Michael Richardson
There are a number of ways to be woken up on a cross-country bike tour. These might include your typical watch alarm, sun rays beaming through your tent, lightning storms and 60 mph gusts (as we experienced two nights ago), among others. Today, we had the privilege of waking up to an ill-mannered couple in the site next to us who was continuing an argument started in the late hours of the night. While I do love drama, the high temps and humidity provide just about all the heat I can take right now. We opted to take our breakfast down the road to a tackle shop which led us to chatting with a very nice store owner instead. He showed us photos of Star Lake from nearly a century ago and described the logging town that once covered the hillside. We also learned about Wisconsin’s Subcontinent Divide—a ridge separating watersheds that drain into the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. Supposedly Star Lake sits atop this divide.
Usher catches up on some journaling at the Star Lake General Store
Even with the earlier start, the heat wave caught up to us about the time we reached Phelps. Since it was a Sunday, only one store had its lights on—“Sweets, Treats, & More.” Cooling off in the AC, we had plenty of time to admire the glass case of donuts and by the time we left, Usher was stuffing apple fritters into his handlebar bag.
Sweets, Treats, & More in Phelps, WI
We found ourselves crossing a bridge into Michigan much earlier than I expected. Brian recreated a photo he had taken at the welcome sign six years ago, and just as quickly as it had arrived, Wisconsin was now behind us. We took our lunch break at a shaded gazebo in Caspian, but even hidden from the sun, we continued to “lose HP” as the kids say these days. The rest of the day was spent hunting for more shaded areas and water spigots like one behind a USPS building, which gave us a few seconds of relief.
Brian celebrates at the Michigan border, 2019 vs 2025
Usher and Michael cool off outside the Alpha, MI post office
Tonight we’re camping on the Paint River at a very pleasant campground with lots of tree cover. The bugs aren’t nearly as bad as they were the previous two nights and I was finally able to sit down and relax without thrashing around. Once we stop sweating around 10 o’clock, we plan to get a good night’s sleep and push tomorrow in order to stay with one of Usher’s friends beyond our previously planned destination of Escanaba.
Michael airs out his gear at the Crystal Falls campsite after a hot and humid day