T2 Day 42 (Maura)

 

Grand Rapids to Owasso, MI


Today we woke up in a hotel in Grand Rapids michigan. We were super thankful to be in a hotel because yesterday the storm soaked us to the bone! Every single layer was soaking wet when we got in. So that warm shower, laundry, and roof over our heads was essential. Unfortunately this hotel didn’t have complimentary breakfast, which we usually ransack in order to stock up on food for the next day or two. So instead we just grabbed something from a convenience store. With much sunnier weather than yesterday, we hit the road. The first town we came upon was Ada and it was an adorable picturesque lake town. There was a grocery store, bike shop, coffee shop, AND donut shop all next to each other so we got all our errands done right there! Olivia’s bike was checked and the mystery of her 3-flats-in-one-day was solved by finding a pokey thing stuck in her wheel frame. After, we cheers donuts and ate them in about 3 whole seconds. We continued on the route and came across a nice bike path, which some of us took while others took an alternative route along the road. The bike path helped shade us from the hot sun beating down from the cloudless sky. At one point we came across a giant leafy and expansive tree branch that had fallen clean across the path. Overall it was about the size of a car and was so dense with leaves you couldnt even see through it. Claire and I pulled up, threw out kickstands down, and excitedly started tearing leaves and parts of the branch away. With Audrey’s help we snapped the tree branch in different places with all of our body weight and eventually cleared a path. Claire deadlifted the rest of the tree in order to sneak our bikes under and through to the other side. It was pretty badass of us if I say so myself. We were cruising after that little adventure into Ionia, where everything was inextricably closed except for the gas station. I got honked at simply for existing on the roads, which we’re used to by now but still is irritating. We biked another 10 miles or so until we stumbled upon an ice cream food truck! Claire and I got root beer floats and Audrey got a flavor called Michigan Pot Hole which was slightly triggering but apparently delicious. The owner also gave us a free piece of cheesecake because he thought we were awesome. One of my favorite parts on the trip has been the unexpected kindness from strangers, especially in small towns like these. After our ice cream, we biked another 15 or so miles to cam at Sleepy Hallow State Park. The place is gorgeous and so green, right on a lake. After dinner, shower, and a vending machine rice crispy treat, we headed to bed without our rain fly on in the hope of some clear skies to sky gaze.

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