Jacob Friend
From the thick forests of the Upper Peninsula, through the vast Lake Michigan waters, and across the Lower Peninsula, we’ve enjoyed a great journey through Michigan. 500+ miles biking through Michigan has shown us hardships and glory. Unrelenting heat waves, never-ending mosquito clouds, and busy Michigan roads tested our patience but strengthened our minds. Pasties, ice cream, hotdogs, fudge, enchiladas, cherries, and pancakes taught us that we are capable of eating inhumane quantities of food. Immense love and support from amazing friends and family renewed our spirits and brought our group closer together.
The group’s last miles through Michigan
During tonight’s dinner, we thought about the different phases of our trip. We remembered back to what feels like months ago during the tumultuous headwinds of eastern South Dakota. In our reflections, we borrowed an analogy from Michael and Brian’s older brother (who’s currently hiking the Appalachian Trail), which compares a long trip to a game of chess. We came to the consensus that South Dakota was the start of our midgame. In this period, we aimed to solidify habits that maintain our physical health while keeping our mental state intact. A successful midgame capitalizes on lessons learned from the opening and puts the player in a position to succeed in the endgame. While we biked through the final miles of Michigan today, I noticed Brian take a picture of a flowerbed, Usher enjoy a sweet treat from the gas station, and Michael crack a joke about his chafing. These are some of the tactics we’ve developed in our midgame, and they help us get through each day with a smile on our face.
A lunchtime swim in the St. Clair River refreshes the crew before a hot afternoon
The dinner conversation continues. A few hours ago we took the ferry across the St. Clair River, had our passports checked, then biked into Ontario, Canada. Now, appreciating a beautiful sunset over the Johnston Channel, we realize that the conclusion of our time in Michigan may have also marked the beginning of our endgame. In the game of chess, the endgame requires careful moves and calculated strategy. We have only known one strategy this entire trip and it will remain unchanged—bike loud.
Friend boards the ferry from Algonac, MI to Walpole Island, ON
Brian channels his inner kid
Sunset in over the Johnston Channel in Wallaceburg, ON