Day 39 Evart to Midland

Day 39 (11 Sep 09) Evart to Midland 62 miles

Evart, MI an ghost town in more ways than one. The 15% unemployment shows in the run down main street with a few bars just hanging on. We leave into a thick fog , more of a heavy mist with lights flashing and wiping our glasses every few seconds. No mercy from the large trucks or the pot holes in front of us.

Jim leads and I hope that his GPS also had Doppler radar. We have 25 miles of this crappy road and dripping fog and 21 wheeled trucks before we will hit the Pere Marquette Bike Trail. What a dream of a ride away from the traffic, wild flowers along the edge and gold finches and flickers flying around us. This would be the way to cross the country. There are “Larry Craig” wide stance bathrooms spaced about every 8 miles. The only thing missing are the evenly spaced latte shops.

A quick 25 miles on the trail and we are in Midland, MI miles away from what we have seen before. This town has Dow Chemical and Dow-Corning so there are jobs, shiny SUV’s on the road. We meet Toby Tyler in Midland and will head for Caro, MI then Marine City, MI for a crossing of the St. Claire River into Ontario, Canada. The St. Claire River flows between Lake Huron and Lake Erie

Toby is riding the Surly Long Haul Trucker bike and it is a trucker. Jim and Toby pedal downtown to get fenders for the rain, spare tire and any other necessitos for the coming ride.

Toby agreed to accept the duties of Trustee of the Laundry Fund from Leonard. Everything was done in a fully legal manner including a swearing of an oath on the Bike Laws of Michigan.