Day 5: Frankenstein, Unicorns, and Dill heads

Day 5: July 30th, 2016. Midland MI to Bay City MI. 32.5 miles.

By Victoria Curran.

Well rested from indulging ourselves in the luxury of the H Hotel in Midland, we went downstairs to CaFe Zn (see what they did there?  Pull out your Periodic Table of the Elements: Calcium, Iron, and Zinc. And the hotel, of course, is Hydrogen) and ate a delicious breakfast. Mine was salmon and asparagus scrambled into eggs that were set atop roasted potatoes and jack cheese. So yum!

Judd had a sort of eggs Benedict with pesto, served with hash browns.

Then we pedaled out of town. From the H Hotel to the Midland High School Chemics to Dow High School, the presence of Dow Chemical is evident throughout Midland, Michigan.

As we rolled out of town, the road was once again straight and flat which made the trip easier.  But, then a headwind kicked up which slowed us (well, me) down and soured my mood. Having been on the road for four days with 230 miles under our belt, I was ready for a day off; but Judd wanted to keep moving but keep it a light day. Despite the rejuvenating hotel experience, I became a bit petulant and cranky.  And the narrow road with no shoulder and cars driving far too closely and far too quickly for my comfort certainly didn't help.

I started playing the following scene in my mind as the clouds overhead began to threaten rain:

   Igor: "could be worse" (optimistically)
   Dr. Frankenstein: "how?"  (Snidely)
   Igor: "could be raining" (matter-of-

          factly)
   (Crash of thunderbolt and pouring rain)

Yeah, I was headed downhill even as I pedaled on flat ground.  

We arrived safely (and dry) into the outskirts of Bay City (yes, Bay City. On a Saturday night) and Judd suggested we cycle to the Bay City Recreational Area to place our hands into the second of the four Great Lakes we will visit.

Still fighting the vestiges of crankiness, I reluctantly agreed.  When we arrived, I felt my mood lift and when fingertips touched water, the crankasaurus swam away.

As we turned to head back to our bikes, I noticed for the first time that the beach was blanketed with a type of seashell I collected on the shores of Carpinteria State Beach with my grandmother when I was a child. I have always called them unicorn shells and I believe it was my grandma who told me that these were all that remain of the unicorns that once roamed the beaches. Then again, maybe I told me that. 

After collecting my treasure, we mounted our bicycles and continued our journey.  And, wouldn't you know it?  The skies opened.  It was raining.  But, my spirits were buoyed by the trek down to the lake.  Plus, I remembered we had berry turnovers strapped to my rack.  Yay!

After our delicious treat (Judd has cherry and cream cheese, mine was blueberry cream cheese) we headed toward the home of our first WarmShowers hosts of the trip: Greg, Kim, and their five children.  As WarmShowers hosts ourselves, it is so fun to experience WarmShowers on the receiving end.  Greg and Kim were very welcoming and so interesting to talk with.  They opened their arms and doors to us without reservation, providing us with a warm shower, clean towels, a comfortable bed in their RV, and a delicious meal consisting of pickled beets (from their garden and pickled by them), asparagus, sweet potatoes, rice pilaf, chicken (for Judd) and hard boiled eggs (for me).  Before dinner, Kim, their son, Noah, and I went to their garden to cut dill heads to make dill pickles that night. 

We sat and chatted through the evening, then bedded down for a restful night's sleep and in the morning were treated to fresh baked bread with strawberry jam they had made. Wow, what a treat!  Thanks again, Greg, Kim and your entire wonderful family!!