I have been following a northerly route based upon conversations I have had with other travelers. For the past three or four days, if two or three separate people suggest a similar route, I have headed that direction. Makes for interesting travel.
The adjacent picture was taken as a result of a conversation I had with Rick and Kim (fellow cycling tourists), at Van Buren State Park. It seems that sometime in the late 1800's (I think), there was a monumental snow storm that completely immobilized travel in and out of the Glenn, MI area. A very large number of people were stranded in Glenn. Food supplies were consumed quickly ... however, just prior to the storm, a very large shipment of pancake batter was received (why, I do not know). Glenn, MI celebrates this arcane piece of historic fact with an annual Pancake Festival ... pancakes are a big deal to the local Chamber of Commerce!
Another piece of area history ... we are all aware, no doubt, of the great Chicago fire of 1871. That same summer, a very large segment of the northern area of lower Michigan was also devastated by fires ... from Lake Michigan to Lake Huron. A very large percentage of Holland, MI and Manistee, MI (two pretty mid-size towns that I was not aware of prior to following the shoreline) were also destroyed by fire.
The logging industry was the dominate economic engine for the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan from the 1830s to 1900, or so. This area is very interesting, and I intend to come back here, sometime in the future, for additional bike touring.
In the past I have felt quite isolated when surrounded by travel trailers and RVs at campgrounds, but last night and this morning I had a different experience. Conversations were shared with a couple from Germany, who are on an East Coast-to-West Coast RV trip, and also with a couple from the Chicago area. Denise and Glenn (the couple from the Chicago area), invited me into their travel trailer this morning for coffee. What a great way to start the day ... sitting on a comfortable couch, drinking delicious coffee, and sharing a great conversation. Denise and Glenn have done considerable travels over the past 23 years in the Wisconsin and Michigan area, so they were a great source of information about the area. Next best thing to sharing a table and coffee with old friends is making new friends.
So today I am heading eastward toward Lake Erie. I had thought about continuing north, but I think I will save these northern rides for another time ... plus the wind is to be out of the northwest at 10 to 20 mph.
Travel by whim ... or rather, by wind.
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