North into Michigan...

MikeO

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Dereham, Norfolk, today...
20th September

I sleep well, turning out the light at just after 2200 and not stirring until 0730 – however, despite this, I still feel tired – it’s clearly taking longer than I anticipated to clear the effects of the Hofbräu lager out of my system…:D

I’m packed and on the road, after making a few phone calls home, at 1030, and heading north east towards the Michigan border. It’s a beautiful day, with just a few mares tails of cloud in the sky and a cool onshore breeze blowing from Lake Michigan to the east. I follow the 41 through Green Bay, following the coast line of the lake – a road signed as ‘Lake Michigan Loop’. I’m into Michigan, in Menominee, before I actually catch sight of the lake, though…

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The lake is vast – like a sea – and the towns here have a seaside feel to them – difficult to define exactly what it is, but there’s a maritime nature to the place. North of Menominee (didn’t the Muppets do a song about this place?), I spot this old gentleman…

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…anyone care to hazard a guess*? By the look of it, it had a bit of a dazzle problem with that strip of chrome running down the centre of the bonnet (hood).

The coastline has miles of reed marshes, home to loads of wildfowl and other water birds…

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At about 1600 (Eastern time – I’ve crossed another time zone – I’m beginning to suffer from GS-lag…), I come into Escabana (The Heart of Northern Michigan), which has a pleasant feel to it. It has an air of permanence about it which is unusual in US cities in my experience.

It has a nice old lighthouse…

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…and a very reasonably priced room in the Econo-lodge.

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*EDIT - 1953 Pontiac Chieftain DeLuxe - thanks Boundless :thumb
 
21st September

I wake early. At least it feels early, but the clock in the room says 0820. These time zone changes are beginning to get to me :D

I pack the bike and I’m just about to leave when another bike turns up…

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…it turns out to be Mike, an ADVRider (Yooperbikemike), who, reading that I was in Escabana, about an hour south of where he lives, rode down to say hello… Brilliant – my very own stalker :yelrotflm. We ride north out of town, heading towards Rapid River, past this rusting relic…

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…and stop for breakfast at a local café. It turns out Mike is an attorney. He used to work for the state as a prosecutor, but has now changed to become a defence attorney – a bit like Keanu Reeves in The Devil’s Advocate. Unlike Keanu Reeves (who has never bought me a meal), Mike treats me to a vast breakfast. We each order an omelette from the colourful menu. Mine’s a ‘Garbage’, Mike’s a ‘Gourmet’. When they arrive, they look the same. There’s probably some deep philosophical conclusion Mike & I should draw from this – but we are too busy trying to make a dent in the ridiculously large meals.

We eventually give up and, after Mike tells me how to contact him if I run into any trouble with the Michigan Police, we kit up and head off around the top of Lake Michigan. Mike peels off at Rapid River and heads north towards home and an appointment with a client this afternoon – what a nice chap :thumb

The weather is beautiful – like a fresh spring day in the UK…

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…and the views south across the lake are very pleasant. I ride past several tourist attractions…

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…although I also meet a patriotic moose…

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…before arriving at the Mackinac Bridge…

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…which, unsurprisingly, crosses the Straits of Mackinac. The toll for the bridge is $2.50 – the same as for a car or SUV. Although this is common practice throughout the USA, it still irks me that motorcyclists are ripped off in this way.

The outer lanes of the bridge are closed for repair, so I ride the lane nearest to the centre, the surface of which is made from metal grating. Riding on this not only causes the bike to wander about a little, but also allows you an uninterrupted view to the water a hundred feet or so below…

Riding south through the ‘oven mitt’ shaped part of Michigan, I follow Highway 31 for most of the time – the scenery varies from woodland…

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…where the first hints of the autumn colours are showing on the aspens and maples, to the return of the fields of corn, which I last saw in Wisconsin and Iowa.

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This one was for sale, if anyone’s interested. Any ideas what it is?

Everywhere, it’s clear that people are preparing for winter. Advertised along the road are snowmobiles, snow ploughs and this stuff…

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…huge sheets of shrink-wrap, to keep your car/boat/whatever clear of snow for the season.

In most states, I’ve seen signs on the approach to road works stating ‘Fines Doubled in Work Area’, or words to this effect. Here in Michigan, they also have these, and are a little more specific about other possible penalties…

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Around 1700, I start feeling a bit weary, so set Bettie the task of finding me somewhere to stay. She points me to the Hampton Inn at Cadillac, where I check in just before 1730. A good day – and I’m still not hungry…:D

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