Riding Straight for Home

Thursday, June 10, 2021 - St. John's, Michigan to Fowlerville, Michigan - 54.9 miles

St. John's, Michigan, is known as the "mint city" and celebrates this heritage every year with a mint festival. The county claims to have the oldest continuously operating family-owned mint farm in the United States. After leaving St. Johns on Thursday morning we pedaled past fields of wheat, oats, soybeans, and corn. I kept looking for mint but never saw any growing.  I thought that even if I didn't recognize the plant for some reason I would be able to smell the mint in the 88 degree sun.  But, no luck!  I guess I will have to return some other year for the mint festival and find out more about this.  

Today we want to ride 50+ miles.  We are on gravel roads and bike trails much of the time.  The traffic is very light.  The sun is high and the views are long.  This is the heart of Michigan and agriculture is king. 

 We skirt past East Lansing and stop at Lake Lansing for a lunch break.  There are children swimming, swan boats,  older people sitting in the shade of the big trees - Oh, wait!  That's us!

I can see for miles and miles and miles...

This lake was originally called Pine Lake and was a popular recreation spot at the turn of the century.

We camp tonight in a fairgrounds in the town of Fowlerville.  The Fowlerville Agricultural Society allows camping for $15/night when there is nothing going on at the fairgrounds.  It is an unusual arrangement but it is certainly a quiet place to camp.  

We have an entire pavilion to use for our supper making needs.

Livingston County Fairgrounds - not very scenic but it works.  And, there are flush toilets and showers too!

The fairgrounds has a historical village consisting of a collection of old buildings they moved to the grounds.  Some are in better shape than others. 

Livingston county's heritage is preserved here in the form of eight buildings of historical significance.

Friday, June 11, 2021 - Fowlerville, Michigan to Tim and Una's house in Novi near Detroit - 49mi

It is tricky to get out of the fairgrounds.  Evidently a very dedicated employee locked all the gates last night after we fell asleep.  We circle the grounds (adding one extra  mile to our day) and check every gate until Tom finds one that we can duck around after taking all the gear off the bikes.  

We ride quiet gravel roads and bike trail sections again interspersed with a paved road or two.  The farmland is beautiful and lush.  Summer is in full swing and the early spring greens are just a memory.

Today is the last day of school in the tiny town of Pinckney.  People are busily setting up the town square with an obstacle course, picnic tables and activity tents.  The school picnic begins at noon.  It looks like it will be a fun afternoon with food trucks and face painting, the local library and art center booths, and balloons and streamers everywhere.   A friendly woman setting up crafts tells me the high school choir and band will be performing.   

Fortunately, Tom does the navigating and is decisive here.  We are not going through Hell.

sandhill crane

After a very pleasant ride and some serious pothole dodging, we stop at Witch's Hat Brewery where friends, Tim and Una,  took us when we first arrived in Michigan.  All those beer steins on the wall belong to individuals who are members of the "Mug Club". The unique and colorful handblown glass mugs are made by a local artist.  Mug Club members get to drink a 20 oz beer for the price of a 16 oz pint.  

Cheers!

This ride is almost in the record books.

TRIP DISTANCE: 1053.4 miles
100% Pure Michigan

Thanks for following the blog and sharing our trip with us.  We are grateful for all who came along in spirit on the Michigan Shores exploration.  A special shout out to Tim and Una, Peter and Sydney, Chip and Kate and Irene, and to the Michigan State Parks.  After this trip I am a total Great Lake-aholic .