THE U.P!!!!!

I take back saying that MI is mostly flat. Yesterday we got hammered with hills. It felt like we were going up hill all day. Even in the face of the literally uphill battle we made it to St. Ignace which is right over the bridge in the upper peninsula of MI (about a 70 mile day). To get to St. Ignace we had to cross the Mackinaw City Bridge which is the longest suspension bridge in the USA and the second longest in the world. This is so high off the water that it gets very windy so no bikes are allowed. To get across we had to call the bridge authority and for a $2 fee they picked us up and drove us across to St. Ignace. Today we woke up on Lake Michigan to a beautiful day and set off to conquer the U.P as it is known in these parts. All day we rode on route 2 which fallows Lake Michigan, it was very scenic. It was an awesome day of riding the sun was out and the wind was at our back. When we stopped for lunch we had already gone about 50 miles we decided to set our sights on Manistique which was another 40. We made great time and pulled in to town around 430!!!! We started at nine and stopped a 430 since we stopped for lunch and took a few bathroom/water/snack stops I estimate that our actual time riding was 6 hrs. This means that we averaged 15 mph. If we could do that every day we would be done in no time. I am at the public library now but we are headed to dinner hope every one is doing well.
-NEO

Business District

Stranger: where are you guys coming from?

Me: I started in nh and he started in up state ny

Stranger: (insert amazed and awe filled remark)

Me: ya we have come a ways

Stranger: so where are you guys going?

Me: im going to Wy and he is going to OR

Stranger: (insert even more amazed and awe filled remark)

Me: ya we still have a lot of miles ahead of us.

Stranger: Why are you guys doing that

Me: Fun

Stranger: confusion , more questions

 

I have variations of this conversation at least 5 times a day. I will admit that at it is kinda fun to see people’s shock and amazement but it is starting to get a little old. We now have a script down and recite it with out even thinking. Most of the people that we have been meeting cant seem to wrap their heads around what we are doing. Well any ways I am back in the good old USA Traverse City  Michigan to be exact.  This means that I have now completed nh, vt, ny and Canada. We had a few days of great weather but the last two days it has been raining like crazy. During the sunny weather we have started to develop some interesting tan lines. Andrew has a killer sunglasses tan and my arms a burnt from the elbow down from rolling up my sleeves.  Although the weather hasn’t been cooperating this hasn’t impeded our progress. We managed to still ride 80 and 75 miles in the rain. If every thing goes as planed we should be in the Upper Peninsula in 2 day. MI has been pretty nice, relatively flat with a few rolling hills lots of farm country and tons of deer. One day we must have seen at least 10 deer dead on the side of the road. We later found out that there is a big problem with car accidents involving deer. The worst thing that has happened in MI besides the rain was one day we hit a bridged that was under construction and had to go 15 miles out of our way to get around it. This happened at the end of the day so we were pretty tired as it was. its late now and I am to tired to write any more hopefully we will get some more internet soon so I can update again.

Ps

Shout out to Ben Hall, Jen, and the Keenans for putting me up along the way you guys were all awesome

Another note I have never eaten as much as I have been on this trip I amaze my self every dinner even with the amount I have been eating I still have lost 5 lbs

-NEO

Apply Liberally

The law of averages holds true we are now paying for all the great weather we have had. Be for I get more in to the weather let me catch you up on what has transpierced since my last post. While writing my last post I was also chatting up the librarian, telling here where I was from and what I was doing. As the library was closing I was asking her if she had any restaurant recommendations or any suggestions for where we could camp, she made a few suggestions. Andrew and I then went out side and started packing up right as we were about to head out the librarian came out with her husband, they said that if we didn’t want to camp out we were more welcome to come stay with them. It had been a wile since our last shower so we quickly agreed. We packed our bikes in there mini van and headed to their house. We found out that the librarian was named Debbie and her husband was named Harry also they had 5 kids all boys: Andrew, Hayden, Owen, Harrison and Hunter. The kids ranged from ages 5 to 17. This family was totally awesome they fed us dinner (hamburgers) gave us beds and even did our laundry. In the morning they fed us breakfast and then drove us back to the trail. Talk about trail magic!!!!!! The day of riding after this stay was also awesome. Miraculously the strong wind that had previously been a head wind had done a 180 and was now at our back (law of averages proved once again). We started crushing out miles like no bodies business. At one point in they day it was really blowing and we were cranking on a flat stretch at 30+ mph. We ended up with a new mileage high at 94!!!!! Getting closer to a century. It rained all that night but we got the tent up b4 it started so stayed nice and dry but not for long. When we woke up the rain hadn’t stopped. We ended up hitting the trail let because we were dredging the weather.  The riding was miserable wet and cold the worst combo. During a water brake we decided we were defiantly going to stay in a motel so we took out the map to see where we could stop for the day. 90 fu*$ing miles till the next motel not happening!!!!! So are longest day was fallowed up by our shortest day 26. It looks like the rain is gonna keep coming so that’s a bummer but I guess this is what we singed up for.  We should be out of Canada with in the next too days. Canada has been pretty good but what is up with milk in bags it all over this place. Also they love Tim Hortons up here its like some crazy addiction. To address some of the comments from my last post: my nuts and nips are doing fine lots of gold bond. My gear has been working well brought just about the right amount. Here are some pics that I have taken so far.

-NEO 

                                                             the vangriekens our canadian hosts

                                                            andrew

                                                           eire canal  
                                                         jens house



                                                      starbuckel

                                                    VT



                                                 first night camping

                                                  just past dublin 

first post

For all of you who don’t know I am currently riding my bike from Manchester NH to Jackson Hole Wyoming. I am currently on day 14, I have completed 3 states NH, VT and NY. I am now in Ontario Canada. I started out the trip alone but in Long Lake NY I met up with a kid named Andrew who was biking to Oregon. He was taking the same route that I am until Montana so we have been riding together. I have been averaging about 75 miles a day, my longest day was 90 mi and today was my shortest at 35 (rest day). I am currently in Dunnville Ontario at the public library they are about to close so we are gonna go find a place to eat and then go check out a nearby campground. Unfortunately since it is so early in the season most camp grounds are closed but some times we can still set up camp at them. Other places we have camped so far are: behind a church, on a baseball field and next to the erie canal. I have had great weather so far except it was really cold in the adks. Since being in Canada we have had a killer head wind which has sucked. I am about to get logged off so I am gonna go. I will try to give an update soon and up load some pics.
-neo