Evan Malinchock
Among ways to wake up, I think one of the best ways that you could awake is to an adorable puppy licking your face. Our gracious hosts made us coffee and treats for breakfast and we were on the road before I even had a chance to fully awaken myself!
I believe there are 3 times you wake up in a day on a bike trip, when your eyes are pried open by a dog, or the sun, or some sprinkler spraying your face. Secondly is the first coffee of the day that gets you up and moving. Finally you are awoken by a climb, and today we had a real eye-opener that was reminiscent of those passes seen in Washington. It was a long (roughly 4 mile) climb at a sharp Michigan-style grade that had us gasping for air and finally awake in the crisp morning air.
We temporarily joined a bike race outside of Traverse City
The remainder of the day was calm and flat, and we eventually picked up a bike trail to the town of Cadillac (30 miles from our destination of Reed City) for lunch and to watch the women's world cup in a brew pub! The entire bar was fixated on the TV in this small divey town in middle America. Whenever our women would do well or score we all broke out in cheers or if worse things happened a sprinkling of jeers would fall across the bar. After we won the bar erupted in applause and we left the bar to hit the bike trail and finish the day up.
Once in Reed City, Brian and I found a town park with showers and everything a smelly cyclist could need. Then we went to a dollar General to pick up dinner and almost immediately fell asleep after our hodge podge meal!