June 4, 2025
Washington Island, WI to Peninsula State Park, WI
Day 7 - Wednesday
I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and walked to the bathroom (Vault). Once back at the cabin I got back in my sleeping bag as we didn’t need to leave until 9 a.m. this morning to catch the ferry to Rock Island. By 7:30 a.m. we were both awake so we got up and this is the first morning I boiled water for oatmeal and coffee.
After cleaning up we biked over to the main house where we left our panniers in the recreation room to pick up later. It was a 5 mile ride to the ferry terminal and we arrived in plenty of time at 9:30 a.m.
After a walk around and speaking with the kayak shop attendee, I realized I needed cash for the boat so I used the atm to get enough cash for the next few days. Cash is the preferred method of payment up here. We then locked our bikes up and waited for the ferry.
We got underway at 10 a.m. for the short 13-minute trip across the water to Rock Island.
As we wanted to catch the 12:30 p.m. return ferry, our first action was to hike the 1.2 miles to the lighthouse.
We arrived at the lighthouse and checked the time and things seemed odd. Turns out the phones were picking up Michigan cell towers that were in the eastern time zone. Reassured the hike hadn’t taken over an hour, we took the lighthouse tour which included a climb up into the tower. Michelle, our guide was very informative, she has been volunteering here for over 10 years staying at the lighthouse for a week each year and conducting tours.
After the tour we climbed down to the beach, took some photos and then as we climbed back up, had a thought for the early lighthouse keepers who climbed up here each day after fetching water from the lake.
After the hike back to the ferry landing, we had a little time to explore the boat house before the ferry arrived.
Once back on Washington Island we rode 5 miles back to the campground to load our bikes.
Cameron wanted to try the Island Pizza place we had passed by when we arrived yesterday so we rode the last 5 miles across the island to the ferry terminal. As the ferry looked like it was about to leave, we forgo the pizza and got called to go on the ferry first. We secured the bikes with budgies and went to the upper deck. The ferry timetable seemed to be erratic, it looked like if there was enough cars ready to go, they went. It makes sense I suppose based on patronage this time of year.
On the ferry ride over I used my telephoto lens to take some more photos of Plum and Pilot Island Lighthouses.
We landed back on the mainland and decided to try for food in Gills Harbor two miles away. But not before stopping to get more photos of the curvy road. These photos turned out better as we mostly had the road to ourselves.
Stopping in Gills Harbor, food options were slim. The only restaurant (expensive) had just stopped serving lunch, as it was 3 p.m. and the other place sold smoked fish and ice-cream. So ice-cream it was, plus we topped up with snacks from our bags. I got a cup of the Mackinaw Island fudge. Cameron had now formulated a new plan to ride another 10 miles to Sister Bay where there was a pizza joint.
The rode a different route from Gills Harbor to Ellison Bay than we did on the way up yesterday, then on to Sister Bay on basically the same roads we had already ridden on. So it was the same story, town at waters edge, with hills to get into and out of town.
We arrived in Sister Bay at 5 p.m. and I tried to convince Cameron to try the Swedish restaurant that had a lawn with umbrellas and was serving beer. (didn’t take photo). He wouldn’t budge so I compromised and said I would come back for a beer later. Pizza was at the Wild Tomato and after we finished the pizza, I looked at the time and decided to forgo the beer, hence no photo.
Reaching the town of Ephraim, on a whim we went out to the lake front. Here we found what looked to be an old boat shed were people were invited to write their names. All 4 sides of the building were covered in names and dates.
Riding through Ephraim we spotted Wilson's Restaurant & Ice Cream Parlor so decided to stop and fill up. I got a single scoop of the Mackinaw Island Fudge. The scoop was generous but the ice-cream was twice the price of Gills Harbor. Once again, there was a discount for using cash.
Afterwards we encountered another long hill out of that town and I was slightly regretting that ice-cream.
We rode the last 12 miles over to Peninsula State Park getting a site in the Tennyson campground.
We got site 215 which had a close by adjoining site 213 which they said they wouldn’t book, so Cameron moved over there for his usual objective to sleep as far from me as possible. Maybe I snore.
Once we had our tents up, we went for showers and then into bed as it was dark.
This campground facilities are pretty old. Nothing like the facilities at Kohler State Park.
Today's ride: 39 miles (63 km)
Total: 295 miles (475 km)
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