Leaving the Land of the Lakes

Tuesday, June 10 (Day 25)

Distance: 0 miles

Total: 1505 miles

Weather: sunny all day

I started the day slowly and Jody, Dick and I had breakfast on their pontoon boat on the lake. We saw two eagles sitting shoulder to shoulder!

Jody took me and my bike into town, where we dropped it off at the shop and she showed me around the town. My bike is now perfectly fixed-- no chain squeaking, perfect shifting, tubeless tires once again tubeless. I also picked up a rear view mirror, as I had lost mine in the flat tire incident.

I had a relaxing afternoon doing not much, and then we went out on the boat again for dinner. 

They are trying to sell their house in Florida and Jody told me that for luck, she had planted a little statue of Saint Joseph upside down in the yard.

At one point, I met one of their neighbors, who said to me "Alone? You know what I'd do, I'd carry a big stick."

It was so nice to have a nice place to stay for a while and interesting people to talk to. Like most of the people I've met, Jody and Dick are unbelievably nice and it was really great of them to take me in with no notice at all!

Wednesday, June 11 (Day 26)

Distance: 55.5 miles 

Average speed: 11.3 mph

Max: 33.9 mph

Total: 1561 miles

Weather: sunny all day

I took it slow today, waking up relatively late. I was so happy to see a "Share the road" sign that I took a picture. I haven't seen one in a long time! I also haven't seen another touring cyclist since the lower peninsula of Michigan, although I have heard tales about a guy in front of me and a few in the other direction.

I'm definitely in farm country now.

I arrived to camp early and took my unloaded bike for a spin around town. More blueberries! I met a woman named Ione. She asked me why I was doing it, and I told her that I wanted to meet people and see the world, and I had met fantastic people.

"It's a rotten place, isn't it?"

I was not sure how to respond to that. I don't believe the world is a rotten place at all, especially not after the past three weeks. 

I'm right next to the lake and a woman, Jan, passed me on a kayak and invited me to go out in her other kayak.

It was fun! Nice to work my arms for a change.