We awoke on Wednesday (Day 18) to steady rain with temperatures in the 50’s and decided that the day was not for bike riding.

We lingered at the Blue Herron Inn for breakfast with John and Lois Diedrich, Craig’s good friends who so graciously hosted us on Tuesday evening. John decided to be our personal tour guide in a visit to Laporte County Historical Museum, home of the Kesling Auto Collection, an incredible collection of guns for the 1800’s and early 1900’s, and artifacts from the history of the area. My favorite was the Dusenberg. I was impressed that the engine developed 265hp.

Thursday (Day 20) started off with blue skies and cool breezes in downtown Milwaukee along Lake Michigan.
. We rode through some beautiful neighborhoods on Lakeside Drive in Milwaukee north, then west to Columbus a distance of 87 miles. All in all a gorgeous day, but plenty of rolling hills that replaced the headwinds we faced in Michigan. As I slowly climb the hills, I find that people come to mind to pray and intercede for. Ralph, my friend who had surgery this day, Kevin, the guardian angel whom we met on the road a few days ago who is working with disadvantaged youth, and the people we don’t know who live in the farmhouses nearby. Two comments last night made my day. I mentioned to Lisa that I could tell I was losing weight by the way my clothes fit me. She said: “You are definitely losing weight as I can see it in your face.” And then she quipped, I’m losing weight thinking about the riding! Then she laughed only the way she can laugh! 🙂 Earlier on our ride from Columbus to the RV park for the night, she also said: “I just want you to know I am really enjoying this journey, seeing the country, seeing the people and visiting places I would never have a chance to see. I also know that this ride has a higher purpose, the Next Generation, and this is meaningful to me.” That made my day for lots of reasons, but also knowing this is Lisa: Supportive, adventurous, never a complainer….my best friend, the love of my life and the best mother our three sons could ask for. Lisa is a real trooper in this journey.
Friday (Day 20)-We awoke to another beautiful day. Alan reminded me this was June 6, D-Day 70 years ago. He wore a bike shirt, “Honor the Fallen”. We enjoyed some unusual geology in Wisconsin along the route from Columbus to Wonewac some 82 miles. Besides the unusual rocks that only a geologist or geotechnical engineer would truly appreciate, we stumbled across an artesian well. Local people were lined up getting the water, some of whom had been drinking it for decades. Apparently the owner across the street bottles the water for sale, but has this tap open to the public.

I decided to sample some from this fountain after a car drove up and a young couple hopped out from Chicago (a four hour drive) with 8 empty containers to fill with water. Kevin and Diane routinely drive here to get fresh spring water. We also found out they drove all the way to Atlanta for a church service at Church of the Apostles. Diane said we drive 4 hours for spring water and all day for a church service, what can we say?

Finally, we met a young man and his wife and 2 year old son eating ice cream at a “Bare Necessities” market store in a small Wisconsin town. He asked where we were headed. After responding with “Seattle”, he said “that’s a stretch”. No question, though after today we are well over a third of the way there.