June 19, 2016. PALM: Pentwater to Whitehall, 40 miles.

I tapped a stranger to take our photo this morning. Here is the 2016 crew: Toby, Tom, Dianne, Bill, me, and Martha. Tom is riding out with us and Bill is moving the truck forward. He will leave it at a prearranged point and get on his bike and ride the rest of the way. When we reach the truck Tom will drive it into the next site.

 

We stopped at Silver Lake State Park, amazed at all the dunebuggies we saw on the way there--that must be a really big sport here, but not so much at 8:00 Sunday morning.

 

 

Tom, Toby, Martha and I rode into the park to look at the dunes while Dianne stayed up by the road and missed this lovely photo opportunity!

 

 

We passed by fruit orchards (mostly cherry trees) and asparagus fields on a lovely morning ride. We stopped at the Cherry Point Farm Market at mile 17 and had delicious cherry turnovers, made fresh on site. The only thing that would have made it better is if we'd had time to enjoy them with a fresh cup of coffee!

 

The terrain was hilly, but not unbearably so. We struggled against a headwind most of the day, but the ride was beautiful. We are happy to be here.

 

We finished the ride, set up our tents, and then split up in 3 different directions. Dianne had a hot dog at the school concession stand, Tom, Martha and Toby went back to town for lunch at a Pizza place and Bill and I drove to Muskegon to get a camera battery and had lunch there. It was a long drive, but so worth it! I can't do this blog with my phone camera--it's just not right!

 

Whitehall is a town of 2,706 only 5 miles from Lake Michigan (even though we rode 40 miles to get here). It is south of Pentwater, and a bedroom community to Muskegon.

 

Dianne and I played a few games of Scrabble in the evening--I think this is a record--she arrived on Thursday and we did not play until Sunday evening! I was supposed to get together with my friend Christy this afternoon but it did not work out--she lives not far from here.