4 states in 6 days

Ohio

Late June and starting the 2400 Kilometre trip to Chicago.   One Province and four states.

First stop is Sarnia.  Enroute I get off the 403 and head west on #2.  At the #24 intersection there is a road straight ahead that I like the look of.   It is winding and untraveled and very pretty.   It takes me into the north end of Paris.   I like this little town.  On and through London to get on #22 which takes me right into Sarnia.   Steph cuts out of work early. I get to see the new Ninja motorbike.  We ride up the Lakeshore for a bit but Steph does not need any assistance and I am having trouble keeping up with her.  She gets safely to her destination!  I sit on the Patio of the Sarnia lakeside pub.
7 am on Saturday and it is already hot.   Walking back from the coffee shop people say Hi and wave to me from their balconies.... ??   Head south to Sombra to catch a ferry to Marine City, Michigan.   $4 for a bike.
The US officer is scary, but another guy discuss my bike.  I tell him my brother takes care of it.  Head due west.  At the start of the state you can see the devistation of the 2008 crisis.  There are abandoned houses where the cars were also left behind.  But later on there is much prosperity.  I stop for lunch in Rochester Hills.  There is a Huge university here - Oakland.   I pass a street called New Love - the sign below it reads Dead End.  I laugh for awhile !  Around Pontiac there are several gated communities.   They all have names like Cherry Park and River Edge.  Don't know why it is called Pontiac when there is a giant Chrysler plant here.  I am heading west into the hamlet of Hell in a state park called Pickeny.
Karma?  The road in was under construction.  I drove further west to Gregory.  Stopped for gas and got the seanic route south from a resident.  A young man followed me as we were heading the same way. Not far in it started to rain a bit.  I dried  out within the hour.   Just going south into Adrian before the border of Ohio the wind picked up and it started to pour.   Not much traffic so i just rode it out.   I could picture my rain pants neatly rolled up in my bag stashed behind me.  Stopped in Ohio to empty my boots and get a picture of the tall corn crop - very agriculture in this part of Ohio.   Good roads, easy to navigate and I go through Bryan.  Find a great route south west and I pass into Indiana. Seems there  is a  Quaker (Omish?) presence here.  I skirt around Fort Wayne via an interstate and head south on Hwy 1.  Very nice.  I stop in Blufton, IN for gas and a Dairy Queen treat.

Clinton, MI

Took the baby with me !  

Navy pier

Miles down there is a sign that says Hwy 1 is closed.   No warning but there is a detour.   Unfortunately it is taking me east when I want to go west into Indianapolis.   Nothing I can do as my map is not very detailed and I don't want to end up on a dirt road.   I am now in Winchester.   So I head south on 27 to get to Interstate 70.   I am running close to the red line and sometimes passing 18 wheelers.  This ride today was far too ambitious.  630 kms and 9 hours and 3 states.   But the sunset is magnificient !  And I get to watch it for an hour.  Sometimes clouds infront are dancing with orange colour.  Close to Indianapolis the sky clears and it is just a big ball of orange sun setting.   I am easily into downtown Indianapolis.   There are clear bicycle lanes. It looks nice and I do a u-turn to stop at the (still open at 9:05) liquor store.  Even at my age I have to show ID in Indiana  The clerk directs me to my hotel.  The city is clean and easy to navigate.  I check in by 9:20.  Have a quick walk around.  Back to my room for a bath and american TV.
I am the only one in the breakfast nook at 7:20 am.   Hot food and coffee that is good because there is honey.  Gather up all my gear and head out about 8:00.  There is a pool but really it is just a big bathtub.

Indy

I cut across the city and right next to the Huge Indy stadium.  It is gigantic.  I have a route chosen but naturally somewhere something goes awry and now I am in a suburb.   But keep going and this is when I always discover the best roads.  I eventually end up in Danville.   This would be a great place if you have young kids as it is the most amazing pool and slides I have seen.  But no one is in it right now.  I stop for a picture of Mayberry store with a 60's car infront.  Stop for gas.  Two older guys trailing vintage bikes tell me about the Japaness Vintage bike get together in south Indiana.  I will see them again in Kentland when they pass me and we wave.  I have directions and I am heading north west to North Salem on 236 - very nice ride.  I am now doing the motorbike ride I found on an Indiana site.   It is fantastic.  Across 234 and just past Shades State park is the best ride so far - trees, no traffic, curvy roads and good pavement!  I stop for pictures.  North on 341 is also great.  Hit 28 and it flows into Hwy 41  I don't know how far it is to Chicago so I stay on the hwy.   There is hundreds of wind turbines !  yikes !   Not a very pretty area and the hwy is under construction.   A rider passes me who I later chat with in McDonalds.   Pass into the Central time zone.   Stop in Kentland for food  - the only option: McDonalds.   Not very good.....  The other rider is a farmer and he can't talk enough about different rides - and then gets his topical map to show me where to ride next time.  I head due west and am in Illinois in a few minutes.   I travel north for awhile until I start to hit civilization.  The road seems to be going on for too long so I stop at a gas station and holding my map a guy asks me where I am heading.  He tells me to follow him into Chicago.   When he turns off I can see downtown straight ahead.  But I am on a DVP type highway.  Rather busy and the traffic trying to leave Chicago is stuck as I can see two cars having been in a collision.

Chicago lakeshore

Onto downtown (Rush Street) Chicago where I have a Sheraton for two nights.  I accidently end up on Michigan.  Jam packed so I get off as soon as I can, but that is a few blocks as everything seems to be closed for construction.  I again stop and ask for directions.   Finally reach to hotel where I drive my bike into the valet parking.   The concierge tells me to just tuck the bike into the angle of their drive.  It stays there for two days.  I will tip each concierge $15. Three blocks away from Sheraton is a Whole Foods.   I get Toms toothpaste and soap.   I find a outdoor pub for a brew - or two.  Some more walking around including Magnificient Mile.  High end stores - I only stop in the Levi store.

Skyline of Chicago ! 

Lake Michigan

 Slept great and didn't hear a thing.  Overnight it must have rained because the bike is now clean.   I have a bath with my bath crystals from Whole Foods.  It is Canada Day.  Early morning I find out where to have breakfast nearby.  Have my map and camera and I am off.   But I forgot that I have gained an hour.  So it is only 9 am and the first boat tour doesn't leave until 10.  The young woman at the ticket booth was there for the summer from Michigan !  I learned a lot from our tour guide.  Got lots of pictures.  Now on foot to see some of the buildings up close.  I am now a believer in great buildings !  I am standing on the street looking at my map and a woman asks me if she can help.   Turns out there is a huge park just ahead that she recommended.  I go into the gold covered building and feel the marble walls.   Then onto the walkway beside the river.  Until I find that pub that was literally on the water.  I have a libation.  It is blistering hot today. Stop at my hotel to put on shorts.  I will get a sunburn today.  Up the Lakeshore to Lincoln park.  Large green space.  Walk back seems a long way so I stop at a pub to regroup.  Turns out I am only 4 blocks from my hotel.  Saw a hot dog restaurant but it was too hot to eat.  The transit system here is unique and above ground.  I climb the rickety stairs to the station.  Wait a while for the red line.  Should be able to see buildings as you travel by.   But at the next stop the platform is packed with people.  I hurry off and walk instead.  I will find a pub and people watch.  And the Fifa tournament is on.
Wednesday and I am packed and leaving Chicago.  I drive out on Lakeshore.  Beautiful and I see things I wished I could have seen closer (and slower).  In need of gas I turn off.  This is the not so nice part of Chicago !  Now heading south.  Yikes - traffic stopped for a train and then the pavement is terrible and there is construction !   This is the worse stretch.  Hammond is where to go if you have given up all hope.  Trailer homes and dull witted people.  I find # 6 and feel much better.  End up on 30 through Warsaw.  Traffic jams.  Find my way out and continue onto Columbia City.   I stop at KFC and it is very tasty.   Crispy chicken and potatoe wedges with creamy cole slaw !  $7.  I head south on #9 and across 114.   But just ahead there is yet another detour.  This time it is downed trees and Hydro crews are working, so I understand it.   There must have been a storm before I arrived as I had seen parts of corn field wiped down, and sections of the crops under water.  The detour takes me on side roads which are nice but I don't know which direction to get into Fort Wayne.  I chose wrong and turn around.  Arrive in Fort Wayne with no plan but it is only 4:00 pm.  Stopped at a Holiday inn where they  wanted $129 for a room.  A guy next in line caught me outside and said next time say you are with the biggest employer in town for a discount.  Hotel Fort Wayne quoted me $94 before I told them I was with Rayneth (local employer)  then got a $84 rate.  Nice room.  Go for a bit of a walk but this part of town not pedestrian friendly.  Back at the hotel and it is quiet here.  Me and two other women have the pool (indoor and outdoor) and whirlpool !  I swim and then sit outside on a lounge chair with a beer.  There is a bar in the hotel.  But first I go out to the Cork n' Cleaver.  Nice local couple sitting beside me who know of Toronto because of Ford!  I apologize.  This is a really nice restaurant and a bit pricey.
My arms are sore from riding and i got quite a bit of sun yesterday walking around Chicago.  And i do enjoy all this american tv, but not too much.
Veronica and my boys should be enroute to Toronto now.  
I have seen some massive farm equipment - I could literally have driven underneath it.
I also saw a few cute bird houses  -  funny shapes and ceramic.
There was a guy on a motorbike riding with no hands.   I tried it for 1/2 a second and didn't like it.
None of the states I travel require helmets.   When I am in city limits I sometimes go without.  It really does feel great but the minute I have to get on a highway I pull over and put it on.  Besides without a windscreen everything is hitting my face, and I don't even have sun glasses.
I have breakfast at the hotel - huge portions - ridiculous - could have fed two.  But the coffee comes with honey!  Packed up the bike and head to a motorcycle store.  I want to get Steph some good gloves.  I find the place with the help of the hotel staff.  There is a tea store next door where I have a mint blend.  I found gloves and a zipper pull for me.  The store owner writes out directions to get out of town without going on the highway.   I did miss a turn because I was looking around but luckily I am great at u- turns now.  On Hwy 1 heading north and I spot a covered bridge.  Then ANOTHER detour ! ! !    I follow an 18 wheeler going west.  First paved road I head north.  A right turn and I have found some fantastic roads !  Eventually end up on #6 and # 1 again -- But there is a DETOUR.  I am done with Indiana.    Into Edon, Ohio in no time.  North on 49 and already out of Ohio in under 30 minutes.  This is a motorbike route.  I stop for lunch because I have a bit of a headache and there is rain on the horizon.  A chicken salad on croisant with a large water and I feel better.  It doesn't rain because I now have the rain pants on.
I head east on #12 which is another great bike route.  Miss my turn and end up in Clinton, MI where I turn north on a side road - picture above.  Into Gregory and through Pinckney state park again.
Hwy 59 due east to Utica.  I was going to stop for the night but it is 5:00 and my map makes it appear that Canada is not that far.   Nice road (#29) following the water and I get to Algonac (Native presence)  There is a ferry that will take me to Wallaceburg, ON and it is leaving shortly.
I make the decision to get to Sarnia for the night as Steph gave me her apt key.  I take 40 north into Sarnia.  It is 9:05 when I arrive at the apartment building.  Luckily a young man is coming into the apartment and I follow him in.
My son in law asks me how the bike was.  I don't understand the question - it is a Honda and my brother takes care of it !  *_*

See this song about Chicago from 1974 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VdsJJZH4gBM

Bob Segar Roll me away:   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfbBw-YMBeQ

SW Ont