Smarty Pants Yertle Reaches Leroy

Yes, I sit in the Leroy library at 2:00 on a very, very hot afternoon. (Find Leroy on a map now will ya! That ought to test your cartographical skills.) This is a avery nice place to be! Only have a dial up connection and no USB so again no pictures. Yesterday rode 87 miles and arrived at Herrick Campground just outside of Clare, Michigan, about dead center in the state. Nice tail wind for much of the day, level roads, and the last 30 miles were on the Pere Marquette rail trail. The trail was all paved, as wide as a traffic lane, bathroom and rest stops, and towns with stores along the way. Today's ride will take me to Wolf Lake, near Luther and about 30 miles from Ludington where I catch the ferry across Lake Michigan and hopefully will meet up with Camille and Cyndi Johnson for lunch. Talked with them last night. Aren't cell phones wonderful! How did Lewis and Clark survive without......

Met two young male bikers headed east from the west coast yesterday morning--first others doing a crossing. The looked to be 20 something, carrying more gear than I and said they were averaging 80-90 miles per day. Ah, youth! They're on a schedule to get to the east coast as they need to get back to work soon. Ah, retirement! Also had a car pull up next to me outside Bay City and the driver yelled out "where ya coming from and where ya goin'" and when I told him, still riding, he replied "do you need anything for your cycle? I'd be glad to help if you do." What a generous, unsolicited offer. I didn't, so on we both went.

One negative. I lost my watch! Left it in the shower at the campground and when I realized it was missing about an hour later (well how do I know I didn't have a watch!) and went back to the shower, it was gone. Someone had taken it. Well....next one I get will be one I can afford to lose!

I miss having someone to ride with! All the little incidentals of the day--decisions, encounters, thoughts, jokes--funny and otherwise---even feelings (Mr. Sensitive Seventies just poked his way into my consciousness) would be so nice to share with somemone else. Maybe that's the way it is in all of life and is the tide that binds us in friendships and other relationships. But riding alone is cool too. It isn't very often that any of us get the chance to be on our own for any extended time.

Thanks for the comments. Yo, Carly Barley, enjoy those blueberries, raspberries and peas with Emily and Laura. Make sure the fence is unplugged or it may ruin your appetite! Baker, you're going under the knife on my birthday! Is that legal? Cally, the rain will be gone by Friday and I predict you will have hot weather over the weekend. (I read in the paper that the only night (Wednesday) of the last 6 I spent in a motel, it set a record for rainfall for the date--about 4 inches! My love to all. Back on the bike for the last few miles to Wolf Lake. By the way, in case you don't know it (although most of you are smarter than me so you probably do), doughnuts for breakfast (and nothing else) doesn't work very well. This morning I thought I'd be like one of those vehicles that burns vegetable oil. I made it to lunch time but ooohh....