Day 24... a two-fer at the top of the UP

Day 24, July 3rd.   It was the coldest day I've ridden on this trip.  It was 57 degrees when I hit the road and the highest I saw all day was 71.  What happened to the summer I was complaining about a couple of weeks ago? Cold Wind to Valhalla

This morning dawned and presented me with two surprises.  First, I checked the day's forecast and noted with some trepidation that the current temperature was in the mid-50s.  Hmmm... definitely sweater weather.  But I didn't bring a sweater.  So I broke out the motorcycle jacket I've been carrying but haven't worn since I left Colorado (thanks Susan for making me take it!).  The second surprise was a non-forecast overnight rain that managed to soak my sheepskin seat cover on the bike.  Oh joy!  So I was out with two towels blotting and rubbing.  Cold weather and a wet derriere is not my idea of fun.  Luckily the BMW has a seat heater and I used it to good advantage for the first hour of the drive.

I was wanting to stay off the interstate today after yesterday's mad dash.  So with iPhone map in hand I headed north through Michigan's Upper Peninsula (UP) towards Mackinaw City.

Showing the power of serendipity, I managed to miss a turn onto my desired road and ended up inadvertently visiting the town of Cassopolis; MI.  The city is nestled amongst lakes and innumerable fields of corn and beans.  The ride, although chilly, was beautiful and peaceful.  The roads were narrow, well maintained, and when not bordered by neat fields, were tree-lined.

I came out of one of the prettier sections of forested back country lane atop a high point that overlooked the city and its agrarian environment.  In the morning light it was beautiful.  As I drove through the town I was impressed enough to take photos.  It was clean.  The homes were well kept and it was obvious that the city took pride in its past.  The courthouse looked pristine but I have no idea how many decades it has set on the corner.  The library looks like something out of a movie.  And an old garage was painted to bring back memories of bygone years.  If I hadn't missed my turn I'd have missed the town and the 30 minutes I lost I consider very well spent in discovering a hidden gem.

I was thoroughly enjoying the US highway I was on heading north (US 131) and was jolted into a sense of apprehension as I noticed the HUGE number of RVs, campers, and trailers headed north with me.  I planned to camp but it never entered my mind that today was July 3rd and a lot of people would be getting a jump on a long July 4th  weekend.  To make things a little better I stopped at a roadside stand and bought a bag of excellent cherries.  I distributed cherry pits along the road for 30 miles.

Michigan... it is full of cities I've always heard about but never seen.  Some of the names are hard to pronounce, but it's fun to try.  Kalamazoo... Cadillac...PawPaw...Muskegon...Manistee...and Mackinac.  It also has the biggest trout I have ever seen!

Arriving at Mackinaw I was able to see both Lake Huron and Lake Michigan at the same time.  According to the map I was using, when I went over the bridge there was a different lake on each side.  So I'm declaring a two-fer and managed to see two more of the Great Lakes in one day.  I managed to find a place to camp but it was kinda bare bones so after setting up camp I went back to town to get a meal and cadge some free McDonald's WiFi.  The City of Mackinaw has a very pretty downtown and must, per capita, have more candy shops and fudge factories than anywhere I've ever been.

The bridge

Lake Huron

Lake Michigan

My wife really loves lighthouses so I include this image of the Mackinaw lighthouse... it's a nice one and the walk around it details the wrecks of several ships that happened in the vicinity.

Happy 3rd of July everyone!