Back in Michigan - woo hoo! But before I get myself all worked up I'm reminded that there are still about 600 miles to go. On the bright side, it may well be the most scenic part of the ride. Having entered Michigan in the Upper Peninsula, I am now surrounded by Yoopers. Up here I'm considered, somewhat disparagingly, a "fudgie.". The term was coined to identify the scads of tourists that descend on Mackinac Island every summer and spend money in the ubiquitous fudge and taffy storefronts. The term is intended to be slightly derogatory but ya hey dere I'll stand up and own it. The other thing I'll own are pasties - the food most associated with the U.P. Can't get enough of them.
My friend Leanne is bonafide Yooper having grown up in Paradise (the town, not the place coveted by terrorist suicide bombers). Leanne was the high school prom queen and somehow after earning a Michigan MBA ended up working in Detroit with me. She now runs the New York office of a large multinational, about as far from Paradise as you can get without leaving the planet. I'll be going through Paradise in a couple of weeks so I'm counting on Leanne to recommend the "must see" attractions in her hometown. Leanne is my only genuine Yooper connection other than Heidi who, while not a true Yooper, worked on Mackinac Island during summer breaks from school.
Today's history lesson is courtesy of the Ironwood museum. This mountain range is famous for producing high quality iron ore first discovered in the mid 1880's. Within 5 years there were 51 operating iron mines in the gogebic range. Mining company stocks multiplied by as much as 1200%. It all came crashing back to earth in the panic of 1893. Fortunately for them, they didn't have the collective wisdom of Barack Obama, Timothy Geithner and Hank Paulson. Their recession was relatively short. Had they availed themselves if the genius of quantitative easing they could have extended their misery for several more years.
I must be living right because today's ride went about as well as it could under the circumstances. A storm came through Ashland, WI in the wee hours. There was a break early this morning and I bolted from town between storms. In the 40 miles between Ironwood and Ashland there are only two gas stations. As luck would have it, the next storm hit as I was passing gas station number one. 45 minutes under their canopy and the storm passed. The remainder of the ride was dry and rain started falling again as I pulled into Ironwood. The next two or three days look dry but experience tells me not to rely too heavily on U.P. meteorology.
Today's ride 43 miles for a new total of 878. Missing Nina, Penny Lane and memory foam mattress.
My friend Leanne is bonafide Yooper having grown up in Paradise (the town, not the place coveted by terrorist suicide bombers). Leanne was the high school prom queen and somehow after earning a Michigan MBA ended up working in Detroit with me. She now runs the New York office of a large multinational, about as far from Paradise as you can get without leaving the planet. I'll be going through Paradise in a couple of weeks so I'm counting on Leanne to recommend the "must see" attractions in her hometown. Leanne is my only genuine Yooper connection other than Heidi who, while not a true Yooper, worked on Mackinac Island during summer breaks from school.
Today's history lesson is courtesy of the Ironwood museum. This mountain range is famous for producing high quality iron ore first discovered in the mid 1880's. Within 5 years there were 51 operating iron mines in the gogebic range. Mining company stocks multiplied by as much as 1200%. It all came crashing back to earth in the panic of 1893. Fortunately for them, they didn't have the collective wisdom of Barack Obama, Timothy Geithner and Hank Paulson. Their recession was relatively short. Had they availed themselves if the genius of quantitative easing they could have extended their misery for several more years.
I must be living right because today's ride went about as well as it could under the circumstances. A storm came through Ashland, WI in the wee hours. There was a break early this morning and I bolted from town between storms. In the 40 miles between Ironwood and Ashland there are only two gas stations. As luck would have it, the next storm hit as I was passing gas station number one. 45 minutes under their canopy and the storm passed. The remainder of the ride was dry and rain started falling again as I pulled into Ironwood. The next two or three days look dry but experience tells me not to rely too heavily on U.P. meteorology.
Today's ride 43 miles for a new total of 878. Missing Nina, Penny Lane and memory foam mattress.
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