Day 10 – Sunday, September 8, 2013

Union Pier - Chicago

Both Heather and I didn’t sleep well at the hotel that night. The bed was small and uncomfortable and it was directly above a noisy restaurant and patio which was very loud.  We both woke up early at around 6am and I were anxious to get the final day underway.  I passed on breakfast knowing that the sooner I could get home the sooner I could get to my favorite breakfast place in Wilmette, the Pancake House.  I packed my gear for the final time and put on my kit for the day.  It was sunny and clear with not much wind which was a noticeable change from the past two days.

Leaving hotel on the last day of the trip

Setting out I had no choice but to follow the Red Arrow highway south past New Buffalo and into Indiana.  Since it was early Sunday morning there was no traffic but to be safe Heather followed behind me in the car with the blinkers on to alert traffic who might not see me.  It was comforting to know that she was there since there was hardly any shoulder on this stretch.  We stopped after about 30 minutes to take a picture as I entered Indiana… Only one state to go!  I made great time with the lack of wind and fresh morning legs.  Pretty soon I hit the Dunes Highway which was a little safer for biking so Heather turned off and went on back home and I continued on. 

Getting back into Indiana

The Dunes is a nice stretch that goes through the woods and is pretty scenic.  I enjoyed that part of the ride a lot but knew the worst was yet to come.  After another hour the road came out of the woods and the scenery started to turn industrial. I passed East Chicago and the American Steelworks. Then the BP Gas Refinery.  The petroleum smell in the air was thick and pollution turned the blue sky gray and cloudy.  The traffic picked up as my comfort level with the surroundings went down.  When I hit Garry, IN I was going pretty much as fast as I could to get out of there.  Garry is a total armpit, but the silver lining was the newly paved stretch of road I was on.  Last year this road was under major construction but now it was all done and the fresh blacktop was really nice.  The new asphalt took me straight through Garry and into Hammond.  When I hit the Harrah’s casino in Hammond I knew I had made it.  I didn’t have to follow my map anymore because I knew the way home from here. 

Just outside Garry, IN

Sometimes I got a little bored and with no traffic took a self portrait

Just past the casino was where I crossed into Illinois.  There is no sign but I knew were the state line was from past experience.  It goes right under the I-90 Skyway Bridge.  As I crossed into Illinois the terrain changed from industrial to more residential.  I got on highway 41 north and followed it until I hit a detour.  The bridge for highway 41 going over the Calumet River was closed for construction.  I knew another way over the river and went around to the next bridge.  The bridge was up and there was a line of cars a mile long.  I rode up to the foot of the drawbridge and looked each way to see how long it would be.  I could see a boat way down the river but it didn’t seem to be moving. 

First view of the city skyline

I stood and waited for a few minutes and had a gel.  5 minutes turned into 10 and I wondered what the heck was up.  Finally after about 15 minutes I couldn’t wait any more and had to look up another detour.  The next river crossing was way out of the way and I had to backtrack south almost 2 miles before I was able to cross the bridge.  Then it was another 3 miles to get back on course.  I was a little annoyed because of the inconvenience but in hindsight those last miles are what put me over 1,000 for the trip.  If it hadn’t been for that detour I would have been just a few short of the 1,000 that I wanted.

A little fog covering the skyline for my ride home

When I got back on course I flew for the last few miles north until the hit the lakefront path.  Of course the minute I did I ran into the annual Chicago Half-Marathon which was taking place ON the path that day.  After 10 days of open roads and hardly any use of breaks I was annoyed to have so much traffic in my path.  I weaved my way through he crowd and continued north on my familiar training grounds. 

It had been about 4 hours since I left Union Pier and instead of feeling excited to be back I felt a huge since of relief.  I was very sore and tired and felt beat up from head to toe.  I was anxious to get home and get off the bike.  I didn’t stop for many pictures and continued pushing north.  After the Chicago Marathon I hit the Chicago Bears Sunday tailgate at Soldier Field.  The smell of the grills made my mouth water and I pedaled even harder to get home.  I was starving!  There were a lot of joggers and pedestrians on the path so I had to be careful and slow down.  I continued north through the city and onto my regular work commute.  I was close.

I started to get excited knowing how close I was to home.  When I made the turnoff onto Bryn Mawr I decided to pass the regular bike shop and not stop.  Last year I had stopped in to say hi to the guys who had supported me during my preparation, but today I was really hungry and tired and anxious to get to the Pancake House.  I could have done the last 3 miles in my sleep because I’ve done it so many times before.

I made the turns without thinking and before I knew it I snapped out of my daze and realized I was turning onto my street.  I pulled up to the house where I’d left 10 days earlier and just kind of stared straight ahead.  It was hard to believe I was right back where I’d started.  I got off and stood the bike against the neighbor’s bushes and went and sat down on my front porch.  I took off my helmet, shoes, and camelback.  I just kind of took it all in and tried to enjoy the moment.  I was exhausted and unbelievably happy to be home safe. 

Finally home after 10 days

Heather came out and congratulated me and took a picture.  I wasn’t quite as interested in final photos and dramatic statements this time.  I just felt relief and exhaustion and soreness.  I had done it…. Again. 

The weirdest part of the whole trip was walking the bike back down the gangway and into the basement.  It’s something I do every day on my commute and after such an epic ride it seemed like a pretty ordinary ending.  I leaned the bike up against the wall in the basement like I do every day and walked upstairs.  It was over.

With nothing to really unpack I just changed into clean clothes and sat on the couch for a while.  It’s a weird feeling because so much has happened…. Yet there really isn’t much to say after it’s all done, just an enormous sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.  We went up for breakfast and I have never eaten so much in my life.  Actually, for weeks after the ride my appetite and digestion were totally out of whack.  I was constantly hungry and just couldn’t eat enough.  I had lost over 10 pounds during the trip and was down to 160 when I weighed myself on the bathroom scale.  I’m normally around 172.

Kitten comes out to greet me at home

Heather had arranged for a massage that night and as I relaxed I tried to reflect on the trip.  I knew I should go and update my blog, Facebook and twitter but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.  I was so tired and burned out I needed to just decompress and get away from things for a while. 

It took a week off the bike before I could come back and really unpack and start to reflect on the trip.  I had managed to get all the photos for my stop motion movie and I am still in the process of getting that done.  I reviewed all my daily journal notes to update the blog and am ready to close the book on this year’s ride.

In the end I was able to raise enough to donate 50 bikes for World Bicycle Relief and I am much more proud of that than accomplishing the ride.  In retrospect the fundraising part was more stressful and took more work to prepare than the actual ride itself.  The emphasis on that aspect is what kept me off-focus the first few days of the ride.  But, I am so thankful and happy for all those who contributed to the ride and who took money out of their own pockets to help others.  It takes a lot to do that.  The more time goes by and I reflect on the trip I realize that it wasn’t about the ride… it was about the bikes.  The planning, the route, the gear, the bike, was all for one reason and that was to build support for WBR and encourage people to donate. 

I’m so happy and blessed to be physically and mentally able to do this and very proud of what we were able to accomplish in the end.  Not just the ride but the 50 bikes.  That’s what has a real impact.  If I’d done the ride just for myself it would have been empty and meaningless.  Don’t get me wrong it still would have been cool.  But that’s all it would have been is a cool story to tell.

I’m so glad to be able to help and now as I sit here writing this I think about those 50 people riding their new bikes around and it makes me happy.  It makes it worth it.  For all the hard days, the soreness and the stress.  It’s worth it.  

Day 9 – Saturday, September 7, 2013

 Holland – Union Pier

Saturday morning Terry and Fred got up early and made a huge pancake breakfast with fresh Michigan blueberries. I ate so much I thought I was going to pop.  I justified my gluttony by saying it was “fuel” for the day.  Although, it didn’t really matter because I was going to burn off those calories in a matter of hours.  We ended up talking a late into the morning and I ended up getting a later start than I was hoping.  I was anxious to get to Union Pier because I was meeting Heather that night and a friend who had his boat docked at New Buffalo Harbor.

Fred, Terry and I on the start of day 9

We said our goodbyes and I took off.  The minute I swept around the lake and made the turn south the wind slammed me right in the face.  I couldn’t believe how strong it was.  Even in the wooded areas there was no shelter from it.  There was a little climbing at the beginning of the day but I knew it would flatten out later.  The road snaked its way through the woods and over some rolling hills.  It was a very pretty morning ride.  My ankle began to bother me again and I tried not to push it to hard and tear something.  My biggest fear was an injury that would prevent me from finishing the trip, especially in the last few days.

Some clouds moving in to start the morning

The morning was sunny and it was starting to heat up.  The wind was absolutely relentless, it seemed to come from all sides and no matter where the road turned it was coming straight at me.  I was churning the pedals furiously but just seemed to be crawling along.  I knew that getting through South Haven would take about an hour and then another hour to Benton Harbor which was a little over half way on the day.  The time seemed to creep along at a snail’s pace and the wind seemed to be pushing me backwards.

View of the harbor in South Haven

In South Haven I detoured down to the pier, which I’d never seen before and ended up stopping to eat a gel and talked to a lady and her husband for a few minutes.  The few minutes turned into almost 15 minutes as she talked my ear off about god knows what.  I stopped listening after about 5 minutes and kept thinking about how the heck I was going to get out of there.  Eventually, I tuned in to hear something about a foreign exchange student staying with them who was related to the king of some African country.  I still have no idea what she was talking about.  But, finally she wrapped up the story and I was able to squeeze in a sentence about WBR and my trip.  Hoping to get a donation I was disappointed to learn she didn’t have a computer.  Part of the fun of the trip was all the interesting people I met along the way and this was no different.

South Haven Pier

I finally managed to get out of there and continue on to Benton Harbor.  The wind didn’t let up one bit and only seemed to get stronger as the morning wore on.  There were also a few good climbs coming into town just to increase the difficulty.  I knew Benton Harbor was half way and I willed myself not to stop until I got there.  I said I’d stop at the bridge for a break just as I got into town.  The miles ticked away slowly until I finally could see the bridge up ahead.

  

I stopped on the bridge for a gel and saw dad drive by.  I went ahead a mile and met them at a gas station.  They’d been following me using the GPS link and knew exactly where I was.  They had stopped and got me a chocolate milk and a snack and it was really nice to just relax for a second before continuing on. 

When I took off the wind immediately was in my face again.  I made my way south and eventually made contact with the Red Arrow Highway which went straight into Union Pier.  This section is extremely dangerous because there is no shoulder and the cars fly by at 60 miles an hour.  Last year I was thankful to make it out alive and this year I was taking no chances.  I detoured around the Red Arrow but that required an additional 15 miles of riding on a lot of hilly back roads.  The roads were extremely rough and bumpy, and with the high wind and scorching sun I was really suffering.

 

Coming into the hotel at Union Pier

At the end of a very long day on the bike

The afternoon dragged on and I was pretty miserable.  I was sore from head to toe, hot, tired, and going 15 mph into a horrendous headwind.  The miles ticked away and finally I turned east onto a road cutting straight into Union Pier.  The headwind disappeared as I went into the woods and I was struck with an enormous sense of relief.  When I finally pulled into the hotel at Union Pier I was destroyed.  I could only get off the bike and collapse into a chair on the front porch of the hotel.  Dad and Karna were leaving that night to go back to Iowa so I grabbed the computer, downloaded my last pictures, and we all went down to the beach to take a walk and say our goodbyes.

Heading down to the beach to say our goodbyes

Me at the end of day 9 in Union Pier

Dark clouds were rolling in and it started to drizzle.  It was sad to say goodbye after spending the past 5 days together.  We hugged, and just like that they were gone.  It was kind of lonely.  Heather and I called up my friend Mike to ask if we were still on to get together.  He said yes and that even though it was starting to rain we could go on the boat and eat dinner and have a drink.

 

Sunset over Lake Michigan on the last night of the trip

We drove down to New Buffalo and found the harbor where his boat was docked just as the sky’s opened up.  When I saw the boat it was certainly not what I expected.  A Yacht would be a better description.  Immediately my worries about the rain went away and we got on board and went down below into the spacious cabin for a glass of wine.  We chatted the evening away catching up and having a wonderful time.  After an hour or so we went upstairs and saw that the skies had cleared and it looked like it was going to be a nice night.  We took off the cover to the boat and headed out onto Lake Michigan.  As the sun set we ate dinner on the back of the boat and talked and enjoyed each other’s company.  It was an amazing sunset and a fabulous time.  We cruised around the lake and viewed the mansions on the shoreline until after dark until we finally returned to the harbor. 

Heather and I after dinner cruising Lake Michigan

We said our goodbyes and I was so happy to have spent the last night of the trip that way.  Celebrating the occasion with my friends and seeing the best sunset of the whole trip.  It was perfect.

Day 8 – Friday, September 6, 2013

Ludington – Holland

Buttons at the Park Dairy

Right before bed the night before I’d checked the weather and knew the wind was going to be straight out of the south for the next few days.  But, I didn’t really know what that meant until opening the door Friday morning and feeling the rush of cold air off the lake.  Dad, Karna and I went to a small restaurant up the road for breakfast and Dad told us how he used to go there when he was a kid when the location was an ice cream shop called the Park Dairy.  He and his brothers and sister would beg my grandpa to buy them a Sunday so they could get a free button that said “I Was A Pig at the Park Dairy.”  Unbelievably when we got to the restaurant we found that it was actually attached to an ice cream shop.  Dad went and asked the owner about the location and amazingly it was the SAME shop owners that had been there when he was a kid and they still had the buttons!  Dad had to buy one but I teased him saying that he had to eat the ice cream to earn it.  My ravenous appetite didn’t fail me at breakfast and after a relaxing hour or so we all walked leisurely back to the hotel.

Getting ready to leave on day 8

Dad and I at the start of day 8 just after breakfast

Starting the day with a beautiful view of the lake

I got ready being careful of my fresh sunburn and headed out to start the day.  The wind was coming straight at me and I was struggling to make any sort of time against it.  The previous day’s effort was also taking its toll and my right ankle started to hurt on the backside by the achilles tendon.  I was trying not to push it but it seemed to get worse when I got up out of the saddle to climb.  I tried to take it easy on the climbs by staying seated and pedaling at a higher cadence to relieve the pressure.  It seemed to work for the time being.

Small lake created by the Lake Michigan dunes

The road eventually gave way to a trail that started in Whitehall.  This was the town where Norman and June Ullman were from and I thought of our previous meeting at Mackinac Bridge with a smile when I went through town.  Eventually I picked up a nice trail that went straight down to Muskegon.  It was an old rail line and with no climbs and a little shelter from the wind so I made good time.

Power plant entering Muskegon.  Trail on right goes right through it

I wanted to follow the trail into town to see the remains of the other old car ferry that used to cross Lake Michigan along with the Badger.  But when I got downtown the trail ended and I got off course and lost.  I realized that when I’d planned the day my computer had re-routed me onto highway 31 without me realizing it.  Highway 31 is incredibly busy and dangerous and I knew there was another road that went to Grand Haven.  Since, I knew the general direction of where I was supposed to go so I tried to strike out on my own, but after making a hundred twists and turns I had no choice but to get back on the course and follow this busy highway down to Grand Haven.

Stopping for lunch in Grand Haven

It was incredibly frustrating because I knew there was a back road that was really scenic but I just couldn’t find it.  The highway was a disaster and cars were whizzing by.  It was hotter than blazes and the road had so many potholes it was impossible to avoid them all.  Combined with the wind I was frustrated and irritated for the last 40 minutes into Grand Haven. 

When I finally arrived in Grand Haven I met up with Dad and Karna for a little lunch on the Grand Haven Pier.  They had brought me a sandwich for lunch and a chocolate milk which I was more than happy to devour.  We didn’t rest long because I was anxious to get the day over with and get to Holland where I knew all my relatives were meeting for a BBQ dinner. 

 

Dad and I getting ready to leave Grand Haven

Beautiful view of the pier in Grand Haven

To boost my spirits dad decided to ride the last hour down to Holland with me so as he geared up I took some pictures of the pier and hung out.  It was a totally different state of mind having dad there.  We talked and laughed and rode along at a good pace.  We stopped by my grandpa’s old house which we would visit as kids.  I have great memories of that house and of Grand Haven in general from when I was a kid visiting there.  We took it easy the rest of the afternoon and enjoyed the ride. 

Grandpa Bosman's house in Grand Haven

Riding with dad down to Holland

When we finally made it to Terry and Fred’s in Holland we were both tired and ready to be done with the day.  After changing and showering we walked over to the lake which was just across the street and enjoyed a nice walk on the beach.  It was hot and dad and I both wanted to go swimming.  The report said the water temperature was in the 70s but it felt like 50.  We both timidly walked out until finally we both had no choice but to just jump in.  We swam for about 30 seconds than ran out.  We enjoyed walking on the beach in the afternoon before returning back the house to visit and eat dinner.  My dad’s Aunt Christie and Uncle Jay came over and my cousin Stephanie and her family also came up to visit.  They all brought food and we enjoyed a fantastic meal around the big table.  Even my dad’s Uncle Jim and Barb came over which was a real treat.  We all told lots of funny stories and laughed the night away.

 

Swimming at the beach in Holland

On the bluffs looking over the lake after swimming

Can you say tan lines

At the end of the day as I lay in bed I calculated the miles.  I’d gone 822 so far… Knowing that there were only 2 days left I calculated that if I followed the route exactly I would be at 994 miles for the trip.  Just shy of 1,000.  I really wanted those last 6 miles.  

Day 7 – Thursday, September 5, 2013

 Traverse City – Ludington

Today was going to be the “Etape Reine” or Queen Stage of this year’s trip.  It was not the longest in terms of miles at only 110 but the climbing was beyond compare.  The elevation profile for the day was over 4,000’ with a hilly morning followed by three large climbs in the afternoon one after the other.  I vividly remember the difficulty of this day last year but this year’s route took it up a notch.  Because I wanted to avoid the busy and dangerous Highway 31 I rerouted to some back roads that added even more miles and more climbs to the day.

 

Silver Lake

The morning was beautiful and sunny as Dad and I ran up for breakfast at the Omelet Shop which was a nice little restaurant up the street.  I knew it was going to be a tough day and was a little nervous.  Immediately after leaving town there is an 800’ vertical climb straight up going west to the town of Empire.  I delayed at breakfast trying to delay the inevitable but finally we had to leave and I readied my gear for the day.  I headed out into the morning commuter traffic of downtown Traverse City and was immediately reminded of hometown Chicago traffic.  I started the climb and it seemed to be over before I knew it.  Not as hard as I’d remembered but still an epic climb.  After that it was lots of hills and some highway traffic until I got to the town of Empire. 

At Empire I turned south and ran into Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park which was a very scenic and hilly section of road.  The other strange factor about this section is the roads paved surface is not concrete or asphalt but a mixture of small stones which get adhered to the road with a tar of some sort.  This rough texture has a huge effect on the tires and makes it incredibly hard to pedal on.  The tires don’t roll smooth so the result is a huge amount of power wasted just to maintain a minimal speed.  Even going downhill you have to pedal hard to maintain speed.  It is a really strange feeling to be working so hard to go downhill… obviously uphill is even worse.

 

Following the Lake Michigan Circle Tour Signs

The day heated up and by late morning I realized that I’d forgotten my sunscreen at home and I was getting burned to a crisp under the hot sun.  As it happened every day, hour by hour morning gave way to noon and into the afternoon I rode on without stopping.  I passed a turnoff for a lighthouse which I’d heard was really cool.   It was a mile off the road up a big hill.  I climbed it excited about what it would look like.  At the top I rode another mile to find the lighthouse was closed for construction and you couldn’t get to it.  Another 2 miles back and 4 total out of the way.  A sign would have been helpful.\

Lighthouse I drove out of the way to see

Most of the road was shaded by trees and with the hills provided a nice but challenging ride.  I rode around a number of lakes which I can’t remember the names of but were beautiful and shimmering in the sun.  When I reached the scenic lookout off highway 22 just outside of Arcadia I knew I still had over 50 miles to go and I was tired.  The view at the top of the bluff is spectacular and I took some pictures and even saw a school of fish swimming far below.  The sun was bright and the blue/green water was completely transparent.  I stopped to talk with a couple who seemed curious about my ride but then continued on.

At the lookout with 50 miles to go

Can you spot the school of fish in the water?

Looking south to my afternoon route

The afternoon was hot and the three huge climbs were still to come.  One after the other I tackled them and each seemed bigger than the next.  I flew on the downhill’s as fast as I could and that made it seem somewhat worth the climb.  Finally I made it to the town of Manistee which I knew was only an hour outside Ludington.  I didn’t stop to take in any of the fall scenery and took notice of the leaves that were turning color and starting to fall even though it was only September.

Get ready to do some climbing

Things flattened out for the last hour of the day and I rode through cornfields and country roads all the way into Ludington.  I felt a lot better than I did last year but it was a rough day on the bike and by the time I made it to the Blue Spruce in I was hurting.  When I got off the bike my first thought was “wow it’s over” I knew the hardest parts were behind me and I was on the home stretch. 

 

Nice lake view in the afternoon

Apple storage building I rode by in the afternoon

Turkeys at the side of the road

Finally getting into Ludington

Dad and Karna met me in very short order and we checked into our hotel rooms. We had finally gotten the Live Track feature working on the Garmin so they could see my exact GPS location on their phone.  I changed and showered and then we went for a walk on the boardwalk to go grab dinner.  Dad treated us to a delicious dinner right on the harbor and I had a seafood pasta which was excellent.  We relaxed and enjoyed a great meal then headed out to watch the sunset and ferryboat “Badger” come into port.

 

Ludington Harbor

The Badger

The Badger is the last running, coal powered, ferry boat that runs between Michigan and Wisconsin.  At the time it is on the brink of being shut down by the EPA due to the coal ash pollution the boat dumps into the lake during the trips.  It’s a huge boat and really cool to watch it come in and dock.  The boat comes in full steam then drops the anchor on the front which whips the boat into a 180 putting the back end right at the tip of the dock then it just backs in slowly.  It’s incredible to watch.

 

Sunset at Ludington

We walked and talked until the sun was just about ready to set and then we went out to take a few final pictures of the day.  By this time my legs were sore and I was beyond tired.  The sunset was beautiful but I was ready for bed.  Getting into bed my abs were so sore I couldn’t sit up in bed.  I had to roll left and right to get out of bed in lieu of sitting up.  It was amazing how all the riding was taking such a toll on my body.  I ate the rest of the pie dad brought from Traverse which was a delicious snack before bed.  My appetite was incredible and I seemed to be hungry all the time.  As I lay in bed unable to sit my sunburn was aching and I was sore from head to toe.  But I was on the downward slope to home and I knew it.

Day 6 – Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Harbor Springs – Traverse City

Dad and I at the start of day 6

The morning started off well enough after getting up and having a nice breakfast with Dave and Vickie.  Dad and Karna arrived shortly before 9 and Dad was ready to do his first “ride along” of the trip.  We were going to ride together for the first 20 miles of the day down to Charlevoix which was a nice stretch of trail that avoided major roads and had a scenic view of the bay.  After saying our goodbye’s we set off.  For the first couple miles we rode right along the shoreline of the bay and passed the beautiful mansions that line the streets.  It was early morning and a beautiful sunny day was in store.  After rounding the bay we hooked up with the Charlevoix trail which followed the shore all the way down to the town after which it was named.  The trail has an amazing view and we rode side by side chatting easily but also trying to keep the pace high since I had a long day ahead.  Dad did great on the ride and kept pace really well.  We arrive in Charlevoix after a little over an hour and met up with Karna who collected him and his bike to continue on to Traverse City.  I didn’t stick around long and headed out of town to continue on with the day.

View of the bay in Harbor Springs 

Nice ride in the morning along the bay

Dad and I riding to Charlevoix

Charlevoix

Last year this stretch of highway 31 going down to Traverse City was dangerous so this year I re-routed to avoid it and take some back roads.  I turned off shortly out of town and headed directly south.  The roads were deserted except for an occasional tractor or farmer driving by.  It was relaxing and since the day was a little overcast, I was enjoying a cool shady ride. 

A few climbs on the backroads off highway 31

Giant fence built around some guys house with "Keep Out" signs posted everywhere

On a long lonely stretch of road I decided to sit up and take a short video of me riding.  I had done this a million times before with no problems and there were no cars to be seen in any direction.  I was holding the camera with my right hand and the bars with my left talking to the camera.  All of a sudden the wind picked up behind me and I found that I needed to change into a different gear.  For some reason I decided to reach across with my left hand to my right shifter to tap it and shift up.  I touched my right shifter with my left hand crossing over my other arm still holding the camera…. The instant I did my front wheel veered left and I went over the bars and into the ditch on the right rolling headlong into the grass.  I hit my head hard on the ground and thought I’d cracked my helmet but it didn’t do any damage. More mad than anything I angrily got up and started to collect all my stuff that had gotten thrown off into the weeds.  Water bottles, gels, mirror, etc. 

Cool old church I rode by

After gathering everything and setting the bike upright and assuring there was no damage I was about to set off when I realized I didn’t have my phone.  The very phone that ultimately caused the crash.  I started searching the grass and immediately couldn’t find it.  I searched for another 10 minutes… nothing.  I started to get angry.  After another 10 I still was no closer and now I started to get nervous.  I could not contact anyone without the phone and no one knew where I was.  I hadn’t seen a car for over an hour.  I searched and searched with no result.  I created a grid pattern and walked it over and over.  I tried to re-create the crash and see where it might have flown.  I even set my water bottles back out in the grass where they’d fallen creating a debris field to see where it might have flown.  All logic said it had to be there.

After over 30 minutes I tried to flag down the first passing truck I saw.  He didn’t stop.  More frustrated than ever I continued kicking the ankle tall grass and searching for the phone… where the heck could it be?  Finally after 45 minutes another driver went by and I waved him down.  He was nice enough to stop and I described to him the problem.  He was extremely nice and he and the passenger got out and helped me search.  We walked up and down the ditch for another 10 minutes.  Nothing… he even let me use his phone to call to see if it would ring.  We sat silently listening for it but couldn’t hear anything.  Finally he said he had to leave and in a last ditch effort I called my dad’s home phone number which was the only number I could remember since I couldn’t remember his cell.  On his voicemail he gave his cell number and I was able to turn around and call it and thankfully he answered.  The good samaritan got on the phone and gave him directions to my location and then headed out.  He was sorry to not be able to stay and help more but he had an appointment to get to. 

When dad showed the three of us created a grid pattern and began the search.  Karna was out in the cornfield 25’ away just as a last ditch effort to see where it might have flown.  Finally dad had the idea to text my phone and see if the ring was a little different.  He texted and we waited in complete silence.  All you could hear was the sound of the grass rustling in the breeze.  We were all holding our breath… off in the distance barely audible came a faint beep from my phone!  We all yelled with joy and started texting like crazy.  Dad and Karna would text then we’d all wait silently for the beep.  Slowly we honed in on the area where we were hearing the sound.  It got closer and closer with every text.  Finally as we were just on the side of the road dad sent a final text we waited and heard the chime.  We both looked at each other then looked up and ACROSS the road to the other side.  Almost from where I was standing I could see it lying on the complete other side of the road from where we were looking.  When I checked the phone it had over 20 text messages.

In hindsight as I crashed into the ditch on the right my hand must have sky hooked that phone up and into the air onto the left side of the road.  To this day the logistics of it are still mind blowing. 

After the big find

I picked up the phone which had no damage thanks to the heavy case I put on it before leaving.  I stuffed it in my pocket and all my frustration was gone.  I’d lost well over an hour and half with the phone fiasco and still had another 2.5 hours to go before getting to Traverse City.

Riding off into the sunset after my crash

We took off and I was happy to be all in one piece and back riding again.  I had a nice tailwind riding south and the new route I’d chosen took me along Torch Lake and a few other small lakes which were beautiful.  Traffic was nonexistent and I enjoyed the ride with a few good climbs along the way.  When I arrived in Traverse a few hours later traffic was building but I was extremely happy to be there.

Dad, Karna and I out to watch the sunset on Mission Point

Lake Michigan dunes

My Aunt Aurea could not make it down for the trip but we were staying at her place anyway.  I was really tired and sore so dad and Karna went out and got some takeout pasta which I inhaled for dinner with a really nice bottle of wine they’d picked up to celebrate.  After dinner the sun was setting and we decided to take a ride out to Mission Point to enjoy the sunset and see the vineyards.  It was a great evening of conversation and scenery that was one of the highlights of the trip.  On the way back we got to talking about desert and how good an Apple Pie sounded.  On the spur of the moment we stopped at a grocery store to get not one but 2 apple pies!!  Neither one of us wanted to share so we each had to get our own!  We went back to Aurea’s and I ate ¾ of my apple pie and then crashed in an exhausted sugar coma.  What a crazy day but tomorrow was going to be the hardest day of the trip and I knew it.

Mission Point vinyards

View at the tip of Mission Point after dinner