Day 66: North Haverhill, NH to Fryeburg, ME

Brian Richardson

Today was our last day in the Appalachians and also our last mountainous day of the whole route. Between North Haverhill and Fryeburg were 73 miles and 5,000 ft of climbing over three passes. The weather in New Hampshire’s White Mountains is—as you might predict—unpredictable, so we kept a careful eye on the radar. The morning started off overcast, warm, and humid. Temperatures rose throughout the day as the sun came out, but we were fortunate not to have any thunderstorms or high winds.

A steamy start to the day

Our second pass of the day intersected the Appalachian Trail. In a month or two, brother Jeff will cross over our HW 112 and find a care package that we buried for him here (provided it survives). Jeff, we hope you enjoy New Hampshire as much as we have!

The intersection of the Northern Tier Bicycle Route and the Appalachian Trail

Our third climb followed the Kancamagus (kang-kuh-ma-guhs) Highway at a 9% grade to our high point of the Northeast. After watching heroic efforts by Simon Yates and Ben Healy in the mountainous stage 10 of the Tour de France yesterday, I was excited to go full gas up the Kanc.

To the west of Kancamagus Pass we could see the Pemigewasset River flowing in a long valley through the White Mountains. To the east we saw the Swift River, which feeds into the Saco River and, 25 miles further east, crosses over into Maine. From our vantage point at the top of the pass, we could practically smell the iconic lobster rolls of the Pine Tree State.

Kancamagus Pass, elevation 2,855 feet

On the way down the Kanc, we had our last chance to set a new maximum speed. Michael topped out at 52.0 mph. I was hoping to crack 50 mph, but I think having crocs strapped to the outside of my panniers caps my terminal velocity at 49.

Once safely descended, we took a long lunch break along the Swift River. The cool water soothed our sore legs, and the sun-warmed rocks provided ideal napping surfaces.

Michael and Usher recover from the Kanc in the Swift River

With full bellies and fresh eyes, we pedaled our last miles through New Hampshire and to the Maine border. Throughout the trip when people ask us where we’re headed, our typical response is “eventually to Maine.” After 66 days, “eventually” has arrived!

It was awesome to arrive at the sign and see Be Loud and Bike Loud stickers already pasted on. This is, after all, not the first time a Bike Loud trip has crossed this border.

Bike Loud crosses into their twelfth and final state (note the top two stickers)

On our way to the campsite in Fryeburg, we saw a poster for some outdoor music in the city park. We asked some residents about this event at the grocery store, and they said that it was “old people music,” and that we probably wouldn’t be interested. As four big fans of old people music, we were interested, so we took our camp stoves to the park and ate our dinner to the sound Van Morrison and Johnny Cash covers.

The Bee Killers tear it up in Fryeburg, ME

It turns out there are still mosquitoes in Maine, and they came out in full force when the music ended and the sun went down. In response we adopted a new defensive strategy tonight: to brush teeth and do other bedtime chores while slowly biking on an empty road. This kept the mosquitoes away and wasn’t too hard—we’ve have a lot of practice on the bikes at this point—but when it came time to write the blog, I had to retreat to the safety of my tent.

Day 65: Pittsfield, VT to North Haverhill, NH

Jacob Friend

Spending our last break day in the rural mountain town of Pittsfield was just what our souls needed. With help from a sugar overdose during breakfast, we were excited to get back on the saddle and venture further into the Green Mountains. Once again, a blanket of fog slowly unveiled the mountain tops as we progressed through the morning.

The White River acted us our tour guide for the rest of journey through Vermont. It took us around mountains, quaint towns, and vibrant farmlands. It’s been neat to see how the abundance of well-preserved nature in this state has influenced Vermont culture. Perhaps more than anywhere else on this trip, we’ve seen yard signs and storefronts advocating for peace and love. At a glance, it seems like a higher percentage of Vermonters are strongly rooted in their natural environment relative to people in other states. I think it contributes to a more positive atmosphere throughout the state. I’ve noticed the same pattern when I run and bike around Raleigh. The more I’m exploring in my community, the happier and more curious I become. I’d definitely like to come back and explore more of Vermont in the future.

Morning miles out of Pittsfield, VT

Towards the end of our morning we were faced with a moderate climb. We put our heads down and made light work of it compared to Brandon’s Gap two days ago. Before enjoying our downhill cruise from the top, Brian informed the rest of us about two upcoming turns to look out for, then sent us off. Once we made it to the bottom, Michael, Usher, and I incorrectly interpreted Brian’s instructions, then made a wrong turn resulting in us biking 2 miles in the opposite direction. Brian, who didn’t see us at the bottom of the hill, assumed we were ahead of him, and sped to the nearest town assuming he’d see us there waiting for him. Once we (Michael, Usher, and I) understood our mistake, we retraced our pedals, reconnected with Brian at the next town, then settled for lunch near the Connecticut River.

Michael gets aero on the way down the pass

During lunch and into the evening we dealt with scattered showers. A short-lived rainstorm ended our lunch early, but it stopped in time for us to enjoy our entrance into the state of New Hampshire. Once we were in The Granite State, as the nickname suggests, we began to notice exposed rock on some of the mountains we passed. Overall, however, the geography didn’t change much as we continued to follow the Connecticut River north.

Bike Loud at the New Hampshire border

Towards the end of our ride, we tracked another rainstorm following us from the Southwest. As always, I got my hopes up that this would be our chance to see our first rainbow of the trip. The dark clouds and curtain of rain were very scenic as they approached us, but upon arrival, we were once again disappointed to not find a rainbow.

A rainy welcome to New Hampshire

On the bright side, our home for the night—the River Meadow Campground—had fantastic amenities including a pool, hot tub, basketball court, and showers. For our evening activities, Brian and I faced off in a 1v1 basketball showdown where he squeaked out a hard fought victory 7-5. Afterwards, Usher, Brian, and I enjoyed a swim to cooldown while Michael showered and indulged in one of his signature picnic table naps.

Brian does some post-ride hooping

To end the night, we enjoyed a great family dinner with Tour De France highlights, High-Low-Buffalo recaps, and a perfect sunset. We go to sleep tonight knowing we’re in safe hands with Tony the Tiger watching over our fort.

Usher’s dinner

Sunset in North Haverhill, NH

Day 64: Pittsfield, VT

Michael Richardson

The final rest day of the trip! In the blink of an eye, we’ve pedaled nine straight weeks, leaving us with only one week left between here and Bar Harbor. In classic rest day fashion, we devoured a big breakfast of mostly dairy products, this time with a special guest: whipped cream 😋.

Michael spices up his morning coffee

As expected, it’s a bit rainy and humid here, nestled in the Green Mountains, but that didn’t stop us from biking into town for lunch. We ate some truly delectable sandwiches and wraps at the Original General Store. My favorite was the Pittsfield Wrap, which featured Vermont apple slices, cheese, and cranberry mayo. We also picked up a small bottle of Vermont maple syrup which we plan to bury for my brother, Jeff, when we cross the Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire. He’s still hiking through Pennsylvania as of this post, but we’re hoping our gift will survive the hungry bears (and hikers) long enough for him to find it. Even though we’re squarely out of the Euchre Belt by now, we still enjoy playing a few hands when we find a pleasant spot like the general store—Brian and I continued to dominate the table.

Lunch at Pittsfield’s Original General Store

The crew split up for the afternoon, with Brian and Friend heading into the woods for a hike and swim, while Usher and I stayed behind to journal and call friends. I’m definitely feeling sore from two big climbing days, so I’ve got no complaints about kicking my feet up today.

Brian and Friend’s break day hike

We made dinner using our camp stoves and wound down by watching some cable TV in the room. You can’t go wrong with a few episodes of The Office, and we got to laugh at the one where Michael Scott burns his foot on a George Foreman grill. Chamois butter, like Country Crock in Michael’s injury saga, isn’t medically approved—but once the discomfort sets in, you’ll believe in anything that comes in a tub.

Day 63: Blue Ridge, NY to Pittsfield, VT

Jacob Usher

We woke up this morning to some good news. We hit our fundraising goal of $18,000 dollars! That is $1 for every mile that each of us will ride. Thank you so much to every person who has donated or supported us! I’m blown away by how much we’ve raised and it means a lot to Be Loud!.

We began our ride out of the Adirondacks with mostly rolling hills and occasionally a steep short climb. The skies were overcast with low thick clouds that hid the tops of the mountains. We passed small lakes, creeks, and bogs. 

Our last few miles in the Adirondacks

We went over one short climb before reaching a surprisingly fun descent into Ticonderoga. We didn’t do anything pencil themed, but we did spot a McDonalds for a mid morning stop. As soon as I ordered, I heard other customers complaining about how their food took up to an hour to come out. It was too little too late and we were stuck there for the long haul. It only took about 30 minutes for our food.

We continued down towards lake Champlain and Vermont. We boarded a very libertarian ferry and went across. New York flew by! This is also where we leave the Adirondacks and enter the Appalachians.

Michael rides the ferry across Lake Champlain, from NY to VT

Vermont was instantly beautiful and put us all in a good mood. Farmland kept the views of distant green then blue mountains open. The heat, humidity, and headwind could not slow us down. We stopped at the Whiting General Store to fill up water and buy refreshing snacks. I think they had recently opened and were well stocked with snacks. We arrived in Brandon not long after to get lunch. Our next objective was Brandon Gap; a 2000 foot climb and our first pass in weeks. Some sections nearly hit 14% according to Strava.

Our first views of Vermont

We started our climb after lunch with ominous gray clouds overhead. At the beginning of the trip, Brian said ‘we will be immune to climbing and rain’ by the time we got here. I wouldn’t say we are immune to climbing, but I was definitely hoping it would rain. Alas the only thing dripping was sweat as we climbed Brandon Gap.

Watching the Tour de France has definitely affected us. We got to the steep part and Brian immediately pulled away from us. Michael broke away a couple minutes later leaving Friend and me. I waited a couple minutes before deciding this was a race. I started putting out more watts and got into the aero bars on a relatively flat section to catch Michael.

I caught up and the unspoken race was on. I went out a little too hard on what may be the steepest climb we have done. A couple times I was worried I would be so exhausted that I’d have to stop in an unsafe spot. Eventually we got to the top, barely keeping the pedals moving. Brian was waiting for us and Friend was not far behind. Brian said that may have been his hardest effort of the trip too.

Usher and Michael push to the top of Brandon Gap

The aftermath

We enjoyed the 4 mile descent from Brandon Gap very much. We took a turn into Rochester to visit a bike shop. We got our tires pumped up and I replaced my tube that has been slowly leaking the past 4 days. Friend and I have been running very under inflated tires recently. I guess we wanted to work harder.

I’ve felt like I’ve been working really hard the past couple days. I thought it was my tires and maybe the hills. The guy at the bike shop noticed my rear hub was really tight and the ball bearings had started to wear pretty bad. He got me fixed up for free which I’m really grateful for! 

We met some people who were doing a ride on road bikes called ‘6 passes.’ They were on mile 130 and had more to go. I’m not sure how many, but they were fueling up with redbull at 6:30 pm. One pass was enough for us.

Michael’s Kona Sutra versus the road bikes of the 6-passers

I’ve started to notice the days getting shorter as we get later into the summer and farther East in the time zone. This meant we spent the rest of the evening in golden hour. Usually this means we are getting into town super late, but we are staying in a motel so it didn’t matter too much. We just enjoyed a beautiful evening ride through Vermont.

We overheard music on the road and briefly stopped at a small hippie music venue. We ate chicken pot pies and teriyaki bowls for dinner. We even managed to squeeze in two games of cornhole as the sun set. I am excited to sleep in a bed tonight!

End of the day in Pittsfield, VT

Day 62: Old Forge, NY to Blue Ridge, NY

Brian Richardson

Morning visitors at the Old Forge campground

We’re now solidly in the Adirondacks, which means that for the first time in weeks we have climbs tall enough to pop our ears. Over the last two days we’ve grossed almost two vertical miles! After so much flat(ish) country, we’re actually pretty excited to be back in the mountains. Also, while the Adirondacks are not geologically part of the Appalachians, these ranges are informally grouped together, and being here reminds us a lot of the mountains back home in North Carolina. For me, seeing the eastern white pines and blue tinted peaks today brought to mind a certain James Taylor tune.

The Adirondack Mountains

During our afternoon miles today, we tried to recall each of the last 61 days. The scaffolding of my memory of this trip are the locations where we ate our meals. So to remember what happened on a given day, I would think about where we ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and then fill in the gaps from there. For example, I remember that our lunch in Mt Vernon, OR on day 4 was where we first broke open the King Slab of beef jerky, which means we met Scott (who gifted us said jerky) and saw the dinosaur fossil earlier that morning. This process of recalling went smoothly up until the windy days of eastern South Dakota, which we all have apparently blacked out. It took us the better part of an hour of riding to sort out which day was which in this stretch of the trip. During our recollection of our time in mainland Michigan, we were swarmed by a mass of flies. Once the flies started biting, it was every man for himself to escape the onslaught, and the reminiscing was put on hold.

More scenes from the Adirondacks

Tonight we’re camping by Blue Ridge Falls, probably the best swimming hole all summer. It feels like just yesterday we were crossing the rainbow bridge into New York, and all of the sudden it’s our last night in the Empire State. More than that, it feels like the days and states have been flying by faster and faster as the trip goes on. On a phone call with our Maine-bound older brother (who is hiking the AT), Michael and I recently discussed how we’ve transitioned from thinking “how can I reach the next milestone?” to “how can I make each moment last?”

Brian unwinds at Blue Ridge Falls

Day 61: Richland, NY to Old Forge, NY

Jacob Friend

This morning we had the same excitement that an elementary schooler feels when waking up on a field trip day. Today’s special destination was the Enchanted Forest Water Safari in Old Forge. The best field trips are the ones with a long drive, plenty of time to watch movies on the bus with friends while anticipation builds. We had 75 miles on the saddle for our minds to dream up the perfect afternoon in the water park filled with water slides, lazy rivers, and pool games.

Our newfound motivation had our butts in the saddle by 7:15am, our earliest start time in recent memory. While we typically embrace spontaneity in our days, today we decided that our only breaks would be for water, bathroom, sunscreen, or lunch. No side quests. The water park waits for nobody. Luckily, New York’s north country had the perfect scenery to distract our minds from how tired our bodies were. Hop clover, orange daylilies, fern, and brown knapweed were some of the unique flowers and plants that painted the side of roads with fun colors. With rolling hills and sun rays breaking through the morning clouds, there was a lot to appreciate during this morning’s ride.

Morning ride views out of Richland, NY

The morning grind came to an end after 4 hours on the road and 46 miles of progress. To save time during our lunch break, we researched a spot that would serve delicious food in a timely manner. We decided on Boonville’s Broadway Cafe and Bakery where we saw only one other party waiting to be served and three chefs in the kitchen; the perfect chef-to-patron ratio for our needs. While waiting for our food, a chef approached us and asked if we were touring cross country. In exchange for our best biking stories, the chef told us the story about the founding of the bakery. We were amazed to learn that her 14-year-old son at the time, with a passion for baking, opened the location with the help of his parents. Four years later, the now 18-year-old restauranteur is serving some of the best breakfast and lunch food we’ve come across all trip.

Lunch at the Broadway Cafe and Bakery

However, our stuffed bellies did not make the final 30 mile sprint any easier. We huffed and puffed while traversing the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains, desperate that the water park would soon spawn on the horizon.

By 3:45pm, we had climbed 4,500 feet through 75 miles. Our bodies were wrecked. None of it mattered. We made it to the promised land.

Mike from Sodus Point (who we met yesterday) was kind enough to put us in touch with his friend, also named Mike, in Old Forge. When we arrived at the water park, Old Forge Mike greeted us warmly and congratulated us on our ride. Though we had only met him a few minutes ago, he treated us like long-time friends and purchased all of us day passes to the legendary Enchanted Forest Water Safari. Mike and Mike, we sincerely thank you both for your kind hearts and goodwill. It’s unexpected friends that we make, like you, that make this trip so memorable and fun.

Enchanted Forest Water Safari (“where the fun never ends!”)

Time to play 😈. With all of our excitement, it took us a few minutes to pinch ourselves and come up with a gameplan for the afternoon. A massive green slide greeted us by the entrance, so we agreed to start there and figure out the rest afterwards. Once we climbed 100 feet to the top of the green slide, aka The Shadow, we could see the entire safari and all of its rides. While waiting our turn, we plotted our strategic path to hit each slide and maximize fun.

First, of course, The Shadow. This first ride delivered sharp turns, occasional waterboarding, and a great introduction for what was to come at the park. Next up, Mamba Strike. This ride places you in an enclosed capsule and shoots you into a free fall. As we screamed for our lives, we also drank 1 full gulp of the Water Safari juice. So fun (and yummy) that we had to do it twice! Then, we hit the Serengeti Stampede. Switching up the vibe, this slide has 4 racing lanes with each slide winding around in different directions. The formal rules of racing state that the last one down is a rotten egg. We boarded our foam racing mats and rushed to the bottom in our best aerodynamic positions. Brian 1st, Michael 2nd, Me 3rd, Usher 4th. Stinky Usher 😔. Afterwards, we hit The Curse of the Silverback. This slide allows you to ride on a two-person tube for maximum chaos as you’re launched into an enormous bowl where you wall ride and hang on for dear life. Michael and I rode together, then Usher and Brian. Afterwards, to get the upper body moving, we took a break from slides and went to Lake Nakuru (a different section of the pool) where 3 parallel ropes connect two platforms with water in the middle. We held a competition to see who could make it across the pool first without letting go of the ropes. In the first race, Brian beat Michael, and in the second, Usher beat me. The Amazon ride was our last new slide of the day. We split into pairs and took a large tube through a jungle while trying to spin our rafts as fast as possible. Finally, we floated in the wave pool for about 2 minutes where I thought about how gross the water was.

The drops into Mamba Strike

That was a lot of playing after a lot of pedaling. We were left feeling exhausted and famished. And just when we thought we had it all, my Dad surprised me with a message: “Vemo'd some loot. Feel free to treat your guys. Racoons are no bueno.” The best day ever continues! Mike from Sodus Point recommended we hit Slickers Adirondack Tavern and try out what he claimed to be the world’s best French dip sandwiches. We happily ordered our second restaurant meals of the day and caught up on highlights from stage 6 of Le Tour de France while waiting. In terms of what we think about the tour, we know Pogačar is a beast, but we’re hoping for a close competition in the General Classification race—not a blowout. I would rate my French dip sandwich an 8.7/10, very impressed. All of us devoured our plates then set our sights for the ice cream shop a couple blocks away.

Tour de France and French dip at Slickers

At this point, we had more than conquered the day, and our only remaining priority was to find a campsite and get some sleep. We ended up at the Old Forge Camping Resort, which felt like a continuation of the party we experienced at the Water Safari. Kids were biking with their friends, adults were grilling out, and golf carts spun laps while blasting Toby Keith. It was quite the spectacle, but things cooled down by our 10pm bedtime. Sweet dreams 😴.

Day 60: Sodus Point, NY to Richland, NY

Michael Richardson

After packing up this morning at the abandoned Girl Scout Camp, we decided it would be best to make breakfast down the road somewhere with access to water. Ironically, many seemingly inconsequential decisions we make during the day end up having significant consequences, and this one was no different. We settled for an outdoor patio in the middle of Sodus Point because all the stores appeared to be closed. We later learned that the wait staff in Sodus Point take this day off every year as their 4th of July replacement—aptly named “Blow-Off Day”, complete with a party down by the beach.

The crew chatted with numerous locals out for their morning errands and one gentleman, Mike, asked if he could sit down with us. He kindly offered us sourdough cookies and told us that he organizes several endurance events in the area, noting the heftiness of our setups. After cracking a few jokes, Mike mentioned his many connections throughout the Adirondacks and asked what route we planned to take. After finding out we’d be staying in Old Forge the following night, he insisted that we hit up the popular water park on the edge of town. In fact, he said he could get us four free tickets if we promised to get there early and take full advantage of the attractions. Consider it done, Mike! Additionally, Mike offered to share BikeLoud with the thousands of race participants that subscribe to his mailing list, and we were ecstatic to see the donations spike over the course of the morning. The fundraising momentum has really picked up these last few weeks, and we’re so close to reaching $1 per person per mile, so keep it coming!

At a gas station pit stop, Friend bought a temporary tattoo that caught his eye and promptly stuck it to his forehead. I got a kick out of watching him interact with strangers the rest of the day, often forgetting about his new forehead decal.

Friend’s new ink

Things took a turn at a later pit stop when a gas station employee found us filling our water bottles via the side spigot and gave us a life lesson about nothing being free. We offered to pay for the water, but he insisted it was more about the principle. Ultimately, he wished us a safe trip and we were on our way, but I was still shaken up and feeling a little guilty half an hour later. The group discussed what went wrong and we agreed to get approval before filling our bottles in the future, especially in New York where people tend to be more direct than I’m used to. The logical next step was to talk about all the shameful and mischievous things we got up to during our school days, and this made the afternoon a very fun bonding experience.

A typical afternoon in upstate New York

We visited an Aldi for our dinner shopping, and I can see why people love these stores so much, especially Brian. We lucked out with a quiet campground just above the Salmon River and a host that was happy to accommodate four cyclists. As is now our routine, we watched the Tour de France highlights for the day, shared our high-low-buffalos and hit the hay!

Day 59: Holley, NY to Sodus Point, NY

Jacob Usher

Today started off cloudy which gave us a nice break from the heat and layers of sunscreen. Despite this, the previously muddy trail had dried. This made it a lot more comfortable to ride on with 28c tires. The only new downside was the dust.

Ushers‘s dusty legs after miles on the Erie Canalway Trail

We decided last night to stop at the next town to get coffee to fuel our day. We considered Tim Horton’s but decided to pick a local coffee shop instead. We ended up at Java Junction and watched the Tour de France Stage 3 recap. Obviously I got bagels now that we were in New York and they honestly lived up to the hype. Some say it’s the water.

Usher’s breakfast in Brockport, NY

Arriving in New York yesterday was pretty stressful. Customs was surprisingly chill, but our senses were immediately assaulted by lots of traffic and people. The weather also decided to rain on us. It really wasn’t bad, but it felt overwhelming at the time. Today felt more like how I expected this part of New York to be. Lots of old, pretty storefronts and steel.

The Erie Canalway Trail, in and around Rochester, NY

We spent lots of time with the Erie Canal today. I was pretty impressed by the thought and engineering that went into making it. I kept seeing these weird double gates over the canal and I wondered what their purpose was. Apparently they can be closed to control the flow of water if one of the locks fails. There are also weird looking draw bridges called lift bridges. They are over 100 years old and have decks that raise 15 feet up in the air. We camped by one of these last night. Luckily we didn’t wake up to any boats going by last night.

The crew approaches one of many lift bridges along the canal

It doesn’t seem like the canal sees much commercial use anymore. In fact, it seemed pretty much dead yesterday. Today we slowly started seeing more boats navigating it. We stopped for lunch followed up by gelato before saying goodbye to the canal and its flat grades.

The next chapter of the day took us over rolling hills and through apple orchards. Apples are not in season, but lots of berries are. Eventually we got to a giant lake. This confused me because I sort of thought we were done with the Great Lakes. It only took me a couple seconds to see that the lake was pretty great and realize it was definitely Lake Ontario.

A first look at Lake Ontario

We got to camp pretty soon after reaching the lake. It is a former Girl Scout camp and not my favorite place we have stayed. There is a lot of trash and no amenities. We also have some weird neighbors down a hill and through some woods with a dog that won’t stop barking. Our tents are set up close together on a wooden platform and we’ve been cracking jokes about the circumstances.

Bike Loud’s accommodations in Sodus Point, NY

Brian takes a dip in Lake Ontario

Day 58: Welland, ON to Holley, NY

Brian Richardson

The first 1200 miles of this trip, from Florence to West Yellowstone, were exciting for me because they coincided with the route I did with Bike Loud in 2015. Yellowstone to Minneapolis was then uncharted territory. After Minneapolis, we hopped back on Memory Lane to trace Bike Loud’s 2019 route from Wisconsin to Maine. Of all the moments I’ve gotten to relive so far, seeing Dawn and Roger in Welland was one of the most special.

Dawn sees off the Bike Loud crew in Welland, ON, 2019 and 2025

From Welland, we headed east to Niagara Falls, where thousands of tons of water per second drop from the Niagara River on its way from Lake Erie to Ontario. We did some of our most technical riding of the trip here, weaving narrow lines through heavy traffic and throngs of distracted pedestrians.

Bike Loud hits Niagara Falls

After spending some time admiring the Falls from the Canadian side, we made our way to the Rainbow Bridge to cross over to the States. Unfortunately for us, cyclists are required to cross this bridge as a vehicle, waiting in the 12-lane customs line with the cars, burning in the sun and breathing in exhaust fumes.

Bike Loud crosses back over to American soil

Twenty miles east of the border, we reached Lockport and the Erie Canal. This canal runs over 350 miles from Buffalo to Albany, connecting the Niagara and Hudson Rivers. Following its entire length is the Erie Canalway Trail, a mostly unpaved bike path. Today we met several other bike tourers en route to Albany; we’ll be staying on the trail for just 90 miles.

The crews rides along the Erie Canalway Trail

Friend and Michael navigate through Canada Geese along the Erie Canal

By the time we reached Holley, NY, a careful observer could have deduced a lot about our day just by looking at the layers of grime caked to our legs. The sweat and sunscreen indicated 90+ hot miles, the crushed limestone in the outer layers revealed our afternoon on the Canalway Trail.

Our maps had indicated that we could call the lift bridge tower in Holley (pictured below) to ask about camping nearby. At best, I was hoping for a safe patch of grass to pitch our tents, so I was thrilled when the tower employee pointed us to a pristine camping area next to the canal and gave us the code to a bathroom with showers. At the end of a long day, a little piece of good news like this goes a long way.

Home for the night in Holley, NY

Day 57: Welland, ON

Jacob Friend

There’s no better start to a Canadian break day than a solid 9 hour snooze. Brian and I slept in our tents overnight and got plenty of REM sleep evidenced by the drool on our pillows. Usher and Michael enjoyed the luxury of sleeping in beds in the backyard cabin, where they were sheltered from nature (except the spider eggs next to Usher’s bed that hatched over night). Today’s first agenda item was watching the 2nd stage of the Tour de France over a delicious morning coffee and breakfast. If these cyclists can get superstar status for biking ~5 hours a day for a 21 day tour, then I argue the 4 of us cyclists should be nominated to the cycling hall of fame for our ~7 hour days on a 70 day tour.

In the afternoon we took a quick bike ride to Port Colborne to grab a bite to eat and admire the Welland Canal locks. We enjoyed a terrific meal at The Lock Wood Fired Pizza with an excellent view of the canal. While eating, our interest was piqued when we saw some locals jumping from a ledge into the canal from a distance. We knew we had to check it out. Upon arrival, we were greeted by 3 middle school boys who told us it was safe to jump into the canal from the 10 foot wall. This was clearly their special weekend hangout spot where they could fish, swim, and make poor, but memorable, decisions. We knew we were lucky to have discovered this local gem and took full advantage of it by jumping into the canal, enjoying the bright sun and clear water. It seems like every time we find a cool place to jump into the water, we also try out new tricks to do. Today Brian practiced an aerial flip (i.e. a flip with 180-degree turn), Usher tried to do a death dive (i.e. a belly-flop-last-second-fake-out), and I tried to do a dive (i.e. a regular dive). We all failed to accomplish our new tricks, but Brian got pretty close to the aerial. He could get there with a little more practice. Eventually our afternoon swim evolved into a climbing competition between Usher, Brian, and Michael to see who could scale the canal wall. I took pictures as they worked their way up the wall, quite impressed by their feats of strength and focus. I can tell they all miss the climbing wall a lot on this trip.

Lunch by the Welland Canal

Jumping, swimming, and climbing with some Welland locals in the canal

Our wonderful Ontario break day concluded with our typical chores and a lovely family dinner with Dawn and Roger. I loved listening to Dawn recount stories of all the cool bike trips and races she’s done. Hearing Dawn and other friends we’ve made on this trip talk about their bike adventures makes me really excited to continue biking after this trip, hopefully as a life-long hobby. I was particularly intrigued by Dawn’s European bike trips where her days revolved around touring quaint countrysides via bicycle with her friends. Maybe Bike Loud could make an appearance in a new continent in the future…

Roger had his fair share of adventures to share as well, one of which really stuck out to me. During his college days he was pursuing an engineering degree that he wasn’t enjoying. To give himself time to reflect on his trajectory, he thought it would be a good idea to buy a car with his best friend and just start driving. From his college in Thunder Bay, Canada, he drove all the way to the west coast. If they ran out of money, they would find work and save up to continue their adventure. Eventually they made it to California where they drove the entire length of Highway 1 and then headed east. When their car finally gave out, they had been on the road for 6 months and had made it to Oklahoma. It sounded like this was a pivotal moment in Roger’s life. He had time to think, free from most distractions, about the man he wanted to become. This experience feels similar to our bike ride. It also reminds me of a valuable lesson my dad taught me through a Benjamin Button quote:

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There’s no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the courage to start all over again.”

During this ride I’ve seen things that startled me—a $1,000 huckleberry pie, a leaping bison, and Wall Drug. I have felt things I’ve never felt before—the fear of descending my first pass, the uncontrollable laughter of eating 2,000+ calories of Mexican food then immediately climbing a 7% grade, and the special bond of spending eight weeks with three best friends. And of course, I’ve met so many people with many different perspectives—from Scott, the compassionate owner of the Dayville Mercantile in Oregon, to Steele, a bright kid in South Dakota who decided to join us for a lunch.

It will be a while before I can fully comprehend how special this trip is to me. However, I’m beyond grateful for all of the amazing experiences we’ve had thus far. After the trip, I’m sure I’ll reminisce on these days a lot. If tonight’s conversation has reminded me of anything, I hope I remember that it’s never too late to start all over again.

Day 56: Peacock Point, ON to Welland, ON

Michael Richardson

It’s rest day eve, fools! But before we could enjoy a leisurely ride along Lake Erie to our WarmShowers host in Welland, we had one final scuffle with the raccoons. In the odd hours of the night, we were ambushed by about ten of them. Usher spotted them climbing through the canopy and working together to infiltrate our bike bags. Fortunately, this attack was mostly a flop, except for one clever raccoon who figured out how to open my handlebar bag and stuff its face with the bananas and Clif bars stashed inside. Altogether, these rascals have made off with over $50 worth of food from me in the last 48 hours, and my trip budget is already running low. Suffice to say, I’m keeping a close eye on my food these next two weeks.

Michael’s now banana-less handlebar bag

Our route today kept us riding along Lake Erie, and we got to spin through the many beautiful neighborhoods that line the shore. On a sunny Saturday like today, yard sales are all the rage in these communities. Everyone was out and about, either selling trinkets and board games or just walking around and chatting with the neighbors. It was clear they are a lively bunch.

Saturday morning yard sales near Lake Erie

Once we broke out into the countryside, our touring DJ—Friend—suggested we start a Spotify Jam. What on earth is that? Allow me to explain. A Spotify Jam enables the four of us to sync our phones so that we’re all listening to the same song at the same time with our own set of earbuds. Furthermore, we all have the ability to add songs to the queue and pause/unpause the music for everyone. On the bike, whoever added the current song rode at the front of the pace line and would rotate to the back when the next song came on. The issue with four people continuously adding songs to the queue is that you never know what’s coming next. One moment you’re listening to slow-paced folk music and the next you’re putting down 300 watts to Bad Bunny. I would highly recommend you give Spotify Jam a try.

After a languorous lunch in Port Colborne, we took a bike path north for our last few kilometers of the week. We cruised along the South Welland Canal which just so happened to be hosting a rowing regatta all day. It was quite exhilarating to watch the teams of four move in perfect harmony and try to race them from the bike path. Speaking of races, today also marks the first stage of Le Tour de France, and we managed to watch the full recording over dinner. After averaging 10 mph for the last eight weeks, I could not believe the speed at which these athletes were going, but I did pick up a few drafting techniques I want to try with the squad.

Usher races the rowers through the Old Welland Canal

We’re spending the night with Dawn and Roger, WarmShowers hosts that Brian and Evan stayed with on their 2019 trip, and who are delighted to host another BikeLoud crew (for two nights! 🫶). Since the last visit, Dawn has extended her property to include a cabin, outhouse, and outdoor shower to accommodate cyclists. In fact, another cyclist—Cam—is also pitching his tent and sharing a meal with us at their humble abode this evening. Like me, Dawn is a mountain biker at heart, so I’m looking forward to chatting about that and exploring some of her local recommendations tomorrow.

Accommodations for the next two nights

Dawn and Roger’s WarmShowers guestbook (try to find the two Bike Loud entries)

Day 55: Port Stanley, ON to Peacock Point, ON

Jacob Usher

I’m not sure if we’ve mentioned this on the blog before but we keep running into a particular phenomenon where Michael and I are on opposite wavelengths. For example, if one of us really likes a food, then the other probably doesn’t. If one is having a good day, then the other is probably having a hard day. I should also clarify that this is more of a running joke than something that has caused disagreements.

Anyways, this morning went very smoothly for me. There is almost always something minor that goes wrong. However, my tent was completely dry, the bugs were not biting, and a raccoon did not eat all of my food. Michael on the other hand… Can you see where I am going with this?

What’s left of Michael’s food after a nighttime visit from a raccoon

After our morning ordeals, we got on the road and made our way out of Port Stanley. We’ve had pretty favorable wind recently so we were due for a change. It wasn’t too strong and we had plenty of wind turbines to help us figure out exactly where it was coming from.

Typically, I enjoy (or try to enjoy) the cycling itself. It’s about the journey not the destination right? Sometimes I just try to pass the miles as quickly as possible. This morning I queued up some YouTube videos and listened to them through an earbud to do so. I wondered what I would have to say about the morning when Brian reminded me I was blogging. Not much came to mind at that point. I reminded myself that there was still a lot of time left in the day and bike touring surprises you when you least expect it.

During this time we passed a car on the side of the road with a bike on the back. This bike should have seemed familiar to us. It was a Surly with aero bars and racks on it. A while later, a woman flagged us down. The same car was parked nearby. Tammy introduced herself and explained that her husband, Jay, was cycling just a little behind us down the road.

They started a tour at a similar time as us, but Tammy had issues with an old injury in the Cascades. They bought a car so she could continue the trip while Jay pedaled. The Cascades also forced me to confront the possibility of not being able to complete the trip. Luckily the knee pain I was having went away which I was and still am very grateful for. I am also glad that Jay and Tammy found a way to continue their trip.

We learned about their daughter Chipmunk (trail name) who is the youngest person to complete a solo thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. They also happened to be riding for cancer related fundraising. You can find more about their cause at empirestateride.com. You can also find them through the BikeLoud Facebook page to learn more about their specific trip.

Bike Loud meets Jay Warren (photo credit to Tammy Warren)

Meeting nice and interesting people always brightens our day! The next 18 miles until lunch flew by for me, fueled by a Starbucks iced coffee, Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon, and nice views. We got lunch at a produce market and enjoyed fresh strawberries, fresh lettuce, and ice cream. We met a man here who recommended a place known for footlong hotdogs called The Arbor. I can’t think of a better meal on the 4th of July.

First and second lunch of the day

Our last stretch of road provided rolling hills and turns which gave us a break from the recent flat. We passed pretty views of Lake Erie to our right and Canada’s renewable energy grid to our left. The only downside was a pervasive smell from the lake and occasional swarms of midges.

Afternoon views of southern Ontario

We got to camp and went to sleep with more fireflies than fireworks. Not all is peaceful though. It is about 11pm as I am writing this and our camp is under attack by raccoons. I have chased them off once already but they will probably be back.

A raccoon scopes out its next target

Day 54: Wallaceburg, ON to Port Stanley, ON

Brian Richardson

Friend’s bike has recently been in need of some maintenance: as of this morning, it had worn headset bearings, a bent derailleur, and two loose hubs. According to our map, Wallaceburg has one of the only bike shops along our route through Ontario, so Friend decided to stop by this morning before hitting the road. This bike shop, called Ken’s Cycles, was run out of the garage of a local retiree and cycling enthusiast. When Friend, accompanied by Usher, rolled up at 9am, Ken happily provided all the requested maintenance (and then some) for just a 20$ recommended donation.

Ken’s Cycle bike shop in Wallaceburg, ON

While Friend and Usher were at Ken’s, Michael and I posted up at the Wallaceburg Tim Horton’s. Here we had two or three breakfast sandwiches and too much coffee, caught up on some chores, and talked with a group of local motorcyclists. Although bicyclists and motorcyclists have their differences, I feel a sense of camaraderie with our combustion-engined cousins. At the end of the day, we’re both adults that wear silly outfits and have fun biking around with our friends. We love the open road and fear inconsiderate motorists. At the Wallaceburg Tim Horton’s, Michael and I shared with the local bikers our favorite highways for riding, and they shared with us how to use metal locks to smash the mirrors of trucks that pass too close. We smiled and nodded like this was a strategy we might adopt.

Michael throws down some loonies at Tim Horton’s

With Friend’s bike fixed up, and Michael and I more than adequately caffeinated, we finally started our day at 11am. On a 90-mile day like today, such a late start gives us little time to find a place to camp and leaves us one mechanical hiccup away from finishing the ride after dark. For these reasons, we usually try to start biking closer to 7:30am. But today we were blessed with (i) a confirmed Warm Showers host in Port Stanley and (ii) no flats or other mechanicals, and so we were able to enjoy the shifted schedule. I especially enjoyed riding by wheat fields and windmills during golden hour, watching our shadows elongate in the late evening light, and catching a sunset on Lake Erie right as we arrived in Port Stanley.

The perks of a late evening ride

Throughout this trip, we’ve heard a lot of comments along the lines of: “I wish I did that in my 20s,” “do it while you’re young,” or “what a great thing to do before you enter the adult world.” When my grandpa visited us in Mackinaw City, he said, “You guys are gonna remember this for the rest of your life. I’m serious—forty or fifty years from now, you’re still gonna remember this.”

My first reaction to these comments is to say that you don’t need to be in your twenties to enjoy and benefit from bike travel. We’ve met people of all ages doing trips that range from weekend rides to transcontinental journeys.

But my second reaction is to reflect on how having these experiences in my teens and twenties has shaped my life. It’s not an exaggeration to say that all three of these trips have changed the way I see the world. I recognize that I’ve been lucky to have had the chance to do these trips; it’s a real gift to have the necessary time, resources, health, companions, etc. all at the same time. And while not everyone is interested in cycling, I think everyone should have a chance to pursue their passion—whatever it is—as a young adult, and—unfortunately—not everyone does.

When Sophie Steiner, the namesake and inspiration for the Be Loud! Sophie Foundation, was receiving cancer treatment at UNC hospitals, she found that it was hard for patients her age to explore the world as a young adult and to pursue their passions. For Sophie, these passions included poetry, dance, yoga, and photography. Following Sophie’s vision, the Foundation was started in 2014 to give adolescent and young adult cancer patients the resources they need to continue pursuing their passions during this critical phase of their life. The resulting program at UNC Hospital was the first of its kind and has grown substantially over the last 11 years.

Over the last week, Bike Loud has received a flood of donations, landing us upwards of $15,000, every dollar of which goes towards actualizing Sophie’s vision. This support from friends, families, and strangers means the world to us! Our goal now is to reach $18,000–that’s one dollar per person per mile ridden.

Day 53: Brown City, MI to Wallaceburg, ON

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

Day 52: Bay City, MI to Brown City, MI

Michael Richardson

I’m currently writing this post from the Brown City Park in southeastern Michigan, watching a little league baseball team sweat through their Tuesday afternoon practice. While I can appreciate the sports facilities this park has to offer, unfortunately, it’s not a campground and doesn’t have any bathrooms or potable water. The stretch from Bay City, MI (where we stayed last night) to Wallaceburg, ON (where we plan to stay tomorrow) is quite barren in terms of camping, so we had no choice but to “rough it” tonight. That means no bathing, no washing clothes, and an early wake up time to avoid suspicion. In efforts to keep a low profile, the gang dispersed throughout the park for the night. Friend and I took to the dugouts, while Usher and Brian opted to pitch their tents between some bushes. If any one of us is spotted, we have agreed not to give away the location of the other three so at least a few of us should get some sleep.

Friend and Usher set up their respective camps in the Brown City Park

To make it to Brown City, however, we first had to escape the maze of road work, potholes, and hidden bike paths that surrounded Bay City. Usher led us through a short section of road that reminded him of Mad Max, but instead of live ammunition, Nutri-Grain bars were shooting out of his frame. With some minor detours, we eventually made it out of town and into the wide-open fields of corn, soy, and wheat. Summer is in full swing these days and we really enjoyed the local flora—like purple sweet pea and chicory flowers—that lined the highways and rail trails today.

A representative section of Bay City road

Chicory and wheat

Just before noon, we stopped in Frankenmuth to refill our water bottles. This is a small German town that hosts many annual events like SnowFest and the Olympic-style Dog Bowl. I’ve stayed in a couple of these Bavarian villages on other trips—Helen, GA and Leavenworth, WA—so it was quite familiar. This was also our first Tim Horton’s spotting and we were more than happy to splurge on some coffee and donuts before lunch. We’ll definitely by hitting up Tim Horton’s again in Canada. By the time we took our lunch break in Vassar, the day was really heating up and I was ready for a siesta. While the others took a dip in Otter Lake, I laid down on a park bench and was out within seconds. Little moments of rest like this one make all the difference when you’re putting in the miles day after day.

Michael rides through Frankenmuth, MI

Friend finds time for a quick nap after lunch

The large sign that welcomed us into Brown City proudly declared it “The Home of the Motorhome”—a nod to the city’s history as the birthplace of the very first motorhome. Tonight might be light on amenities, but we’re getting by just fine with a little improvisation—very much in the spirit of the original motorhome, I’d say.

Day 51: Lake George, MI to Bay City, MI

Jacob Usher

Last night was the first time in four days we slept in our tents. I think I got too comfortable sleeping in beds! I woke up last night and saw lightning flashing across the sky. I wondered if I should put my rainfly on and sound the alarm for everyone else. After a quick glance at the radar, I decided to close my eyes and risk it.

We woke up dry, and the morning went smoothly. I didn’t get the best sleep, but somehow I was the first to finish my morning routine and was ready almost 15 minutes before the gang. This is pretty rare for me.

We spent a lot of the morning on the Pere Marquette Rail Trail. It was a very flat and straight ride. Not as scenic as some of the other rail trails we have been on, but shaded and relaxing. My brain treats bike paths as ‘free miles’. This was a great time to listen to music and zone out. I have listened to a lot of full albums on this trip, but today I was in the mood for live concert sets.

Michigan’s Pete Marquette Rail Trail

Three YouTube concerts later and we were in Midland, Michigan getting lunch. We treated ourselves at the Amazing Deli with sandwiches and hotdogs. We timed it well to dodge another thunderstorm passing by. Usually people notice us because of our bikes. Some notice us because of our clothes such as a lady who asked about Be Loud! in Traverse City. Today a lady noticed us because we were playing Euchre.

Waiting out the storm at the Amazing Deli in Midland, MI

The thunderstorm passed and we visited the tridge (triple bridge) before leaving Midland. We probably would have missed this without our Euchre conversation at lunch.

The Midland Tridge, at the confluence of the Tittabawassee and Chippewa Rivers

The rest of the riding went quickly and was not too eventful. I appreciated the recent increase in red barns. They are all over the place now. I also noticed the fields of corn seeming to get taller. The ones today were tall enough for a corn maze if you were 2 feet tall. We stopped at a discount grocery store to resupply on snacks and dinner. Everything in the store was either damaged or near expired. A lot of items were actually just expired. We all thought it was a cool way to reduce food waste and get some very cheap groceries.

Some Michigan farmland

We also got some nice views of the thunderstorms in the distance. While we were watching the storms to the East fade away, storms from the West tried to sneak up on us. We arrived at Bay City right in time to watch a beautiful thunderstorm roll right by us.

Thunderstorm rolls in over Lake Huron, near Bay City, MI

Also we have some great news to share. Be Loud! Sophie received a donation of 10,000 dollars today! Thank you, Phil, for the very generous donation from your foundation. For anyone considering donating, the bar has been set very high! No pressure :)

Day 50: Kalkaska, MI to Lake George, MI

Brian Richardson

From Minneapolis to the eastern shore of Lake Michigan, we followed the North Lakes ACA route. Starting tomorrow, we’ll pick up the ACA’s Lake Erie Connecter to take us across mainland Michigan and Ontario to Niagara Falls. But for 100 miles between Eastport and Lake George, and for the first time all summer, we were mapless. This meant no cyclist-verified road conditions, no elevation profile, and no ecological field notes. To make matters worse, Michigan’s state highways are notorious for changing from paved to gravel without warning; this morning we encountered several such roads. After some gravel grinding and zig-zagging, we eventually landed on HW 6, which took us south for most of the day on uninterrupted pavement and mostly wide shoulders.

Michael hits some surprise gravel near Kalkaska, MI

Michigan’s HW 66

Michael got his third flat tire today, which is number 19 for the group this summer. Using our collective experience, I am sharing the official Bike Loud comprehensive guide to fixing a flat tire:

  1. Move the yourself and the bike completely off the road and away from traffic.

  2. Remove the wheel with the flat in question. If the front wheel, simply detach the brakes and remove the skewer. If the back wheel, you’ll also need to remove your panniers and flip the bike over to avoid damaging your derailleur.

  3. Using tire levers, pry one side of the tire off of the lip of the wheel. Trying to keep the dirt and worn rubber from turning your hands black is futile.

  4. Remove the punctured inner tube and inflate to find the leak. Look for a culprit in the corresponding location in the tire.

  5. Slightly inflate a new tube (or the old tube with a patch) and insert in the tire. Slip the tire back into the wheel’s rim.

  6. Using a hand pump (which is more portable but much more difficult to use than a floor pump), fully inflate the new tube. Try to keep your heart rate in zone 2; this will be a sustained effort.

  7. In your haste to get back on the road, accidentally unscrew the tube’s valve core while trying to remove the hand pump from the valve. The tube will fully deflate.

  8. Lose your mind.

  9. Take a deep breath and repeat step 6.

  10. Take another deep breath and try not to repeat steps 7-8.

  11. Replace the wheel and, critically, remember to reattach your brakes. You will forget this step a maximum of one time on the trip.

Michael works on Step 4

Here at tonight’s campground in Lake George, we have our first real swimming pool of the trip. It would have been a great way to relax and cool off after 75 miles on an 88 degree day had it not been for the poolside basketball hoop. The 90 minute game of full-contact pool basketball that took place was anything but relaxing, and it was some of the most fun I’ve had all trip. Like all good pool basketball games, it ended with an elbow (Friend) to the jaw (Michael), but no hurt feelings.

The weather forecast tonight calls for temperatures in the high 70s until 1am and a chance of rain later in the night. This leads to an interesting dilemma: we want to be protected from the rain but also feel some breeze to stay cool. Our strategy on nights like these is to stake out our tents as if we’re using rainflies, but remove the actual flies. Then we have a pact that whoever first wakes up to rain drops has to wake the others to quickly secure our flies to their stakes. Given how tired we are, there is a nonzero chance that nobody wakes up once the rain starts.

Day 49: Kalkaska, MI

Josh Friend

Note from the editor: Josh Friend, Jacob Friend’s dad, is serving as a guest contributor for today’s blog. After spending the day with the crew in Kalkaska, we’re hoping he can give some outside perspective.

Once upon a recent yesterday, in BFE outside Traverse City, four men on bicycles rolled into town, road weary. They were known only by their mad max titles: Big B, Michael—Destroyer of Wheels, Usher the Skipper, and OfficeMax.

Their quest? An attempt to find their mental and physical limits. To attempt the unequivocal.

And who should appear, cresting the horizon in a chariot of snacks, clean socks, and parental pride? None other than OfficeMax's father, the Honorable Dad of the East, and Uncle Chad, his most trusted advisor.

The latest victim of Michael, Destroyer of Wheels

"We heard tale of four sunburnt weirdos and bottomless appetites,” he said, stepping from his magic grocery cart with all the gravitas of a dad who'd just convinced himself the "Best Dad" coffee mug was empirical fact.

Josh Friend: Dad of the East and Provider of Groceries

The cyclists welcomed the old men into their traveling fellowship. They enjoyed a feast combined with an unhealthy mountain of dairy products. Cookies died. Ice cream perished. Courage faltered. An accord was signed. Sleep was paramount. A soft bed after days of saddle-time was undeniable. Uncle Chad dissented. Sleep was optional. Karaoke was paramount.

The Destroyer of Wheels eyes up his next target

A pensive night holding off rural tent-zombies was rewarded with a beautiful morning stacked with French toast. The day planned, the newly formed tribe of young and old reprobates toured Traverse City, testing the boundaries of acceptable social behavior. The true magic happened that afternoon, when the reprobates met the noble kin of Big B and Michael, Destroyer of Wheels. There was a father (wise and kind), a set of grandparents (keepers of tales), and an aunt (just there so she didn't get fined). They feasted like royalty on pub-grub, exchanging embellished stories of their "summer of '69.”

The Richardson clan at the Traverse City Festival of Cherries

OfficeMax's dad watched the cyclists, pride welling in his chest. He observed his son, his back kissed by a sun-angel, tested, confident, and full of quiet grit. The road highlighted the man he knows. His accomplished comrades were yet another datapoint: show me your friends, and I'll show you your future.

Dad of the East reunited at long last with his heir, OfficeMax

Soon the four adventurers will saddle up yet again. With hugs, waves, and one last cringe dad joke, they'll clip in and vanish down the road bound for the next town, the next story. OfficeMax's dad will fallback to Red in Shawshank. "Sometimes it makes me sad, though...OfficeMax being gone. I have to remind myself that some birds aren't meant to be caged. Their feathers are just too bright. And when they fly away, the part of you that knows it was a sin to lock them up DOES rejoice. But still, the place you live in is that much more drab and empty that they're gone. I guess I just miss my son."

Day 48: Petoskey, MI to Kalkaska, MI

Jacob Friend

There were isolated thunderstorms throughout the night and into the morning. This made it especially comforting to be inside with gracious hosts away from the weather. Even better, in the morning we woke up to the sound of our host Julia cooking egg McMuffins in the kitchen. Starting the day just got a whole lot easier. We mapped out our travels over breakfast sandwiches, rhubarb pie, and coffee. After wishing our hosts a farewell (thank you for everything Julia and Marko!), we headed into the rain and towards a long-awaited break day in Kalkaska.

Michael previews the ride out of Petoskey, MI

The morning rain was the strongest we’ve biked through in weeks. Our goal was to make it to a bike path quickly where we could find some reprieve from traffic and natural protection from rain. A section of the bike path was washed out, but after taking a 2 mile detour, we found our way back on the path and the skies began clearing up.

Friend and Usher hit a closed section of the Petoskey greenway

A couple hours on the bike path led us to Charlevoix, another beautiful, ritzy, lakefront town. I have thoroughly enjoyed biking through some of the nicer neighborhoods around Lake Michigan, daydreaming about living in one of the mansions. However, we sometimes don’t feel the most welcome in these places. Some neighborhoods are packed with Mosquito alarms. These are high pitched noise-emitting devices to prevent loitering outside of one’s house. Interestingly, the pitch is typically set to a frequency only audible to people 25 years old or younger, which makes it difficult for us to enjoy some of the sights to the full extent. I understand people appreciate privacy, but we’re not the biggest fans of these alarms.

One of many ritzy waterfront houses along Lake Michigan

We got off the bike path after Charlevoix and took rural roads all the way to Eastport. The riding was flat, pretty, and quiet. In Eastport we stopped at a well-stocked grocery store with indoor seating. While shopping, in typical Usher fashion, he made friends with three strangers as they asked about the trip and he responded enthusiastically. After his encounters, he arrived at the lunch table and presented us with a hand drawn map gifted to him by one of the locals. His new friend had suggested we go along the east side of Torch Lake, instead of the west, to avoid busy roads and shave off some miles on the way to Kalkaska. The random act of kindness was very appreciated and we adopted the alternate route.

Usher’s map to Kalkaska

Biking along Torch Lake delivered us shaded roads and great views of its turquoise waters. As we were getting further into the afternoon, the break day in Kalkaska felt within reach and our excitement grew. After traversing a few gravel sections, we arrived to our Airbnb where my dad and his best friend, Chad, greeted us with smiles and hugs.

It’s been 6.5 weeks since I’ve last been with family, so enjoying this break day with my dad is very special. We celebrated our first night in Kalkaska with a mega grocery run, laugh-filled family dinner, and a thrilling movie about a fur trapper. Looking forward to sleeping in!

Brian chefs up enchiladas for a break day eve dinner

Two Friends, three sons, and one father

Day 47: Mackinaw City, MI to Petoskey, MI

Michael Richardson

After quickly acclimatizing to “the good life” of island fudge and a roof over our heads yesterday, we couldn’t resist waiting out the morning rain with my dad at a local breakfast spot, Pancake Chef. When the day starts with french toast and endless coffee, it’s hard to have any negative feelings about the weather. It’s also been incredibly refreshing to spend time with family over the past twelve hours and hear about what’s happening outside our bike bubble. I never could have imagined seeing so many familiar faces in an unfamiliar place, but it’s been a lovely visit and just what I needed to make it to our rest day this weekend.

G-Mom wishes Michael a safe and fun ride out of Mackinaw City

Usher lives the good life with a breakfast of strawberry pancakes from Pancake Chef

The radar called for strong winds and precipitation most of the day, but instead, our morning was overcast and we enjoyed the quiet roads along Lake Michigan. The trouble began when Brian snapped his shifter cable and we performed a NASCAR-esque repair to evade the mosquitoes that swarmed us within seconds. The fix involved securing his derailleur just above the center chain ring such that he could only use about 30% of his available gears. That essentially translates to “I am not in the right gear for this hill,” and we still had many hills ahead of us. Selfishly, I hoped this setback would make it easier to keep up with my brother today, but if you know Brian, you know not to underestimate his abilities. A couple miles down the road, it was my turn to face misfortune and I got my first flat tire of the trip. I was careful to inspect the tube and rim for sharp objects, but evidently, I did not do a good enough job. Ten minutes later, my tube was flat again and I had to borrow Friend’s pliers to pull a sneaky staple from the inside of my tire.

Brian’s broken front shifter cable

Michael addresses the first of his two flats of the day

Beyond the sand dunes, we arrived at the highly anticipated Tunnel of Trees (M-119) road. This 27-mile scenic highway follows the shore of Lake Michigan and winds through one of the state’s most picturesque landscapes. The route is enveloped by dense woods and a mesmerizing canopy that paired all too well with Jack Johnson playing in my earbuds. At this point, the sun came out and Lake Michigan lit up with the vivid blue we’ve heard so much about. It almost looked tropical. In Harbor Springs, at the end of the tunnel, we restocked our spare parts at a bike shop and ate lunch by the marina.

Tunnel of Trees Scenic Road along Lake Michigan

Luckily, there is a bike path all the way from Harbor Springs to Charlevoix and it kept us cruising along the shoreline. We passed by a bustling skatepark and a small airport before stopping in Petoskey to see one of Brian’s friends at Bayfront Park. He stayed with this individual during his 2019 trip, and it took only one message to reconnect—“Wanna jump off the pier with us when we reach town in an hour?” Next thing I know, I’m filming Brian, Jacob, and Marko do front flips into a very cold great lake. Smiling and unphased by a 52° dunk, Marko and Julia offered us a place to stay for the night. Absolutely! Their house was located “just up the hill” and supposedly there was a bike path that would lead us straight to it. Well, we must have made a wrong turn. Pretty soon, we were on rocky single-track and navigating an obstacle course of stairs and bridges. This section gave us our first taste of off-road cycling and we all had a good laugh trying to “walk the plank”. Out of the rain for another night, we’re chowing down on pizza and ice cream, and just enjoying the company of our enthusiastic hosts.

Cold plunge off the Petoskey Breakwater into Lake Michigan

Brian dismounts for a tricky section of the “bike path”

Usher “walks the plank”