David Freeze

By David Freeze

Strong legs, better health!

    Strong legs matter! Over my back accident recovery, the most glaring concern was strength and balance with my legs. Early on, I had to be careful with every step and knew the chance of falling had greatly increased.

     As we age, strong legs help boost mobility, stability and independence by protecting joints, reducing falls and improving one’s quality of life. A sturdy lower body can provide plenty of health benefits as well, among them regulating blood sugar and fighting diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Stronger legs allow us to move more, improve our social interactions, and enhance cerebral blood flow and neural development.

    No matter our physical condition, even a minimum walking, sitting down and standing up routine will help to start building and maintaining leg strength. For extra credit, perform 10 squats every 45 to 60 minutes throughout the day, especially if your workday or leisure time involves sitting for extended periods. Over a day, this has been proven to be helpful in regulating blood sugar and is as effective as a 20- to 30-minute walk.

    If you find walking too easy and can manage several sets of 10 to 20 reps of squats in a workout, consider adding a weight vest or carrying dumbbells. Weight vests are gaining popularity, especially when you can just go about your daily activities while wearing one. Add stairs or hills to your walk to make it harder. You can also replicate this leg workout on stationary bikes or elliptical machines by increasing the resistance or incline, respectively.

    For those who already train in the gym with weights, keep doing it and never stop. Whether you use kettlebells, dumbbells or machines, the added resistance training will continue to improve and maintain your leg strength. If you haven’t tried this routine, get a jump on resolution time ahead of your friends. The stability and durability of your lower body are the foundation of your longevity, because continued movement leads to a happier, healthier life.

   Mix a cardio option with leg strength training in circuits such as the following. Repeat three to four times:

• Walk, jog or bike for 5 minutes.
• Air squats 10 reps
• Lunges 5 reps per leg
• Kettlebell deadlifts 5-10 reps

     Research suggests that maintaining strong legs can support an improved quality of life physically, mentally and emotionally. What is good for the legs is also good for the heart, lungs and brain.

More benefits of strong legs include:

They can improve cognitive aging. Lower-body strength is associated with both cognitive aging and overall brain structure. Long-term, lower-body activity designed to enhance leg power may contribute to achieving the broader objective of promoting healthy cognitive aging.

They can result in fewer falls for the elderly. Lower body strength should be one of the factors assessed and treated in older adults at risk for falls.

They improve quality of life and make us more mobile. For older adults with and without mobility issues, a decline in muscle mass, strength, power and physical performance increases the fear of falling. That possible outcome keeps us from wanting to be social, leading to a decline in overall quality of life and affecting our mental and physical health.

Calf muscle size can help the heart. The calf muscle pump, or CMP, serves as an integral part of the cardiovascular system by facilitating venous return from the legs to the heart.

    Locally, our next race is the October 4^th Back Creek Church Harvest Run 5K and Fun Run for kids, 9 and under. If you love running through scenic rural countryside, this is your race. A high-quality commemorative shirt, a pancake breakfast and great awards for nine age groups in the 5K add to the amenities for a run/walk where proceeds will benefit various Christian ministries.

     Look for these and plenty of other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

Another 100 miler for Kenneth Todd

    Kenneth Todd is Rowan’s premier ultra-runner, meaning distances at or longer than 50 kilometers or 32 miles. On October 4^th, he completed ‘The Hennepin Hundred’ which is Illinois’ only point to point all trail ultramarathon.  It started in Rock Falls and finished in Colona.

   Todd chose this race since it is a qualifier for the Western States 100 in California, one of the top 100-mile races in the world, with only 369 runners allowed per year. He originally planned another race but his daughter was selected to be on the South Rowan homecoming court on the same day. With Western States qualification races ending in November for the June 2025 race, Todd found the Hennepin race. It already had a waitlist of 11 runners, yet he got in a couple days later.

     Todd went alone, a challenge in itself!  Many runners have a support crew that follows the runner from aid station to aid station assisting with lubing feet, filling water bottles, purchasing a pizza, etc.   

Todd said, “Sunrise at the Rock Falls start was incredible. It was a rough day on the course, as the temperature soared to over 90 degrees. My watch tracked the high temperature at 99 degrees. It was an incredible experience, even with the hot day. The flat course follows a canal trail. Finishing a 100-mile race is always a great accomplishment. This was my 10^th finish of 100+ miles. Being able to call home and say, ‘I did it’ after such a hot day was a blessing.”

      The aid stations at every 4 to 6 miles are stocked with water, gels, candy, cookies, peanut butter sandwiches, soup, crackers, chips, all the fun stuff! Other ultra-runners work the stations because they know the pain, struggle, and challenges that participants face. They say the right things and help runners keep moving down the trail towards the finish.

     Todd said, “It is so easy to quit. The heat got to me pretty bad. At mile 68, I threw up due to heat exhaustion. I met different runners, with a couple memorable ones. During the long miles, we talk about ‘life’. At ultra races, we learn about kids and their activities, where they are from, favorite sports teams, careers, etc. It is our way to put the pain and discomfort away for a mile or two while we chat with our fellow runners.”  

   This was Todd’s 12^th ultra race finish. He said, “They all have their own unique traits that I enjoy!  My first 100, the Black Mountain Monster was a 24-hour race over a 3-mile loop course in Black Mountain. Umstead was my next 100 that I finished in 22 hours. The Abingdon, Virginia Yeti 100, is another beautiful course along the Creeper trail. The OBX 200 along the Outer Banks and my only 200-mile race. The Pinhoti 100 and Indiana Trail 100s were both completed with my great friend Stu Stepp.  All of these have special places in my heart!” 

    When asked about his feelings afterwards, Todd said, “Accomplished! 100 miles is a very hard thing to do. It is more mental than physical. An ultra runner needs to be in great physical shape, but it is much more a mental challenge. I was dehydrated, will lose a couple toenails, have blisters on my feet, legs are sore, but otherwise all good. Typical day at the ‘100-mile’ office!”

   Todd will apply for the Western States in November, with the drawing held in December. About 10,000 runners apply for 369 spots. With each completed qualifying race, his odds increase.  With five qualifying races, Todd has his fingers crossed.

    Next, Todd will be running the Black Canyon 100k in Arizona in February as his qualifier for 2027. Todd’s brother lives in Arizona and said, “It will be a great opportunity to see him, and I hope to talk him into being my crew! And I am still eyeing completing a marathon in all 50 states, I am up to 43 states currently.” 

    Todd’s wife, Jennifer, is a VA nurse, and has completed a couple half marathons. His oldest daughter, Mackenzie, a freshman at Georgia Southern University, ran cross country at Carson for a couple of years. Youngest daughter, Addison, a sophomore at South Rowan, is into cheer and is starting to take up golf.

    Todd is 49 years old and the Senior Director of Sales for Fresh Del Monte. He said, “I sell fruits and vegetables to regional retailers in the mid-Atlantic and northeast.” 

   SRR’s “Do the Double” is available next Saturday, October 18^th,  with Spencer’s Race to the River 5K and China Grove’s Rotary Fall Crawl 5K. Look for more information on both races and plenty more at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

The Joy of the Daily Run and a Few Tips

    The heat and humidity of recent early morning runs have been a challenge for sure. I get up early and check a small weather station, but it doesn’t matter much what it says. I’m going for a run shortly afterwards and I’m excited! Granted, I have more reason to be excited about the daily run than most. Eleven months ago, I couldn’t run but I desperately wanted to. My broken spine wouldn’t allow it.

   On Tuesday morning, I celebrated a breeze at 5:30am. Wednesday out the door had 67 degrees. The still very high humidity seemed less oppressive because of that joyful breeze and cooler morning. The soaked air and building fog of recent mornings continues. I ran east and then south for the first three miles, just so I could run back into the north breeze and savor the cooling effects for the rest of six miles. Little things!

   But little things bring the most joy on a daily run. In late August, we have lots of super dark mornings at 5:30am. Good for views of the stars and the moon. I keep reading about the occasional meteor showers, but it seems we never get the big ones here. But any falling star is magical to me. I make a wish and follow it with a prayer while still running.

    Out here in the country, we don’t get a lot of traffic early, but I see many of the same cars each day. I can’t be sure since I can only see their headlight patterns. Sometimes, they forget to dim their lights but more likely I will get a light horn tap of recognition. I enjoy waving back.

    Get a good watch and soon you will know exactly what the time, pace and distance of your run is and likely a few other things worth noting. I don’t take time to analyze all the data, but the big three of time, pace and distance matter. I have been running almost daily for over 46 years, and I still get excited to turn on the watch each morning. The best watches suggest a workout and I also get excited when it suggests a rest day just before I click dismiss so we can go start the run.

    Even if you don’t run or walk in the super early morning like I do, wear good shoes and bright clothing. Good shoes don’t come from the big box stores, the best of them are in the stores where people know and specialize in running shoes. My favorite quote is “Don’t go to a store where the guy who sold shotguns yesterday then gets assigned to running shoes today.” Every runner or walker needs a good analysis of their feet and when done, you’ll be glad you did. Ralph Baker Shoes has the experts locally.

   The bright clothing matters. Be seen if you run/walk on the roads or sidewalks, or even in the parks. Wear bright shirts and reflective gear to increase your chances of being seen even if the driver is distracted. Let someone know your route and vary it so you won’t be predictable.

    Use that good watch to help yourself set and monitor goals. With good data, use it to challenge yourself.

   On the flatter ground past a mile, I usually enjoy kicking the pace up a notch. Some days, I can’t but I almost always try. Every run will be different and some of the best ones will be a surprise. The poor ones make you fitter and help you celebrate the better days.

   You’ll finish with a good sweat, better clarity and confidence and maybe a few problems solved. For sure, if you run in the morning, you’ll be ready to take on the day.

   We are ready to start the fall Beginning Runners Class on Thursday, September 4^th at the Salisbury PD. We have plenty of room, wonderful speakers and encouragers. The temperatures will get cooler as the class continues for eight weeks. For more information and how to sign up, or for other event info, go to www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

By David Freeze

Watches and more!

   I have had numerous running watches over the years. I began running way back when we had to go drive a course for a fairly accurate measurement. Since my back injury last May, every mile run or walked has become more precious. I have owned a Garmin 265, a mid-range quality watch, for a little more than two years and I love it!  It is used only for running and treated well, and it is the most accurate measure of distance, pace and speed that I have ever had. The heart rate is also very accurate, and I love following it along the way. For about 10 years, I wore out a couple of Garmin 410XT’s for my purposeful walking, mowing, spraying, and especially for five months of the walks during the early recovery from the broken back. The last one died last week, so I bought an Ezon something from Amazon for $47. I found out right away that my choice was a bad one.

   I remember one day years ago running a proposed course at Dan Nicholas Park to be used for a new 5K. I ran it with one of SRR’s best female runners ever, Trudy Gale. We both wore the same watch and ran side by side. Our times were 4 hundredths different on the 5K course. We all have favorite routes that almost never measure exactly the same. Online measuring tools like Strava and Map-My-Run are close but not exact. As I remind others often, the only accurate measure of any course is a wheel. That is why only the wheel or a calibrated bicycle can be used for course certification. Yet a good running watch is very close.

    Back to the Ezon, it appears to be a Chinese made watch and is a challenge to set up. Here are a few things I didn’t like. The watch function is chosen by matching time zones to a large city. I chose NYC, the only one on Eastern time but that one was an hour off, and I had to choose a Canadian city to get the time right. The longest distance the watch could measure was a 5K. And the kicker—after accessing GPS for measuring distance, I sat down in my chair inside. I hear a ding shortly after and was surprised that I had just covered one kilometer, then soon another. This was not the watch for me, so it is on the way back to Amazon.

    I longed for an affordable Garmin and searched Amazon for the right one that could take a beating from farm work. I didn’t need all the extra data. Just time, pace and distance. I searched E-Bay and found plenty of Garmin 305 watches, similar to the 410XT. I found one that looked new and had free delivery for $25. I ordered it on Sunday from Seattle, Washington, and daily tracking kept me posted where it was. The watch that does look new arrived on Saturday and I couldn’t be happier.

    New high-end watches are approaching $1,000 quickly. When I bought my Garmin 265, it was about $265. The best one is about $450 now with training metrics and recovery insight, other versions are just under $400. My just arrived basic Garmin 305 Forerunner is now 15 years old and was $25 plus tax delivered. It is all about time, pace and distance. It won’t make calls, answer texts or propose a training plan, but most of us really don’t need it to? Lots of other affordable E-bay options are available.

     Almost two weeks ago on a Friday evening, I was mowing along the road frontage on my farm. It was wet and my walk-behind pro mower slipped into the ditch. I couldn’t wrestle it out and the sun was setting. I started walking back to get a tractor to pull it out when I noticed a van had stopped and was backing out of my driveway. The van came back down the road slowly and the driver, one of three teen girls in the van, asked, “Can we help you get your mower out of the ditch?” I thanked them and told them that a tractor was available. I just hope they read this and know they made my day just for offering!

    The next race locally is the Hugh Bost Memorial 5K and Fun Run in Rockwell on September 6th. Look for this event, the fall beginning runners class and a lot of others at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org  

By David Freeze

Memories of the Good Times

    I think about a lot of things while running. And I think about running when I am doing other things. Today included an afternoon of farm work, some hard and some not so much. Plenty of time to think and prepare this column.

     My best 20 minutes of running ever—Actually it was my first time breaking 17 minutes in a 5K with a time of 16 minutes and 50 seconds. The 5K was held at Davidson College when I was in my 30’s. I don’t remember much else about it except that it was very competitive. 16:50 running and 3:10 recovering while happy with the effort.

     My best hour of running— 58 minutes and 46 seconds completing the Winter Flight 10 miler. Yes, for a few years, there was a 10-miler associated with the historic race. I consider this my best race ever in a field loaded with a dozen or so regional class runners. I think I was about 18^th in the race, showing the quality of the field.

    My best 3 hours of running—The Jacksonville Marathon (26.2 miles) in 1980 in Florida, the first of 16 sub 3-hour marathons, this one at 2:58.26 seconds. This was my second marathon, and the excellent time came after failing to break three hours in the 1980 New York City Marathon seven weeks earlier. This was the only time I remember tears coming while finishing a race. Jacksonville became my favorite marathon course, all flat with some dirt and packed sand next to the road, good for running.

   My best 4 hours of running—A tie between another NYC Marathon and a Memphis Marathon, both of them run with a longtime female friend. Good for us both that she didn’t make the long list of ex-wives. The Memphis Marathon had a photo opportunity on Beale Street and on a flatbed trailer in front of Graceland, both of which I still have.  

    Another best 4 ½ hours of running—An early Sunday morning run from home to Statesville in 1986 for breakfast (pancakes at Shoney’s) with my then wife and two daughters. At 32 miles, it was my first ultra-marathon distance. Running was so easy then!

    Best day of running—The final day of my run across North Carolina from Murphy to Manteo while pushing a baby jogger loaded with my gear. I started on Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, in Colombia, NC at about 4am. Colombia is black bear country, and one resident warned me, “You will see a bear if you leave early. Don’t carry any food!” With a group waiting for me in Nags Head, I ran/walked in the pitch-black early morning and prayed for the sunrise. I never saw a bear and made the Nags Head Pier about 12 hours later, completing 660 miles across NC as a tribute to longtime friend Ed Dupree. Daily average was 28.1 miles, more than a marathon a day.

    Best moment of running ever– With my granddaughter, Monroe “Booper” Bishop, completing 100,000 lifetime running and walking miles at Catawba College on April 18, 2025. This plateau came 11 months and 3 days after breaking my back in a farming accident.

    Second best was the successful first two-mile run on October 26, 2024, when I tried running after the kyphoplasty done by Dr. Eugene Eline stabilized my back.

   My latest book is Faith in the Miracle, One Man’s Quest to Complete 100,000 Running Miles After a Broken Back. It is the recap, beginning on the evening of the accident, of all the important moments during the most important journey of my life. The highlights include how God placed three important people there to help.  Father and Son’s Produce will again have the book locally within several weeks.

    Our next race locally is the Run for the Word 5K in Landis next Saturday, September 13^th. The race benefits the South Rowan Bible Teachers Association, responsible for providing the salary and benefit package for three teachers who serve five schools. Once again, Barney Fife and Sheriff Andy will be on hand, with Fife actually running the race this year to get free ice cream available to participants.

    Look for this and other upcoming events at www.salisburyrowanrunners.org

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!