Found Objects

Tonight I'm just east of Manistique, on the northern shore of Lake Michigan. Supposed to storm tonight (of course!) and it was too chilly by the time I got here to go swimming, but it's still exciting to be by this lake. I think a lot of people don't realize how big the Great Lakes are... it's like being on the coast of the sea, but it smells different. (It smells cleaner, I think; I noticed that riding along the lake this afternoon.)

It was another really great day of riding - flat, a big smooth shoulder on the road, nice breeze pushing me along... not to mention the people and artifacts I encountered along the way.

The sculptor I met in Escanaba told me to stop by and say hi to his friend Ritch Branstrom, in Rapid River - right along my route. "Look for metal stuff," he said. "You can't miss it. It's across from the Dairy Flo." I had no idea what I was looking for but I knew it when I saw it.

Ritch wasn't there when I stopped, but I took advantage of an old car seat in the yard and hung out having a snack - and he showed up soon after. His work is stupendous in scale and detail and I think everyone should go see it the next time you're in the U.P.

Or you can check out his website: www.adhocworkshop.com/about.asp

Then it was on to artifacts of a sentimental nature -lunch at the rest area by Garden Corners. It's only a few miles from the tiny town near the cabin my family used to go to (though that town was a little too far off route for me to visit, today)...

And then - yes, my first flat on the road. It's been inevitable, and while I've sort of been dreading it, I have to say I mostly found it amusing. Another cyclist rode by and offered help (it is handy to have a third hand to manuever releasing my rear brakes - and I told him where to find the good beer in Escanaba so it was a fair trade) and a vacationing fire-fighter stopped to help pump up the tire after I fixed it. It's sort of boring and tiring so I was happy to take turns with the task. What I want to know is: What was a giant staple doing on the shoulder of Hwy. 2?! (It's pretty amazing that I've only had one flat on the road in over 2,800 miles. I had one at the Cycle America camp in Jackson, but it was on a rest day, and we sat around drinking beer & gossiping while I fixed it, so that hardly counted.)

I'm aiming to reach the north side of the Mackinac Bridge tomorrow and camp there in St Ignace - wow. I think it might remind me of camping in the Marin Headlands near the Golden Gate Bridge, but without coyotes (or the big city on the other side!). It's supposed to rain though so I might be a little bogged down and stop to camp before I get that far - it's kind of nice to have options, and to have some flexibility. Most days I've had a strong impulse to reach a specific place - well, usually because it's close to food or a nicer place to camp, etc. I still have a strong impulse to ride now that I'm only a week away from Ann Arbor - wow...