7/16/12

Greetings from Portland in the Pacific time zone. Two semi revolting developments have occurred since the last installment of the this soon to end saga.
First we learned last night that there had been a rock slide which blocked the rail roadway in the Columbia Gorge and we would be transferred to buses at Spokane.  We did that and then rearranged the make of the three buses so that the travelers Portland were on two buses and all others to the smaller stations and Vancouver, WA. That way we had express service to Portland and even made up most of the lost time we had accrued.
Second, the Coast Starlight to San Diego was delayed by 4 hours due it arriving late in Seattle the night before and could not be readied fast enough for its on time return this morning.  So my anticipated 3:07 PM arrival in SLO on Tuesday may be 7:00 PM or later.

7/15/12

We're about 25 miles west of Havre,  Montana and about 50 miles south of the Canadian border.  Its 5:45PM mountain daylight time but we should have been here 2 hours ago.  I had a 4 hour layover in Portland to transfer from this train to the Coast Starlight in the morning in Portland.  At this rate my turn around time will be greatly shortened.  Just hope I don't miss the connection.  It is not unusual for Amtrak to make up lost time but it hasn't happened so far on this trip.
Not waiting around in a train station would be a good thing as long as it doesn't cut it too close.
The train has been a pleasant ride so far but bumpier than the Coast Starlight.  I have 8:30 PM reservation for dinner in the dinning car so I had a snack to tide me over till then.  Us commoners in coach are last after the sleeper car folk to make reservations.
I took a picture of my kind and generous friends that helped me so much in getting the bike box and other errands plus housing, feeding and transporting me and gear to the train.
Below are Al and Vicky in the train station.

7/14/12

On Thursday, 7/12 the ride was through Saint Paul and Minneapolis and west to St. Bonifacius and to My friends Al and Vicky Hubbell.  Friday was spent securing a bike box from a local bicycle shop, dismantling the bike and fitting it into the box.   Tonight I will catch a train to Portland,Oregon and  transfer there to the Coast Starlight for home.  Since I would not get to  Seattle until Monday morning and my daughter Gabrielle and and her husband Scott work all week, I decided to visit her in August when we can spend more time together.  I will be in San Luis Obispo on Tuesday afternoon, 7/17.

7/11/12

Rode to Prescott, WI today, 84 miles with headwinds and moderate but long hills.  Was going to stop 13 miles sooner but they wanted too much for their rooms.  I am at the River Heights  Motel, just half a mile from a bridge over the Mississippi River and into Minnesota.
I will go 50 to 60 miles to visit a friend and on Friday or Saturday hop a train to Seattle.  The routine has become monotonous and I want to get home after 5800 miles and three and a half months.  So I will see everyone sooner than expected. 

7/10/12

Last night, while inspecting the rear tire on the bike for a slow leak, I discovered two small places on it that were showing the kevlar threads.  Not unexpected after over 7400 miles on that rear tire (5700 on this trip).  The first piece of business after arriving in Chippewa Falls was to buy and instrall a new tire.  The rim protector had slipped out of place so it and the tube also got replaced.  After that, a trip to the Leinenkugel Brewery for a couple taste samples, grocery shopping and eating lunch, here I am in the library doing my statistics and blog.  Next stop is to check into the Indian Head Motel, shower and find a place for dinner, check for the next stopping place, check weather and prepare for tomorrows departure.  As Gary stated, this is a full time job.

7/9/12

Last minute changes last night.  I checked my maps to see how much farther it was to a turn off to see my high school class mate Janice Dalton/Yelkin and discovered that was at that point.  I called them (she and her husband Bernard) set up a time to meet at their home.  We met and I ended up spending the night with the added benefit of a fantastic family dinner at their Son and daughter- in- law's home near by.
After an equally good breakfast I was off on modified route that ended up at the Sunset Motel in Owens, WI, a no frills motel at s reasonable price.
Tomorrow the destination is  Chippewa Falls, WI.

7/7/12

The threat of thunder storms today was a no show.  After reviewing NOAAs down grade of chances and The Weather Channel's radar showing the storms going north of here and already to the east I was able to depart by 7:15 AM.  I am now in Wausau, WI at Nite Inn.
Yesterday I forgot to remount the grocery bag with the remainder of the day's food after eating lunch.  No big financial loss but was aggravating.
Today I repurchased today's food and a new reusable bag and just finished cooking dinner on the walkway outside my room in the compact pot and fold up propane burner stove. See photo.
Tomorrow will take me to Thorpe or Stanley WI depending on time energy and price/availability.

7/6/12

Present location is the Super 8 Motel in Shawano, WI.  The ride was log and hot, 98 deg and 77 miles.  There is 50% or 60% chance thunder showers to night until mid morning so I will plan departure time based on conditions.  The destination is Wausau, WI which is less than 50 miles so it should be easy since the wind is supposed to be favorable and the high temp is only 83 degrees.
The route went through Green Bay but it looked just like any other Midwest city.  Other than a lot traffic lights to contend with there were a couple round-a-bouts on both sides of town that were fun.

7/5/12

<p>At the Warm Showers host we had a discussion about me sleeping outside or inside since there was no AC in the house and it would be cooler outside. The sky was clear and as the evening progressed, both in and the out cooled. There was a 30% chance of showers, so I decided to sleep on the couch.
Mean while, the 4th activities were ramping up and about 9:30 the fireworks began both in the neighborhood an on the waterfront.&#160;&#160; They went on for a couple hours and getting to sleep was a challenge but success was at hand. Then the real fireworks began, Mother Natures.  She must have thought those human cracklings were wimpy so she showed us. It was close to a repeat of the deluge we had one night in Texas. Lots of lightening, thunder and rain.
I had put my stuff under the eves of the house on the deck with the rain covers on so most things were safe. My shoes, helmet and a bag of laundry were the only casualties.
I am on the ferry about to set off on the 60 mile, 4 hour trip to Wisconsin. 
We will be in the Midwest time zone and only 2 hours ahead of California.
I will finish this later.
The ferry ride was basically boring unless you like looking at great expanses of water, playing bingo with an MC with bad jokes or watching a movie with dialog that is unintelligible.  Apparently the ferry is a ship originally built in 1952 to carry railroad cars across Lake Michigan.  It is a coal burning steamship and the last of its kind.
I found the cheapest lodging I could find at another Super 8 Motel.  I is $30 more than the same make and model I stayed in in Big Rapids.  This emphasizes the importance of avoiding coastal tourist areas.
The ultimate destination or tomorrow is yet to be determined.

7/4/12

First let me do what I forgot to do a couple days ago.  Include  two pictures of the fantastic bike trail between Grand Rapids and Howard City.  The first is closer to the beginning of the trail and shows a curve.  The second is further up an is characteristic of the long flat straight aways that indicate a Rail-to-Trails history.  To prove this is true, the third picture is of a restored depot in Reed City.
I had left the trail after Howard City because it became gravel and not smooth gravel like the towpath.  However the trail is paved from Big Rapids, whe!re I stayed last night, to Reed City so back on it for the first 14 miles this morning.
Made it to Ludington on the shores of Lake Michigan, bought my ferry ticket and checked in with my Warm Showers host.  Unfortunately she lives in a cell signal black hole so this installment will not get posted until tomorrow.
Hope everyone had a good and enjoyable Fourth.

7/3/12A

The thunder storm ended, I ate my lunch of an apple, banana and two peanut butter and honey sandwiches and headed for Big Rapids.  In  both Grand and Big Rapids I have not seen or heard any rapids only very still wide expanses of water.  I think they have dammed the rivers and I did see one of those.
I will go to Ludington, MI tomorrow and catch the ferry to Wisconcin on Thursday.  I hope to contact a Warm showers host tonight.

7/3/12

Well here I am at noon in the Howard City, MI library waiting out a thunder storm.  I just finished updating my statistics spread sheet and thought I would get some news out while I was stalled.  I did 95 miles yesterday and plan to do 65 today and have done 47 of it.  25 miles of it were on a paved bicycle trail leading out of Grand Rapids.  Most of it looked to be a Rails-to-Trails path way.I hope the weather clears so I can continue to Big Rapids, MI otherwise I am stuck here.  I'll do a 7/3/12A later to update.

7/2/12

Went further than planned today.  I wanted to stop somewhere north of Kalamazoo but the motels I was interested in turned out to be weekly/monthly rentals and there were no reasonably priced ones until Grand Rapids. So here I am at the Grand Rapids Motel 6.
The bicycle chain is about ready for replacement soon so I stopped by a bicycle shop and bought one.  In a discussion on a trail saw on my Michigan map, the shop owner gave me a slick magazine style brochure on bike trails in Michigan.  There is one that goes  most of the route I hope to cover tomorrow.  I'll let you know how it turns out.

7/1/12

Got a relatively early start an easy riding until the west/southwest wind kicked in.  Not only that but the flat terrain that had existed since reaching Lake Erie slowly, mile by mile, started with slight rolling and minor hills and then became higher and longer.
I traveled about 15 miles in Ohio, 35 miles in Indiana and 10 in Michigan.
When I reached Indiana the shoulder of the road was a  lot wider which was definitely cool.  Then I started noticing horse poop in the new wide lane.  Then it occurred to me, this is Omish country and Indiana has gone the extra effort to accommodate their life style.  I observed a similar situation in Pennsylvania but that state did not provide nearly as much road support for the buggies and carriages.
I wanted to get a picture of one of the buggies never had an occasion.
Another great thing, the terrain became flat when I turned north and the wind was at my back.
The forecast for today was thunder storms for this afternoon.  I didn't get to my motel until nearly 2:00pm and about an hour later the storm actually happened.  I am beginning  renew my trust in NOAA.

For those that want to know, I abode tonight is the Country Heath Motel in Sturgis, MI.