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Wheeled Migration

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tour mapIn the summer of 2004, I sold or gave away most of my possessions from my apartment in Minneapolis and hit the road on my bicycle for a year, pulling a trailer full of gear behind me. The idea was to go south through the midwest, spend the winter along the gulf coast, go north along the east coast with the spring, and return to Minnesota via Canada in the summer. Because the movie Winged Migration was popular at the time, I called the Yahoo! Group that I used to communicate with my friends and family during the trip "Wheeled Migration." Below are the messages I sent to that group, in reverse chronological order, but you can find them in chronological order in the menu that will appear at left, or click a pin on the map above.

By Ben, 18 June, 2005

June 18: Da U.P. and northern Wisconsin

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on June 18, 2005]

I strained my right Achilles tendon just before I wrote you last time, so I made an effort to cut down on my daily miles. I decided to forego the Midwest Renewable Energy Association's annual Sustainability Fair this weekend (you may recall I visited their location in the second week of my trip and nothing was going on at that time) because I'd have to ride fast and hard for six days... besides, it happens every year. My joints are feeling much better now.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 17 June, 2005

To Kentuck Lake, Chequamegon Nicolet NF, WI

I slept all right with earplugs in last night, but I felt rotten in the morning and really didn't want to get back on the highway.  I stopped in Florence, WI to use the Internet and supplement my breakfast... just after that I left the highway behind and immediately felt 100% better.  The coffee may have helped.

There's a joke that small towns in Wisconsin (and other states, I suppose) consist of just a church and a bar, and the church is optional.  Well, the town of Spread Eagle, WI, has six bars and no churches, and half the bars feature dancers.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 16 June, 2005

To Iron Mountain, MI

Today was cooler and very breezy, but I still made over 50 miles.  I crossed back into Central time, so now dawn will come at 4:30 AM... joy.

I stopped at the county campground near Iron Mountain, hoping for some peace and quiet away from the highway -- last night I needed earplugs to keep the noise out.  But this campground is full of families who want to play their radios for some reason.  After weeks of highway riding, I'm so sick of the radio I want to throw it in the lake, but earplugs work for that, too.

52.0 mi

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 15 June, 2005

To Escanaba, MI

I waited to leave Manistique until the rain stopped.  It didn't return all day, though there was drizzle on and off, and the wind was strong at times.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 14 June, 2005

To Manistique, MI

I joined US-2 this morning, the road I'll be riding all the rest of the way into Wisconsin.  It's a lot like the Trans-Canada Highway, only with paved shoulders.  I hope they continue!

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 13 June, 2005

To Garnet Lake, Superior State Forest, MI

I followed the Hiawatha Tour bike route shown on my maps.  It took me down highways that had low traffic and good shoulders.  There was only one hill; otherwise flat farmland and pine forests with a ferny understory.

I stopped for lunch in Rudyard and talked with the diner's owner.  He gave me a bumper sticker that says I ate there.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 12 June, 2005

To Sault Ste. Marie, MI

I was able to ride back roads more than half the way today.  Sunday morning traffic was so light it wasn't really necessary, but it was nice to sample the quiet and countryside.  I saw a lot of fields, but none appeared to be cultivated.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 12 June, 2005

June 12: Reflections and Q&A

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on June 12, 2005]

Some reflections on my ride through "the north": The region I rode through is referred to as "Northern Ontario" even though it's south of most of Ontario -- it's just north of most of the inhabited part. Sometimes it's just called "the north" or even "northern Canada" even though it's actually south of most of the Canada-US border and the majority of the provinces!

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 12 June, 2005

June 12: "Northern Ontario"

[posted to the Wheeled Migration Yahoo Group on June 12, 2005]

I made it to Michigan! I've got a lot to tell -- it's been almost two weeks, after all -- so I'll put the travelogue in this message and some more general observations in the following message.

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  • Wheeled Migration
By Ben, 11 June, 2005

To Bruce Mines, ON

After yesterday's marathon ride, I was glad to take it easy today.  I had brunch in Iron Bridge and planned to turn north at Bruce Mines and camp at Rydal Bank, but when I got to Bruce Mines around 4:00, an ominous thunderstorm was moving in.

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"Blue Boat Home" is the name of a UU hymn by Peter Mayer, about how we are all travelers on the Earth. We have his permission and blessing to use the name for this site.