Trip Log 2.1


No, I don’t alway pack light.

This is my stack of luggage for our current trip: large suitcase, book bag full of study materials for my Spring Study Program, hanging bag with more formal clothes, large total with most of my cycling gear (lots of layers for warm through very cold weather) , small tote with my other cycling gear (shoes, gloves, & helmet), and a box of my books to give away on the trip. This trip will be more than a month long! I need lots of stuff.

By popular demand, here is the first Trip Log.

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Friday, April 22. Terre Haute, Indiana. 

Our adventure a couple of weeks ago convinced my husband – and the other guys at the company who help with these decisions – that he needed a bigger vehicle to pull the trailer.

After spending the weekend shopping for trucks and getting quotes, Ron finally decided on a GMC 3/4 ton, crew cab, 4X4, diesel truck. He bought a used camper shell so we can safely transport our bikes and luggage in the bed of the truck. (OK, so the luggage could have fit inside the truck, but we have to keep our bikes safe! The guys at the factory reconfigured the equipment inside the trailer so the weight is properly distributed. This rig should safely get us where we need to go!

The pipe on the side of the trailer is an exhaust pipe for a generator.

Packing and preparing took most of the day Thursday. We drove a few hours, stopped for night and drove all day Friday.

I love traveling this time of year! Wild flowers everywhere. Bright green new growth sprouting on the trees. Baby animals in the fields. Ponds full and waiting for little boys and their granddads to come fishing. And our silly sense of humor.

Here are a couple of quotes from Friday:

While discussing my normally low blood pressure (106/65), Ron said, “You don’t get high blood pressure. You are a carrier.”

“Just passed Uranus Fudge Factory. There are too many jokes that sign brings to mind. If our boys were in the car, we’d be hearing them all. Like: I do not want any fudge from…”

We stopped briefly in Illinois….to get a new mug, of course! Then we drove on to Terre Haute, Indiana, to spend the night.

Illinois You Are Here Mug

 

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Saturday, April 23. 7:30 am Terre Haute 

At eleven pm last night, my man was worn out after ten hours of driving and didn’t even want to talk about plans for tomorrow. All he wanted to do was crawl into bed and sleep.

Then at 7:00 am, when I am comfortably sleeping under heavy quilts with the A/C on very cold, he jumps out of bed ready to face the day.

He actually wants me to put my warm feet out from under the covers and into my biking shoes.

“The National Road Heritage Trail is just two miles away! We can ride to the area near campus for breakfast then ride twenty miles!” He says cheerfully. “I’ll get our bike stuff! It’ll be fun!” he sings as he skips out the hotel room door.

I turned over and put my head under my pillow, hoping our biking gear was stolen during the night.

I hate him. I hate mornings.

Saturday, 10:00 pm Lansing, Michigan

I’ll admit it: Ron was right. It was a beautiful morning for a bike ride.  Quite chilly, but we have good riding gear and lots of layers. We rode twenty miles, came back to shower and change at the hotel, checked out, then walked across the street to a local diner for lunch.

It was obvious during the bike ride that we are not natives. We were each wearing a base layer, warm vest, and windbreaker with our thick tights and wool socks. We saw natives in shorts & sports bras running on the trail. 50 degrees is warm to them! I was chilly at first and comfortable by the time we’d ridden a few miles

 

Riding in Indiana. April 2016




After lunch, we drove a few hours to Lansing, Michigan, where we had dinner at a local Mediterranean restaurant with our son Adam.

It’s been a great day.

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Sunday, April 24 Kalamazoo, Michigan 

Usually on Sundays we go to church, even when traveling. Today, however, I slept in and Ron joined Adam for an early breakfast and a men’s group meeting. Dad and son time is rare when your son lives a thousand miles away.

Adam is a gymnastics coach. World champions have come from the gym where he coaches. His boss was the coach for the US Olympic team in London. Adam works with mostly younger girls. They have the state meet next weekend, so he had a few kids that wanted private lessons this weekend. One lesson ended around noon today.

After the lesson, we went to lunch and then road bikes. We rode about seventeen miles from the zoo to Michigan State to downtown Lansing and back. The weather was lovely. It was a great day for a ride with my son and husband. We had a delicious after-ride dinner then said goodbye to Adam before driving to Kalamazoo.

 

Work starts tomorrow, for Ron anyway. Appointments here in Kalamazoo tomorrow and Grand Rapids on Tuesday. The company will have booth set up Wednesday and Thursday at the Michigan School Business Officials Expo, and Ron will be manning it. We should have everything loaded by late afternoon Thursday.

Then we head to Staten Island to spend the weekend in NYC…if all goes according to plan. Somehow, I think we may have a surprise or two along the way. We usually do. I’ll write about them so you can all laugh at or with us.

 

cycling, family, GMC Truck, joy, Marriage, Michigan, Starbucks You Are Here Collection, travel


KathleenBDuncan

I write about my life, my journey, my family, and my faith. I am wife to one, mom to seven with one in heaven, and grandmother to many. I am also full-time caregiver to my stepmom E who suffers from dementia due to Alzheimer’s. In my spare time I like to read, travel, crochet, bike, and play with our black pug Molly.

Comments (3)

  • Looks like you guys are having a great time! I loved what you had to say about the weather and your clothing choices. I grew up in MI and for me, the perfect running weather is 50 degrees–I wear shorts and t-shirt. It’s a bit chilly for me when I first go out, but I warm up quickly and it’s just perfect. When I was living in Korea, hiking is a very popular sport (very mountainous there), and I was always so amazed that whenever I was out hiking, I would be the only one wearing shorts and t-shirts. I was sweating, but all the Koreans around me would be wearing full gear–long sleeve jackets, windbreaker pants, etc. I knew they probably thought I was crazy for wearing such light clothing, but I couldn’t believe they weren’t dying from heat!

    • I went with fewer layers on Sunday. It was close to 60 that day. My son said it was hot, so you see how he dressed. Living in Michigan three years has changed his view of hot.

  • So glad you got to be with your son- know you loved that! I hope to go to Michigan sometime- have never been. Look forward to your NYC adventures!

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