DAY 15

kathy," i said as we boarded a greyhound in pittsburgh"
michigan seems like a dream to me now"
It took me four days to hitchhike from saginaw
I've gone to look for America
Paul Simon

We walked out to leave Saginaw this morning and Bruce had a dead battery, eventually got the bike to Great Lakes Harley in Bay Michigan for a replacement. While we were there Jan got an oil change and they oiled my sticking throttle cable, checked my tires, and tried to buy my bike, which is over 70,000 now, very friendly dealership.

Once all this was done we decided it was time for lunch and feeling a bit nostalgic Al found a Bob’s Big Boy restaurant, boy that takes me back a few years. Our waitress was worthy of our group and earned our respect for keeping up with the jabs back and forth.

Since we had now ridden almost ten miles for the day we got on I-75 and headed north under beautiful sunny skies and temps in the high 40’s great riding weather as long as your dressed for it. Made it to Mackinaw City and stopped for the night in sight of the bridge to the Upper Peninsula or U.P., as in you goin up the U.P.? We had time to take a drive around town, visit the old lighthouse and walk the shops of main street, had to sample the fudge since apparently that’s what they are famous for.

Mackinaw City is a very quaint coastal town, it looks like a set for a lake shore movie where the killer is someone you would never expect. Pedestrian friendly walkways and parks along the shore with a main street full of curio shops and fudge shops.

While we were riding north we passed the 45 parallel, the half way point between the north pole and the equater, putting us in the top 25% of the world.

Just south is the larger city of Cheboygan and I don’t know why but the name cracks me up, it is pronounced che-BOY-gan. Say it with me three times fast CheBOYgan, CheBOYgan, CheBOYgan. That’s just funny to me. The city is located in-wait for it- CheBOYgan County.

Check your maps tomorrow we hit Route 2 along the north side of Lake Michigan rumored to be one of the prettiest drives in the country, we’ll see.