Ludington Hotel Historical Marker

The time has come for my ride to end.

I made it with Richard to Escanaba, Michigan on the west shore Little Bay de Noc, a bay on the west side of Lake Michigan.

It’s been an awesome experience, challenging and beautiful over about 2,500 miles. Richard has been a great traveling companion, with a sharp wit and a generous sprit. Bonnie supported making this trip a reality, and a whole batch of family and friends have been so encouraging. Matt Muniz provided lots of technical support, tapping into his own riding experience.

I stopped riding because I wasn’t getting enough food calories to match the daily demands of riding, creating too much weight loss to the point of being a health risk. So, it’s time to stop.

I’ll miss Richard’s company. We saw so much from the road, pedaling along at about 8 to 15 miles an hour and meeting people along the way:
- Plants passing by slowly while I gaze from different angles.
- Bird song and plumage
- A motel owner who re-welded rack supports back onto Richard’s frame after they sheared off. Cuz doesn’t everyone keep a wire feed welder handy just in case?
- So many different people who were friendly.
- Sitting beside rivers, peacefully enjoying their beauty. Camping frequently placed us beside some beautiful streams, rivers and lakes.
- The humble beginnngs of the Mississippi River in Minnesota, and crossing it over and over as it winds eastward.
- Deer leaping alongside the road and bounding along as they try to get away from us on our bikes nearby.
- A marvelous variety of butterflies in each of the 8 states we visited.
- The sound of my tires whirring along on good pavement with a tailwind.

Thank you for following this journey. It’s been awesome!Read more