Settler's Museum, so we walked over to see that.It wasn't much of a museum...just two pictures from the late 1800's of the building when it was a railroad depot. Everything else was basicly crafts for sale from local artists.There was a food co-op next door, so I bought some snacks and went back to the room. It was raining, so I took an afternoon nap. :-))I did get a call from Ethan today and he's a couple of days ahead of us right now.The Weather Channel said it got up to the low 60's here today. I'll take that weather anytime!!The ride today was so easy that I don't feel like I did anything. We averaged 16mph and I never pedaled hard. Six years + +++++ + + Miss you PamelaAnother great day on Stumpy's version of the Northern Tier Bicycle Trail. :-))7-13-07Marquette, MI93 miles today2124 easterly miles6209 total milesI was really ready to ride when I woke up. I think that because we've had a couple of short days, I wanted to get moving.We had a so-so breakfast at a local diner, then packed the bikes and were off.I could see my breath when we started. It was in the lower 40's and felt great!!Mrs Gorp was all wrapped up in all kinds of riding clothes, including gloves. I haven't seen her like that in a while.I was wearing my normal stuff and was pretty chilly, but not quite enough to put more clothes on.I have really enjoyed riding on Rt 28 here in the Upper Peninsula of Mighigan. It has beautiful forests and not many cars or trucks...and smooth roads.I saw more white tail deer this morning than I've seen in a long time.I saw another roadkill spotted fawn too. :-((We rolled through the small villages of Trout Creek, Kenton, Sidnaw and Watton, then stopped in Covington for sodas.Our nice, lonely route of 28 merged with Rt 41 about 4 miles later and the traffic got heavier and the roads got "worser".We still had about 60 miles to Marquette, but the closer we got, the heavier the traffic got.We had been warned by 2 other cyclists about the 12 mile road construction that we would ride through.We got to that area and the pavement was all chewed up to lay new asphalt over it. The shoulder was gravel and I wasn't about to try riding a road bike through that, so we stayed to the side of the pavement.Well, we met up with more impatient drivers. They would start honking way before they got to us. I guess they expected us to get off the road, so they could keep on speeding.I decided that instead of getting upset with them, I would just smile and wave.That made me feel good, but they still honked like I didn't belong on the road. These drivers made my list for the second worse drivers I've run into on this trip, right behind the Colorado drivers.We rolled through the construction area without a scratch. :-))There was a sign that warned drivers that if they killed a contruction worker that they would be fined $7,500.00 and spend 15 years in jail. I should make a sign and put it on the back of my bike that I used to be a contruction worker. :-))We got to Marquette and found a nice room at a Comfort Inn. We felt like getting a better room...especially after the one we had last night in Bruce Crossing.It was still a very enjoyable ride today. I like this country and we had nice, cool weather to ride in.Mrs Gorp even started day dreaming on the ride and rode right off the road!! I heard her making noise behind me and I looked just in time to see her run off the road...it was great!! Ha!! What an amateur. :-))I couldn't believe how fast the 93 miles went by today.I got on the computer here at the motel and checked email, then decided to do a map-quest from Marquette, MI to Burlington, VT. That's where Mrs Gorp will head for home. It came back as only 872 miles left. :-((Then I did a map-quest from Burlington, VT to Millinocket, ME to see how much farther my ride would last. That was only another 350 miles.I'm getting the feeling that this adventure....this great bicycle adventure is almost over. :-((It seemed like way too many miles in the beginning for it to ever end and now we're almost done.The only good thing about this adventure ending, is that I get to start on another adventure as soon as I get to Milinocket, ME. :-))Does anyone know how long an extension cord I'll need on the Appalachian Trail for my beautiful coffee brewing machine??Another great day on Stumpy's version on the Northern Tier Bicycle Trail. :-))7-14-07Musining, MI46 miles today2170 easterly miles6255 total milesWe decided to take it easy this morning, since we only had 46 miles to ride. That will set us up for the next day's ride with the services up here in Yooper land.I slept in until 7am, then made coffee and ate at the motel's continental breakfast.I checked out the where-abouts of some of my friends that are on the AT on the motel computer.I don't know where the morning went, but I had to hurry to get packed and checked out by 11am.It was cool and damp enough that I put on a light jacket for the ride.It was also fairly busy riding through Marquette, but we found a bike path and rode that for a few miles.The bike path ended at 7 miles into the ride today. There was an A&W right there at the turn off, so we stopped for lunch. :-))When we started riding again, Rt 28 left Rt 41 and we got a nice shoulder to ride on again.We rode along the shore of Lake Superior. It was very windy and foggy about half a mile out over the water. There were whitecaps and some pretty good sized waves.We started getting lake effect rain. It wasn't hard rain, but combined with the cool temps and the wind, it felt pretty cold.It was hard to believe it's the middle of July and we were riding in such cool conditions...but I'll take that anyday over the high heat and humidity I'm used to.We stopped at a couple of roadside parks and took some pictures of the lake. It was beautiful with the overcast, drizzly, foggy conditions.I even saw a RV park I stayed at way back in the 1980's when I car camped all around Lake Superior.We rode through Christmas, MI. I didn't even know there was a Christmas, MI before today.There was a small place along the lake that had smoked fish, so we stopped and I bought a little smoked lake trout and a smoked whitefish.We got to Musining in another 5 miles and found a room on the east side of town.We snacked on the smoked fish in the room, then went and walked around the town. We ended up by the lakeshore and walked out on a pier. I've always been surprised by how clear the water is in Lake Superior.I sure wouldn't want to go swimming in it today though. It would cause the George Costanza effect. ;-))We ate dinner before we headed back to the room. It was a place recommended to us, but it was just OK, nothing fantastic.I can't believe how quickly the day went by today.Another great day on Stumpy's version of the Northern Tier Bicycle Trail. :-))