61 miles
640 feet ascent
423 feet descent
2,124 calories
Leaving Birch Run this morning it soon became apparent where all the pickup trucks with trailers, motorcycles, etc. I saw yesterday had been: the Baja Brawl at Baja Acres!
Baja Acres Race Courses
Motocross and Baja truck racing must have drawn them in by the hundreds over the Labor Day weekend, but today it was as peaceful as could be.
Baja Acres
After the races, I suspect many of the racers and spectators went for wine tasting at the local Corner Closet/Corner Cellar Mini Storage and Wine Tasting!
Corner Closet/Corner Cellar
Wine Tasting/Mini Storage
Or, perhaps, they went looking for a mudbog or other motocross event....
Missed The Mudbog
...or somewhere to get vehicle exhaust modifications...
Louder Exhaust?
The thick, muggy weather continued today. Within twenty minutes of leaving, my clothes were clinging like magnets and stayed that way the whole day. I managed once again to evade the rain showers by some sheer luck though. When I reached Yale and tried to check in, nobody was home, so I rolled into town for lunch. I no sooner got off my bike at the A&W, and the downpour began in earnest. I rode it out inside but was entertained by all the kids walking home from school who didn't seek shelter and others who just didn't seem to care.
Walking In The Rain
After returning to the motel and checking in, rainshower number two began. I took a shower and then fell asleep for a little while and woke up hungry (these naps and hungers occur frequently). The sky looked clear, so I took a chance and walked to town in search of dinner. Uh-oh, I could literally see rainshower three coming down the street. Fortunately, I sought shelter in front of the hardware store, and was eventually rewarded with a rainbow.
Sheltering From Rainshower 3
Rainshower 3 Rainbow
Fearing not being able to reach town, I sought dinner at the Marathon gas station: all they had was pizza, so two slices of pizza it was. (In some of these towns the options are few to none.) Still hungry though and needing breakfasf food too, I waited out rainshower four and then headed to the grocery store to get the "rest of dinner". Then I was "blinded" temporarily when I came out of the store!
Humid Michigan
Finally, I made my way back to the Sweet Dreams Motel to finish dinner and get some rest.
I'll Tell You Tomorrow
You are rapidly approaching Flint, MI. It is strongly advised that you fill up your water either before or after passing through Flint. I hear the water is worse than Hacienda Heights, CA.
ReplyDeleteYou missed the opportunity to dine on the week's old gas station hot dogs in their eternal spin on heated rollers. After a few days, the skin becomes dried and crispy, and the nitrites used in processing the mystery meat rises to the surface, giving a nice, chemical-burn taste. Be sure to get a rubberized bun and use plenty of 2001 mustard from the bin.
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