Day Four, Lake Odessa to Dansville

Day 4 June 25, 2013

One of my favorite parts of each day has been the time each morning that the 4 of us and Roger, join hands and pray, asking the Lord to give us all a safe day and to bring us all together again at the next  school.  Great way to get the day off to a positive start and so reassuring to know the Lord is with us no matter what might lie ahead of us.

Today we ride 58 miles, our longest and hilliest day.  The early bird gets the worm and the early  riders avoid the worst heat of the day, so we were off by 6:30 AM.  Rollin goes very slow on hills, so we don't expect an early arrival, no matter how fast we pedal.

We weren't too far along when I saw this Wheaton Family farm.  It had been in the  same family for 4 or 5 generations. No one was home, but it was too pretty and inviting to ride past, so  myself and one other rider, stopped to take pictures.

The family cat came and greeted us.

Pride of ownership was evident, everywhere I cast my eyes. How wonderful that this farm has been in the same family for so many generations and that it is so loved and well cared for.

Awhile later we stopped by this old country school house,

Behind the school was a 3 seater outhouse.

 We put it to good use, but only one person at a time.

 This was the view  into the school, through the window.

Lots of country scenes before us today.

Plus the little town of Vermontsville.  I love going through these little out of the way villages.  It's a good reminder of the roots of of our great country.  Yes, corportae America has a big influence on our country, more so then I care for, but small town USA is still there, alive and well.  People live their lives, knowing the neighbors, and the folks that run the local restaurant,  grocery store, and corner gas station.

As we ride along it is reassuring to know that SAG (Support and Aid Group)  are there to help us, if we need it. These dedicated drivers are there to keep us safe and we very much appreciate their presence.

We will be nearly in the middle of the state when we camp tonight.  Last year we rode through Dansville, this year it is one of our destination towns.

Dansville, a favorite ice cream stop on last years route, is a small village of 563 people. Although it is in close proximity to the state capital and Michigan State University, there has been little commercial development. The small town economy is supported by small business, agricultural research and production.

The village of Dansville was settled in 1844 by Samuel Crossman, like many settlers at the time, he come from the state of New York, in search of a new life. His son Daniel, officially platted the village in 1857, and named it after himself and the first postmaster, Dr. Daniel T. Weston. Although, not incorporated as a village until 1867, Dansville is one of the earliest settlements in Ingham County.

Business seekers located there as early 1836-40, and the first business establishment was a small general store, opened by Samuel Crossman about 1847. The Union Hotel was built in 1856-57 by David D. Fox. A post office was established in the southern part of Ingham Township in 1846, operated by hotel manager, John B. Lobdell. Later it moved one and one half miles, to Hayne's Corners. In 1855 it relocated to Dansville. Even in the busyness of the 21^st century, the village remains a slice of small town America, asking you to sit in the shade, relax, and have an ice cream cone.

We rolled into the school at 4:10 PM.  Tired, and glad to see our cranking for the day done.  After supper, we walked to the local ice cream shop, the reward, was well worth the effort.

  

Day 3 Grandville to Lake Odessa

June 24, 2013

An early morning start today, pedaling out at 6:20.  Our son in law rode his bike part way with us, then veered off to go to work.  PALM did a great job routing us through lots of residential neighborhoods so we could avoid traffic.   Because of our  early start, we were able to avoid most of the Monday morning commuters that later riders would encounter.  We didn't see many folks out and about yet.

It wasn't long, before the hills started.  We had a full day of them ahead, and from the looks of the terrain map, they aren't the rolling hills we had yesterday.  We will ride from Grandville, to Byron Center, then onto Caledonia, ending our day at Lake Odessa. A total of 47 miles.

So far Rollin seems to be purring right along.  No problems with the chain jams of last year, and no flat tires.  Praying that this pattern continues.

It seemed kind of strange to ride through some familiar areas.  Urban sprawl continued for quite sometime,  but we still road past cornfields, soybeans,  and cows grazing.   It reminded me of an experience a cycling friend shared with me.  She and her hubby were on an independent cross country tour.  While  riding through the heartlands, they met up with a guy from India.  He rode with them part of the day.  As they went along, they saw lots of cows, who lifted heads from grazing and looked as the riders passed by.  After several hours of this, the guy from India commented; "So many cows, they stare and stare at us.  What do they want?"  Since then when we ride past cows I will some times say, "So many cows...what do they want?"  

The  1876 town hall in Byron Center, now owned by the Byron Center Historical Society,

is a place of  history in this farming community.  The building is over 130 years old.  The main floor once housed the local Post Office. sore and doctors office.  These 3 things were the mainstay to communities across the US.  Having a post Office, made a town official, a recognized place where letters from loved ones could be received and sent.  It helped to break the isolation that small communities often experienced and brought businesses to the area.  The general store was the lifeblood of those who lived there.  Not only did it provide a place  to buy needed supplies, it was often a gathering place to give and receive local news.  Many early settlers across this great land of ours died from injury and illness, so having a doctor was vital.   Having a post office, store and Dr., made the community an attractive place for families to settle.

Next stop, Freeport.

Lunch was a stop at the Shamrock Tavern.  Their idea of a vegetarian sandwich consisted of 2 slices of white bread, mayo, pickle relish, lettuce and tomato, Tammy however, had an excellent BLT there, while Ariann feasted on the Chicken strips.  Of course the place was filled to overflowing with cyclist.  It brought to mind the year Raggabrai passed through the small NW IA town my parents lived in.  My Mom  called me on the phone,  amazed to see so many cyclists.  This was before we took up cycling very seriously.  As I looked across the crowded tables, i thought of the frenzied pace that my parents and their help worked at on that long ago day, to serve all the hungry cyclist that came into the restaurant for lunch.  They talked about it for years.

The fruit stop was welcome.  It was along the Grand River, as I looked  around, I was reminded  that all of this was completely under water, in the spring.

The Lord continued to favor us with good riding conditions, giving us some sun, but plenty of clouds in between to keep the heat at bay.  The clouds can make such a difference, especially when it is humid, without them, it is like riding in a sauna.

Signs like this always boost our spirits and are a reminder of the economic boost this tour brings to the small communities that we pass through.

Lake Odessa

In southwestern Ionia County, on the shores of beautiful Jordon Lake, sits the town of Lake Odessa. With a population of 2018, it is a small business, and agriculture related community.

In 1839 the area was referred to as the Russell Settlement, named after the 5 Russell brothers who were the first pioneers here.

In 1887, After buying an 80 acre farm, Humphrey R Wager, a capitalist from Ionia and Saranac, developed Lake Odessa. The Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railway built a new track to Grand Ledge and Grand Rapids. Although the Ponderosa Ranch was nowhere in sight, a post office was authorized under the name of “Bonanza.” In 1888 or 89, Bonanza was re-named, Lake Odessa and many merchants and buildings moved to it's present location. The move was done to place the post office on the Pere Marquette, (later C & O) Railroad, which contributed to the villages growth along many other areas across the state.

In 1846, Lake Odessa was named by a committee chaired by Elder Tupper. The younger, Tupper, Myron, who was an admirer and reader of Russian history, suggested the name of Lake Odessa, after the Russian city of Odessa. Apparently, the committee approved it.

In 1887 the Main Street, 4^th Ave., was constructed. It remained a muddy lane until it was paved in 1916. 1888 brought the Lake Odessa Public School. An addition was built on in 1896. The entire school was destroyed by fire in 1921, and immediately rebuilt. In 1900 the Village paid $1000.00 for the park property on South Main St. With more than 200 towering maple, beech, and giant oak trees, it remains in it's natural state and is a gem in this community. 

Our first rain tonight, made us glad all over that we were sleeping in our camper.  I have had so many ask what kind of camper it is that I will mention it here.  It is a t@da, made by Dutchman.  Unfortunately it is no longer in production , one of many models that became orphaned when the RV industry took a dive, some years ago.  A similar model called a t@b is made by Little Guy, and is still around.  Little Guy bought the rights to keep producing it, when Dutchman discontinued it.  The t@b is similar to a t@da, only smaller.  Most do  not have a bathroom in them. Our t@da weighs about 2200 pounds, and is easy to pull and handle.  It has a small kitchen, and a dining table that converts to a single bed.  There is a bed,  counter, microwave and small fridge in it.  It also has a stereo and small TV/DVD.  We pull it with our station wagon and get good mileage.


The cool breeze off of Lake Odessa twas welcome as we completed our 47 ride the school. Our driver has friends here, so after he had our camp set up, he headed over there for a relaxing evening and a bed to sleep in.  With bikes ready for another day,  the 4 of us headed for bed.  Tomorrow holds more miles.

Day 2 Norton Shores to Grandville.

Sunday, June 23, 2013

 Norton Shores to Grandville.  Let the pedaling begin.

Hot weather and humidity predicted today. Last nights activities included packing panniers with snacks and sunscreen, filling water bottles and camelbacks, checking  tires,  reviewing maps and putting the route book in my trusty map case that will be my companion throughout the week.  A  final check of Rollin before going to bed. .  Up at 5 AM, decided to have breakfast of cereal and almond milk, so we could hit the road early.  Put on light jackets and rolled out at 6:18 AM. Not much traffic to deal with and an early start will mean less heat riding later in the day.  We are hoping to get in early enough to enjoy our family and the planned activities.

Partly cloudy skies and early morning birds encouraged us along.  Morning sun on wildflowers coaxed them open and the bees had already begun the days harvest. The smell of bacon and coffee drifted from the window of a farmhouse,  cool breezes blew off of Lake Michigan, reminding us that even though we couldn't see, it, it was nearby.  The world around us was waking up, and it felt great to be riding.

We hadn't ridden very far, when we came across this great big wooden hand, hanging from a tree.  I wondered what the story was behind it.  For me it was a reminder that God had us in his hand today and throughout the rest of this ride.

The 4 of us don't stay together the whole day.  Sometimes we ride ahead, other times Tammy and Ariann take the lead.  We usually reconnect at a rest stops or for lunch.  Seems like we are never more than 20 minutes apart.

Grandville is a special stop for us, it's where our daughter Tracey and her family live.  The PALM  course goes within a half block of their home.  We are eager to have our grandchildren see the excitement and fun of PALM.

Grandville

10 miles SW of Grand Rapids MI, lies the community of Grandville Mi. It's historical occupants were  the the Ottawa Indians, along with some other tribes. Indian Mounds Memorial park is 3 miles north of town. Even the local indians seemed unsure of the origins of the mounds. Some said it was where copper pits were buried. Known remains of Indian burials have been found in the mounds, not only in the Grandville area, but in other locations across the US.

It is said that the Indians used to try and fool the spirits of those they buried at the mounds. After a body was placed there, they would enter the river and wade in a zig zag pattern, hoping to confuse the spirit, making it unable to follow their tracks in the sand, until it departed on it's long journey. According to superstition, the soul of the deceased could linger for days, unwilling to leave the tribe and things of this world behind. Spirits would not cross the water, so the wading, would confuse them, they would then become weary of looking for possessions and tribe members, and  finally move on to the ever after.

Luther Lincoln was the first white settler to the area.  He arrived In 1832 and  purchased land from the White Pigeon Land Office. A post office was built in 1834, followed by a Chicago Northwestern Railroad depot in 1872. Grandville was incorporated into a city in 1933. The railroad contributed significantly to the growth of the area, and still runs through the community. We can hear the train from our daughters house.

The old railway line used to run right past her home, which was built by the railroad over 100 years ago. There are still several houses on Port Sheldon, whose original function was to house railroad workers. Our grandchildren have found railroad stakes and coal buried in their backyard.  The  local museum houses one of the artifacts they found.

Today, with easy access to the Gerald Ford Freeway, and M6, Grandville, population 15, 527, has become a commuter suburb of Grand Rapids.  To us, it's the home of  some of our loved ones.

The course today was mostly rolling hills.  The kind that our legs muscle up, pedaling on the downhills, until our pedals out run our feet,   so we can get as far up the next hill as we  can.  We refer to it as working the hills.  The nice thing about this kind of riding is that the miles go by quickly.  

Our ride took us through Allendale, home of Grand Valley State College.  The high school band was raising money by selling sandwiches for $6.00.  Vegetarians were an after thought, with a meager offering of PBJ, so we passed.  We did manage to find an ice cream stop and some welcome shade.

Thoughts of my nephew who died when he was 2 years old were on my mind as we rode through the community where he is buried.  The cemetery is located outside of town,  and wasn't on our route. 

But in my heart I paid a visit to the sweetness of my nephews spirit. What kind of man would this sweet little guy who was quick to smile,  and laugh have grown up to be.?   Travise, we miss you, but have comfort in knowing that one day we will see you again.  

Bathroom stops are always a challenge when riding.  Sometimes there are places to stop, other times we have to find out own. Desperation has driven us into the woods, (beware of poison ivy) behind buildings, and once, behind an old truck.   Today our stops  consisted of at least 4 churches and a firehouse.  

We don't go to 4 churches every Sunday, but were glad too today.  The people who saw us there were full of smiles, questions and encouragement.  Hopefully they said a prayer for us as we pedaled away.

Country scenes continued to dot the landscape and of course I had to take a  picture

of this barn.

Next on the route was Bauer MI.  Our son-in-law and 2 of our grand children were there to cheer us on, offer hugs and ice water.  The afternoon heat was starting to set in, the water and encouragement were welcome. They would pass us two more times before we arrived in Grandville.  As we neared the corned near their house at 1:30 PM, our daughter and the kids were posted with a sign,  more water and shouts of encouragement to us and other riders.

We veered off course and made a detour for a rest stop in their air conditioned house.  Enthusiasm filled us with what we needed to ride the last 2 miles of our day, after we had a nice little visit and lunch.

What a wonderful sight our little white camper with its' red trim  was as we rode into the parking lot.  Roger had the lawn chairs all set up, and there was even some shade.  Our early start had paid off, there would be time to enjoy the pool, and spend precious family time.  After we showered, Tracey brought the kids over to swim.  They stayed until almost supper time, returning again in the evening.  Our dear friend Kiersten also stopped by for a visit.  So bitter sweet to have her there without Jeff.  We shed a few tears, and had a nice chat, reminiscing and catching up o each others lives.  She left with a hug and the promise to pray for us each day as we rode. 

Tammy and Ariann headed back to Tracey's to have some cousin time.  It's been a year since they saw each other.  Ryan will bring Tammy and Ariann back to the school in the morning.  WE are planning another early start.  The hills are bigger tomorrow. 

Day 1 registration, Norton Shores MI.

Late start today, more to do  than we planned, due to our "play time" yesterday.  Even as we gathered last minute stuff, washed the camper, and started our drive south, we agreed that the late start was a fair exchange for the fun we had yesterday.  Memories are made one moment at a time.

We met  driver, Roger, and son-in-law Ryan near Cooperville and left from there.  In under 2 hours we arrived, unloaded bike and trikes, and started to set up camp in the Mona Shores school Parking lot.

Our trailer will only sleep 4, so this is where Roger will sleep.

Our abode, will be here, complete with noodles on the open windows, so we don't bump our heads as we walk past.

This routine will be repeated 6 more times, before the week is done.

Next we headed to the gym to pick up our registration packets. I forgot to take a picture, so had to recycle this one, from last year.  Trust me, the routine is the same.  PALM volunteers, have this down.

On to decorating our name and number tags that we are required to display on our bikes or bodies.  We usually choose a scripture verse to put on ours.  This year we wanted to honor our dear friend Jeff Baker, who recently lost his battle with leukemia.  From the time he was diagnosed, he and his wife Kiersten stood on the promise that no matter what the future held, "God is enough."  So that is what we wrote on our tour tags.

 It seemed sad to not be looking for our dear friends, Jeff and  Kiersten in the crowd.  Tony and I  planned and rode our first PALM with them 3 years ago.  Since then we have ridden many miles together.  Now Jeff rides the streets of gold.  Enjoy your reward dear friend.  We miss you, but wouldn't wish you back.  This ride is for you and your sweetheart.

Norton Shores

Norton Shores MI, population 22, 527 and 24 sq miles in size, is located in Muskegon County, on the shores of Lake MI. In addition to being graced by 6 miles of Lake MI shoreline, it's boundaries also include Black Lake and Mona Lake.

For hundreds of years, the Potawotomie, Ottawa ,and Chippewa Indians occupied much of western MI They were caretakers of the beautiful natural environment that surrounded them. There, they  fished and hunted, and farmed.

In 1845 Norton Township was settled and named after Col. Amos Norton, a Canadian patriot implicated in the rebellion of 1837. As part of Ottawa County, it included the townships of Fruitport and Sullivan. In 1855 Spring Lake township broke off from Ottawa County and became part of Muskegon County. Norton Township , with a population of 197, followed in 1859.

Ira Porter arrived at Mona Lake in 1847 built a sawmill, and started a fruit farm. More followed. One of the largest farms in the area was operated by G.N. Cobb, who also had a box factory. The climate seemed tailor made for fruit crops and more orchards and fields were planted. Boats would enter Lake Harbor, picking up crates of berries at the docks of growers, return to Lake MI, and transfer the cargo to steamers, bound for Chicago.

Today, Norton Shores might best be described as a suburban environment with a mix of commercial and industrial development.

Our meal plan consists of daily breakfast and supper.  Tonight we are on our own for supper.  Wanting to load up on pasta, we headed to Olive Garden.  Each day we will have to find a place to have lunch too.  We learned the first year, that a convenience store, is not a place to get a good healthy lunch.  Food is our fuel, so we carry packets of tuna and cracker, along with other healthy snacks in our panniers.  Tony's favorite is the homemade power bars that Tammy brought. 

Temps tomorrow are predicted to be in the high 80's.  We hope to get an early start.