NORTHERN LAKE MICHIGAN LOOP, Part 1

Getting the Train at Springfield, MA

August 2, 2018

We had decided to do a bicycle tour around Lake Michigan when we were in Chicago back in April 2016. Our 2017 tour of the Canadian Maritimes was already set, so we put this trip off until 2018. Even from Chicago, the Lake seemed beautiful, and having not seen much of Michigan (Laura had never seen Michigan), we thought heading up the east side of the Lake in Michigan would give us an opportunity to visit some nice locations and enjoy the Lake, along with stopping at Mackinac Island, going through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and also include a ferry crossing on the Badger from Manitowoc, WI to Ludington, MI. It all seemed to fall in place.

Par usual, I created a too ambitious distance for us to cover in the 22 days we had allotted for the tour. As mapped, it was going to be about 1,050 miles (including about 75 miles of ferry crossings), which calculated out equates to close to 50 miles per day, with no rest days. It was going to be a flatter route than we are used to, so in my mind 60 mile days should be doable which would allow us a couple days off, or at least low mileage days. My early 50s body might not agree with my mind which still feels 25 (except for the word retrieval issues that seem to be increasing), but time would tell. I did decide on a bailout point, close to half way (that would be Mackinac Island), that if we were not on the Island by day 11, we would turn around and head back in the general direction we had come.

New this year we decided we would disassemble the bike and pack it in cases and take the train. We wanted to test the complexities of doing such to get an understanding of how frequently (or more the case, infrequently) we might be willing to pack the bike and gear for future touring adventures. Our plan was to take the train from Springfield, MA to South Bend, IN, just the other side of the border from southwestern Michigan. From there we would head generally north and west to the shores of the Lake (following a stop at Mattawan outside of Kalamazoo to visit friends) and continue up the eastern side of the Lake following the Adventure Cycling Association North Lakes route. Continue on the route through the Upper Peninsula and down to Manitowoc, WI to take the ferry across the Lake and then south to South Bend to catch a train home.

I will admit I did not enjoy the task of taking the bike apart. Parts of it are very easy, such as disconnecting the S&S couples that allows the tandem to be broken down into front a rear sections, and the three tubes from the middle of the bike. This is great when you just want to get the tandem into the back of a vehicle fairly quickly. But, unfortunately you have to do more than just break the bike apart to fit it into the cases. Saddles need to come off. Handlebars need to come off, Cranks need to come off. Break disks need to come off. The wheels only fit if the tires and tubes come off. The fenders and racks need to come off (which are additional items that did not come with the bike). We also have an Extrawheel trailer that we tow for extra carrying capacity which also had to be taken apart. By now all of these parts will not fit in the two cases that came with the bike when we first purchased it, so we added a third suitcase to carry the extra parts. Besides the bike and trailer, we also had a tent and six panniers full of our gear that we also had to get packed. Add a forth suitcase (for tent and the two small panniers). We would carry the other four larger panniers and the handlebar bag onto the train. The good thing about the train is that we could each check two pieces of luggage, and carry on two smaller pieces of luggage free of charge, so it all worked out, albeit with a few swear words and sweat as I tried to piece the puzzle of bike parts into the cases.

Tandem bicycle and trailer parts packed into three cases (and the cases actually closed and latched).

Cases and panniers all packed into the car for trip to train station.

August 2, 2018

We were dropped off at the train station two hours prior to departure to check the four cases into baggage, and wait for the train. It was a bit of a challenge to haul everything through the station, to the elevator, over the platform, and to the waiting room, but we managed. With the four larger panniers we were carrying, they looked a little odd for luggage, so we began to get questions from other travelers about what we were up to. One traveler was a bicycle tourist so knew we were going on a tour so we were able to swap stories. Other people just started up friendly conversations, and at some point we had one side of the waiting room all conversing with one another about all topics from where they lived, where they were going, music, education, etc. It was all great fun.

With Katie who dropped us off at Union Station in Springfield, MA.

With all our gear.

Making our way through the train station.

The train arrived on schedule and we boarded easily (with the cases already checked). We found two seats together near the center of the car and settled in for the overnight ride to South Bend, IN. So far so good (more or less).

Settled in our seats and ready to go.

Enjoying a morning coffee as we get close to South Bend, IN.