This is Friday, August 1st, following hwy 20 to the state of Ohio and spent the night in an RV Park at Conneaut, Ohio. This morning continuing on hwy 20 going west through Ohio. There is no shoulder on the roads so I take up a lane and the drivers are very courteous to me. As I come into the town of Geneva there is an historical marker. Ransom E. Olds birthplace. He was born on this property June 3rd 1864. Olds co-founder of Oldsmobile Company, the division of General Motors in Lansing Michigan August 21, 1897. The curved dash model built from 1900 to 1907 was the first to carry the name Oldsmobile. With a 66 inch wheel base, weighed about 650 pounds and cost 650.00. It was powered by one cylinder 7 horse power engine capable to go 20 miles per hour. It was the first commercially successful American made automobile by using a progressive assembly line which lead to modern mass production. Currently there is a Napa Auto store at this location.

This is Saturday, August 2nd, we spent the night at Walmart in Mentor, Oh. hwy 20, left this morning on hwy 20 until it turned into hwy 6 west along the coast and also through the town of Cleveland. Went through east Cleveland, one of the things that on freeways I am not allowed to go because it is unsafe. Going through east Cleveland I advise during the day because there are bars on doors and rolled up windows and buildings that are in their deteriorating stages. Downtown Cleveland is nice, since it was on a Saturday it wasn't too busy for me. Following the coast along hwy 6, had a bridge out so had to detour for a little bit but nothing major. Currently I am heading off of hwy 6 to get to a campground for the night.

This is Sunday, August 3rd, returned to hwy 6 west going to the town of Sandusky; through the town by the harbor area, I am taking a picture of an outside clock they have and they put down the date each day. Also across the street in the park area there is an historical marker. Erie County, had its origin in the revolutionary war. Connecticut towns were burned in the historic rage of Benedict Arnold and British General Tryon. 500,000 acres in the western reserve were awarded by the Connecticut assembly in 1792, to identify the fire-survivors therefore known as "The Fire Lands". Consisting as what is now Huron and Eries Counties plus Ruggles and Danbury townships. Originally part of Huron County organized 1811 the first courthouse at P. Avery county of Erie founded in 1838. Also in the town of Sandusky there is another historical marker. Sandusky, early Indian village of Ogontz also French and British trading posts. 1816 platted as town of Portland, English version of Indian name "San Dus Tee" adopted in 1818. First Connecticut settlers arrived in 1817. 1848-influx of refugees from German political revolution. Home of Jay Cooke who financed the civil war. Was strategic area in war of 1812 carries victory battle of Lake Erie in 1813 one American solvency of Great Lakes. Followed hwy 6 to hwy 269 and traveled north to a state campground. Nice campground that is on Lake Erie. Took a walk on the beach area for this afternoon. We are going to have a down day tomorrow then continue on Tuesday towards Toledo and then going north into the state of Michigan.

This is Tuesday, August 5th, we took yesterday off and went into the town of Put-in-Bay for a relaxing afternoon and had a fish dinner. This morning I left the campground on 269 went to hwy 163 to 51, took 51 north through Toledo where I connected to hwy 24 north  just left the state of Ohio and into the state of Michigan.

This is Wednesday, August 6th, spent the night in an RV Park in Monroe, Michigan home of General Custard. Proceeding on hwy 24 going north until I got to Verlin Road turned east to go to hwy 85 up towards Detroit here, coming across one of the rivers here there is an historical marker. Ford Hunger March, on March 7th, 1932 in the mist of the depression unemployed auto workers, their families and union organizers braved bitter cold temperatures and gathered at this bridge and marched to the Ford Rouge Plant and handing a list of demands to Henry Ford. Some 3,000 hunger marches paraded down Miller Road, at the city limit Dearborn police blocked their path and hurled teargas. The marchers responded with rocks and frozen mud. Near gate 3 the marchers were bombarded by water from hoses and a barrage of bullets. In the end 5 marchers were killed, 19 wounded by gun fire and numerous others by stones, sticks, and clubs. Newspapers alleged that marchers were communists, which in fact were political, and ethic backgrounds. Coming into downtown Detroit worked my way over to Jefferson along the Detroit River, have seen quite a number of beautiful homes along the way until I came to 12th Mile Road to hwy 3 which I took up to hwy 29 going north which brought me out to St. Clair River and through the town of Anchorville were family history brings us to the United States at that point up the hwy in Alganac and an historical marker. Barter Speed Capital. For more than a century Alganac has played a leading role in ship building from sailing cargo ships to the large pleasure craft, racing boats and WWII landing crafts. Between 1921 and 1932 Christopher Smith and Gar Wood built 10 Miss Americas in Alganac. Smith & Wood worked together on the first but Wood was responsible for the rest. The Miss Americas held the Harmsworth Trophy.

This is Monday, August 11th, we spent the weekend in Algonac just north of Detroit visiting my cousin Sue and her husband Roland, son Matt and his wife Ario and daughter Grace and also Sue's daughter Gena, and Aunt Yvonne. Visited the area and had a great time with them. Left this morning on Michigan hwy 29 north road turned into business 94, went through town of Port Huron to the downtown section with shops and restaurants, a historic district and from there to Michigan hwy 25 north and following Lake Huron. I came across a roadside rest and historical marker. The Great Storm of 1913. A sudden tragedy struck the Great Lakes on November 9, 1913 when a storm was equal veteran sailors could not recall left in its wake death and destruction. The grim toll was 235 seaman drown, 10 ships sunk and more than 21 others driven ashore. Here on Lake Huron all 178 crewmen on 8 ships claimed by its waters were lost. For 16 terrible hours gales of cyclone fury made man and his machines helpless.

This is Tuesday, August 12th, we spent the night in a campground in Sanilac. Heading on hwy 25 north still following Lake Huron. A couple of roadside parks and I stopped at one to read a plaque displayed. "White Rock" The history, oral, traditions and tales. White Rock an enormously  attached mass of limestone in the lake standing 1/2 mile from the shore. This is an object looked upon as a kind of milestone by the voyagers and is known to all canoe and boat travelers throughout the region. The White Rock was once much larger and sacred to the local Indians. Freshly killed game and other foods were placed on the white rock so the great spirit, gitchi manitou, would know the anishinaind were thankful for the gifts received from the natural environment. White Rock is still considered very special place by the Indians who first observed this unique qualities and continues to be one of the places of which offerings were made. A local tale from around 1860's relates the story that a group of white people decided to do a square dance on the white rock. Local Indians warned them not to have this dance as white rock was sacred. Still two sets of square dancers piled onto the white rock from canoes. One man decided to heed the Indians warning and remained in the water nearby. Suddenly as they danced a bolt of lightening hit white rock and killed all the dancers leaving only the nearby man to tell of the terrible tragedy. The white rock today only rises about 4 feet from the water line and is about 12 square feet in length. According to local historians lightening has struck the white rock repeatedly, and U.S. Air Force use the rock for target practice during the time of WWII. This and the naturally effects of erosion constantly at work is explains the diminished size. Traveling up Michigan hwy 25 along Lake Huron came across Huron City. Historical marker, during the mid 1850's the firm of R. B. Hubbard & Co. which included Connecticut born entrepreneurs, Langdon Hubbard, his brother Witson and cousin Rollin built a steam power saw mill on Willow Creek. The company town they developed was named Huron City in 1861. The horse drawn tram carried the mills products to a nearby dock at Lake Huron for transport to the companies lumber yard in Sandusky, Ohio. Huge forest fires in 1871  and 1881 destroyed the town of Huron City, but each time the town was rebuilt. Huron City surviving buildings include Langdon Hubbard's house, now called Seven Gables, the general store, the hotel, and the church, date from the early 1880's. Langdon Hubbard died in 1892.

This is Wednesday, August 13th, we spent the night at an RV Park just outside of Port Austin and the upper thumb of Michigan by Lake Huron. This morning traveling west on hwy 25 and as I approached the town of Caseville, it is lined up with chairs along the street. Stopped and talked with this one family and tonight here is the annual cheeseburger festival, and a parade at 6pm and they said last year about 50,000 people attended. Traveling on, on hwy 25 came across a rest area with an historical marker. Great Fire of 1881. Small fires were burning in the forest from tender dry after a long hot summer, when a gale swept in from the southwest on September 5, 1881. Fanned into an inferno fires raged for three days and a million acres were devastated and Sanioac and Huron counties alone. At least 125 people died and thousands more were left destitute. The new American Red Cross great support for its prompt aid to the fire victims. This was the first disaster relief by this great organization.

This is Thursday, August 14th, we spent the night in Bay City, Michigan at Walmart. Left this morning traveling on hwy 13 which turned into hwy 23 going north. As I come into town there is an historical marker. Omer Masonic Hall. This church like white framed structure with its graceful cupola was built in 1890, as a second Arenac County Courthouse. The first courthouse on this site burned a previous year. Omer had been a part of Bay County until Arenac was organized in 1883 and this city became the county seat. Wasn't a decade later voters made nearby Standish a county seat. The grand lodge of free and accepted Masons of the state of Michigan purchased this building in 1893 for the Omer Masonic Lodge. That group and the order of the Eastern's Stars still hold meetings here. Surviving the disastrous fire of 1914 which swept through Omer's business district this edifice housed temporary headquarters of several firms. This is one of the city's oldest buildings.

 This is Friday, August 15th, which is my sister Yvette's birthday, happy birthday Yvette, who is out riding her Harley coming northwest and then northeast. This morning we left the campground in the city of Au Gres, Michigan on hwy 23 heading north. Heading for the town of Alpena. As I am cruising along here came across a sign saying that you are now crossing the 45th parallel, halfway between the equator and the north pole.

This is Sunday, August 17th, we spent the night at a county park north of Alpena, Michigan next to the long lake. Took one extra day off to from the day before because it was an extra long day. Today heading north on hwy 23 to just north of Rogers City State Park, came across a bike rider going the other direction, who lives in Iowa and traveling around the Great Lakes. Here in Rogers City State Park is a bike trail which I followed along through part of that and came across a local person who told me a little about the area.

This is Monday, August 18th still traveling on hwy 23 north and a short distance was the 40 mile point lighthouse. Historical Marker, during the late 1800's the U.S. Lighthouse board created a system coastal rights along Lake Huron Michigan shore so that mariners can always be within sight of at least one. With the point south, on the Presque Isle Peninsula and one on the north at Cheboygan. An 18 mile stretch of shoreline remain un-lighted and dangerous. In 1890 the board recommended that a light and fog center be built at 40 mile point and the light was completed in 1896 and Xavier Rains served as the first keeper. The lighthouse was transferred to Presque Isle County in 1998 were the coastguard retain ownership of it's fresnel winds. Traveling on I stopped at a roadside rest and there is another historical marker. Lake Huron, the fifth largest lake in the world was the first of the Great Lakes seen by white men. By following the Ottawa River route, Samuel De Champlain, in 1615 came to the fresh water sea. It was half a century before the French fully understood the lakes size. Lake shipping has grown tremendously since the Griffin's solitary voyage in 1679. Much of the shore is still as wild as when the Huron Indians were the only travelers on the lake. Followed the hwy 23 to the end which brought me to Mackinaw City which then Sandy gave me a ride over water hazards over the Mackinac Bridge to the other side in which a short distance was the RV camp where we will spend the night.

This is Tuesday, August 19th, this morning I worked my way to hwy 123 and took a side road which took me down to hwy 2. There is a historical marker at a scenic overview looking at Lake Michigan. Epoufette has been a fishing village since 1859 when Amable Goudreau born in Quebec in 1824 established a commercial fishery. More than a century after his death in 1882 some if his descendants continued the fishing operations. Father Edward Jacker then serving the St. Ignace in Mackinac Island missions visited Epoufette in August 1875 he reported a thriving fishery as far as 40 miles distance kept Cooper busy from dawn to dusk making barrels of salty fish for shipping to the distant markets.

This is Wednesday, August 20th, continuing on hwy 5 west to Thompson, Michigan and here is a historical marker. Christmas Tree Ship, The Rouse Simmons was one of the last schooners on the Great Lakes. Built in 1868 to carry lumber, the 3 masted vessel became Chicago's, for Christmas tree shipment, when Herman Schuenanann purchased some interest in 1910. Bound for Chicago on November 22, 1912, he boarded the Simmons which was loaded with trees from Thompson's forest and sailed into a fierce snow storm that plunged its ship and crew and it's passengers to the lake bottom. Herman' wife and daughters delivered trees to Chicago each Christmas  until around 1934.

This is Thursday, August 21st, we spent the night on hwy 2 at Thompson in an RV Park next to Lake Michigan and great sites of the lake here.  Continued on hwy 2 west to Escanaba at Walmart's.

This is Friday, August 22nd, as I am traveling hwy 2 west we are changing time zones. We are now in the Central Time Zone. I do remember a situation several months ago when we went to the Eastern Time Zone where we also had a Daylight Savings Time, so within a few days we had three different times. While passing through the town of Norway, Michigan I come to an historic marker. Norway Spring, in 1878 a saw mill was erected here as the first industry in the Norway-Vulcan area. John O. Callaghan was owner of this mill which supplied early mining lumber needs until 1902. This spring was caused by a 1,094 foot hole drilled in 1903 by the Oliver Mining Company in search for iron ore. The hole cuts several steeply dipping porous strata to trap water at the higher elevations to the north. The difference in elevation causes pressure. This pressure is released by the drill hole, demonstrating the principle of the Artesian well. From the slope to the north are the obscured workings of Few and Munro Mines operated in 1903 until 1922 now owned by the Ford Motor Company. Also through this area is iron ore in the mountains and that was being mined.

This is Saturday, August 23rd, spent the night at Iron Mountain in an RV Park. Got with some friends in this area. This morning had breakfast with Darlene Hanna who resides in this area. We are still heading west on hwy 2 and now in Iron River.

This is Sunday, August 24th, which happens to be my brother Tom's birthday. Happy Birthday Tom! We spent the night in a National Forest Campground just outside of Iron River. We have seen some of the trees starting to turn as we travel on hwy 2 west. So fall is approaching us even though it is getting to the end of summer here. In the town of Bessemer came across an historical marker. Gogebic Iron Range. The Gogebic was the last of the three great iron ore fields open in the upper peninsula in Northern Wisconsin. Beginning in 1848 with Dr. A Randall, federal and state geologist, had mapped the ore formations almost perfectly long before any ore was mined. One geologist, Raphael Pumpelly on the basis of his study in 1871 picked out lands for purchase which years later became the sites of a wealthy Newport and Geneva Mines. The first mine to go into production was Colby, in 1884 he had shipped 1,022 tons of iron ore in railroad flat cars to Milwaukee. By 1890 more than 30 mines had shipped ore from this range. Many quickly ran out of good ore and had to close. Others took their places as richer ore bodies were found. Virtually all mining here has been underground as attested by many shafts and cave-ins. The soft Atmatite ores on this range usually has been sent in ore cars to Ashland and Escanaba to be loaded onto ore boats and taken to America's Steel Mills.

This is Monday, August 25th, left camp area at Wakefield, Michigan on hwy 2 west crossing into the state of Wisconsin. One note this morning the low here in Wakefield was 37 degrees. That is cold. In Wisconsin I am in the town of Ashland. An historical marker. Fleet Admiral William D. Leahy was born in Iowa in 1875 and his family soon moved to Wisconsin. He graduated from Ashland High School in 1892 and for the rest of his life he considered Ashland his home town. Leahy graduated from the Naval Academy and served in the Spanish American War. He planned naval operations for the U.S. interventions in Nicaragua in 1912, Haiti 1916 and Mexico 1916. During WWI he became friendly with assistant secretary of the Navy, Franklin D. Roosevelt. Leahy was made chief of the Bureau of Ordinance in 1927, Rear Admiral in 1930 and Chief of Naval Operations in 1937. During the darkest hours of WWII in 1942, President Roosevelt appointed Leahy Chief of Staff to Commander and Chief. Leahy tactics and resourcefulness made him a value aid in military and diplomatic  undertaking including the inter-allied conferences and Tehran, Yalta, and Potsdan. Fleet Admiral Leahy became the first American sailor and the only Wisconsinite to attend the five star rank of General. He died in 1959 and is buried in Arlington Cemetery. We stopped for the night in Ashland, Wisconsin and we took a drive to Duluth to meet up with my sister, Yvette and her husband Noel who are riding their Harley's from Colorado to the west coast to the east coast. Wish them the best of luck and it was great to spend the evening with them.

This is Tuesday, August 26th, we spent the night in Ashland, Wisconsin by Lake Superior. Driving hwy 2 this morning stopped at the Northern Great Lakes Visitor Center which has a lot of information and visuals about the Great Lakes. Arrived in Brule, Wisconsin where we spent the night.

This is Wednesday, August 27th, traveling west on hwy 2 had to detour off 2 because cannot ride on freeways and bridges, so did some side roads but ended back on hwy 2 after the town of Duluth. We are now into the state of Minnesota. Stopped at an RV Park in Saginaw, Minnesota for a couple of nights.

This is Thursday, August 28th, taking a day off from riding and drove to Minneapolis to meet with our friends Russ Andrews and his wife Barb, and to say hi to some of the people he works with. Russ shows us around Minneapolis and find it to be a very enjoyable city with all the outdoor activity and all the different art forms. Especially liked the bike paths and walking paths to several lakes and around the city. Afterwards went back to Saginaw where we are camped for the night.

This is Friday, August 29th left the campsite here on hwy 2 and 194 just outside of Duluth. Russ Andrews joined me to ride together for today's ride. It was great to have Russ ride with me.

Saturday, August 30th, and have made it to the town of Bemidji where I just crossed the bridge of the Mississippi one more time, where it begins here in the northern part of Minnesota. In the town of Bemidji there is a statue along 197 by the waterway. Shaynowishkung known as Chief Bemidji 1824 to 1904. In the 1800's Shaynowishkung the band of Ojibwe Indians lived on the  south shore of a lake known to fur traders as Lac Traverse. The Ojibwe word for Traverse is Bemidgegumaug and it means, The river route flowing crosswise. As time passed the lake was called Bemidji.  The first white settlers George E. and Merian Carson came in 1888. Shaynowishkung housed and fed them and others. Although he was not a tribal chief those early homesteaders respectfully called him Chief Bemidji. When his daughter, Bahgahmaushequay married Merian Carson first postmaster of Bemidj. Their relationship was cemented between the original habitants and the white settlers. In 1898 the northern most town of the Mississippi River was incorporated and it was name Bemidji.

This is Sunday, August 31st, we left the town of Bemidji which has the Mississippi flowing through it on hwy 2 west. Got into the town of Fosston and Sandy took me back to the campground we had for the night.