ironwood, michigan

 

Michigan . . . here we are, hope you're ready!

Two rides in one, that's what we did today. We didn't plan it that way, it just happened.

Ride No. 1 - Ashland, Wisconsin to Ironwood, Michigan, 37.04 miles. We had winds, both headwind and tailwind and, at times, it was hard to tell which was which. And it was hilly, more than I expected. Most of the ride was on very narrow shoulders and a good bit of traffic, most of which was pulling boats or campers. But, all in all, it was a good ride and we pedaled into Curry Park where Phil and Gale will make their home for tonight. Not long after lunch, Phil and I decided to pedal a few more miles east on Michigan Route 2, miles we won't have to pedal tomorrow, and possibly, in the rain. Oh . . . we are in the Eastern Time Zone now. That's the Home Time Zone for us. And we love it!

Ride No. 2 - Ironwood to Somewhere on Michigan Route 2, 32.81 miles. More hills, oh yes, more hills. But . . . we are done with them. Yippee! Tomorrow we will drive those 32 miles, get on our bikes, and pedal to Iron River which is also in Michigan. We will be in Michigan for some time now, since we just entered the Upper Peninsula, will pedal to St, Ignace and the Mackinac Bridge, down the west coast of Michigan, into Indiana, and with a left turn be headed to Maine again.

Michigan gets a big thumbs up for its roadway shoulders. Wisconsin, unfortunately, get a thumbs down. Both states are undergoing a lot of road reconstruction but we've become used to that and have figured out how to maneuver through the road work. Of course, good flaggers sure make things easier and safer. Michigan gets a thumbs up for its farms and barns too. I would love to go through some of these old barns just to see the large timber construction.

As we pedaled our extra miles we passed over the Bad River and passed by Government Road. I wouldn't have ridden down Government Road. I'm sure it's crooked, full of holes, under construction with workers who have no clue about how to build roads or run heavy equipment, overfunded and paid for by our tax dollars, and leads to a dead end. (Just a thought.) Government Road? Why?

Phil and I stopped for a rest stop and saw that we were right across the road from a big cemetery. I went over to check out some of the tombstones and immediately returned to my bike to grab my camera. There were many old tombstones and quite a few were military. I noticed a tombstone of a John B. Lewis, Corporal, Company K, !2th Wisconsin Infantry, Civil War. What stories could he tell? What was he like? How old was he during the war? Where did he fight? Was he scared? Did he die in battle? Along with Corporal Lewis' tombstone, there were others who fought in World Wars I and II and even the Spanish American War. Men who lived and, maybe died, for their country. Heroes.

I heard a man say one day, "The secret to happiness is having a new beginning ready at the end." At the end of what? Everything! Happy are high school students who have a job or college in line for new beginnings. And what about college students? Marriage maybe, families, jobs, and homes and years later, retirement. New beginnings are necessary for happiness. I am loving this bike ride but I am already planning my To Do List for when we get home. Why? New beginning . . . something to look forward to.

"The secret to happiness is having a new beginning ready at the end." I know that people don't like talking about cemeteries, tombstones, and dying but dying is part of living. We've all got to do it. I'm not ready to die but I'm prepared. Why? Because I have a new beginning ready at the end and it's because of my faith in God and my salvation through Jesus Christ my Lord. 

John 3:16 . . . the promise of a New Beginning.