100: 100, nirvana, views from the bench, idlewild, big brown trout, off trail, let's shoot this too!, lois, walhalla and eden, mosquitoes that don't suck, shred, hobo caddy, walleye, small bait, bold, being stalked, first glimpse, I unlisted it - My Midlife Crisis - CycleBlaze
100: 100, nirvana, views from the bench, idlewild, big brown trout, off trail, let's shoot this too!, lois, walhalla and eden, mosquitoes that don't suck, shred, hobo caddy, walleye, small bait, bold, being stalked, first glimpse, I unlisted it
Chase to Ludington
It seems weird... this is my 100th day of the bike trip. Tempus fugit.
As I was loading my bike this morning, I heard the sound of guns in the nearby forest, although they sounded more like cannons. Clearly, one needs cannon-sized guns in order to shoot deer, or plastic models of deer.
This is the 40 acres the camper was on. There's still a lot of smoke from the Canadian wildfires.
The trees look too tall and the bench looks too new for there to have previously been a view. Was the placement accidental ("I put an IKEA desk together last week, so don't you tell me I don't know what I'm doing!") or intentional ("In memory of Dave, who loved to look at trees")?
I considered spending the night here in Idlewild last night, but the cost is way too expensive, especially for a town of 1,000 people - plus there's a two-night minimum stay.
Maybe it has to do with the fact that in the first half of the 1900s, Idlewild was one of the few resorts in the entire country where African-Americans were allowed to vacation, and to purchase property.
It was called the "Black Eden of Michigan," and from 1912 through the mid-1960s, Idlewild was an active year-round community visited by well known entertainers and professionals from all over the country. At its peak, it was one of the most popular resorts in the entire Midwest, and as many as 25,000 people visited here during the summer to go camping, swimming, boating, fishing, hunting, horseback riding, roller skating, and to enjoy the nightlife. However, when the 1964 Civil Rights Act opened up other resorts to African Americans, Idlewild's boomtown period diminished significantly, although, apparently not enough for them to start charging a reasonable amount for a hotel.
This is the World's Largest Brown Trout Sculpture (yes, World's Largest). The Baldwin River runs through Baldwin, Michigan (three miles from Idlewild), and was the unplanned site of the first-ever planting of brown trout in the United States. In 1884, fry (young trout) were being transported in milk cans by rail.
In order to save them, the fry were released into the Baldwin River from a bridge half a mile from this sculpture. The river watershed is now known as a world-class, blue-ribbon trout fishing stream.
There was no shoulder, but very little traffic all day. There are some townships after Baldwin, but nowhere to get any food, so I needed to make it all the way to Ludington, on Lake Michigan. It's more than 50 miles, so I set the timer on my watch and stopped once an hour to eat a protein bar.
There were a lot of ups and downs now that I'm off the Rail Trail. Also, the mosquitoes were out in full force… a high-pitched buzzing in both ears started immediately every time I stopped. They must've been males because although they were swarming all around me, dozens, I didn't get a single bite (only female mosquitoes bite).
As soon as I arrived in Ludington I found a place to eat. As promised, I haven't posted many food photos, but this blackened walleye was particularly good.
If you recall from yesterday's post, Alex said I wouldn't have to pay for the AirBnB. However, when I looked at my credit card statement, I was charged $90.00. I messaged him through the app and asked about it as tactfully as possible: "Were you serious when you said 'If you are interested in just the night I'd literally let u stay there for free.'?" Then, as a bonus, I added, "Also, I cleaned the place up a bit (rugs, countertops, etc) and took out the trash."
His response said that he's going to unlist it today, and doesn't know how to refund it through the app. After a three-second google search, I found out how to do it, and replied, "As a host, you're able to issue a full or partial refund to guests, but it needs to be done within 72 hours. I really don't think it should be free, but maybe $25 or $30 seems fair. Google or ChatGPT will tell you how to do a partial refund."
A couple of hours later, he refunded me $40.00, so I messaged him again:
"Just to clarify: I was charged $90.00, and got the $40.00 you sent, so are you thinking that $50.00 is an okay price for a night in the camper?"
He seemed to think that the issue would be fixed by unlisting it: "The app set the price and I received 72.50 so I apologize I didn’t realize you paid more or they had such a surcharge. I unlisted it."
It appears he either thinks unlisting it solves the problem, or doesn't know how to add or subtract. Or both.
Adam ZamoraThese last couple of days have reminded me of my ODRAM (One Day Ride Across Michigan) ride. I feel like it was Luddington or Muskegonish to Bay City. I don't remember exactly. It was from before I started recording my rides on RideWithGPS. I could probably go look at my jersey... Reply to this comment 4 months ago
Mark BinghamTo Adam ZamoraODRAM sounds impressive, about 150 miles in a single day. I opted for a different ride. You may or may not have heard of it: the MRRSAMTAUFD.
(Mark Rides Ridiculously Slow Across Michigan, Taking An Unbelievable Four Days) Reply to this comment 4 months ago
Today's ride: 52 miles (84 km) Total: 2,704 miles (4,352 km)
Rate this entry's writing
Heart
13
Comment on this entry
Comment
2
marilyn swettSince you said you would be in Ludington for a few days, you should check out the great ice cream at the House of Flavors. Reply to this comment 4 months ago
Mark BinghamTo marilyn swettI absolutely will. It is, after all, ice cream, which is something you may have noticed I have a fondness for. :-) Reply to this comment 4 months ago
