After being deferred for two years due to the pandemic, I’m finally here at the start of my vacation on two wheels. Montague MI to Mackinaw City, MI. Not to be confused with Mackinac Island, MI, which is spelled differently but pronounced the same way.

I left Rochester today around 12:45, after kissing all available cats on the head about five times each, assuring them I love them, that Karlene would be there shortly and of course that I would home “soon”. They’re cats and have no concept of time so I figured I could lie a bit.

The drive took a little over three hours but felt much longer, thanks to the ever-present road construction, featuring several thousand caution barrels but not a great deal of actual construction. I love how Michigan will just shut down major interstate junctions. Sorry, can’t go here! Fortunately Google Maps got me here without issue.

I arrived in Montague, which seems pretty small, around 4 PM. Nice and hot and sunny. We’re staying at the local high school, so we had dinner in the cafeteria, there are showers in the locker rooms, and camp is outside on the grounds, which fortunately has a lot of trees. So I got to find some shade for my tent and a nice place to hang my hammock for relaxing.

The tour kickoff rider’s meeting was at 7 PM in the auditorium, nice an cool and comfortable. Which helped offset the discomfort of listening to some of my fellow rider’s questions. People who haven’t seen the rider’s guide. People who need numbers repeated five times (even though they are in the guide). People who are staying in hotels and need special treatment at the luggage truck. People who make me wonder about humanity. Nice probably, but not the sharpest darts in the board. The ride director is a saint.

So, with dinner and my obligations taken care of, I’m going to relax. Get cleaned up and hopefully to sleep early. Unfortunately it looks like the weather will suck tomorrow (rain), but what can you do? Glad I brought my bike with the wider tires and more tread (gravel bike, left my road bike at home), and I have my raincoat. Being Michigan though, who knows what the weather will actually do.

No matter what the weather, it’s 60 miles to Ludington, along the coast. I’m going to try to be up and out early to get as much dry riding in as possible. Luggage trucks leave at 9 but I plan to be long gone by then. No sleeping in on this vacation!

So, here’s hoping tomorrow is a good first day, and that I meet some good people. I’ve already talked to a few folks (~420 people on the tour, and I’m in the young age group, haha). One lady I ate dinner next to lives 15 minutes from me, in Rochester Hills. Three hour drive to meet someone from the other side of town.

Wish me luck!