Picture Rocks Bike Tour

 Bob took part in a Picture Rocks Bike Tour from August 7 through August 12.

A day-by-day journal is posted below.

Saturday, August 6

 Bob, Larry and Mike got together about 7:30 am in Moraine, Ohio and headed north for their bike trip which begins tomorrow. He called about 6 pm and said they were going the whole way to Manistique rather than stopping near the Mackinac Bridge and continuing their trip in the morning. He was already nearing 540 miles when he called. Yesterday's trip ended after more than 600 miles.

 Only the GPS log from lower Michigan to their destination recorded ...

All GPS plots courtesy Life360

(l-r Robert Schmidt, Larry Sabin and Mike Wuebben)

 Bob says, "Our journey begins."

 "Waffle House for breakfast before we hit the road. I was leery about the upcoming trip when we sat down at the Waffle House to the theme song from Deliverance."

"Crossing the Mackinac Bridge."

 "The UP view of Lake Michigan from the Cut River Bridge."

7:20 pm

 "Into Manistique after a ten hour drive. No rooms available. Drove another 17 miles to find a place."

 "Our wonderful dinner. No restaurants for a ways, just a carry-out: Foxy's Den".

 Mike (aka "Buck") acting up."

 "Our room for the night.  Larry and I bunked together in one bed and Buck [Mike] had the other to himself. I knew I might be in trouble when an abrupt thud woke us and Larry said, 'What was that, honey?'."

8:41 pm

 "Our room was $50." Location: Big Bay Motel.

8:42 pm

They're being led by Rich and Michelle Scott. "We're excited to lead you on a beautiful tour of the isthmus of the upper peninsula of Michigan, featuring the Picture Rocks National Lakeshore on Lake Superior," they wrote before the trip began.

The bike tour is sponsored by Bike Tour Vacations.

They'll start tomorrow from the Gray Wolf Lodge in Manistique.


Sunday, August 7

 "After breakfast this morning at Big Boy, we walked a boardwalk out to this lighthouse."
 Location: The Manistique Lighthouse.

 "Part of the group prepping to ride."

 "Boarding the raft at the springs."

 "Absolutely beautiful. Clear greenish-blue waters. Huge trout."

 "Park where the springs is located."
 Location: Palms Book State Park

 "Mike taking it easy in our room for tonight at Gray Wolf Lodge in Manistique. We got the room before we biked out this afternoon to Kitch-iti-kipi Springs and took a large wooden open-bottom raft over to the springs. Beautiful. Lots of tourists."

GPS-reported route for today

 "A 31 mile day. Beautiful weather."

Monday, August 8

 "On to Munising on Lake Superior. Just finished with breakfast and prepping to head out for 50+ miles." [8:11 am]

 "Into Munising for the night. It should have been a 50+ mile day. I got only 45.2 after blowing a rear tire and trying to do some unsuccessful road repairs. Blew three tubes and had to be hauled. Finally got back into service with an entirely new tire and tube."

 "Ate lunch at the Bear Trap Inn and have arrived at Beach Inn in Munising for tonight and tomorrow night."

 "Some might ask just how many bikers does it take to change a tire? But truly, what comradery. Thanks to all!"

 Bob told me he lost his left glove today and had to ride without it. It wouldn't be found and returned to him until Wednesday. But by then, he'd lost his right glove, too. Later, when he stopped at a restroom, he found that glove inside his helmet. So finally, on Wednesday, he had both hands covered by gloves.

GPS-reported route for today

Tuesday, August 9

"Following a short morning hike, we were driven to a trailhead for a 3.5 mile hike out to Lake Superior for a pontoon boat ride along Picture Rocks. Half the group hiked out while the other half boated out. After lunch the groups switched."

 "Larry acting up by a handicapped parking block. Sometimes he does struggle. Gotta keep him in check. 'Come on, Sabin, work with me.'"

A woven sort of large bowl/basket at he museum along the walk to the falls. I wanted to use it as a boat on Lake Superior."

 "On the walk this morning ... a three mile round trip from the motel."

 "Along the trail to Picture Rocks National Shoreline."

Bob (l) and Larry 

Larry (l-r), Kathy and Bill

 Pontoon tour of Picture Rocks

 Live webcams in the Munising area are available by clicking here.

GPS-reported route for today

Wednesday, August 10

Ride to Grand Marais - about 50 miles

"Larry along the trail to Lake Superior from North Shore Lodge (our accommodations for tonight). Coast Guard Point. A PDF file of history of the Grand Marais Coast Guard Station is available here.

 "Overcast most of the day ... sun just now peaking out (2:42 pm). Some mist today. All day along Highway H58."

 Link for North Shore Lodge provided above.

"Poor man. He's just like me ... getting old"

GPS-reported route for today

Thursday, August 11

 "Breakfast this morning before leaving Grand Marais."

"A 50 mile day to Chamberlain's Old Forest Inn in Curtis, Michigan. Some rain before we got in."

 "Looking out on Big Manistique Lake from the porch at Chamberlains."

GPS-reported route for today

Friday, August 12

 And back to Manistique: 214.8 miles.

Bike Tour Vacations - Picture Rocks Tour

Credit: Michelle Mathieu Scott

 "Here's the truck mostly loaded. Oh, did I mention our other mishap? My mishap. When I backed over Larry's bike which had been lying in the grass behind the truck? No damage. Ugh!"

 Heading back south, the Mackinac Bridge comes into view. The group spent the night  at a motel in Midland.
 Bob's final analysis: "Great ride!"

GPS-reported route for today

Saturday, August 13

 The final leg of the trip ... from Midland, Michigan to Dayton, Ohio. Home again!

GPS-reported route for today

Bob's mileage on his truck after returning from the trip

Cats of Ancient Egypt

 Tom and I attended the current exhibition at the Cincinnati Art Museum in Eden Park yesterday: Divine Felines: Cats of Ancient Egypt. For additional information, click here.

 While I always enjoy the museum, I found this display less than exciting. I'm not even sure there were new pieces shown. Still, it was a chance to visit the museum and that always means a good day.

 Here are a few of the pieces that I was most attracted to ...

 I'm amazed at the workmanship on these pieces made thousands of years ago. The tools must have been crude by today's standard and yet the work is intricate and precise. Can you imagine sitting in a room in the desert, probably with inadequate lighting - and no air conditioning - and crafting these pieces?

 In the background is a "cat coffin". Mummified like humans, many of the Egyptian cats were buried with care.

 This cat was carved from a solid block of wood.

 Even before we went to the exhibit, Tom took me out to lunch for my birthday (coming up next week). We went to Melt Eclectic Cafe in Northside ...

 We each had their Avocado Melt, a somewhat pizza-like dish. Quite good and scalding hot when brought to the table. We shared a salad and each had a Mexican Coke in a green glass bottle.

 While Tom and I wait for our meal. he's facing the street and can enjoy the passers-by.

  I, on the other hand, am back-lit by the street. The birthday boy will be 67 on July 13.

 We had a full day. Before the art museum we stopped at Findlay Market and I bought a couple of home-grown tomatoes ($2/lb). We'll see whether they're as good as they look. I had hoped they were grown locally but I suppose it's a week or two early for that. "They might be home grown," Tom said, "but most likely in some southern state."

 "I think it would be more accurate if they called them field-grown."

 Then, after the museum we drove by the Cincinnati Gardens, a venue formerly known for hockey games and concerts. Tom wanted me to see the building before it was razed. The Beatles played here on August 27, 1964 (to see a sample, click here). I attended their concert two years later at Crosley Field (also razed).

 After the recent hot weather, yesterday was cooler (low-80's) and much less humid. Finally, a nice Saturday we could enjoy together.

Fresh Blueberry Molasses Cake

 I'll have to admit right off that I seldom follow directions. This time was no exception when I made a Fresh Blueberry Molasses Cake featured in the current issue of Yankee Magazine. It always seems to me that people complicate a recipe unnecessarily ... when to add this, when to add that, how to combine.

 Though I used the amounts specified, I went my own way with the mixing and all turned out well. Would it have better had I followed the directions? I can't know, but I think not.

Fresh Blueberry Molasses Cake

2 cups all-purpose flour (I used bread flour because that's what I had)
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup molasses
2/3 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter (I used margarine)
1/2 cup light-brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups fresh blueberries

Bake at 350° for 50 minutes to an hour (see below)


 I simply softened the margarine in the microwave, then added the sugar. The eggs came next as well as every ingredient except the flour and the blueberries.

 Once I had the batter well-stirred, I added the flour. The mixture is fairly "wet", though many cakes are similar in consistency. Finally I carefully folded in the blueberries, careful not to crush them.

 An 8" greased glass pan is perfect for the recipe (I did not flour it, too).

 The cakes cracked a bit on top. I tested it at the 45 minute mark and found it done.

 The cake is strongly-flavored, just as you'd expect for a molasses cake. The blueberries add a whole new dimension, adding darkness, mositure and flavor. They "cook" inside the cake and are soft and perfectly done at the same time the cake is finished.

 While still warm, we cut a couple of slices and added whipped cream and a few fresh blueberries as garnish. Ice cream would be a wonderful addition.

 This may be a "classic Maine treat" but it's a high-class dessert anywhere.

Credit: Yankee Magazine, July 2016. Click here for their recipe.