Riding Day 51 - August 4th, 2019
Start: Milwaukee, WI
End: Zion, IL
Miles: 55.9
Feet climbing per mile: 23
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/38185709
I spent the morning and the early afternoon visiting with my mother, solving a few problems in her home, and giving her a Feldenkrais lesson that will help her walk more comfortably (provided she practices what she learned). I also decided where I would spend each of my four nights in Chicago and when I would visit whom. I’m glad to have all that settled.
I left my mom’s place shortly before 1:00 and immediately made several wrong turns. The fortunate result of my mistakes was that I came across a lemonade stand in Franklin, WI. I bought two glasses of the pink lemonade, perfect as it was not too sweet.
After 19 miles I was on the route I had planned, glad to be off the concrete streets of Milwaukee. A few miles before I got to Kenosha I decided to depart from my planned route and follow a route closer to the lake. If I hadn't I would have missed seeing the large ships docked in the harbor.
Google Maps announced “Welcome to Illinois!” as I came to the start of a gravel road. Fortunately it was only a short stretch of gravel, followed by a paved parking lot and then a trail of fine gravel well packed. I continued to look for a way to ride as close to the lake as possible, adding extra distance to my ride.
Tonight I’m staying at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. Mike Macewich and I rode our bikes here from Chicago in the summer of 1972. It was raining and we arrived late so we couldn’t find a campsite. We spent the night sleeping in a very clean restroom after we each drank a bottle of Boone’s Farm. Those were the days!
By the time I had set up my campsite it was 7:00, with about an hour to sunset. I almost forwent (I love using that word) my shower until after dinner but decided to follow my usual practice, including shaving, even though I knew I would be riding back from Culver’s, a mile and a half away, in the dark.
Today is the first day I’ve been camping since I arrived in Winona, MN, July 22nd, exactly two long weeks ago. I enjoy the ease of a home stay and I have loved spending time with family and friends, including some friends I haven’t seen for 30 or 40 years, but home stays take me away from the adventure and challenge of this journey. Perhaps I will plan my next long trip so that I don't know anyone along the route and spend most of my nights camping.
A woman I met today said that Lake Michigan was very cold, but after dinner when I found a path to the beach and walked barefoot along the edge of the shore, the water felt cool but not cold. I look forward to a swim tomorrow morning.
End: Zion, IL
Miles: 55.9
Feet climbing per mile: 23
Record of today’s ride: https://ridewithgps.com/trips/38185709
I spent the morning and the early afternoon visiting with my mother, solving a few problems in her home, and giving her a Feldenkrais lesson that will help her walk more comfortably (provided she practices what she learned). I also decided where I would spend each of my four nights in Chicago and when I would visit whom. I’m glad to have all that settled.
I left my mom’s place shortly before 1:00 and immediately made several wrong turns. The fortunate result of my mistakes was that I came across a lemonade stand in Franklin, WI. I bought two glasses of the pink lemonade, perfect as it was not too sweet.
After 19 miles I was on the route I had planned, glad to be off the concrete streets of Milwaukee. A few miles before I got to Kenosha I decided to depart from my planned route and follow a route closer to the lake. If I hadn't I would have missed seeing the large ships docked in the harbor.
Google Maps announced “Welcome to Illinois!” as I came to the start of a gravel road. Fortunately it was only a short stretch of gravel, followed by a paved parking lot and then a trail of fine gravel well packed. I continued to look for a way to ride as close to the lake as possible, adding extra distance to my ride.
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“Welcome to Illinois!”
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Tonight I’m staying at Illinois Beach State Park in Zion, IL. Mike Macewich and I rode our bikes here from Chicago in the summer of 1972. It was raining and we arrived late so we couldn’t find a campsite. We spent the night sleeping in a very clean restroom after we each drank a bottle of Boone’s Farm. Those were the days!
By the time I had set up my campsite it was 7:00, with about an hour to sunset. I almost forwent (I love using that word) my shower until after dinner but decided to follow my usual practice, including shaving, even though I knew I would be riding back from Culver’s, a mile and a half away, in the dark.
Today is the first day I’ve been camping since I arrived in Winona, MN, July 22nd, exactly two long weeks ago. I enjoy the ease of a home stay and I have loved spending time with family and friends, including some friends I haven’t seen for 30 or 40 years, but home stays take me away from the adventure and challenge of this journey. Perhaps I will plan my next long trip so that I don't know anyone along the route and spend most of my nights camping.
A woman I met today said that Lake Michigan was very cold, but after dinner when I found a path to the beach and walked barefoot along the edge of the shore, the water felt cool but not cold. I look forward to a swim tomorrow morning.
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