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Back to North Meet the Riders Bamacyclist Home Day 36
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Back to North Meet the Riders Bamacyclist Home Day 36
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| ROUTE: Across Lake Michigan | DISTANCE: A fur piece, but we're only pedaling about 7 miles today | WINDS: Westerly...of course we're not riding |
| WEATHER: Sunny and 80 degrees | TERRAIN: Wet | TOTAL CLIMBING: Just to the 3rd deck of the Badger |
DAILY REPORT: Usually I don't do a
page on our down days, but today was a special day for the staff. Jeff and
Sondra became hitched today before we started our trek across Lake Michigan.
It was a beautiful day as riders and staff alike made their way to the Red Arrow
Park on the western shoreline of Lake Michigan at 10:00 to hear Jeff and Sondra
exchange vows. It was a nice, simple outdoor ceremony with everyone dressed in
their "cycling formal wear." The ceremony was complete with bubbles,
rings, and simple gifts to get them started on their life's journey. And
to top off the entire event, Jeff graciously offered everyone an all expenses
paid (excluding meals and incidentals) cruise across Lake Michigan to help
celebrate their honeymoon! I thought that was a wonderful gesture and will
use this trip to check off the "romantic cruise" square on my "Things I need to
do soon" list. I'm not sure Barbara will buy it, but I saw a cruise
director's office when I boarded plus this is a ship...there's water,
entertainment, food, on board shopping, and an alternate destination...sounds
like a cruise to me.
After the ceremony, we all boarded the USS Badger,
a ferry vessel that's been the largest car ferry on Lake Michigan for over 50
years. A trip on the Badger takes passengers back to a time when car
ferries were popular in the late 50s. Changes in transportation caused
these services to shut down in the 70s. It wasn't until 1991 that the
Badger was taken out of moth balls and recommissioned to serve the communities
on both sides of the Lake.
I think everyone enjoyed the trip as most either lounged on the outside deck or found something to do on the inside. Some watched movies, some played bingo, while others caught up on visiting each other while in a different environment than the last few days on their bikes. The trip took 4 hours and we lost an hour when we got off the ship when we entered eastern time...my least favorite time zone. The good side is that we are on the down side of the trip and the time will start to fly to the end of the trip.
We continue our journey on the bike tomorrow as we ascend on Mt Pleasant MI...it won't be an easy day...our last over triple digits. From there the terrain will mellow out until the last couple days where we'll find some of the biggest climbs of the whole trip. Check in and see how we do.
| DID I REALLY SAY THAT?:
"I do." "I get all sentimental during weddings and tax time." "I may need to go to the hospital to rehydrate after crying so much at the wedding." |
DID I REALLY DO THAT?:
All was right with the world this morning as Cindy displayed both her daughters again in laminated form. When I asked her where on earth did she find her lost daughter she said, "I had an extra set in my suitcase." |
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DID I REALLY SEE THAT? |
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 When used properly, you can turn any sunscreen into SPF 100. |
 No one noticed the wedding cake was missing until it was too late...Cindy and Steve knew where it was all the time...or at least where it used to be. |
 Hey guys, interested in a game of shuffleboard? We'll take that as a negative. |
 The Badger pulled out of port so fast that Debbie was thrown unceremoniously across the deck and luckily landing into a chair. No one else noticed the movement of the boat, but Deb is highly sensitive to changes in motion. This may explain the fact that her bicycle computer is stuck on 16. |
 I rest my case and agree with Jeff...this should count as a cruise. |
 Wow...a cruise and a new state all in the same day! Welcome to Michigan. |
Copyright © 2007 by Bamacyclist
All rights reserved.
