One more campsite: Orchard Beach State Park - Summer Adventure 2011 - CycleBlaze

August 11, 2011

One more campsite: Orchard Beach State Park

Kim writes:

Nice short ride today, resting up for final day tomorrow.

Taking advantage of a shorter day
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Lake Michigan
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Looks like the ocean!
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View from the steps as we descend
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John writes:

Kim and I started the day with breakfast at The Blue Slipper, full well intending the next eight hours to only consist of some light cycling. So first of all, our day involved a supply stop at the Marathon gas station in Onekama. While there, a huge gaggle of other bicyclists stopped too for drinks and a bit of a rest. It turned out that they were part of a supported, nine-day ride going in the opposite direction. One of the men noted that my bicycle was a converted road bike, and said "Your bike doesn't have the gears to be carrying all that weight." Once again, decorum prevented me from replying "Yeah . . . no shit!"

Along today's route
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Anyway, we departed on M22 South, and along the way - as we met other cyclists on the same supported ride - they actually cheered for us and gave us lots of "thumbs up" signs. That felt really neat. In the mid afternoon, Kim and I pulled into Orchard Beach State Park and got a tent site amidst all the RVs. We relaxed with tea, walked on a beautiful beach, and ordered turkey subs to be delivered to the front gate. After being forced to take cold showers, we let the fire burn out and crawled into our sleeping bags.

Great shoreline
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Once was a tree
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Kindling all organized and ready for tonight's campfire
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The bluff
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Rocky embankment
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Beautiful day, not too hot
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John enjoying a hike along Lake Michigan
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Today's ride: 11 miles (18 km)
Total: 993 miles (1,598 km)

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