August 13 - day 49 Saturday

August 13 - day 49 Saturday
Start - Mercer, WI
End - Trout Lake, MI
Miles - 80 (Marcee 40.1, Larry 40.2)
Start time - 940am
End time  735pm
Weather - high around 80 light winds.  Beautiful cycling weather.
Miles driven not ridden - 5

After spending the night at the Quinn Motel in Ironwood, MI we drove back into Wisconsin to continue the ride.  Before jumping on the bikes we stopped at Tom's cafe in Mercer.   Good food, good cinnamon french toast.  Denise Thompson, who owns the cafe said that he her husband and son do some long distance trips and they even have a few spare bike supplies in the cafe in the event of emergency.

Marcee started the ride today and rode into our 8th state, Michigan, unfortunately there was no sign when entering the state as this was the first one that she had done the ride since we both were riding in Washington to start the trip.  We started on county road H and then turned on to G and then headed north on 513 when we made it to Michigan.  It was very nice riding conditions as traffic was very light.  Marcee even had the opportunity to talk to a runner along the road who told Marcee that she had run 13 miles.  Marcee misses running.

We entered the Eastern Time Zone today!

Today we each rode two 20 mile blocks to make our 80 for the day.  At the end of the day we stopped at a tavern "Up chucks" in Kenton for dinner.  Cathy made us some burgers and we chatted with a local - Tom Jackson - who grew up in the area and remembers when this small town was booming with 50 to 60 kids on the school bus and now there are 4.  Mining use to be big in the area.  After dinner we searched for a place to stay or camp.  In the U.P. there are stretches where there are not many options.  Fortunately, when we drove a few miles back to Trout Lake, where they had "Pond Fest" with Polka music and beer and brats we found one person still there - Conrad - who gave us permission to camp in the back of the park where they the Pond Fest earlier.  Thank you Conrad!  We had a long drive ahead of us otherwise.