We drove for three hours to Ludington, Michigan to spend the night.  We toured the town by bike through the streets, ending up at a brewery pub.  Of course, we had to sample their beer, served at the bar by the brew master himself.  In no time at all we got to talking with three local school teachers and ended up 2 hours later still talking.  It was a school night so they had to get some rest – or we might still be talking!  After saying bye-bye to our new friends, it was time to enjoy some pub burgers and bike our way back to camp.

The next morning was our shortest drive ever - just 2 miles to the car ferry. We and our vehicles cruised across Lake Michigan on the first of the year S.S. Badger crossing.  There was a cute little parade with floats (including a pirate ship) and music to see us off.  Once on board, the local firemen presented a long jet water display from their truck’s tall ladder.  We felt like celebrities on the maiden voyage of a big cruise ship.

There were lots of things to do on board, like eating, sleeping, bingo, shopping.  When we weren’t talking with people, we watched a movie, checked out the gift store and Ann had a mini back rub.  It’s beginning to sound like a real cruise ship!

Four hours later we docked and drove six miles to our next camp in Two Rivers, Wisconsin.  We turned our watches back one hour and are now on Central time in the Midwest.  Two Rivers is a little town situated on the border of Lake Michigan between two rivers, as its name indicates.

A walk in town led us to a gift shop having a last day sale. The owner, Connie, and her two daughters were so nice, and also very generous.  We talked for at least an hour and had a hard time tearing ourselves away.  

One morning we rode the 12 mile (round trip) Rawley Point Trail from Two Rivers to Point Beach State Forest, the best and prettiest bike trail we explored so far.  We ate our lunch on the sand dunes near the lighthouse and watched the waves and seagulls.  We’re still enthralled by the enormity of the Great Lakes and how much they resemble the Atlantic Ocean that we know so well.  Truth be told, we much prefer the calmer waves and shallow water of the lakes for cooling off.

The Stop and Dock Marina was a short but good stop with a great site on the water for bird watching.  Now we’re off to the city of Portage, near the Wisconsin Dells.   But this will be the next chapter of crossing my way across North America!!!