Day-53

Today we started out and it was a little chilly we were riding with out our jacket liners, but had to close the vents on the suits, and the airwings. I hear it's hot back home. Well it's official we entered Eastern Time Zone. Alright we did have rolling fog coming over the trees, it is amazing how the Great Lakes kept us in the cool.

About a hundred miles out we stopped for gas and four guys on Harley's pulled in to put on there chaps. We got to talking they are headed for two Veterans rides. They looked at our bike (you know "the Honda") and told them how many miles on it and where we've been. One of them used to hunt around Chicken, AK and we told him we took it up and over The Top Of The World Highway ( Chicken to Dawson City). They then really started to check out the bike and trailer. We said our good byes, they took off and we took off shortly after. A few min. down the road we passed the guys and waves all around.

We got to the Mystery Spot, it's about 5 miles before (West) of the Mackinac Bridge. We went into this strange mystical spot for a tour. It's a real Road Side America Spot. We had fun with the water going up hill and the chair floating on two legs against the wall with a child sitting on it. What great nonsensical fun. We then went across the street for the maze. We ran into a family who hit a dead end and I told the little girl we've been in here for two weeks. She told us to follow her. As you guessed we did make it out.

Ok Bay City is 188 miles away and it's around 3pm, let's go for it. So over Jimmy's favorite bridge (Mackinac) and the outside lanes are closed. I would have rode the inside anyway, I like to look down. Ok explaining time! The Mackinac bridge connects the Upper Peninsula (the U.P. as the locals call it) to lower Michigan. It is a long 5 mile Suspension Bridge (3rd longest in the world) and the center lanes is made of open grate to let high winds flow through the bridge. If you ride over open grates and look down the speed makes them seem to disappear and you can see the water and ships if any 295 feet below. We did this three times.

So over the bridge once and 30 or so miles later I pulled in for gas and my wallet. Ok, not in this pocket, not in this one. Karen payed for the tour. I took it out of my suit. Did I put it between the suit and pants, was it on the bike. Ok don't panic. I had a brochure and called the Mystery Spot, to hopefully solve the mystery of my wallet. Nobody found a wallet. Karen runs across the street to get cash at the ATM. There are the 4 Harley riders again. They wish us the best of luck finding My wallet. Back on the bike. We run 38 miles back and yup over the Mackinac bridge a second time. Nothing around the parking lot, the intersection. Call the police to report it gone and give them a contact number in case it turns up. I start calling credit card/debt card numbers and Karen gets rubber gloves and goes through the trash barrels outside and in the rest rooms in case some one found it and took the cash and dumped the wallet. She also checked the edge of the woods. Nothing!, bummer. Not really a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Glad that if it was going to happen it was on the way home. Much better this than a crash or major break down. Hope that karma thing comes around (remember we found and called,and returned a wallet in Fairbanks?).

We have done what we can here so lets cruise down the way we went just in case. Over the Mackinac Bridge for the third time. Down the highway back to the gas station and top it off again a 76 mile round trip. There was a McDonald's at the gas station. We had a bite and a older couple come in on a bike we talk for a bit and say our goodbyes, it's 7:30 and we have 30 miles to go to get a camp site.

Starting Mileage: 110,868

Ending Mileage: 111,209

341 for the day.......................12,111 miles for the trip so far

Location: Gaylord, MI