From Clare MI to Batavia, NY via Ann Arbor, Oberlin & Cleveland OH

 Fri. 7/1 :  Clare to Owosso

Breakfast at Cops & Donuts, of course  

The sticky buns were warm... then an 80-mile ride south to Owosso.  While riding the wide, smooth shoulder of US 127, the sheriff pulls up behind me in his black SUV and politely suggests I get off the highway... even though it's legal, he was uncomfortable having me ride there... so we crammed the bike into the SUV, and they took me about 15 miles down the road.  I then rode back roads with no shoulders into Owosso.  

Sat. 7/3 - Ann Arbor

Pleasant ride to Ann Arbor.  My reward was a good corned beef sandwich at Zingerman's deli.  Easily as good as anything in NYC.

Sun. 7/4 - Perrysburg :  Toledo area truck stop

The truck stop where I-280 and I-80, Ohio Turnpike meet is about as exciting as Toledo itself.  I've stayed in Toledo before... so I know these things.  Also, staying there, about 20 miles west of Toledo means that Oberlin, the next day's ride is feasible (75 miles) instead of 90 miles.   Since it was going to be over 90 deg. the next morning and humid, minimizing that ride was important.

Mon. 7/5 - Oberlin in the heat

The truck stop restaurants (Dennys and Iron Skillet) near my run-down hotel allegedly are open 24 hours, but actually don't open until 6AM, likely because they can't find enough workers to keep it open during the graveyard shift, a common problem now.  I headed out at 4:45AM and ended up with a breakfast of some pretty pathetic donuts from the truck stop store.  

However, most of the ride to Norwalk (about 25 miles from Oberlin) was on paved dedicated bicycle paths.  By the time I got to Norwalk at 11:15 it was already in the upper 80's, so I got a taxi the rest of the way to Oberlin, and dropped into Gibson's... the bakery and grocery that's right next to campus and has been operating since 1855.  

Sunrise over Ohio farmland

Kiwanis is everywhere

My accommodations were a lovely AirBnB in Oberlin.  A room and bathroom in a very large house that was built in 1885 and well kept up and renovated.  Deb and Dave were my hosts.  It was lovely!

Tue. 7/6 - Oberlin and Cleveland with Dave and Joy

Breakfast at Gibson's. 
The Cinnamon Swirls and Apple Fritters were still warm when I got there.

On the porch of Shurtleff College with Dave.  This was our dorm in 1971/72.  

Selfie with Giles Waldo Shurtleff.  

We then did a pretty comprehensive driving tour of Cleveland's western lakeshore region and downtown.  Then we had more great corned beef at Slyman's

Hung out with Dave and Joy for the rest of the afternoon.   Had planned to stay there, but rain was forecast fot the next day, so I decided to take the train to Buffalo.  Train was scheduled to depart @ 5:50AM, so staying at a nearby hotel in downtown Cleveland made more sense.

Wed. 7/7 - Training cause of raining

Of course, Amtrak was 45 minutes late... but at least it was dry.  Got off at Buffalo / Depew, which is only 32 miles from Batavia where I'm staying tonight.  Before heading out I had this:

Short stack cinnamon bun pancakes at Campfire Grill.
A Sugar high

Tomorrow, it'll be raining most of the day, as well as Friday.  Likely won't be riding until Sat.