Kevin's wife made me scrambled eggs and toast for breakfast and we joked about how much the British eat for.breakfast (baked beans for breakfast is considered weird here!). Not too long after I set off for my 'short' day of riding. I headed out in the complete opposite direction to Chicago at first as I wanted to step into Michigan state. About 4 miles down the highway I found the state sign and got my picture, then crossed the highway to get a photo with the Indiana state sign (I missed it on the way in via Amish country).
Back up the highway and passing through Michigan city again, I was joined by another cyclist called John who was out on a 2 hour jolly. I told him the usual details about my ride and he took me on a nice detour to Lakefront Drive where, after cresting a small hill, the view was incredible! It was a little misty out on the lake this morning, but John told me you can usually see Chicago. He left me at a small picnic area and told me the way back to the highway. He also said to watch out for the 1933 Chicago world's fair homes and not long down the road I found an incredibly pink house, the 'Florida Tropical' house!
The US 12 sways in and out from the coast most of the way to Chicago and not long after joining it a people-carrier pulled up next to me and a woman shouted "Go Sam!" out the window at me. I didn't see the male drivers face, but I assumed it was John.
Part of the highway had a bridge being built and so a section of road was completely closed off, not that the signs stopped any traffic (or me) riding all the way down there. I ended up having to cross a railway track off-piste to get to a useable bit of road because there was no way I was cycling 5 odd miles back up to the next junction!
Further up the highway I had my second drive-by questioning, this time from a dilapidated looking school bus. It pulled along side me on the road and the driver opened the door so that he and a teacher could talk to me, all still whilst heading down the highway. After a couple of the usual questions they wished me good luck and the bus full of children drove away waving. Crazy!
After passing through Gary, a rough neighborhood south of Chicago, as quickly as I could with all the head and cross winds, I stopped for some lunch at a petrol station, where a friendly police officer was getting coffee. On his way out he startes asking me about my trip when his radio started blaring "a firearm was not seen on the suspect", at which point he recommended I kept an eye out in this sort of area!
Once I got only a mile or two up the road the cycling became a lot nicer. Wide bike lanes opened up at the sides of the roads and the parks along the lakeshore were designed for cyclists and runners, with distance markers and water fountains along the way. Hard to think there was gang-land just the other side of the highway! Though apparently Chicago is quite like that, with rough areas and fancy areas pretty much side by side.
I eventually found my hosts, Cassie, Jarrett and Brown Cow's (their cat!) apartment after initially finding the wrong street of the same name! I showered and some of her old college friends came over for a barbeque on the roof which was very nice with the views of the city. Her friends brought homemade cupcakes too which were delicious!
Tomorrow I'm up early for my rest day exploring the city as my hosts have to get to work, but I've got a long list of places to see and eat at, whilst trying not to tire myself out too much!
Miles today: 71.1
Total miles: 911.2
Back up the highway and passing through Michigan city again, I was joined by another cyclist called John who was out on a 2 hour jolly. I told him the usual details about my ride and he took me on a nice detour to Lakefront Drive where, after cresting a small hill, the view was incredible! It was a little misty out on the lake this morning, but John told me you can usually see Chicago. He left me at a small picnic area and told me the way back to the highway. He also said to watch out for the 1933 Chicago world's fair homes and not long down the road I found an incredibly pink house, the 'Florida Tropical' house!
The US 12 sways in and out from the coast most of the way to Chicago and not long after joining it a people-carrier pulled up next to me and a woman shouted "Go Sam!" out the window at me. I didn't see the male drivers face, but I assumed it was John.
Part of the highway had a bridge being built and so a section of road was completely closed off, not that the signs stopped any traffic (or me) riding all the way down there. I ended up having to cross a railway track off-piste to get to a useable bit of road because there was no way I was cycling 5 odd miles back up to the next junction!
Further up the highway I had my second drive-by questioning, this time from a dilapidated looking school bus. It pulled along side me on the road and the driver opened the door so that he and a teacher could talk to me, all still whilst heading down the highway. After a couple of the usual questions they wished me good luck and the bus full of children drove away waving. Crazy!
After passing through Gary, a rough neighborhood south of Chicago, as quickly as I could with all the head and cross winds, I stopped for some lunch at a petrol station, where a friendly police officer was getting coffee. On his way out he startes asking me about my trip when his radio started blaring "a firearm was not seen on the suspect", at which point he recommended I kept an eye out in this sort of area!
Once I got only a mile or two up the road the cycling became a lot nicer. Wide bike lanes opened up at the sides of the roads and the parks along the lakeshore were designed for cyclists and runners, with distance markers and water fountains along the way. Hard to think there was gang-land just the other side of the highway! Though apparently Chicago is quite like that, with rough areas and fancy areas pretty much side by side.
I eventually found my hosts, Cassie, Jarrett and Brown Cow's (their cat!) apartment after initially finding the wrong street of the same name! I showered and some of her old college friends came over for a barbeque on the roof which was very nice with the views of the city. Her friends brought homemade cupcakes too which were delicious!
Tomorrow I'm up early for my rest day exploring the city as my hosts have to get to work, but I've got a long list of places to see and eat at, whilst trying not to tire myself out too much!
Miles today: 71.1
Total miles: 911.2
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