Day 8 - Mackinaw City to Manistique MI

 Miles- 94.1

Trip Miles - 504 

Check out my activity on Strava: https://strava.app.link/Vyqlx8W085b

When I started riding today I realized my cadence sensor was missing. Went back to the campsite and checked the lost and found at the ferry terminal but didn't find it. Disappointed but it doesn't bother the bike at all. Not sure where it fell off. We met back together at the small booth on I75 at the base of the bridge. The process is to call the Mackinac Bridge Authority and they send a truck to pick you up and shuttle over the bridge. There's no safe way to ride over it. 
Waiting for Bridge Transport 

Next we paid the fee for the transport and began to head west on US route 2. A long flat straight road across Michigan's upper peninsula. The UP. Honestly it is a boring slog. There are occasional nice views of the lake. Some rain is falling in the morning.  We drop into the Sand Dune Inn to wait it out and get a second breakfast. The waitress is sweet and brews a pot of coffee for us with hotcakes. Nobody else comes in while we eat. 
On US 2

Breakfast Spot 

Route 2 is the only reasonable choice to cross the UP. There is fast traffic and tons of trucks and RV'S whizzing by all the time. Happily there is a wide shoulder with a rumble strip.  We power along. The sun comes out before noon. We roll into a rest stop for lunch and it is maybe the best rest stop ever. Picnic tables right on the beach. Great place to eat,  rest, and wade into the lake on a sandy beach. There's even a foot shower to rinse the sand. 
Rest Area beach




Back on the road for more slogging we decide to push on to Manistique. It'll be almost 100 miles,  but put us in great place to make Green Bay by Saturday. And there isn't much to stop for. Long stretches of highway with occasional mom and pop country stores if they aren't out of business already. About 20 miles out of Manistique my friend Jeff called to tell me about his high school buddy that lives there and might put us up. 

2 hours, about 20 phone calls, and 20 miles later we're having dinner with Ginger and her grandson at the 3 Seasons restaurant. Bill and Ginger were amazing. They transported us and our bikes to their home where they welcomed us like old friends. We swam in the lake, washed clothes (finally)  shared stories,  and eventually crashed in their RV. Staying in a home is worth a million dollars when you are out on the road. We are so grateful to them. 
 Bill and me


Home for the night

Now only 180 miles to Green Bay. Easy 3 day ride. 

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