David Freeze

By David Freeze

   Today, August 5^th, has been the longest day of my Great Lakes adventure, and I don’t have much to show for it. I ran very early this morning in Belgium, Wisconsin. To those who saw my Day 5 report, I felt lucky to grab a reasonable room just at the interstate exit and north of afternoon rush hour traffic for Milwaukee and Chicago. Just as what happened in Detroit on the way north, my history has included getting caught in bumper to bumper, inching along traffic with people who do it every day! I dreaded Chicago. I have been in their traffic many times over the years and knew this time would likely be the same.

    The motel was good! I kept my watch on Eastern Daylight Time while everyone else in Wisconsin is on Central Daylight Time. I ran, showered, checked out, got gas, a breakfast biscuit and ice before 6:30am local time. Driving through Milwaukee’s interstate was a dream. No issues.

    I heard on the radio that three tractor trailers had collided overnight on the Dan Ryan Expressway, one of the major interstates around Chicago. Authorities were rerouting traffic, so my GPS sent me on Illinois 41. I was scheduled early to ride about 50 miles on the Dan Ryan. I got a two-mile notice to change to 41 and soon the radio started to tell others to do the same. After an hour of barely moving, I finally cleared the downtown area only to get stopped again by those brush and vacuum trucks that were cleaning the side of the interstate. Massive traffic that should have had three lanes had only one. One total hour added to my trip home.

     Then in Indiana on Interstate 65, a portion was closed for an accident cleanup. All traffic was rerouted for about six miles of country roads. Another hour added to travel time. But the rest of the day went well, and I am spending the night in Charleston, WV. Only about 253 miles of the 988 going home from Green Bay remain.

    Here are some thoughts on this wonderful trip. I saw over 1200 miles of shoreline or as close as possible from the nearest road. The weather was perfect every day. As always, the people were the real stars. The very first person that I met this time on the Great Lakes was Peter Ashwin Patel at his motel in Port Huron and the conversation was wonderful. The owners at the Gateway Motel in Newberry were fun too. Hard to beat was Steve Russell, the man who fixed my brakes while we shared thoughts on the world. But just like on a regular bike trip, I met nice people throughout.

    I ran and did some purposeful walking every day too! I didn’t want to come home after missing eight days of running as I am still chasing 2,000 miles for the year.  It was generally cool and comfortable but most often humid, which I am sure goes with the nearby mass of water. I didn’t get to ride the bike as much as I wanted to as time was always tight, but I found that I need more future miles to build up my pedaling muscles. I had not been on a bike for more than a year and a half. Porter at Skinny Wheels did a great job getting the bike ready for this trip.

     I did most of the planning the night before visiting a certain area, same as on an extended bike ride. I used my big and bulky 2023 Road Atlas and a Michigan Great Lakes guidebook that is filled with great information. Every day was filled with problem solving, including what to go see and making it work with available time. Big surprises were Marquette, Michigan and Manitowoc, Wisconsin for all there was to see and do.

     Every motel room has its own story, and I love playing the game! I am in a Quality Inn high rise motel in Charleston tonight. I spoke to the desk clerk on the phone before coming here and got a certain price. The same clerk was at the desk when I arrived but still tried to charge full price. I reminded her we had already agreed on a price. I have a nice 7^th floor room. I can ride 100 miles a day on a bike but still must find the right motel deal to finish the day.   

     The lighthouses stole the show, just as I knew they would. Some I knew about as part of my early planning, others were surprises like the one in Manitowoc that I would have missed if not for a small sign on the interstate and Siri’s help. If you are wondering, I now have done about half of the Great Lakes shoreline over three trips, so there is much more to see. These are big lakes, and the rest of the shoreline will be high on my list!

     As the final exploration for this journey, I ran in Charleston on Wednesday morning. August 6th along the beautiful Kanawha River, something I always wanted to do. After checking out of the hotel, I went exploring around the magnificent West Virginia State Capitol building. I walked and took photos for 1.3 miles on the capitol grounds and saw my first ever black squirrel, and statues of Abraham Lincoln, Stonewall Jackson and one for the Union Soldiers of the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln was the major player in helping to establish West Virginia, largely filled with his supporters after receiving fewer than 2000 votes from Virginia for his election in 1860. He signed the West Virginia statehood bill in December 1862.

    Another adventure is done! This one will total just eight days, including the first with all driving that didn’t count, and it was great fun! Final mileage covered on this adventure was 2669. I hope you find your own adventures and thanks for letting me share this one with you!

By David Freeze

   Monday, August 4^th was one of the more fun days so far because I had just a guess of the agenda and could change it at any time and all would be fine. I spent the night in West Ishpeming, different because there are hills here. The motel was the Triangle and although he had a “Full” sign on the door, the owner found me a room at a very reasonable price. To pay him back, I cleaned the room and took my trash with me. I always imagine the cleaning person when they first look at the room!

    I decided overnight to visit downtown Marquette, Michigan this morning. I read a few things that were interesting and had to check them out. First was the Marquette Maritime Museum where I was disappointed to find that it is closed on Mondays. And it is only open 11am to 4pm when it is open. I knew by this time that the Marquette Harbor Lighthouse was the main draw anyway and it was close by. In fact, several buildings including the keeper’s house and a boathouse were next door too and I think another building was the lifesaving station, left over from Coast Guard service.  

    Finding the steps to the lighthouse chained off and a fence all around it, I followed paths of others trying to get a better view. The steep rocks kept me from climbing them, so I stepped over the chain on the stairs to go up and around and get a great photo. Not a person was ever in sight.

   Several boats were outside, including two Coast Guard boats used in storms, one of which was self-bailing and could not turn over. There was a lifeboat similar to the ones onboard the Edmund Fitgerald which I learned about yesterday at the Shipwreck Museum.

     By this time, I am really in my element and soaking up history. Then I realized that runners, walkers and cyclists are passing by constantly. Marquette has a very long paved trail along the waterfront which can connect to another one in Presque Isle Park, a showcase of Lake Superior scenery, wooded areas and the ability to watch iron ore ships being loaded. Yes, right beside the park is a massive iron ore loading setup where train cars bring the ore and it slides down massive chutes into ships. Train cars are high above the ship.

    Knowing that I had two options meant a decision had to be made by late morning. If I went west for about 120 miles, I would close the bottom loop on Lake Superior to where I had been before. But there was little to see going west. Or I could proceed by starting south toward Green Bay and drive the western Lake Michigan shore down to where I hoped to see a longtime friend. I chose the second option, knowing that I would find something else along the way to see and remembering that from Marquette, I had about 1200 miles to drive home.

    The drive south was wonderful, except where I had to use another gravel road. By midday, the sky was hazy cloudy, and I couldn’t distinguish between the water and the sky. I missed seeing my friend due to his VA appointments, but I did stop in Green Bay for old times sake. I worked there for a winter to train for a new job and found out what harsh winters really are. Over the years, and during the Northwest Tier bike ride that ended in Green Bay, I have discovered a convenience store from that area called Kwik Trip. They always have freshly made pastries and many other things in the store on special. I was looking for my first one and found it on Ashland Street. I loaded up cheese rolls, cookies and a Long John pastry to eat while I was riding. I can get away with this when riding a hundred miles a day on the bike, but not when driving. But what a treat this was! There is a sign on the outside of the store that says something about not staying longer than 30 minutes and all the parking spaces were full!

    I asked GPS for a route home without tolls and got started south toward Milwaukee. Just 20 miles or so later, I saw the sign for another lighthouse in Manitowoc. With no particular agenda, I took a left off the interstate and found another Wisconsin city that I had not previously visited. And what a beautiful city Manitowoc is. Downtown is alive and there is yet another maritime museum there that I didn’t know about. The Wisconsin Maritime Museum has the submarine USS Cobia from WWll. It was too late to visit today, and I needed to keep moving.

    But I did walk 1.35 miles round trip to see the Manitowoc Breakwater Light. It is a beautiful site from a distance and up close. Visitors have taken to hanging locks along the chain link fence. I first saw this done on a chain-link door next to the Mississippi River in New Orleans. I will miss the maritime museum this time as I have to be home by Wednesday night and I still have almost 900 miles to go.

     This was a great day, totally unscripted and better because of it. I am spending the night in Belgium, Wisconsin at what might be the best buy on a motel yet. I will report on that tomorrow. Meanwhile, there is another Kwik Trip right outside the door. I avoided the Chicago rush hour traffic by asking Siri for motels nearby and had a deal just four miles ahead of the exit.

    Hope to see you tomorrow!!

By David Freeze

Day 4

    I had a nice evening at the rustic Gateway Motel in Newberry, Michigan. I spoke to both the husband wife owners and enjoyed the conversations. Without knowing that I needed to make a stop first on the way to the shipwreck museum, I booked the room while I was in Mackinac City. Upon checking in at the Gateway, I found out about a special treat that was close by, so I had two big things to do this morning.

    First up was a half hour drive to the Tahquamenon River State Park for the add-on unknown until yesterday. There are two sets of falls, the Upper and Lower Falls. The Upper Falls is the special one and gets the notoriety of being the second largest falls in the United States east of the Mississippi. Of course, Niagara is the first. I was there early and ready to pay for a state park day pass to get in, but nobody was around at the entry gate and the credit card machine was taped over. A sign alerted visitors to pay at the Lower Falls location.

   I walked a round trip of a mile to see the Upper Falls and found that the river level best viewing area was under construction and was blocked off. From a quarter mile away, I could hear the water pounding. The Upper Falls has a height of 50 feet, a length of 200 feet and a maximum recorded flow of 52,228 gallons per second. The water is shaded brown because of tannins. I left with the best shot I could get of the falls and then headed for the main entrance at the Lower Falls location. I did pay there and got my sticker. It was good for today only and I didn’t visit any other state parks. The Lower Falls were good too, but not spectacular.

    Next, I drove through the small community of Paradise and took a dead-end road north to the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The museum at the end of the road is on Lake Superior, making it my second time on Lake Superior and third of the Great Lakes visited on this journey. I was there by 9:30am and already the parking lots were nearly full. It is a nine-mile drive from the Town of Paradise, and few houses are on the road, yet the traffic was steady all morning. I know because I rode my bike there for its first action on this fast-paced trip.

   Upwards of 100,000 visitors annually come to the museum and former Coast Guard Station. The Whitefish Point Light Station is the oldest one in Michigan but looks modern because it has what they called “stick built” construction.  It doesn’t have the saltshaker appearance that most lighthouses do. Built in 1849, the lighthouse is in a very active area for shipwrecks. The most famous of which is the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, made more famous by Gordon Lightfoot’s song of the same name.

    Most interesting was a movie shown on the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald and how divers salvaged the ship bell to later replace it with another showing the names of all 29 men who were lost with the ship. A marker to the ship rests near the beach.

    The Coast Guard lifesaving efforts were incredible in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The men lived a hard life, knowing that at any time they could be called on to row a wooden boat into a raging sea to save the victims of a ship disaster. They also walked the beach on “around the clock” patrols, meeting the person from the next lighthouse midway, exchanging tokens as proof, before walking back. Fall and winter nights were often unbearable with snow, wind and extreme cold. There are 13 buildings on site and most had at least one knowledgeable volunteer available for questions today.

     I then drove west in hopes of visiting Grand Marais, Michigan. There is also a Grand Marais in Minnesota. on the western side of Lake Superior. I didn’t realize that so many roads are gravel in northern Michigan and found myself on several of these washboard disasters. Finally, after backtracking, I did reach Grand Marais, Michigan. It was a small fishing town but now with less fishing and more touristy shops. Kayakers love the spacious harbor as do sailboats.  This Grand Marais is smaller even than the Minnesota one with less than 250 residents. But it was busy on Sunday afternoon.

   My goal for the afternoon was to try to drive the coast west, or as close as I could to it. After some trial and error, I found a small road called H58 that skirted the coast, then pulled away, before returning. The drawing card of the area was the Pictured Rocks National Seashore. The rocks and steep cliffs are best seen from the water, but I did get long range views of two of the best. More gravel roads and impatient people caused loads of dry dust. I am sure the rocks are most impressive from the water because I saw a group unloading canoes after paddling out to the biggest ones. They are less impressive from the viewing areas on land.

      I drove through Munising and saw another heavy tourist area along the shore. I kept driving to Marquette and Ishpeming, where I am spending the night. Another motel with a “We’re Full” sign on then door, but the owner had rooms after all. I have been fortunate to find good lodging and nice people at these motels so far and all have been very reasonable.

     I will visit Marquette for things to see in the morning and then turn south towards Wisconsin and more of Lake Michigan. Weather is perfect, gas is high, but this has been an exciting trip so far! Running each morning has been good, my cycling needs work and I love exploring. See you tomorrow for Day 5!

By David Freeze

     I thought I had my ducks in a row for a very challenging day on Saturday, August 2^nd. I stayed up way too late and had a plan for getting to Mackinac Island, the premier tourist attraction in Michigan and possibly on the Great Lakes. I spent the night in Cheboygan, Michigan at Johnson’s Motel. Cheboygan was the right choice, but Johnson’s wasn’t my best motel. But very little was available in the area and prices of $200-$250 were common. I paid about 40% of that in my ongoing fun battle to find the best motel for the least price. Mine was a room for four with two bedrooms. Too many of my neighbors stayed outside talking late and I slept in the back room. All good.

     First up was trying to find the best lighthouse in Cheboygan on my early run. I knew it was in a park on the water. I followed the main road to the water where dozens of trucks and boat trailers were already there. I saw the lighthouse but didn’t want to chase it in the dark and through the sand in my running shoes. I ran back, packed up and drove back and found a truck path to the Cheboygan Lighthouse while being eaten by huge mosquitoes.

    That project done, I drove to Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) City in about half an hour and looked for the Shepler Ferry Terminal where thousands of people would board ferry boats today to go to Mackinac Island. The first huge parking lot was full by 8am and I was sent to a secondary and bigger lot. I found it, parked my truck and took a shuttle back to the original terminal where boats were loading as fast as possible, maybe 300 per boat. I paid $53 dollars for admission and parking and got in line with a backpack, some snacks and my camera.

     Last night in my planning, I found answers to lots of questions about getting to the island and how to make the best of it once there. I planned to take my bike to the island where bikes and horses, both ridden and pulling sightseeing tours, were the only transportation. People could take their bikes on the ferry but were charged $21 to take it. I didn’t take mine and figured I would just walk and see what I could see.

   On the way over, we rode under the spectacular Mackinac Bridge, just 28 feet short of five miles long. The modern bridge connects the lower and upper Michigan peninsulas.

     Mackinac Island is incredible in some ways. It has been a home to the wealthy for at least 200 years. Huge houses and the grandest hotels imaginable have been there for years. When my boat unloaded, the morning was still young, and we could walk easily enough. From the ferry, we were told that Fort Mackinac and the Michigan Governor’s summer home shared one bluff. The Grand Hotel and its golf course took another. There is an eight-mile road around the island. Goods were being delivered to all the businesses by horse drawn wagons. These horses are huge and well-kept draft horses.

    Thousands of bicycles lined the streets on both sides waiting for people to rent them and rent them, they did. For an hourly fee, visitors could rent the bike style of their choice. By mid-morning, the major roads were full of horses, wagons, bikes and people. Everyone had to be alert. Those walking were encouraged to stay on the sidewalks where there is one. All the horse manure on the streets is cleaned up as quickly as possible.

     Very early, I found out most things on the island cost considerably. Horse tours were as high as $71. I took a map and walked to the things I wanted to see and read about them in the visitors’ guide. I knew that Fort Mackinac was calling my name when they fired a cannon, so I paid the $17 fee to see inside the walls, and it was the best buy I made all day.

   Fort Mackinac was originally a British Fort and begun in 1779. The US Army finally took it over in 1796 and established a post there until British forces captured it in 1812. They lost it when the Americans won the war. Then in 1875, it became the second National Park behind Yellowstone. Soldiers did park work as well but got an extra stipend to do it. In 1895, ownership of the park was transferred to Michigan, and it became a state park.

    I saw a cannon demonstration as soon as I entered the fort. A dozen or so buildings in the fort are all in good repair and much the same as they were when occupied by the US Army. All had great exhibits, some interactive. Visitors could even put on period uniform jackets and play drums after hearing military drummers play. The hospital had amazing explanations of medical practices during the busiest times at the fort.

    Various demonstrations continued all day, with one including the advantages of the breech (rear) loading rifle used in 1875, just 10 years after most soldiers finished the Civil War using muzzle loading single shot rifles. Two soldiers began throwing a baseball from the post-Civil War period and we enjoyed an impromptu discussion with them about baseball at that time and other exercise options for the soldiers. No physical training was required in 1875. The best views of the harbor are from the fort!

     I walked to the other major place on the island, the Grand Hotel. Incredible in size, it is the grandest and by far the largest of all the hotels on the island. It opened in 1887.

     I left at mid-afternoon, took a quick ferry ride back to Mackinaw City and found a room in Newberry, the Moose Capital of Michigan. A 90-minute drive, beginning with the Mackinac Bridge, has me well positioned to drive to Lake Superior and visit two interesting things tomorrow morning. I can’t wait. I hope you’ll join me for tomorrow’s report.

More Great Lakes

Day 2, August 1^st

   I had a huge amount of uncertainty this morning while running in Pinconning, Michigan. I thought about a brake issue on my truck and how far I could make it today. And where would I stay because all reports pointed to a major tourist weekend north towards the Michigan peninsula. The annual Nautical Festival in Rogers City is a huge draw and towns up to 100 miles away had motels stuffed with tourists in general. I figured everything would go well, but only time would tell.

   Yesterday afternoon, I knew I had a brake issue when I could hear one of them grinding. I called Dick’s Super Service and spoke to Steve Russell about 4:10pm. He gave me the first appointment this morning which was a God moment in itself. Dick’s Super Service was only 5 ½ miles away in an area that doesn’t have a lot of businesses or population. I ran early after spending a nice evening at the Pinconning Trail Motel. A cool 52 degrees this morning surprised me, but it made for an energetic run. Then I drove to Dick’s and met Steve right on time. He found the problem to be a broken brake pad and replaced both the ones on the back. I was again on the road by 10am, just like he said I would be. We had a great talk while the repair was underway.

    I continued to follow Michigan Highway 23 north along the Lake Huron coast. I passed through Standish, then Omer which is listed as the smallest town in Michigan and also is the home of the Sucker Fish Festival. This community festival coincides with the spring sucker spawning runs, where suckers (such as the common White Sucker) migrate from Lake Huron into Michigan’s inland tributaries. For generations people have gathered to fish for suckers.

    Then on through Au Gres, Alabaster, Tawas City and Tawas. This began a long run of the highway running along the water through Au Sable and Oscoda. Lots of small motels, cottages and homes right on the water. I also noticed multiple Big Boy restaurants with exactly the same mascot as Shoney’s used to have. There was little traffic for all the beach places to be packed.

    I drove north to Alpena where I parked next to the water and worked on my accommodation for the evening. This Nautical Festival had perfect weather weekend had nearly every place sold out. I was told often that I likely would not get a room. After about 20 calls, I got a commitment for a room with no TV or internet at a ridiculous price. I put it on hold and checked campground prices and also called ahead to Cheboygan where motels all told me that this would be a big weekend at Mackinaw City, the biggest vacation spot in this area. You’ll hear more about that attraction tomorrow.

     Finally, a motel popped up in Cheboygan called Johnson’s Motel and I jumped on it, with good reviews but only one photo showing. I drove another 40 miles and am now in a good place after 200 more driving miles today. On the way north, I drove through Rogers City and saw the festival getting underway with a packed downtown. One banner offered free elephant rides with every purchase. I wish I could see that. All these towns are very small, but Rogers City is one of the biggest at nearly 3,000.

    Just north of Rogers City, I stopped at another great lighthouse, this one the Forty Mile Point Lighthouse. In the late 1800s, the US Lighthouse Board created a system where mariners would always be in sight of at least one. One of the last dark areas was midway between Cheboygan, where I am tonight, and Presque Isle Peninsula. This lighthouse was completed in 1896.

    Lake Huron is the second largest of the five Great Lakes, with 3800 miles of shoreline and 30,000 islands. In a big storm in 1905, 27 ships were lost. The remains of one shipwreck lie just 200 yards north of the Forty Mile Point Lighthouse. The pilot house of the SS Calcite is on display beside the lighthouse. Lighthouse reenactors were set to camp onsite for the National Lighthouse weekend which began today.

      Tomorrow, I will continue north to Mackinac City and Mackinac Island. This is the biggest tourist area I will see on this adventure. Should time allow, the bike will come out for touring the island. After crossing the bridge, where bikes are not allowed, to Mackinac City, I will go to the island where the only modes of transportation are feet, bikes and horses.

   This was a perfect day with highs in the mid-70s and partly sunny all day. I am expecting more of the same tomorrow. Hope to see you then!

David took a bike trip up around the Great Lakes. I wonder if the 100 plus temperatures had anything to do with his decision??? Anyway, here is the link to read about the first day on his trip. ENJOY!!!

Great Lakes Adventure Begins

   In 2023, I rode north on the western side of Lake Superior to the Canadian border and then returned by the same route to Duluth, Minnesota. I spent about eight days on the largest Great Lake, but I have already cycled on all of them. When looking at my options for a short driving, cycling and running adventure for this summer, I saw a chance to see some of the areas I had not previously visited.

     I described the best possible plan in last weekend’s paper, but here it is in a nutshell. I drove yesterday about 650 miles from home to Port Huron, Michigan. I made great time driving until hitting Detroit at rush hour, which was no fun. My GPS kept changing to a different street trying to get on one that was moving and finally at almost 7pm last night, I made Port Huron. The highlight of the Detroit experience was seeing the Chrysler buildings, and yes, they were huge.

   On Thursday, July 31^st, I woke up to 62 degrees and drizzling rain at the Huron Inn Motel. I had a good deal on a nice motel in quiet surroundings. I still didn’t get enough sleep after the day that began at 4am. Before leaving, I got great tips and good conversation from the motel owner, Ashwin Patel. He shared information on a cyclist that he follows on You Tube who has now ridden in well over 100 countries. I promised to send him several of my books, and I suspect we will stay in touch.

    Driving north on Michigan Highway 25, the first significant town was Lexington, Michigan. A spectacular former town hall, a huge 1882 hotel and a walkable downtown with lots of interesting shops. Many old buildings currently in good use have made this historic town a great start. By this time, I was driving for the most part along the edge of Lake Huron. Many towns have a marina and are part of a Circle Tour boat excursion.

    Mostly small towns came every 20-30 miles and quite a few had historic highlights. I stopped often, grabbed photos and did some walking as I traveled over 200 miles of what is called the Thumb area of Michigan. You’ll see it on a map.

     I stopped in Port Sanilac and began my lighthouse visits, just ahead of National Lighthouse Weekend. The Port Sanilac Light Station was built in 1886. It underwent a major restoration in 2015-2016. The dwelling, lighthouse and grounds are now privately owned and beautiful. The Sanilac Marina sits just below the lighthouse.

     Next was the White Rock Light, now another private home. I then stopped at another highlight of the day, the Port Hope Chimney in Port Hope. The chimney was built in 1858 as part of a lumber mill that had become the dominant one in the Thumb area. The mill and other major buildings in town were destroyed by fire twice. Rail came to Port Hope in 1903 primarily because sugar beets had become a significant cash crop for local farmers. The beets were brought to the railyard by horse and wagon and then were hand loaded onto rail cars. The depot has been restored and was open for only a few minutes today, just as I found when I opened the door. Important folks were just leaving. Magnificent homes, circa 1880, were just across the road from Lake Huron. Bigfoot cutouts were seen on a revamped hardware store.

     The best and biggest lighthouse of the day was the Pointe aux Barques Lighthouse which is the highlight of a Huron County Park. Built in 1849, the lighthouse and its original keeper family have an amazing story. Three acres of wilderness were cleared for the lighthouse from wilderness that was surrounded by Indians. A husband brought his wife and eight children to live in the keeper dwelling. One year later, the husband keeper died by drowning. His wife took over without official approval and kept the light and grounds going. She became the first recognized female keeper the next time the light was inspected. This is one of the 109 lighthouses in Michigan, the most of any state. The museum onsite was wonderful largely because of the stories and info provided by two volunteers, Jack and Tobi Graham, who have extensive knowledge of lighthouses all the way down to the Carolinas. A lifesaving station is also onsite, similar to those made famous on NC’s outer banks. Some historians estimate up to 10,000 shipwrecks occurred on the Great Lakes.

     Next thing was a beautifully restored town from the mid-1850s, now listed as Huron City on the National Register of Historic Places. It all started with a steam powered sawmill and ended with a general store, a hotel and several magnificent homes that still remain.

    In Sebewaing, the Sugar Beet Capital of the World, I saw the big plant of the Pioneer-Big Chief Michigan Sugar Company. There is a huge Sugar Festival associated with this town.

    The last big town for the day was Bay City, birthplace of Madonna and the home of the U.S.S. Edison, a World War ll destroyer named for Thomas Edison. I didn’t see Madonna but did tour the Edison, a very well-done attraction.

      My last stop for the night is a town called Pinconning, the Cheese Capital of Michigan. It is a small town with a nice motel and an all-day breakfast restaurant across the street. A loud train track is next door. I have now left the Thumb and am moving north again on the way toward Mackinac Island. I hope to tell all about this soon, so I will save any description until then. First up tomorrow morning hopefully is a brake repair on my truck, not my bike. Thanks for following along. See you soon!

By David Freeze

By David Freeze

Next Generation Track Club in Texas for Junior Olympics

   Alaiya Neri-Givens is a 9-year-old sprinter for the Next Generation DefendersTrack Club. She was one of about 35 runners and coaches working hard on Monday afternoon at the Salisbury High School track. When practice started at 5:30pm, the air temperature was 92 degrees.

    Alaiya said, “When I was a kid, I went out and ran around the house a lot on my own. And now I can beat most of the boys!” Alaiya loves math in school, but her dream is to be a track star. The next step for Alaiya and these coaches and kids is the National Junior Olympics in Humble, Texas, which is near Houston. She is one of about 70 kids who began practicing and competing in March, and the remaining 40 kids placed well enough in regionals to reach the national competition. Alaiya’s best 100-meter time is 14.08 seconds and she’s shooting for 13 seconds next week.

     Lennox Crutchfield, another 9-year-old, is about to enter 5^th grade. He competes in the long jump, the 100 and 200 meters. He said, “This is my only sport so far, and I want to keep getting better at whatever event I am best at.”

    Head coach for the track club is Shimiah Brooks who was born in Salisbury, then began running AAU track in 2006 at 12 years old. Brooks said, “Track gave me purpose, identity and discipline. I fell in love with the triple jump, then expanded into hurdles and sprints.”  She was a three-time North Carolina State Champion.

     At Clemson University, Brooks was a two-time ACC champion, then later earned two Sun Belt Conference titles at Arkansas State University. Her top collegiate efforts were 13.43 seconds in the 100-meter hurdles and 6.29 meters in the long jump.

    Brooks said,” Now, I use everything I learned as an athlete to shape and lead the next generation of competitors. When I am not coaching, I’m teaching. I love equipping students with practical skills in entrepreneurship, finance, and leadership that will carry them far beyond the classroom. When the opportunity came to launch a competitive AAU track in our hometown, I knew that I had to be part of it!”

     The Next Generation club had a first-time indoor track team earlier this year that took 16 athletes to AAU Indoor Nationals. Jordan Waller became the program’s first national champion and set a national meet record in the process. Jordan Waller runs track already for Salisbury High School. He said, “In the seventh grade at Knox, I thought I was a sprinter, but I fell in love with the 400 meters which is much more mental. I had to decide what I really wanted and now I am very goal oriented.” Waller’s best 400-meter time is 46.08 seconds, and he led most of the track workouts on Monday afternoon. 

          Many of the athletes already compete in various sports for Salisbury High School or will in the future. The track club uses the SHS and Catawba College facilities. The outdoor season typically runs from March through early August, depending on how far the athletes advance in the championship series.

      The AAU Junior Olympic Games take place from July 27 through August 2, which includes seven full days of elite competition. The team will be traveling from Salisbury in 15-passenger vans to create a shared experience that builds team unity. They will be staying in Airbnb’s near the competition venue to keep the environment comfortable, family-style, and focused.

     Brooks said, “This will be a life-changing experience for our athletes. For many of them, it will be their first time traveling out of state and competing on a national stage. Being able to travel all the way to Houston, Texas to represent Salisbury and the state of North Carolina is something they will never forget. They will be surrounded by the top youth athletes from across the country, which will push them to believe in themselves and raise their level of competition.”

       Additional coaches are Nick Summers, Brandon Broadway, Preston Ellis, Harold Reid, Shintara Crutchfield, Duwan Robertson, Justin Lewis and Allen Hines. Coaches are committed to making sure that every athlete gets the attention, development and discipline they need to succeed.  Brooks added, “Each coach brings unique strengths to the table. Together, we are not just building athletes. We are building character, confidence and community!  We are taking over 40 athletes, along with 8 to 10 coaches and assistants, and several parents will be traveling as well to help with supervision, meals, and support.”

      Each athlete’s total cost is around $600 to $750. This includes transportation, lodging, meals, registration, and uniforms. Many parents are traveling alongside their kids to Houston, to support and be fully present for what will be one of the most meaningful moments in their child’s athletic journey. Families cover a portion of the cost. Brooks said, “I always remind our parents this this not just a payment, but an investment in their child’s dream and future. We work hard to ease the financial burden through fundraisers, raffles, a car wash, and generous community donations. The club is grateful for every contribution that helps these kids get to the starting line.”

     A benefit car wash is scheduled at Immunotek at 640 Jake Alexander West in Salisbury on July 19^th from 12-4pm. Car wash donations are $10, and trucks are $20.

        Romar Morris, co-founder and program director of Next Generation, said, “Our goal is to invest in the next generation. I believe that Rowan County has some of the best athletes in the state. The community of the team opens them up and we see parents and kids buying into our program. We want to plant seeds and provide the same opportunities that coaches gave me to create the cycle. We offer a year-round program that includes football and cheerleading, and competing in track makes these kids better in other sports. Look for more to come!”

      The next event for the local running community is the Prediction 5K on August 23^rd at City Park. Look for this and other activities at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

Charlotte Corriher Makes Running Extreme Fun!

       Explaining the title of this column is my first challenge! I am not usually surprised about the capabilities of local runners, but I read with interest Mark Wineka’s column about Charlotte Corriher in 2017, I was floored. How could Charlotte be doing this and I didn’t know about it?

    Charlotte started running in 2004, after losing 25 pounds through improved nutrition and exercise.  She worked her way through local 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons, but then decided to run her first marathon in 2006 through the Team in Training program.  With more marathons, she met members of the 50 States Marathon Club and set her goal to run a marathon in every state.

     After completing the 50 state marathons, people kept asking her “What’s next?” Charlotte said, “Runners I met while living in Charleston convinced me to run further. I fell in love with the atmosphere of ultras, races longer than 50K (31.07 miles) and more relaxed than road races and regular marathons.  Since I am out there longer, and some races tend to be repeated loops of 3-5 miles, there’s more chance to meet and get to know other runners.”

       Charlotte once did three marathons in three days and another time she did three 100-milers in 16 days. She said, “That’s probably the craziest things I have done. That 100-miler schedule came about because in 2021 I had plans for four 100-milers in less than seven weeks (3/27, 4/9, 4/23, 5/15).  I decided to just run 100K at the 4/23 race, to save my legs for the very difficult Keys 100 on 5/15. The next year, I wanted to do the first three and make sure I got to 100 miles in all of them, but that 3rd race moved to the weekend in between the first two…so my mind was set and ready for the challenge.”

     I asked about Charlotte’s training plan to get all these races done. She replied, “Yes, I actually use the races for training, so I really don’t have a set training schedule. And since I run them year-round, there is no ‘off-season’. I may do fewer races in the summertime so I can enjoy living at the beach. I do take days off, but not a set day, as it may depend on my race schedule. I do try to lower my mileage before a race and take a day or two off after a 100-miler.”

       As of this writing, Charlotte has run 180 marathons (they are all 26.2 miles). She has also run 126 ultras. Of these ultras, 33 of them are 100-milers. Charlotte said, “Since I started running, I have 29,657 total miles with 12,621 being races. I am working on my eighth consecutive “Run the Year” (running the number of miles for the year, so 2025 this year).”

     I have written about a lot of serious runners, but none like Charlotte. She is seldom injured and reports her marathon personal best is 4 hours, 13 minutes and 55 seconds, a very respectable time. Charlotte added, “I love the fact that running, and specifically ultra running, is a very accessible sport. I see all ages, paces, body types, and experiences. There are so many races that are welcoming and inclusive, and those are the races I like to support.”

        Now for the festive part and what sets Charlotte apart from other runners. Of her 306 total marathons and ultra races, 302 of them have been done in extensive and uniquely designed costumes. Her motto is, “If you can’t be fast, be festive!”

       Here is a paragraph that explains festive better than I ever could. Charlotte said, “They may slow me down if it’s a hot day, but I’m always committed to finishing the race in my costume. The salmon in Alaska was a family project, as mom and I designed it, mom made it, and my sister Susan painted it. My Space Shuttle from the Space Coast Marathon 2017 even got the attention and approval of a NASA rocket scientist at the finish line.  Since my favorite movie is The Wizard of Oz, my 50 states finish at the 2018 Land of Oz Marathon in Kansas included six different costumes of the characters. Mom drove along and we met at pre-determined places for my costume changes. My costume during the 2022 A Race for The Ages was a tribute to my mom, as I dressed as the different life phases of the Monarch Butterfly when she raises and releases them every year. My 2023 Strolling Jim 42 miler was a tribute to my dad who had just passed. I was dressed as Floyd Carruthers riding Strolling Jim, the first Tennessee Walking Horse National Champion. My grandfather and father both rode Tennessee Walking Horses, and my family attended the National Championship in Shelbyville, TN. for many decades. In longer distances, I try to make my costumes a little simpler, but sometimes I still go a little crazy.”

      Charlotte has never had a major injury. For post-race treats, Charlotte loves Rice Krispies and French fries. She said, “Typically I like red meat for lunch/dinner after a race so a big fat cheeseburger, or nice juicy steak. I used to allow myself to eat anything I wanted for a week after a marathon, but now I am doing them closer together, so I had to cut that back to just a day or two.”

     Charlotte is set to run the 2026 Winter Flight 8K on February 1^st, and she will be the keynote speaker at the SRR meeting and pasta dinner the evening before. Charlotte is a 1986 South Rowan High grad and grew up in Landis.

      Charlotte added, “My sister Susan Corriher lives in Landis, and she helps me with painting some of my costumes. My other sister is Mary, and I have two brothers, Frederick and John. My Dad, Fred Corriher Jr, passed away in 2022, and although he never understood why I wanted to run so many miles, he was still very supportive.  I used to call him every Friday afternoon, typically while I was driving to a race, and we would talk about it. Mom, Kay, usually creates and sews the new costumes back in Landis.”

     More on Charlotte in a later column and at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

The Unique Journey Debra Cress Chose to Better Fitness

    Debra Cress is a long-time volunteer at races and other events in the area. After volunteering with the Girls on the Run program at Enochville Elementary School where her oldest granddaughter was a participant, Debra found a calling. Her daughter, Tonya Kepley, was a teacher and coach for the program and Debra began to volunteer weekly, assisting the teachers and coaches and eventually served as a mentor to many young girls over the years.

     The rest of the family includes son in law Billie Kepley, another daughter Angie Fink and grandson Korben Fink along with three granddaughters, Kyrsten Kepley, Kadence Kepley and Kassie Fink. They all began to do 5K’s together. Debra said, “Along each trail, we talked and encouraged one another to keep pushing and not to give up. The faster ones of us would finish and come back to run with the ones who were a little slower. My son-in-law, Billie Kepley, continues to be an avid runner.”

    On June 25, 2024, Debra’s mom passed away after a vehicle accident. Debra said, “I decided on July 1st to start running/walking at least 10,000 steps a day as a tribute to her life. I have gone as far as 27,000 steps on multiple occasions. Through this journey, I have retired four pairs of Brooks running shoes, the steps and miles have been monumental and each day has been memorable.”

    Now 71 years old, Debra said, “At my age, I felt it was important to keep moving. That’s when I decided to challenge myself to do it for a month, which turned into two months and now a year later I am still going strong. I have had a few unusual days. One night I realized at 11:00 pm that I wasn’t at my goal. My friend Earl took me to the IGA parking lot, and I completed my steps before midnight. Another time during bad weather, he took me to seven or eight different stores so that I could make sure to get my steps in for the day.

    Debra took one of the best and most unique approaches to improving her health that I have ever heard of. She decided to regravel her driveway and had multiple truckloads of new gravel delivered. Each morning following breakfast, Debra used a gallon can, hand scooped the gravel into it and then dumped it on her driveway. Many neighbors offered to use their tractors to quickly get the job done.

    Debra wouldn’t take the help and said, “This had become my new exercise plan and after three months of perseverance, the task was complete. What a feeling of accomplishment it was!”

     She continued, “As a tomboy, I have enjoyed the outdoors all my life. I plan to continue my adventure and see where it leads me. This has been the best spring I can remember with my asthma. Due to walking and being active, I have been able to avoid and prolong various medications and have dropped my weight. It is my goal to live my best life and be as active as possible for as long as I am able! Regardless of the weather, I never give up and continue to push through each day.”

      Debra weighed 177.6 pounds last June 30^th and, on this June 28th, she weighed 161.4. Debra’s food choices have improved, and she also is a proponent of intermediate fasting. Over her lifetime, Debra has also given a total of 97 pints of blood. Her 10,000 steps a day regularly average about five miles, so a good estimate of mileage for the year is just over 1800 miles. Well done! She added, “I almost wore out Cress Road!”

     The next race locally is the Run for the Greenway 5K and Fun Run on July 19^th. And past that, the SRR August Prediction 5K at City Park is set for August 23^rd. Look for more information on both these events and others at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org