Numbers are great. Better than words. I’ve always enjoyed mathematics more than language. Several times on this I’ve been tempted several times to discuss highway numbers I’ve biked on and their relevance to my situation. I’ve finally found real.

Today I took a detour off of good ole highway 2, and headed north on a highway numbered one of my favorite numbers (and year of my birth), seventy seven. I’ve been on some other pretty great highway numbers, like 3 or 45 or 69; but 77 took the cake, or should I say, the curry and the cake. Just 3 days ago, 77 was not a planned, ride – i would have in fact cruised right past it – but once again I had been offered hospitality, so the detour was green lit. I stopped at the junction of 2 and 77, peed on a BP service station (well, in back of it) and trekked northbound.

Michigan 77 north led me to a road called “10 Curves”, which as I rode it had more than 10 curves. Then some rolling hills on a county road, then a gravel road, then a dirt road, then the lovely home of my Warm Showers hosts, Gary and Jan. Gary is a huge bicycle tourist, Jan is into a lot but discussed fishing at length. Both can cook their butts off and I am so thankful for that.

Vegetarian Japanese curry, homemade bread and homemade jam, and the most amazing salad I’ve ever had in my entire life. Not the mention the homemade chocolate cake for desert, the sun brewed barley tea and the homemade cookies before dinner! Word is there’s coffee and pancakes in the morning!! After a few days living in the rain and guerilla camping in the woods, a shower and a shelter would have been luxury; but the food and conversation have put my stay here into the stratosphere.

Tomorrow I head out to St Ignace with a chance of rain. I’ll be rooting for it not to rain. It will be my last day in the Upper Peninsula; but I’ll certainly be back. I hear the fall colors are amazing and this place definitely deserves some ink space on my body.