Three days in Fargo have left us refreshed and ready to ride again. We have blue skies and a cool breeze at our backs as we head east for New York. Our route will take us across the ‘M’ states Minnesota and Michigan, plus Wisconsin, which is really an upside down ‘M’. We are also adding Metzeler to the list of good ‘M’s. While we were at Sturgis, Metzeler offered us a new set of tyres to replace the ones we have worn down with all our riding since Costa Rica. How generous of them. We will get them fitted in Grand Rapids, Michigan, hence our route over the top of lake Michigan.
Across the state line into Minnesota and a change of scenery. The flat plains and large fields are replaced by rolling hills, trees and lakes. The Minnesota number plates say ‘10,000 lakes’ and after seeing as many as we have, and more on the GPS, that the statement is probably true.
Anne spots a real coffee shop in Park Rapids and as we bask in the sun under the shade of a pine tree, we meet Brian & Kathy, the owners, and spend time chatting. They are small business owners, who own this drive through only coffee shop. Open all year round, must be tough in winter with no tourists and half the local inhabitants fleeing south to warmer climes, but what would our staff do without a job if we closed in winter they say. Lovely people.
Brian and Cathy, owners of Espresso 34 – great coffee!!
We also have our first large animal encounter, a deer, walking out across the road, brakes worked fine, but a timely reminder that we should not ride too late and as we head through state and national forest, we need to keep our eyes open.
Duluth is a city that I recall from my geography at school as a major port on Lake Superior for the transportation of iron ore to the steel mills in places such as Cleveland and Pittsburg. Today iron ore and Wyoming coal account for 80% of exports, with grain making up the bulk of the rest. A major import are nacelles, bases, towers and blades for wind turbines. This is the most inland port in the USA. We get to see a Polish ship arrive to collect grain, and the locally famous Aerial Lift Bridge in action.
William A Irwin, a bulk iron ore carrier museum.
Water towers in Duluth, MN
Isadora ship is through, lift bridge goes down again to let road traffic across
The size of the port becomes apparent as the Polish ship disappears from view and we see it later looking quite small next to an enormous grain elevator complex, one of many that dot the harbour basin. We are quickly out of town and heading for Wisconsin and Michigan.
Isadora is ready to be loaded up with grain
The nature of the landscape, in my view, lends itself to holidays by lakesides. We see RV’s with boats, ATVs, jet-skis and a local boat variant called a pontoon boat. The latter is designed for leisurely trips around the myriad of small lakes that exist, some interconnected allowing quite extensive travel. People seem to holiday locally, many we meet are from a few hours away or the next state. A great environment for holidays with kids.
Great spot to stop and refresh
While we are protected by trees for the most part our journey along the northern shore of lake Michigan and then over the Mackinac Bridge, one can see how windy it could be for us, but I am glad we are travelling now with bearable winds – we heard of one RV being flipped over by the wind the other day.
Crossing Mackinac bridge
Chicago is a long way away, on the far side of Michigan lake
We keep meeting people interested in our journey. At the campsites, hotel car parks and food stops, we get their enthusiasm in our journey. It is quite infectious and a reminder to us of where we have been and what we have achieved in 14 months. It is hard for us to imagine that this way of life is coming to an end in a few weeks. We are so used to having another country ahead to cross, places to visit, people to see. Now we look at our calendar and see flights and family reunions, which we are looking forward to, but how will we miss this nomadic life on the road? Time will tell.
Luke, Jamie, Jaime and Alia
We visit BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids. Two new fresh sets of Metzeler Tourances await Streak and Storm. They are fitted and we are able to use their cleaning bay, equipped with all the best cleaning tools and products to change Streak and Storm to their purchased grey colours from the dirt, mud and oil spattered bikes they had become. It will hopefully reduce the number of wasps that seem to show interest the bikes each time we stop, probably because of all the dead insects that formed a film across the front of the bikes protecting the chrome and paint from the elements. We had great help from Gary in cleaning the bikes.
Storm being washed for the first time since Costa Rica!!
The 3 miles from our hotel to BMW Motorcycles of Grand Rapids took us past 30,000 miles for the trip. Another milestone, no pun intended, and Anne has updated the route map in our blog to reflect this and our recent wanderings in Colorado and Wyoming.
In Australia I was only able to get six months’ supply of heart medication before coming away. A law that exists to stop people stockpiling I guess? Suddenly we have been gone for six months and I need some refills. We find an urgent care clinic who are very helpful and fill my prescriptions. They do not even charge for the service on the spot, just say they will invoice me at my home address.
Across the road to the Walgreens pharmacy the prescriptions were sent. They are electronically transferred. I take Crestor for cholesterol which in Australia with the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme costs me about US$25 for one month. Here the bill is US$265 for one month. Eeeeek!, Just one month please, I will get more in Europe thanks. We forget what is subsided back home. Must be tough for those without medical insurance here when you need such tablets.
Off to Amish Country tomorrow and then a leisurely ride eastwards.
– Anthony
2slowspeeds 
Timely reminder of the need to keep the pharmaceutical companies in check. Australian government not only subsidizes many medicines, but negotiates for prices using its massive purchasing power. Under the new trade agreement with the USA, this access to cheap medicine looks like being lost. Sad.
AND – no mention that Duluth is the birthplace of one Robert Zimmerman, aka Bob Dylan? I would have hoped that the would be a Dylan Museum!
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Australia does deals, but not as good as some of the European deals. In the USA one would have insurance and get a discount that way. We live and learn.
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Did not know that Bob Dylan came from Duluth. i am sure there is some sort of museum. We just missed it like so many things on our journey.
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Looks lovely, I guess it is tundra like in the winter. The pills were EXPENSIVE! Big ouch for that.
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It is in summer, I guess skidoos in winter, but to cold for me. I try not to drop the pills at approx 10 dollars each!
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Free tyres… what a gift! Amazing that your tyres are ready to replace. Good that you will have good tread for the next stage of the journey. Need to refresh myself on Lake Michigan as it looks huge but can’t remember my geography! I know in usual style you will find your happy space whatever you are doing or wherever you are xx
PS have loved my afternoon catching up on a month of blogs. Your prose and photos have been absolutely stunning, painting such an amazing canvas of places I have heard about or been enlightened by your blog 😊
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Tyres were great, will run them in today. The lakes are huge and seeing the ocean going ships so far inland is a little weird. Glad you have enjoyed the last months blogs, it will be a little sad for us to stop in about one month as this journey comes to an end. Still we will have a few more entries for all our followers, and our memory.
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Breakfast time is no longer rushed for me, with your ever-interestng blogs to readand photos to enjoy. VJ 70 Day here yesterday : wonder whether as much was made of it in the States as here? You’ll love Amish country – and children there will love Streak and Storm. I wonder whether they are still as strict about photography as twenty years ago? xx
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Glad you are enjoying the entry over breakfast. Seen some reports on VJ day on the news. Amish country will be very interesting, have not read up on them so not sure how they interact with the modern world, medicine, schooling etc. many aspects of our lives have advanced rapidly in the last 20 years or so. Update to be provided in the next blog entry.
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As usual you’ve both struck lucky. Free tyres are offset by the medical bill but I think the tyres would have cost more. If I remember correctly, the lakes are all beautiful but freezing so be careful. Watch out for the ‘wind-chill’ factor too. Great pictures as usual, me and my armchair are almost there with you.
Keep safe and throttle on.
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Tyres were going to need replacing as we had added 8,000 miles since Costa Rica. Might be time for you to replace the castors on your couch as the tread may be worn from all the couch following.
Weather was fine, but the chill factor from the wind was noticeable in summer. Winter would be a different story and not much fun. We will be long gone by then.
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Ai appris tellement sur le Pont Mackinac, rudement intéressant! Grâce à vous, mes connaissances s’améliorent constamment 😉 De plus, je vois que la péninsule a la forme d’une tortue marine et c’est ce que Camille et Millie font en ce moment à Sri Lanka, relâcher des bébés tortues d’eau… bisous xxx
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I have been in hospital and then recouping fro the last 3 months and have really enjoyed joining you, via this blog, on your journey across the USA. Thanks BoB
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Very pleased to hear that you are recouping and have enjoyed our journey. We do like having our armchair followers ride along with us. Hopefully at some future date we can turn virtual riding into real riding together. Keep on wih the recovery.
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An interesting blog – as always. I almost feel sad that the blogs are drawing to a close. Am really looking forward to hearing and reading of your experiences in Amish country. Keep well . Lots of love xx
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Thank you. We also feel a little sad that this journey is coming to an end. We have enjoyed writing the blogs and getting yours and other feedbacks. Anne will be writing the next blog, which will be up in a few days.
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