Traverse City Adventure: Battle Creek and Kalamazoo

DAY 23 • 3 SEPTEMBER 2017 • MARSHALL

Today’s journey took us to Kalamazoo in southwestern Michigan via Battle Creek. We rode much of the day’s 44 miles on the Battle Creek Linear Park trail which morphed into the Kalamazoo River Valley Trail.  Unlike yesterday, this day’s ride was tougher, with a steady westerly headwind, bumpy trails, trafficky industrial roads and a gritty dryness that tested our patience and civility.  

Becky hates riding in and out of the cities. Traffic, congestion, people without jobs put her on edge.  Doesn't keep it to herself. But despite that she was masterful in her navigation of Google bicycle maps’ twists and turns through the sprawling campus of Western Michigan University where some of the late-arriving students were still moving in.

She earned that bottle of Barefoot pinot Grigio which went down as quickly as a bottle of cold Dasani water.  Dry, westerly headwinds on a warm and sunny day drive the moisture out of a woman.

I countered with a 19.2-ounce can of Founders Session IPA.  A bag of buttery braided pretzel sticks along with the wine and beer took the thorns out of some of our sentences and smiles returned.  

I think some of the road dust worked its way into our dendrites .  Like grease on a squeaky chain, the alcohol helped wash away the grit, allowing the electrical impulses to slide more gracefully across the synapses.  I’m pretty sure I’m 100 percent on this.  Check WebMD.

In the heart of Battle Creek, in a beautiful urban park in front of the Kellogg house and the handsome linear headquarters for the Kellogg Foundation - (Kellogg’s Sugar Corn Pops - Sugar Pops are Tops!) - we came face to face with the nation’s largest sculpture dedicated to the Underground Railroad.  The sculpture depicts the runaway slaves’ escape to freedom in the north and some of the people who helped them along the way. Back in Oberlin, Ohio, we also spent time in two parks dedicated to the Underground Railroad. People struggle mightily and suffer painful sacrifices for freedom.

I’ve included several photos of the impressive Battle Creek sculpture.

This day’s 44 miles hiked our total on this adventure to 850 miles and we’re right on schedule to meet friends in Traverse City by mid-September.