Day 8. Fourth of July. Houghton to Munising. Life is good. A couple hundred miles or so on the bikes. Absolutely gorgeous weather. Days like today make you appreciate summer. Low 70s. No humidity and a few whisps of clouds. Lazy start again. Mainly because we were laughing, talking and sharing until well after midnight. We probably did not roll out of Houghton until about 1030a. Stopped for gas first thing and a couple of the bikes needed a little oil…
First stop was in Ispheming at ‘Da Yoopers Tourist Trap’. An actual store. I could try to explain, but it’s better experienced. Next was a stop in Negaunee for lunch. Pasties. It’s a UP thing. Then up to Big Bay.
Nice ride up. Nothing spectacular, just very nice. The whole town was turning out for a parade. We were going to the lighthouse, got lost and then opted for a beer at the Lumberjack tavern and got out of town before they shut down the streets for the parade.
Headed south to Marquette then east to Munising. Thousands of people in town for the fourth. We checked into a hotel outside of town and decided to relax a bit, have a dinner of fine sandwiches, salty snacks and adult beverages from a convenience store. Some cards, discussion of life while sitting in plastic chairs under a tree and getting to listen to each other.
Riding the bikes for hours at a time is a different experience. On the bikes, you are by youself. You look in the rear view mirror and every one is there with you in staggered formation. On curves, like a great choreographed routine all slip into single file, spaced out. Once back into straights, the formation reappears. At traffics stops automatically everyone is side by side. You are still by yourself. Hand signals dominate. Patting your helmet for a personal break. Thumbs up for all good after quick stops. That’s all it takes to understand. Your mind wanders. You appreciate the ride. You hope everyone sees what you do. Every one is there with you, but you still have the space by your self.
We have also become some what spoiled. We pass lighthouses, waterfalls, vista turnouts, roadside beaches, dozens of places worth a stop… How many can you engage. Any one of the roads near home would merit a daily drive. We are beginning to take them for granted
We still have to put the miles under us. Still hundreds of miles from home and we have yet to complete the mission of circumnavigating Lake Superior. We figure 2 more days to do that, then 3 days to get home…
Did I say life is good? Life is good…..