Life On A B-I7

Route

• Napoleon to Grand Rapids
• Mary Jane Thurston State Park

Metrics

• Miles: 14.4
• Average Speed: 12.0 mph
• Travel Time: 1 hour 13 minutes

Notes

• My shortest day of the tour (so far).

Thought For The Day

• Anger can’t always be avoided. The best way to make anger go away is to first recognize it, then tell yourself to set it aside.

I arrived at Mary Jane Thurston State Park Campground and set up camp at 11:00 am. That’s a bit earlier than allowed. What are you to do when you only go 14.4 miles to reach your next destination? Since I was early, I decided to take a nap. Strange, I seem to sleep better during the day than at night. I needed today’s nap. it was almost two hours long. The body doesn’t recover as quickly as it did 40 years ago.

Grand Rapids is a cool town. You can still view significant remnants of the Miami and Erie Canal here. I am fascinated by that kind of history. There is a used bookstore in town. Of course I went in. I found a pamphlet about the canal (more on that to come). I’m now enjoying a locally brewed IPA. I don’t want my friends in Oregon to get upset, but it’s a pretty damn good IPA. In fact, the food here is top drawer. I had a Balsamic Bruschetta that was the best. I think I’ll try their Cheese and Truffle Board next…

I’m going to have a campfire tonight in my campsite. I’m looking forward to that. It will be my first campfire since my SAG abandoned me… (I say that with the utmost love and gratitude, believe me.)

I was going to do some laundry today, but then I realized, what’s the point? You launder your riding clothes and then 30 minutes after you get on the road they’re soaked. Humidity, sweat, heat. It makes laundering a futile exercise.

Living On The Road

Living on the road is living apart from normal life. It’s difficult, no, impossible to describe what this experience is like. I’m trying. to give you a flavor of it, but my words can’t adequately do the experience justice. If I were a writer (which sadly I am not) describing this would be a challenge. I hope what I offer gives you the smallest-of-small ideas what it’s like.

Yes. There are times when I get lonely. Especially for my family and the loved ones back home. That said, there is nothing better than an experience like this to make you appreciate all of them more than you would if you were home, sleeping in everyday, and spending your days preoccupied with (in comparison) trivial pursuits.

You can’t do something epic every day. When you are given the chance, grab it, embrace the opportunity.

I’m not sure where i’ll be at the end of the day tomorrow, frankly, that’s not a real concern.

Stealth camping requires you to be up and gone before sunrise.

The river that I can’t pronounce. (Maumee River.)

Itinerary Maps