The Great Lakes

Well we made it over The Bridge! Actually we ferried around it to Mackinac Island and spent the day doing the tourist thing. The Island was crowded but had a great bike loop that followed the coastline. Since cars aren't allowed it was a nice change of pace, except for the smell of the horse poo.
I'd say the Trolls have it when it comes to the roads that we got to sample and the beaches we got to see. I think the route we took thru the upper peninsula might not have been the best one to judge the whole by though. We rode route 2 till we crossed over The Bridge which was a little busy and had road construction in some places. That's never a great experience on the bike. But living below The Bridge seems to have it's advantages. Now being a Jersey Beach girl it may sound strange for me to say but comparing some of these beaches and resort towns along Lake Michigan to the Jersey Shore has been interesting. The town of Harbor Springs was a little crowded and touristy when we went thru but one stretch of road along the waterfront had beautiful old houses that reminded me a little of Spring Lake in N.J. with outstanding views of the lake. For you all not from N.J. it's a well to do town with big old Victorian homes on the coast. I don't think you'd see it on any of those shows starring Snooki or The Situation. Also there were nice smaller beaches and sections that could pass for any number of island resorts, except for that great salt air smell was missing. The blue shade of the water with sail boats ancored close to shore at times even had me thinking about the Mediterranean coast. OK maybe it's the heat or I just haven't been home to Belmar yet but the area has a great feel to it. We have also been sampling our fair share of ice cream and this cute town of Alden had the best so far at a place called Higgins. Dad you would have loved their fresh cherry flavor!
The route we have been following, so far, on The Mitten has been a little convoluted for us who want to go east. At times we find ourselves heading west and it's hard to relax and go with the advice on the maps. Tomorrow after the first part of the day we start in earnest heading east with a little southern drift. We'll get to ride along Lake Erie after crossing into Canada for a brief period. Locals have said it looks like a great route to follow.
Hopefully we'll be avoiding most of the big cities, Traverse City almost killed us in more ways then one. John has been doing 99% of the navigating using the maps and iPhone and has been doing great. However complicated routes through busy big cities tend to set him off, between the aggressive drivers and a lot of unsigned intersections and how on the bike paths you have to yield to every cross street even though the road you are following does not. Paired with a hot humid day and two cars that tried to run him over in a cross walk, when his chain sucked he cracked like a teen age girl who got a zit on prom night. Okay he never cried but man did he pitch a fit! Times called for me to get us out of the city. Uh-oh, me who can't navigate my way out of a closet. I love my parents but couldn't I get my Dad's sense of direction and my Mom's ability to spell instead of the other way around. Luckily we made it thru to ride another day!
It's getting hot for real now and the humidity is an interesting factor that we don't usually have to deal with in Utah. I think my summer cold has just turned into mold in my lungs, nothing is drying very easily anymore. Maybe that will mean more hotels! Wish us well with the Canooks. Kate