Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Monroe, MI to Alpena, MI

5/30/12  Today's ride was, overall, pretty good.  We didn't cover too many miles, but we sure saw some pretty sights along the way.

We got up, got dressed, and were on the bikes about 8am. Since the breakfast at the motel was very paltry, we decided to go to Denny's for breakfast.  While it was good, it was very slow.  They were shorthanded, and we waited nearly an hour before the food came.  Some wait is acceptable, but it was just very slow.

From the motel, we caught US 23 that runs close to the shore of Lake Huron and followed it northward for a good part of the day.  The weather was pleasant; mid 70s and variably cloudy, becoming sunny, then cloudy again.  Traffic was not bad anywhere along the way, including riding through Detroit.  This area is a huge industrial complex with car manufacturing, oil refineries, shipping, and usual business.  Lots of history in the area.

US 23 is a pleasant road to ride; good road surface and speeds from 55 to 32 mph, depending on where you are at the moment.  Lots of small villages or towns along the way, each looking like a seaside town of years ago.  Lake Huron is huge; it looks like you're looking at the Atlantic ocean, with waves, white sand, and cottages along the way.  Most of the actual shoreline is developed, with places ranging from trailers to mansions.  Some are huge and beautiful, and a few are run-down shacks, but most are pretty and in good condition.

Along the way, we stopped in one of the small villages to walk on a boardwalk along the shore.  Palmer Park is the name of the park; one of many, many waterside parks along the way.  Many of the villages had their version of a waterside park.  They were all very pretty and green with shade trees as well.

We stopped for lunch at a small pizza/tavern place in Port Sanilac.  Had a Reubin sub with a beer.  Reubin was WAY too big; I ate half of it and saved the other half for another time or the garbage.  Probably the latter!  It was good and the beer was very good.

Before we stopped, we noted that the temperature was falling.  While earlier it had been in the mid-70s, it had dropped to 63 degrees.  When we came out from lunch, it was 57 degrees!  Cooling pretty rapidly!  Since I didn't bring warm clothes, the temperature falling that much, coupled with frost and freeze warnings for tonight, I was beginning to worry about being cold.

Since we needed to make some time, we decided to cut westward through the state over to Saginaw on Hwy 46, a two-lane road that ran 45 miles straight as an arrow due west.  BORING!!  Land, for the most part, was flat as a flitter, and with no curves at all, it was boring.  Traffic was light, so we could have run fast, but with a 55 mph speed limit, we stayed under 60.

As we went inward away from the lake, it warmed up into the mid-60s.  But the wind picked up, so we weren't cold, but had to fight the wind to stay in our lane of traffic.  No problems, just tiring riding when it's blowing hard.

In Saginaw, we went back north and caught up with our old friend, US 23 and continued northward.  Finally, at around 6:30 we stopped in Alpena, a small town by the water.  Found a motel and stopped for the night.

Dinner was at a Chinese place across the parking lot from the motel.  The clerk at the front desk told us it was rated in the top 100 Chinese places in the country, so we decided to try.  It was very good, but now I wonder if she meant within the top 100 places in Alpena!  No, I'm being a bit hard on the place; it was pretty good.

After dinner, we walked across the street to Wallyworld so I could buy some warmer clothes.  Got a sweatshirt and a pair of blue jeans so I won't freeze!

Tomorrow, we'll get back on US 23 and follow it northward to the Mackinac Bridge and Macinac Island.  We hope to see the island.

About 365 miles for the day...




1 comment:

  1. Good picture. The lake does look like the Atlantic Ocean.

    ReplyDelete