• Todays 70 mile ride took us from Bayfield, Wisconsin to Bessemer, Michigan. Just 12 miles into our ride it appeared … the purple cow! Although Molly had alread cycled past I insisted on stopping. While I've heard that many long distances cyclists just go, go, go … this is not my style. Eventually Molly circled back to see what had become of her husband!

While pausing for a picture with Flossie at 6:50 am, when I turned around the Woodcarver's son was outside in the dawn light "checking me out". I gave him a bright cheery "Good Morning" and noted how the purple cow had pulled me in off my bike to his front yard. This led to a pleasant conversation, and Molly and I were invited for a private tour of the artist's studio even though it was not yet 7am. Wow! The cow was cool, but the other carvings were dramatic and beautiful. There was a hand carved grandfathers clock which was a piece of art.

Do you stop when cycling? I do, and always will … no missed purple cows for me!

When in Washburn, Wisconsin … visit the Woodcarver: http://thesawdustfactory.weebly.com

The rest of the day's cycling included other neat stops including the Finnish American museum and park near Ironwood. While today's route via US 2 was not my favorite, the traffic was not bad, and the semi trucks were few.

We've now put Wisconsin behind us, and the U.P. awaits us.

One final comment … My thanks to the car drivers who politely honked and gave us waves or thumbs up. As the miles mount, the encouragement of strangers to keep cycling is welcome!

If you would like to read the rest of the Trans Superior Tour daily journal reports, please visit the long distance cycling portal, Crazy Guy On A Bike.  The links are provided just below the photographs.

Click upon any photo to view at full size.

What a great day … nary a cloud all day and the temperature was perfect. At 6:50 when we started our ride at the Richard Bong Museum in Superior, it was calm, sunny and 43F. By the afternoon we warmed up to 70F and had a great tail wind pushing us on our 80 mile ride to Bayfield. If you've never seen Lake Superior, you need to come up to the North Country. We even had the unexpected pleasure of meeting Bruce Lindgren, the co-chair of the Lake Superior Binational Forum, when we pulled over to check out a neat building in Herbster, Wisconsin. Bruce is to be commended on his efforts to protect the lake we love.

The only item which was not perfect about the ride was having the large hills for the last 25 miles of our ride. However, upon arriving in Bayfield we solved this problem with a large wild berry smoothee!

Day 2 is only 70 miles of biking. Should be easy after today's 80.

Here are two photos … one just before we started and the other at an oldest Finnish windmill built by immigrants back in 1900. Click to maximize.

Posted with Blogsy

I don't want your money … just your body! Two days from now Molly (my wife) and I leave on the Trans-Superior Tour. Over the course of 9 days we will bicycle 500 miles along and across Lake Superior. I'll admit the Isle Royale National Park backpacker ferries will help us "bicycle" across Gitche Gumee.  (Lake Superior Facts)

Okay … why do I want your body?

While Molly (her blog) and I are biking in support of Lake Superior, please consider taking a bike ride during the next 2 weeks which at some point takes you along your favorite stream, river or lake. After your ride please do two things:

1. Do some reseach, and find a web site which is dedicated to a favorite local water resource.
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2. Visit the Lake Superior Binational Forum Facebook Page and add a comment in support of our ride (Rich and Molly's Trans Superior Tour). Let us know via the Facebook site about your local ride and web resource.

That's it! I don't want your money, just your body. Take a bike ride and help raise awareness about the need to protect both Lake Superior and your local streams / rivers / lakes. Thank you!

In closing I want to let you know about Earth Hour and Andy Ridley (Executive Director). Earlier this year while attending Yammer's Customer Advisory Board Meeting, I met Andy and learned about his global non-profit organization. Earth Hour is using Yammer as a means of extending his team's reach to all it's thousands of volunteers across the world in support of saving our planet. He challenged the board members to make a difference. I hope in my small way I am achieving that goal.

• Read our daily journal via Crazy Guy on a Bike! (detailed route maps)
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• Happy Cycling! (click to maximize either image)