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Good day to St. Joseph

June 19, 2015 By Rolf Stengl

Winter wheat 3’ tall

Winter wheat 3’ tall

Today was a great day because I woke up feeling good, and the sun was out, and I started with a tail wind pushing me for the first 10 miles heading east across Holland. It was nice and cool in the morning and the temperature stayed comfortable all day.

I passed a few fields of grain, about three feet tall, something you wouldn’t see in Alberta until August.

I was on the Blue Star Highway for much of the day, and at one point, it had a smooth concrete bike path. I’ve started to notice things standing out from the general newness of it all. Trees are everywhere, and they are often impressively big and beautiful once I pay attention. I took a picture of the path and a massive tree trunk, with my bike for scale.

Blue Star Hwy, path, massive tree trunk

Blue Star Hwy, path, massive tree trunk

I got to Saugatuck in about two hours, which is food stop time. Right there on Lucy Street by the inlet, they put a seating area, like many others in these small tourist towns. Perfect.

Meal stop, Saugatuck

Meal stop, Saugatuck

So I ate and stared, and enjoyed the quiet and this view.

Water view, Saugatuck

Water view, Saugatuck

I got to thinking that this was a beautiful boat and a beautiful scene, and a guy could stay here a while. In fact, all of these lakeshore towns are gorgeous, with big trees, nice houses and yards, flowers, boats, and a restful atmosphere.

Back to the boat, I recalled that boats are expensive to buy and maintain, and most see little use. They represent a dream. But we’re on vacation here, and I know you want that boat, so go ahead and buy it. OK, it’s yours.

Now you need a place to park it and admire it, so go ahead and buy one of those fancy houses across the inlet, or maybe the very house where the boat is docked. Sit in the yard, kick back, and know that life is good.

If you have the money, this is a wonderful way to live. Sweet.

If you work for your money, like most people, you now have boat payments, and car payments, and house payments, and food and clothes to buy for the family. You can’t just sit there. You have to go to work tomorrow morning. You have stress. You have sold your life for a treadmill to depression.

Bummer.

Good thing you have me to help out. Sell the boat, your expensive car, and that big empty house. Downsize. Buy a bicycle. Now you can afford to take time off, and you can quit working a lot younger.

Now you can relax. Enjoy the view again. Beautiful boat, isn’t it? Nothing beats work like a day without work. 🙂

I got so carried away with the charm of this place, that I even got romanced into taking a picture of the shops on Butler Street.

Shops on Butler Street

Shops on Butler Street

I finally saw Lake Michigan in the sun, and understood the call of the beach.

Sunny beach, Lake Michigan

Sunny beach, Lake Michigan

They have a lot of Lakeshore Drives here, so I took another picture to remind you of how nice they are for cycling.

Lakeshore Drive

Lakeshore Drive

Dreams sell well here, so this is another one of those high-end housing and retirement areas.

Buy your retirement home here

Buy your retirement home here

I’m always suspicious of people who make things sound too wonderful, like all the little tourist magazines I keep finding along the way, so I’ll close with a reality every cyclist has to face.

The truth

The truth

One last item. In the last three days, I’ve ridden 68, 56, and 68 miles. I feel fine. And I’ve rounded the lake with time to slow down and mosey around. Good thing I didn’t buy that boat.

Holland to Saugatuck to St. Joseph

Holland to Saugatuck to St. Joseph

 

long distance, self-supported bicycle trips

riding the Mississippi River Trail
from New Orleans to Lake Itasca
. . . and then home to Canada

riding the Lake Michigan Trail, from Chicago around Lake Michigan

along the LMT

Buckingham Fountain Burnham Greenway Trail Chesterton Chicago Chicago Lakefront Trail Duck Lake State Park Erie Lackawanna Trail Gary Indiana Glen Arbor Grand Haven Hart-Montague Trail Holland Jackson Park Kenosha County Path Kohler-Andrae State Park Lake Michigan Little Travers Wheelway Long Beach Ludington Mariners Trail Michigan City Muskegon New Buffalo Nuclear Energy sculpture Oak Leaf Trail Oak Savannah Trail Old Grand Haven Road Ozaukee Interurban Trail Pentwater Petoskey Point Beach State Forest Prairie Duneland Trail Rapid Transit Cycle shop Robert McClory Bike Path Saugatuck Sleeping Bear Dunes Snug Harbor South Chicago River St. Joseph The Bean Three Sisters University of Chicago Washington Park Willis Tower Wrigley Field

Lake Michigan Trail (LMT)

Lake Michigan Trail Summary

July 2, 2015

Touring Chicago Part 2

June 23, 2015

Touring Chicago Part 1

June 22, 2015

Riding into Chicago

June 21, 2015

Riding to Chesterton

June 20, 2015

Good day to St. Joseph

June 19, 2015

Holland

June 18, 2015

Muskegon

June 17, 2015

Ludington, tourist town

June 16, 2015

Fog to Ludington

June 15, 2015

Foggy day to Arcadia

June 14, 2015

Glen Arbor

June 13, 2015

Acme

June 11, 2015

Petoskey

June 10, 2015

Tourist on Mackinaw Island

June 9, 2015

Naubinway & St. Ignace

June 8, 2015

Indian Lake State Park

June 6, 2015

Ford River

June 5, 2015

Good road to Menominee

June 4, 2015

Green Bay

June 3, 2015

Egg Harbor

June 1, 2015

Cold Air

May 31, 2015

Rain

May 30, 2015

North to Point Beach State Forest

May 29, 2015

Milwaukee to Kohler-Andrae State Park

May 28, 2015

Milwaukee

May 27, 2015

Illinois Beach State Park

May 25, 2015

Boating in Chicago

May 24, 2015

Chicago

May 23, 2015

A New Ride Begins

May 22, 2015

Coming soon…

May 6, 2015

Recent Posts

  • Lake Michigan Trail Summary
  • Touring Chicago Part 2
  • Touring Chicago Part 1
  • Riding into Chicago
  • Riding to Chesterton
  • Good day to St. Joseph
  • Holland
  • Muskegon
  • Ludington, tourist town
  • Fog to Ludington
  • Foggy day to Arcadia
  • Glen Arbor
  • Acme
  • Petoskey
  • Tourist on Mackinaw Island
  • Naubinway & St. Ignace
  • Indian Lake State Park
  • Ford River
  • Good road to Menominee
  • Green Bay
  • Egg Harbor
  • Cold Air
  • Rain
  • North to Point Beach State Forest
  • Milwaukee to Kohler-Andrae State Park
  • Milwaukee
  • Illinois Beach State Park
  • Boating in Chicago
  • Chicago
  • A New Ride Begins
  • Coming soon…

Mississippi River Trail (MRT)

Mississippi Slim

July 16, 2014

Dog River, Saskatchewan

July 11, 2014

Into Saskatchewan

July 10, 2014

Leaving nothing behind

July 9, 2014

Wind & rain to Velma

July 7, 2014

Headwind to Harvey

July 6, 2014

The straight & narrow

July 5, 2014

Heading into North Dakota

July 4, 2014

From hills to flat in 30 miles

July 3, 2014

Mississippi Headwaters

July 3, 2014

Update from Suzanne

July 2, 2014

Bemidji in the rain

June 29, 2014

To Bimidji with a tail wind

June 27, 2014

A dam site closer

June 26, 2014

Andy Griffith Kind of Place

June 25, 2014

Simple ride to Crosby MN, 54 miles

June 24, 2014

Bugged in the great outdoors

June 23, 2014

Moving on to St. Cloud

June 23, 2014

Mill City

June 21, 2014

Rain & Shine, to Minneapolis

June 20, 2014

The Jackpot

June 17, 2014

A note on summer

June 16, 2014

Tourist in La Crosse

June 16, 2014

La Crosse with a tailwind

June 15, 2014

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Campground

June 14, 2014

Town that time forgot

June 13, 2014

Notes on camping

June 13, 2014

Hills & Headwind to Galena, Illinois

June 12, 2014

Liver & onions in Fulton

June 11, 2014

To Rock Island, Illinois

June 10, 2014

To Great River Campground south of Keithsburg

June 9, 2014

Rest in Nauvoo, Illinois

June 8, 2014

Riding in the rain

June 7, 2014

Hannibal, Missouri

June 6, 2014

Pleasant Hill, Illinois

June 5, 2014

“Meet me in St Louis”

June 3, 2014

Chester to St. Louis

June 2, 2014

We are here

June 1, 2014

When you’re hot, the trip is not

May 31, 2014

Riding in the pain

May 30, 2014

Rain

May 29, 2014

to Reelfoot Lake State Park, 80 miles

May 28, 2014

to COVINGTON, 58 miles

May 27, 2014

Takin’ a lickin’ in Memphis

May 25, 2014

To Tunics Resorts, 85 miles

May 23, 2014

I swim in the Mississippi!

May 22, 2014

Tourist Opportunity

May 21, 2014

Roy’s Store is a town

May 21, 2014

To Roy’s Store, 56 miles

May 20, 2014

To Chotard Lake, 48 miles

May 19, 2014

T’Beaux’s

May 18, 2014

To Vicksburg – 60m/100k

May 18, 2014

To Natchez State Park – 44 miles

May 17, 2014

To Red Deer Lake, 62 miles

May 17, 2014

Camping in Morganza

May 16, 2014

To Morganza – 46 miles/76 K

May 15, 2014

Sitting on the levee

May 14, 2014

To Baton Rouge

May 14, 2014

In Paulina

May 12, 2014

On the river

May 11, 2014

Bourbon Street

May 10, 2014

New Orleans

May 10, 2014

Depart Calgary Airport

May 9, 2014

Louisiana

2014-05-15_125927SFW

Mississippi

Mississippi River Trail

Tennessee

Kooky Canuck, Memphis

Kentucky

Mississippi River Trail

Illinois

Mississippi River Trail

Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri arch

Iowa

2014-06-07_182832sfw

Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Minnesota

Minnesota2014-06-19_083135s

North Dakota

North Dakota

Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan

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