August 25, 2013

August 25, 2013 Toronto --> Whitby, ON - 54 miles

We left our rest day "retreat" at approximately 10:30 am not quite knowing what to expect with regard to how difficult it would be to get across Toronto to the east side, and after that somehow get back on the Waterfront Trail (WT). We did find a good city bicycle map during our visit to Toronto on rest day, and that was our starting point. The plan was to take a route north of the city and ride available bicycle trails as much as possible in avoidance of traffic. Again, we had perfect weather conditions.

After a few glitches in following the directions on my part, we accessed the Eglinton West Trail within the first few miles and were rewarded with a paved and divided path running through pretty neighborhoods and often shaded by overhanging trees. There were quite a few runners and Sunday morning cyclists out for a ride. I felt almost festive and light-hearted.




The Eglinton West Trail ran out after 3 miles or so, and we had to negotiate some rather heavy traffic and deteriorating roads in search of the York Beltline Trail. "In search of" are the operative words. The maps were not always on point, and it was quite stressful at times finding the way. We did finally access the York BeltlineTrail, and although this trail was paved it was much less scenic and ran through some more rundown areas. By this time, some of my earlier euphoria had worn off.

After a few miles, we left the York Beltline Trail and returned to the streets in search of the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail, which would take us in a southeast direction after passing over Toronto to the north. Although this trail was unpaved and mostly gravel or crushed granite, it weaved among and under large shady trees and alongside some beautiful homes. There were many people out on this multi-use trail enjoying the day. I felt less stressed and my spirits starting rising again. Alas, at the end of the Kay Gardner Beltline Trail, we were again faced with less than clear map directions and floundered around a bit trying to get back on the planned street route. I was stressed and my spirits starting to sag again. As we were stopped by a cemetery, a woman out for a ride came along and asked if we needed help. I emphatically said "yes", and she helped direct us to the best way to get back on route. Affected once again by the kindness of yet another stranger, my spirits rose and I felt less stressed again. Then, we were confronted by miles of heavy traffic and less than ideal road conditions. Plus, navigational challenges. This went on for several miles. By this time, we had spent 3-4 hours covering approximately 12 - 14 miles to get on the east side of Toronto, and I was feeling tired, discouraged, and frustrated. I could tell Randy was feeling frustrated as well. We pulled over to re-assess a way to get off the busy roads and access the WT along Lake Ontario. We were both a little testy at this point. Randy wanted off the road, period. I told him to pick the route, and after a few minutes he just started riding down the nearest side street without a word. At first, I was a little irritated that he didn't at least tell me what he had in mind, but then just settled in to following. It was like a miracle - a parting of the sea. After a few turns, we were in the midst of a really pretty neighborhood with no traffic whatsoever. Then, another miracle - Signs with arrows directing us to the Waterfront Trail. I almost wanted to cry with joy. And my irritation toward Randy was transformed into gratitude. From his body language, I think he was relieved as well.

We stopped at Subway for a bite to eat - by this time it was 2:00 pm and we still had another 20 - 30 miles to go. I thanked Randy for getting us off that road, and we started riding again re-fueled and encouraged. Soon, the WT route became a separate paved trail running alongside the shores of Lake Ontario, and again my spirits soared. Stunning views, gorgeous wildflowers, lots of little coves and parks full of people engaged in Sunday afternoon barbecues and sporting activities. There was a huge diversity of cultures and people on the trail and in the parks. One problem we did encounter frequently was people not paying attention as they wandered aimlessly. I felt myself annoyed at their lack of common sense and consideration for others. I did find myself wondering who all these people were and conjuring up their life stories. Some looked happy, others sad or lifeless. The mass of humanity. I kept thinking, "We're all just here doing the best we can in this life. Who am I to judge anyone? Rather, how can I do it better and make this world a better place?"










As we approached the town of Pickering during part of the WT ride, there was a very large wind turbine next to a power plant.




Randy told me that he had done a google search of what the possible health hazards of wind turbines were - you may recall we saw signs protesting wind turbines earlier. Apparently, there are no known physical health hazards as such, but some people claim that the whirring noise of the wind turbines has an adverse affect on their mental health. I, of course, love the whirring noise and find it soothing rather than mentally disturbing. Just more confirmation that I am "odd" from most normal people in the way I seem to view life. I also love rain and thunderstorms and find that they actually elevate my moods, rather than make me feel down as a lot of people claim. At any rate, how we choose to approach life makes a huge difference in our capacity to enjoy life. And the older I get, the more I find that I can choose to find enjoyment in almost any circumstance. I find this preferable to finding the negative in every situation. This reminds me of one of my recent morning readings by Rohr:

"If we put our energy into choosing the good - instead of the negative and largely illusionary energy of rejecting the bad - we will overcome evil in a much better way, and will not become evil ourselves....the best criticism of the bad is the practice of the better."

As we approached our destination town of Whitby, we exited the WT and got back on narrow and congested roads that required a major exercise in patience. Also, it started spitting rain, and I became concerned that we might not make it to the motel before it began raining in earnest. Randy told me that the next turn was at Brooks Rd. I saw what I thought was Brooks Rd, but as I got nearer found that it was Brock Rd, so continued on. You can see where this is going. A mile or so down the road, it became even more narrow and pot-holed. We stopped and checked - in fact we were supposed to turn on Brock Rd. Our collective senior eyesight had betrayed us. We continued on and eventually reached the motel after a couple of extra bonus miles. I felt happy and relieved.

If I had to label today, it would be emotionally "schizophrenic". Up and down, and very stressful at times. Requiring a lot of patience and problem solving skills. Yet accompanied by some exhilarating highs. Life.

The forecast for tomorrow is for 60% probability of thunderstorms. So, I am getting prepared mentally for a wet day.

August 24, 2013

August 24, 2013 Rest day in Toronto.

Had a great rest day off. It was the first day since we started the trip that I did not get on the bike at all. The weather was absolutely stunning. Crystal clear blue skies and, although it reached the high 70's, there was just enough of a gentle cool breeze.

We took the 2 minute free hotel shuttle to the Toronto airport and caught the 152 Airport Rocket Express to the eastern most subway station to catch the train to town. I had decided that I did not want to do anything really strenuous on my day off, but still wanted to see the highlights of Toronto. So, I found one of those double decker buses that give a 2 hour tour of the high spots of the city. You have the option of hopping on or off if you want to spend more time at a particular spot, i.e. visit a museum,etc. A bonus feature of this tour was an optional 45 minute boat ride around Toronto harbor. I was a little surprised when Randy indicated that he wanted to go on the bus/boat tour with me.




The subway train let us off at the town square which bore a strong resemblance to Times Square in New York. There was a huge crowd of people due to a festival with activities and booths to raise funds to fight epilepsy. A huge billboard caught my eye - an advertisement to "Edge Walk" the CN Tower. "No Guts No Glory." The CN Tower is that space needle looking structure that you always associate with Toronto. Probably the tallest structure in Toronto. We were able to see it yesterday 25 miles out while biking in on the Waterfront Trail. For a mere $175 you can go to the top of the CN Tower, get strapped in a harness, and hang off the side. At first I thought you actually fell or repelled all the way down. But I think they only let you "walk the edge" at the top. My second thought was how "Amazing Race-like" walking the edge was. And what good practice in preparation for Amazing Race. I mentioned this to Randy and he rolled his eyes and said no way he would ever "walk that edge." The look I got was clear - he thinks I am crazy. And Amazing Race holds no fascination for him.




The bus tour was exactly what I wanted - a good overview and just the right amount of time. The guides were young college students who did a very good job of giving the basic background of whatever we were looking at, and adding in a touch of story telling and local color. I think what struck me most about Toronto was the variety of architectural styles of all types, old and new, often mixed in together or right next to each other.

Around noon, we reached the harbor and got off to take the harbor boat ride. We immediately noticed that airplanes were flying in low over our heads to land at the local airport. Only jets with propellers are allowed because of the really short runway and environmental concerns. Again, we had a young woman tour guide who did an excellent job. Just the right amount of time and information. I will note that she had a rather strange accent, or what sounded like maybe a combination of several accents. That was a little confusing to my ears. But what cracked me up was she had this habit of occasionally emphasizing each individual syllable in a word that gave it a long drawn out sounding affect. This would be followed by a hearty "EH!" for emphasis. For example, she might describe a feature of the harbor islands as "FAB -U - LUS! EH!" Or "LUV - E- LE! EH!" I caught myself trying to anticipate when this might occur, and mouthing the words with her. I could tell Randy was doing the same. By the end of the boat ride, I was starting to think in that new strange syllable language. As we got off the boat, Randy tactfully asked her about her accent, and she said she was from Trinidad. She even volunteered that she had a combination of accents as a result of living various places. We did not make further inquiry as to the strange syllable language.










After the boat ride, we had lunch at a harbor front restaurant specializing in pizza and pasta. I had this linguini dish with mushrooms and spinach, drizzled with roasted olive oil. It ranks up there with the top 2-3 favorite meals on the trip.

We climbed back on the double decker bus for the remainder of the city tour, and I started feeling a little sleepy. It was close to 3 p.m. and I decided to head back to the hotel and leave Randy to his further exploration of the city.

It was another great day, and I enjoyed getting to spend some time in Toronto. Tomorrow we resume riding along the shores of Lake Ontario towards Montreal.

August 23, 2013

On a building we rode by today..

August 23, 2013 Burlington --> Toronto - 36 miles

A magical day - one of the best biking days I have ever had.

What made this day special was that every single thing that happened seemed special - there was a certain positive "flow" to every aspect of the day. It started with a brilliant blue cloudless sky and comfortably cool temperatures. We had the breakfast special at a local cafe that was wonderful. Eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast all perfectly cooked, and good strong coffee.

Most of the ride to Toronto was on the Waterfront Trail, which was nothing short of magical in places. The trail itself was a flat smoothly paved path running through various parks and neighborhoods beautifully landscaped with bright happy flowers that were often accompanied by equally happy wildflowers. At other times, the trail ran right alongside Lake Ontario, offering stunning views. At one point approximately 25 miles from Toronto we were able to see and take pictures of the city skyline in the distance.







There were also little coves where swans swam and dove for fish, their butts prominently pointed to the sky. Canadian geese flew in formation over the water. Geese and ducks strutted alongside the trail. They were unaffected by the passersby, and allowed me to walk right up to them. However, they did still shy away from having their picture taken.




We stopped at a bike shop in one of the small towns to get advice and maps. I had been looking for a pair of bike socks that would stay up for weeks, and here I found the perfect pair of socks. Not only do they stay up and are the most comfortable socks I have ever owned, they came with a Canadian flag and the logo on the side "NICE SOCK, EH" makes me want to run around saying "EH" to everything and everyone like many of the Canadians we have met.




In Oakville, we stopped to talk to a woman coming from the other direction on a fully loaded touring bike. She was a German lady named Ursula who was riding solo and had just started from Toronto. Turns out her bike had been lost in transit from Germany to Toronto and she had bought a bike she was less than happy with to make the ride. Ursula's planned route would take her south to Niagara Falls; west along the north side of Lake Erie into Michigan; north to take the ferry to Mackinaw Island on Lake Huron; then north back into Canada, I think eventually ending up in Toronto . I asked Ursula about biking in Germany, and she gave a very positive review. She also told us that she had biked solo in Siberia and Mongolia, and told a story of having lost her compass which was a near disaster. She now rides with 2 compasses, one of which is on a cord around her neck. Ursula was very cheerful and seemed like an interesting person. I wish we could have had more time to visit and get to know her better.




Eventually, we reached the place near Toronto where we needed to leave the Waterfront Trail and head north toward the Toronto airport, where our hotel was located. We started on another beautiful bike trail running alongside a stream that actually somewhat resembled mountain streams. Black squirrels ran across the trail. One stopped nearby and actually posed for me to take his picture. Eventually, however, the trail took a turn and ended in a dirt and rock strewn path under a tunnel-like bridge. We were forced to get off the bikes and push. Randy kept on undeterred despite my repeatedly saying "uh..this doesn't look or feel quite right..don't you think we should...?" From there, it only got worse until the narrow path barely existed and we were hiking through these weeds with yellow flowers. As we slogged along pushing our bikes, I kept yelling to Randy that this just could not be right. He pulled out his google map and suggested we had missed a turn somewhere back in the weeds and wanted to backtrack. After checking my own google map, I vetoed that suggestion and strongly suggested we forge on as it appeared that the real road we were looking for was ahead if we kept on through the weeds. I was right. After hiking up a steep dirt hill pushing loaded touring bikes (mine weighed in at 81 pounds last summer at Adventure Cycling headquarters in Montana), we finally came out on a real road which actually happened to be the road we were looking for. I told Randy that after meeting the challenge of hiking through the weeds and finding our way, Amazing Race would be a piece of cake. Randy remained unimpressed or interested in the adventures offered by the Amazing Race.







Another 5-6 miles through neighborhoods and traffic, and we gratefully arrived at our hotel. We found a great deal on a hotel near the Toronto airport where we will spend 2 nights, taking a rest day tomorrow to see Toronto and regroup for the next leg of the ride. At this point, we are over half way to the final destination, wherever that ends up in Maine. We have several route options and are assessing. At any rate, the hotel is fantastic, and a fitting end to a fabulous day. We truly did "Live the Dream" today, and are fortunate enough to realize and appreciate that fact.

August 22, 2013

August 22, 2013 Cambridge --> Burlington, ON - 38 miles

After reviewing the maps and assessing the best approach to Toronto, we decided to head for Burlington, on the shores of Lake Ontario approximately 35 miles away. This would leave us with another 38 mile ride to Toronto following the Water Front Trail.

We left Cambridge at approximately 11 am. Thankfully, Randy mapped out our exit from Cambridge so as to avoid the congested and dangerous roads on which we had entered. Within 4-5 miles, we were on a beautiful, paved, two lane road to Puslinch - some 9 miles away. The forecast was for 30% chance of thunderstorms and it was a little overcast and quite humid. But no rain in immediate view. The scenery was similar to that yesterday. The road was bordered by gorgeous wildflowers (a lot of purple these days) and leafy green cat tails. I saw more and more evidence of the beginning stages of the turning of the leaves. More interesting houses, farms and complexes. We began finding more and more frequent rolling hills, some with quite severe inclines to climb.




At Puslinch, we road briefly on Hwy 6, a very busy road. However, we quickly navigated over to Centre Road, which more or less ran parallel to Hwy 6 the remaining 10 miles or so to the outskirts of Burlington. Centre Road is one of my favorite rides to date. The scenery was fantastic and the road was a joy to ride - even the occasional climbs. Traffic not too terribly heavy. One noticeable feature was the abundance of horse training and equestrian centers, as well as boarding facilities. My sister would have loved this ride. I resisted the urge to stop and take a picture every few feet or so, and tried to just take it all in.




Once on the outskirts of Burlington, we then had to navigate through neighborhoods and traffic to get to the Motel 6, a newly renovated facility where we had reservations for the night. Navigating the traffic is the hardest part of daily rides that end up in towns or cities of any size. At one point, we were treated to a gorgeous lookout over the city, followed by an exhilarating downhill stretch of several miles where we were cruising 20-25 mph. Then began the negotiation of traffic to the motel.

We were cheerfully greeted and checked in at the Motel 6 by a delightful young lady named Alaukika. She noted that she had lived in Corpus Christi for a while when she saw that I was from Texas. Alaukika bent over backwards to make us feel welcome, and to meet our requests as to room locations and for old rags we could use for our greasy bike maintenance. Alaukika was very intrigued with our bike ride and asked many of the now familiar questions we get when people see the loaded bikes. How far have we ridden? Where did we start? Where are you going? How many miles do you ride each day? I spent some time answering her questions and told her that I was doing the ride as a fund raiser for the ALS Association. I gave her my bike "business card" so she could access my bike blog. Alaukika told me she had been on some walking pilgrimages in her native India and so sort of had a feel for what we were doing. I told her about my friend LaDonna who recently completed a 500 mile trek across Spain on the El Camino Santiago - which many undertake as a sort of pilgrimage. I asked Alaukika to let me take a picture to put on the blog and she graciously agreed - so, here it is.




After dinner, Randy and I spent some time performing basic bike maintenance. There was a lovely grassy area behind the motel with some picnic tables that provided the perfect location. Calm, quiet and peaceful. We had once again skirted any rain and thunderstorms, and early evening was sunny with a pleasant breeze.





Tomorrow we head for Toronto, where we plan to spend a couple of days.

August 21, 2013

August 21, 2013 London --> Cambridge, ON - 78 miles

So now we are in Canada - largely uncharted territory and full of unknowns for us. Also probably a large part of the appeal to our sense of adventure. At this point, we are headed to Toronto and hoping to pick up a nice bike trail running along the north shore of Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. We have found references to such a potential bike trail - I believe the Water Trail - and will research further as we get closer to Hamilton and Toronto.

Today was a hard ride. It started out okay, but after 6-7 miles of perfect roads and riding, the road became a dirt road, which was likely to go on for 10-15 miles. The scenery was gorgeous and similar to yesterday's ride. Many beautiful and interesting farm houses and complexes. The wildflowers alongside the road were gorgeous. The biggest difference, besides riding on dirt roads, was that we began to encounter more and more rolling hills with steeper inclines. This meant more effort to climb, but also the exhilaration of the following downhill coast. The dirt roads were a little more bumpy, but overall I did not find them that objectionable. I was still cruising most of the time between 14 - 16 mph, except during the steeper inclines. However, it was also quite warm and humid, with highs expected in the low 80's, and this started taking its toll. Randy hates both dirt roads and rolling hills, so it became apparent fairly soon after getting on the dirt roads that he wanted to look for a way off. We had originally planned to go to Brantford, some 45 miles away on a direct route if we stayed on the dirt roads. However, we started looking at a turn north to catch Hwy 2 in a town called Ingersoll, then riding an additional 20 miles or so more than originally planned to Cambridge. That would leave a relatively short day on Thursday to Hamilton.







As we continued on the dirt roads (before finding a connector to the new route) we came upon a group of three children happily walking down the road. From their dress, it was apparent that they were Amish. Then, an Amish carriage emerged from a driveway with what appeared to be the mother and grandmother of the children. ( my guess). I greeted these ladies and asked if I could take a picture. The mother smiled and said I could take a picture of the cart and horse, but no pictures of them. She seemed very cheerful.






We continued on our way, and eventually found a paved highway north to Ingersoll, where we stopped briefly at A&W for a root beer float before heading to Highway 2. The ride along Hwy 2 took us through some very interesting towns, I.e. Waterford. Beautiful architecture of some of the older buildings, and one of the most impressive churches I have ever seen. I wish I had taken some pictures, but at that point I was more concerned with getting through town and the long ride ahead.

In the small town of Princeton we stopped at about 2:30 pm for a grilled cheese and sweet potato fries to see us through the remaining 35 miles or so to Cambridge. We had already ridden 50 miles at that point and I was feeling it. Also somewhat dreading the remaining 35 miles or so. Randy took a picture that pretty well sums it up. He was supposed to be getting the sweet potato fries, because they were exceptional and pretty, but somehow got this pitiful picture of me instead.


The last major town on the way to Cambridge was Paris, ON. To get there, we had to ride a long, winding, steep downhill that ended on the Main Street. It was a beautiful little town. We saw a couple of people in bike clothes that Randy surmised were part of Ride Across America. These folks annually ride coast to coast in approximately 35 days or so. But they do it on road bikes with full SAG support (means they don't carry panniers and belongings) and cover probably close to 100 mile per day. Accommodations and food are arranged for them.

The last 10 - 15 miles to Cambridge were brutal. It was hot and there were many rolling hills to negotiate. Some quite steep. The two lane road was fairly narrow and the traffic was quite heavy. Plus, at this point, we had gone approximately 65 miles and were feeling it. Eventually, we arrived at the outskirts of Cambridge and began the tortuous ride to the motel area. This was along a very busy highway, not in the greatest of conditions. Also involved negotiating some very steep hills. At various points we got on the sidewalk due to safety concerns, and I even got off and pushed short distances a couple of times. Finally, finally we got to the motel. Had a wonderful soak in the tub and met Randy for dinner. I am in for an early night.

The current plan for tomorrow is to ride to Hamilton and look for that bike trail to Toronto. The forecast is for possible thunderstorms.

August 20, 2013

"Oh Canada..la la la la la la..."

August 20, 2013 Port Huron, MI --> London, Ontario - 70 miles
Our cross-over into Canada could not have gone more smoothly. We rode our bikes to the US Administration building and called for someone to take us across the Blue Bay Bridge. A nice lady named Annette showed up in less than 5 minutes and we loaded the bikes into the back of the truck for the 5 minute ride over the bridge. Once there, we went through Canadian customs in less than 5 minutes, exchanged some money, and stopped by the nearby Visitors Center for maps. With that, we were well on our way towards Strathroy, Ontario by 10:00 a.m.







Randy and I had thought it might take most of the morning to negotiate the crossing into Canada, but it was a breeze. I started humming and singing Oh Canada - all right, I mostly hummed since I don't any words beyond Oh Canada. About thirty minutes into the ride, Randy came up alongside and said, "Thanks a lot - now I can't get that song out of my head and I only know the first two words. It's driving me crazy."

My biggest fear heading into Canada was the unknown regarding the condition of the roads. Since we decided to ditch the AC maps again and venture towards Toronto, there was no way to know whether the roads would be good, bad or horrible. We selected Hwy 39, a two lane road that was a direct route to Strathroy, our initial destination town. Wow - I could not have imagined a better road for the 45 miles to Strathroy. There were a few places in need of repair, but for the most part it was flat, smooth and straight. Light to occasionally moderate traffic, but not a real factor. Add to that a really nice tailwind and we were cruising 15-20 mph the whole way through beautiful farmland. The corn fields and other crops went on forever as far as you could see. But what differentiated this scenery from previous farmland we have ridden through so far were the very interesting variations in the style, composition and construction of houses, sprawling barns, silos and barnyards. I never got bored during today's ride looking at these houses, massive fields and complexes. There were also some interesting and engaged cows and horses, many of whom would move towards us and look us straight in the eye. A soul connection of sorts. One group of cow "teenagers" even showed a brief interest as cow racers, taking a few spirited trots before thinking better of it. During the ride, we even saw a few wind turbines in the distance, as well as some signs posted in yards indicating the owners' concerns with health hazards of wind turbines. Randy and I discussed what those could be.







About halfway to Strathroy, Randy and I agreed that we would consider going an additional 20 miles to London, since we had breezed through the border crossing and were well ahead of schedule due to the optimal riding conditions. After lunch at a small cafe in Strathroy, we continued on and arrived in London in the late afternoon.

Before I end today's post, I am making a confession I never thought I would make - I am becoming a fan of HGTV. For years I flatly resisted and rejected efforts by my mother and sister to get me to watch HGTV. Now I find watching HGTV the perfect escape and relaxation after a long day of bike riding. I especially enjoy the international house hunting shows, probably because they often involve people stepping beyond their fears to risk a move outside their comfort zone to a different land and engage with people of other cultures. My whole life the past couple of years has been about stepping outside my comfort zone and moving beyond my fears. So I can relate. Plus, I no longer have much tolerance for cable news with all the mean-spirited and hateful people of all persuasions shouting over each other. The constant negativity. The lack of any effort to suggest real solutions. And I find it difficult to focus and follow a movie or show, since I usually fall asleep within the first 10 minutes or so. HGTV is the perfect entertainment and sleep inducing show.

I received a sweet and very supportive voice message from Del tonight, who is following the blog. It was great to hear from him, and I was again reminded of my primary purpose for doing this ride - to honor Del and raise awareness of ALS. Just about every person I meet and talk with has had some experience with someone diagnosed with ALS.

August 19, 2013

August 19, 2013 Rest Day in Port Huron, MI -- 22 miles

We decided to move to a motel in Port Huron closer to the bridge to Canada, and take a rest day. However, before checking out I rode to the closest Starbucks about 4 miles away to stock up on Via for my morning coffee fix. My usual morning routine of study and prayer is greatly enhanced by a good cup of coffee. Or two. I confess that a good cup of coffee is my drug of choice. However, I don't consider myself an addict because if it is bad coffee don't bother.

I returned from the coffee run and Randy and I made the 6 mile ride over to the Best Western by the bridge in Port Huron. the ride was a breeze - literally. Had a nice tail wind. In fact, I realized that I had appropriately named my bike blog Biking with the Tailwind for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that we have had mostly tailwinds throughout the bike trip. The front desk lady at Best Western was very helpful and accommodating, allowing us to check in early. Very nice rooms. They even gave Randy an upgrade to a beautiful business suite with a jacuzzi for no extra charge. This thrilled him to no end, and I think helped soothe the memory of the Saginaw Motel 6 experience.

There was an excellent bike path almost all the way from the motel to the waterfront just under the bridge to Canada. we stopped and took pictures of the bridge, Thomas Edison park and trail. A beautiful waterfront bike trail wound to a lovely downtown area. Along the way there were many people fishing, biking, walking or just sitting and having lunch.











We found a delightful restaurant on Main Street and had a terrific lunch. Mine was a lunch combo of 1/2 Philly cheesesteak and 1/2 Traverse City Salad that was to die for. And the food was pretty to boot.

After lunch we returned to the motel for an afternoon of rest and relaxation. I took a nap and started looking again at the maps for tomorrow as we begin the Canada leg of the journey. Randy has called ahead and arranged for transportation across the bridge into Sarnia, Ontario tomorrow morning. Then we will begin biking in the direction of Toronto. We think there may be a really nice bike trail from Hamilton to Toronto, then beyond along the St Lawrence River and Lake Ontario towards New York. But, truthfully, we are somewhat playing all this by ear at this point.

August 18, 2013

Happy 60th Birthday to cousin Randy Moore!

August 18, 2013 Imlay City --> Port Huron, MI - 40 miles

The plan was for a short ride to Port Huron, then spend most of the afternoon as a rest day. However, we got off to a rough start again as we started encountering dirt roads within the first couple of miles following the Google lady's bike directions. That's it - we are divorcing Google lady. Or at least making further inquiry on type of road before setting out. So, we backtracked into Imlay City and picked up the Imlay City Highway (Hwy 21) towards Port Huron.

The two lane road had a pretty good shoulder and was okay. Ran again mostly through farmland. Lots of interesting barns, silos and houses. Traffic was intermittently heavy and light. It was sunny and the temperature was quite warm. One feature I have noticed in this part of the country is that many of the homes have rock/flower/tree gardens in the middle of large front yards. Some are quite extensive, and some have a theme. For example, one house had two such gardens - one a rock/flower/tree garden and one a rock garden with an old wooden boat in which there was a "person" lying face down. That was a strange variation on the theme. Most were really just gardens.



About halfway to Port Huron, we came up on two touring bikers - a French Canadian father-son team who started in Vancouver and were headed for Quebec City. They had deviated south into the US to traverse the Great Lakes rather than follow a route "on top" of the Great Lakes through Canada. We had a nice visit with them, and saw them a couple of times throughout the day at various stops.









During the ride my mind started wandering again - as it often does. I started thinking about the fact that yesterday's blog discussed my fascination with the rogue corn stalks, and how my thinking/life has become increasingly centered and dominated by simplicity. An awareness of the little things. My life feels less and less "cluttered" in every way, and I like that feeling of a simple life. I like meeting someone on the road and being fully present to their story or what they are telling me at the moment. I guess the other interpretation of what is going on with me is that I am losing my mind. I'll let you be the judge of that. People increasingly ask what I plan to do with my life after I finish this ride, and I can honestly say I am still committed to doing something I am passionate about. Determined not to get caught up in mere "existing." Praying and being open to a revelation as to the next step, whether that is personal training or whatever. Praying for the courage to move beyond fear of the unknown and uncertainty and to progress 1 step at a time towards the path as it unfolds. Praying for continued patience. This is not always easy for me - a person who is generally impatient and likes to be in control. But so far the past 3 years or so have been a constant adventure in not knowing and I have reaped the joy and benefits of life surprises as they are revealed. One of the biggest benefits has been the ability to share these adventures with my family and friends. Reconnecting. I still believe that my life as it is continues to be revealed will be better than I could hope or dream for myself.

As we approached Port Huron, we were again treated to the unexpected surprise of the Wadhams to Avocado bike trail for the last 5 miles or so. Another one of those flat, smoothly paved bike trails. We ended up at our motel in mid-afternoon, and after lunch spent several hours planning the next phase of our route (looks like Toronto), arranging for cell service in Canada, getting info on money exchange, finding a motel for tomorrow, connecting with family, etc. We decided to make tomorrow a "real" rest day for the most part before venturing into Canada on Tuesday.

August 17, 2013

At the Southern Links Trail Head

August 17, 2013 Saginaw --> Imlay City, MI - 67 miles

The bike ride today was a nice mixture of beautifully paved bike trails and nicely maintained roads. There was a nice balance between the two as far as distances were concerned, so it kept my interest up as we were continually looking ahead to the next segment. Our route today essentially followed the AC route as far as North Branch, then headed south to Imlay City.

We were treated to an unexpected surprise at the outset when we picked up the Harger Line Trail just outside Saginaw. This smoothly paved, flat trail ran for approximately 10 miles through farmland. Saw a little wildlife, including one rabbit we surprised that was sunning himself on the warm pavement. Another thing I started regularly noticing were "rogue" corn stalks poking up at places above some of the other crops. I am assuming it had something to do with a few corn stalks left over after crop rotation or such. For whatever reason, those independent rogue corn stalks somehow amused me throughout the ride. Funny how something like that affects us.




The next 15 miles followed Hwy 15 for about 7 miles to Vassar, a lovely town with a population of approximately 3000. Like Charlevoix, the road entering town was bordered on both sides for almost a mile with dense beds of brightly colored pansies. The effect was stunning.




From Vassar, we rode another 7 miles to Millington, where we picked up the Southern Lines Trail for 6 miles. Again, another beautifully paved trail. The scenery changed to more of a tree-lined trail bordered by yellowish swamps. What I noticed most was that the trees and bushes definitely showed signs of imminent color change with the coming of fall. Still, it was unseasonably warm for this time of year, reaching the 80's.




At Otter Lake, we resumed riding on the highway. As we were stopped looking at the maps, a man in a truck with an Army Insignia on his baseball hat asked if we were lost and needed help. We told him we were deciding whether to go back a block or two to a store for something to drink, or move on. He began telling us about the area and trying to be helpful. Asked if there was anything he could help us with. Randy quipped that we might throw the bikes in the back of the truck, and the man actually offered to take us wherever we wanted/needed to go. He just kept chatting and chatting. Finally, we were able to thank him for his advice and move on. Again, people out here are almost desperate sometimes to want to help. It is amazing.

As I was riding along, I thought about my favorite rides. The ride through Oregon and Idaho last summer wins hands down. The stunning views and constantly changing vistas were mesmerizing. And the physical challenge riding the various passes and mountains was so satisfying. This ride from Minneapolis has been the easiest bike riding imaginable with flat, smoothly paved surfaces almost the whole way along consistently pretty terrain. Very few stunning views that just take your breath away. But very pleasant riding nonetheless.

After another 13 miles or so, we stopped at a small cafe in North Branch for lunch - grilled cheese sandwiches. I have received a few inquiries from folks reading the blog about why we seem to have eaten at Subway so much. The fact is that we prefer to try and find local cafes, but sometimes they are not available. Or the motels where we end up staying don't have much in the way of restaurants, but there will almost always be a Subway near. Also, with Subway you can always get healthy veggies as an alternative to standard burgers and fries.

Leaving North Branch, we initially rode along a large canal-like ditch which ran close to the road. I saw a gorgeous blue heron sitting in the canal so close I could see its face. Could not get off the bike quick enough to get a picture - a lost opportunity.

The route from North Branch to Imlay City was supposed to have taken us along another 10 mile bike trail called the Polly Ann Trail. After the trails we had already ridden, we were envisioning another smooth coast into our destination city. However, Google lady intervened once again with her wicked sense of humor. First, she again sent us down some dirt roads for several miles. Then, when we reached the point that we were supposed to access the trail, it turned out to be nothing more than a trampled down mass of grass and weeds, with a few fallen trees obstructing the path in places. So, after consulting with another helpful local who happened to be nearby, we continued on the highway we were on and eventually got to Imlay City.




There were a number of restaurant choices near the motel, so we opted for a real dinner. Mine was fabulous. Had a baked sweet potato with steamed veggies with garlic bread. The potato and veggies were cooked just right. My eating sweet potatoes just started last summer on the cross-country ride when I discovered sweet potato fries. I have since added baked sweet potatoes to my repertoire. Before, I could not stand sweet potatoes. Funny how tastes change if you give it a try. At any rate, sweet potato fries have been hard to find on this ride so far.

After a terrific day of riding and a good meal, I settled in for an episode of House Hunters International in New Zealand (I love New Zealand) and a good night's sleep.

August 16, 2013

August 16, 2013 Midland --> Saginaw, MI -- 46 miles

From the motel we wound through tree-lined and beautifully landscaped neighborhoods back to the Pere Marquette Trail. This took us to the downtown Midland area. Along the way we were greeted by several locals on the trail who stopped to ask questions about the ride. One such local was a retired Dow Chemical worker named Steve, who said he would love to do some touring. Steve took our picture near a beautiful rustic bridge located near the trailhead.




After leaving the trail, we started following US Bike Route 20 through town. At this point, we were still following the AC maps, which led by Ray's Bike Shop. We often stop by local bike shops to ask advice regarding the best roads to follow, or other suggestions regarding cafes, local culture, etc.





We continued to follow US Bike Route 20 approximately 17 miles through lush farmlands. The road was flat, although narrow, and it was a fairly easy ride. Just outside Bay City, we accessed the Bay City Loop Trail which took us to town.




The trail started off as a smoothly paved well-marked path, but all of a sudden it seemed to dump us out on a street with no guidance as to where it was going. We pulled out the maps and Google. Then somewhat floundered our way along the river paths through town, eventually ending up south of town where we stopped for lunch and to re-assess. The AC maps listed the next "main" town (loosely used here) as Frankenmuth. However, there were limited motel options and all were pricey. So, we decided to head for Saginaw some 13 miles away, where there were more reasonable motel options.

The ride to Saginaw started a little shaky. There was a lot of gravel along the shoulder as it appears to have been preparing to undergo some sort of road work. We were literally "riding the white line" (name of Randy's blog) the first few miles. Luckily, the road opened up and there was a fairly broad shoulder the rest of the way to the edge of Saginaw.

The motel situation in Saginaw was iffy. We found the road where most middle of the road motels were located, and were a little dismayed to find that they were almost all run-down looking and, in some cases, a little creepy. To go to the nicer motels would mean back tracking approximately 4 miles or so and paying twice as much. So, we decided to gut it up for 1 night and checked in to a Motel 6 that looked the least creepy. The desk lady was very nice and I felt somewhat reassured by her demeanor. Plus, there were apple trees along the road into the parking lot teaming with pretty apples and that made me feel better as well. Although the rooms were somewhat dumpy, the shower was clean and had hot water. When I met Randy for dinner, he was more than underwhelmed by the motel and had a kind of desperate look in his eye. Randy likes comfort; hence his aversion to camping at all costs. However, I could see this motel was barely 1 step above camping in his eyes.




After dinner, I resolved to find a better motel situation for tomorrow night. What I learned was that there much be some sort of event going on because many of the reasonably priced motels down the road were booked up. I finally located a Days Inn with pretty good reviews some 61 miles away and went ahead and reserved the rooms so we would not have to undergo the trauma of having to find a decent place to stay at the end of a long ride tomorrow.

So...the plan is to ride 61 miles to Imlay City tomorrow and re-group. Will probably aim for Port Huron on Sunday.