Rochester, NY – Sodus Point, NY

Miles = 41

Finally got the break we’d needed!  Planned a short day today.  We’re in need of some downtime to relax!

Cycled to a tiny shore town called Sodus Point where we found a cottage to stay in for a steal.  (Laureen sure knows how to sweet-talk!)  It had enough beds for all of us to sleep–no one on the floor for once!

Took a walk along the water and docks.  Ordered grub at a dock, bar, and grill called Cap’n Jack’s.  It was all decked out in pirate paraphernalia.  If only we’d had our costumes and booty!  Aaaarrrrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!   Thought of our pirate friends, Carl and Lauren.  We miss ya, me hardies!

Played some board games when we got back and enjoyed our rest!

Angola, NY – Rochester, NY

Miles = 90

Weather = rainy, very cloudy

Hoped to have a short day today.  Didn’t happen.  Left Angola by 8am, pushing as hard as we could because of the rain threat by noon.  When the skies opened up, we ducked into a Bob Evans for some lunch.  Got new directions to get around the construction that had been surrounding us all day.  Loved the new traffic-free route so much that we decided to stay on it and have Mel + Susan find a place further up.  Told them to find a place on the outskirts of Rochester, which we thought would be a total of 65 miles for the day.  We didn’t realize the battery on Matt’s odometer was dying, so 65 miles was ACTUALLY NINETY!  No wonder we were so tired!!!!!! 

Mi = 66

Erie, PA – Angola, NY

Slow start this morning.  Began the day with breakfast and a nice chat with Greg at  the Mercyhurst Dining Hall, followed by a bittersweet reminiscent walk of the campus (for Laureen at least), then an interview and photograph by the Erie Times Newspaper, and around 10:45 we got started with the bicycling. 

The news article and picture can be seen beginning July 30 or 31 at http://www.goerie.com  When we find the exact link, we’ll put it up. 

Crossed the state line into New York today!  The wineries and distant hills reminded Matt of his home in upstate NY.       

Mi = 90

Mentor, OH – Erie, PA

Welcome to PENNSYLVANIA!  While the camera was flashing as we stood by the sign, Matt said, “Finally one of the original 13 colonies!”  At this point we are only 1 state away from home and feel like we can practically reach our fingers through PA to touch NJ, despite the fact that we still have to go through NY, NH, and VT to Maine.

Beautiful ride along Lake Erie.  Most of the roads we cycled on were named Lake Ave, Edgewater, and Lakeshore Dr. 

Entered Erie, Laureen’s college stompin’ ground.  We were greeted by Greg Baker, the campus minister who went out of his way to research a fully furnished guest apartment where we could spend the night on-campus.  He also handed us a $20 and a gift card for Papa John’s Pizza!  Blessings come from everywhere when you least expect them. 

Mi = 87

Milan, OH – Mentor, OH

Long day again, today, even though it was less miles than yesterday.  We’d take cows and corn over urban cycling anytime!  Biked through Cleveland.  We’ve decided the state flower of Cleveland is the orange barrell…so much construction!  Took more detours than beverages today.  If you remember our day 34 fiasco, you might be saying to yourself, “Do they ever learn?”  Again, we saw a sign that read “Bridge out” and again we chose to ignore it, thinking “we’ll figure something out”. :)  This time we had to cross a mini-lake!

When we finally got to Mentor, OH and showered off the urban smog, we were greeted by a chariot that treated us to TGIFridays.  The drivers were Ryan and Liz Pinney (Ryan is Matt’s friend from high-school who was also a groomsman in his wedding last year and Liz is his lovely, quick-witted wife, who shares the same affection for a pink moped and matching pink helmet and bag as Laureen does).  Great to see them and catch up!

Mi = 92

Napoleon, OH – Milan, OH

Quite a spacey day.  Cycled past a lot of cows and corn again. 

Mi = 110

Battle Creek, MI – Napoleon, OHIO

Had to get on the road early today so we could get all 110 miles in and also so Barb could get an early start on her 16 hr drive home.  Boo hoo 

Ohio!  A burst of energy hit us as we crossed the state line; we’re close to home!

Susan and Mel (husband) and Evan (son) came out to take Barb’s place.  It’s hotels from here on out with this crew…Susan has an addiction to a blow dryer and a weak stomach for bugs.  We don’t mind!  The boys dove headfirst into a relaxing swim in the pool (although somehow they included wrestling as part of the relaxation) and Laureen sucked up the air conditioning in front of HBO.  Welcome, Susan, Mel, and Evan!! 

Mi = 57

Grand Rapids, MI – Battle Creek, MI

Mo made us breakfast with fake bacon (she’s a vegetarian) and eggs with spices from her garden.  She was having someone come to look at her house at 10:30am and we were still hanging around and unmotivated by 9:30am.  Quickly got ready and took off for Battle Creek after that.  It was a quick, easy ride through a more suburban scenery than the usual cows and corn we’ve been seeing in the past week or two.  Stopped for lunch at a KFC buffet, which was not our smartest decision yet.  As salty and sweet as it tasted, we didn’t listen to our bellies when they said “stop, I’m full now”, and for the next hour in the sun we were wondering who would be the first to yak.  A few hills later, we were finished and Barb picked us up and took us to her parents’ house for the night.  Another real bed to sleep in and a cat to cuddle with! 

Mi  = 45

Our day began at 4:45 am — up early to catch the Ferry by 6 am.  We watched the sunbeams of the sunrise burst over Lake Michigan as we pulled away from the dock.  Matt was reminded of how he felt a few days ago as the boat rocked back and forth and back and forth across the rough wake of the lake.  When we arrived safely and Matt and Jonathan located their stomachs again, we had an early lunch and headed out for a half-day of cycling.  It was only a few miles from the tourist town of Muskegan, where the ferry docked, to a paved bicycle trail that took us right into Grand Rapids, where we would be staying with Barb’s college roommate.  Well, we flew through the trail, but it was a LOT slower as we attempted to find her house.  Two wrong turns and a $5 map later, we found directions that would navigate our way to her house.Her name is Maureen, but Barb calls her “Mo” for short.  She offered us our four favorite things — shower, dinner, ice cream, and sleep.  She has an old house that has been completely renovated and modernized.  Totally cute!  Want to buy it?  :)  Check out Re/Max for 655 Gladstone in Grand Rapids, MI.

 Here’s Barb calling her hubby:   

Mi = 102     Portage, WI – Milwaukee, WI         Cycled on several of Wisconsin’s bike trails.  The terrain was flat, but 40 mi of the trail was left unpaved, covered in limestone instead.  For a while, we felt like we were hiking or riding on a mountain bike trail as the trees kept us hidden from the outside world.  Once we reached the paved section, which eventually led us to the heart of Milwaukee, we began to see signs of life.  It was refreshing to see families out for a leisurely bike ride, couples holding hands over roller blades, and children racing one another to the next block of the trail. 

FUN WITH WISCONSIN SIGNS:All Wisconsin county roads are labeled with a number or a letter.  Here are two that we enjoyed: