manistee, michigan

Pappy's front window. He must be a character!

Well, I got pulled over today by Deputy S. Delgado of the Wexford County Sheriff's Department. I was on my bike only doing thirteen miles an hour over the posted seventy-five. Ha! You already know that's not true. But I was picking up an Iowa license plate on Michigan 131, the road I had been pedaling on all day. I turned around and there he was, blue and red lights flashing. When he got out of the car, the first thing he said to me was, "Are you aware that you cannot ride your bike on this road?" Of course, I did not and told him so. From there the conversation moved into what I needed to do and where I was going. That led to a short discussion about our ride to Maine. After checking my identification, he told me I needed to take my bike to the entrance ramp so I could get off of M-131. He also said, maybe we could put my bike into his cruiser and he would take me back to the road. The road just happened to be M-55 which is the road I was looking for anyway. My bike wouldn't fit into the car so I did the walk to the ramp and returned to M-55. I was hoping that my bike would have fit because, like a kid, I wanted to ride in his car. That's my story and I'm sticking to it! And FYI: when I started riding on M-131 in Kalkaska this morning, it was not the nice four-lane with wonderful wide shoulders. M-131 just sort of morphed into it. And, since I used no entrance or exit ramps, I did not see any of the Motor Vehicle Only signs. I was still wrong, was treated kindly, and appreciate the service these guys and gals of law enforcement do every day.

Talking with Deputy Delgado for a few minutes made me realize how important our law enforcement guys and gals are. Just so you know, I am not one of those Defund the Police crazies. I am a Defund the Media, Defund the Government, and Defund Hollywood guys. Right now, you cannot trust any of the three.

Today's ride was 82.33 miles with a good bit of headwind, narrow and rough shoulders, wide and smooth shoulders, a bit of rain, and some sunshine. In Cadillac, I asked a teller in a local bank, how to get to M-55. She told me, "Take this road by the bank until it ends. That is a bike trail that will take you around the lake and right to M-55. It did. The ride along the lake Cadillac Bike Trail which, of course, takes riders on a nice, paved trail along Lake Cadillac was nice and easy but I wasn't sure where, or when, I'd find M-55. So, I did what most men wouldn't do . . . I asked for more directions. I was told, "Take the trail to the light and turn right. At McDonald's, turn left. That's M-55." As I got closer to the light, a lady on a bike waved me to a stop and said, "Your wife is in the parking lot at McDonald's." And she was. Margaret, Gale, Phil, and I ate lunch there and then headed to Manistee, where we are right now.

We did stop at Pappy's and had a break in the parking lot. Pappy's wasn't open but if the signs are any indication of Pappy's character, I'd say Pappy is a character. I think we would have had some fun conversation if he had been in the shop.

We have seen literally hundreds of Help Wanted signs from Washington State to Michigan. I feel certain that we'll see similar signs all the way to the Atlantic. We've even seen signs enticing workers with $15.00 an hour and $200 bonus to come to work. That is so sorry. Maybe our government should stop giving people so much money for doing absolutely nothing. What we need is for kids and adults to get their fat fannies off their couches, get rid of their remotes, quit watching the N.F.L., M.L.B., and  N.B.A. and get a J.O.B. (Just a thought.)

"If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat" (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

If you don't know where you're going, any road will get your there!

Hope your day was super!