Day 112 (9/5): Cadillac to Clare, Michigan

Mileage: 57.3; 3,429 total

It rained all night and into the morning. When I left Cadillac, late in the morning, the rain had stopped but it was still overcast and cool, and so humid that I was actually riding through a mist and was soon soaked through. In the mid-afternoon it gradually cleared up, and warmed up, and overall it wasn't a bad day.

With about 30 miles to go, I was able to pick up the "Lake Erie Connector" route published by the Adventure Cycling Association, and this directed me onto less busy, rural roads. This probably added a few miles to the trip, but it was well worth it to be able to ride through the countryside, from one little lake town to another, without having to be very much concerned about automobile traffic.

This part of Michigan has a significant Amish population. I saw several horses and buggies along the way and in the town of Clare. At one rest stop I had a long talk about bicycle touring with a young Amish fellow who was manning a little country store that sold handcrafted items. He appeared to be about 18 years old, and was enthusiastic about his bicycle and about the idea of bicycle touring; I guess that the Amish consider bicycles to be an "old" invention and therefore permissable for them to ride.

I was glad to get to Clare and to a laundrymat. Tomorrow I will take a "semi-rest" day. There is a bicycle path that starts at Clare and runs along my route for about 35 miles. The weather should be improved tomorrow, and I plan to take a leisurely afternoon ride, limiting my distance to the length of this bike path.