8/29/2025 Fish Fry Friday
Manistique to Naubinway MI
Stats: 46 mi. AIS: 3:49 Speed: 12.0 mph. Elev. 610 ft
Could be a possible speed record today. It did feel like we were moving pretty good today. Far less wind than the last couple of days!
We woke up to 41’F. Chilly chilly. I noticed that the laundry room had a nice long counter and three chairs. Perfect place for us to make our oatmeal and coffee breakfast. No one at an RV park is doing laundry at 7:30am. If they’re up they’re walking their dogs or using the restrooms. Worked really well for us and it was warm!
The usual 9:15 departure with a quick stop at a grocery store for apples and bananas. We weren’t riding long when I spotted this amusement putt putt golf course, kids playground and ice cream joint. It was the bicycles along the perimeter that caught my eye.
Next up in the interesting things in Manistique was an actual Drive In Theater owned by the community still in business
A few miles after Manistique there was really nothing for 13 miles. We usually take a short “butt break” every 10 miles. There was a post office at mile 13 so we pulled in to take a short break. While we were there the post woman stepped out and said hello. Mentioned how cold it was this morning but she refuses to grab a jacket because then she won’t acclimate when it’s really, really frozen north cold! She went back inside and Jim commented that the beer tender at the microbrewery last night said the exact same thing! Then I remembered the older dyed blonde lady with the green eyeshadow from the brewery! (Couldn’t forget her). Yup… same lady. She works 3 jobs… post office all day, brewery after 5, and Fish Fry Fridays somewhere else I’ve forgotten! Sorry no photo. Michigan nice
Moving quickly along the highway, we stopped about 11:45 at a highway rest stop/picnic area. Good thing we chose that because there was not another one the rest of the day. Once again another one of our 10 mile stops was a cannabis shop in the middle of nowhere.
Until we met a young man named Caden traveling on the shoulder we had seen only one other cycle tourer just out of Saumico WI. Caden was a really nice young man (guessing late 20-early 30) who has been traveling by bicycle for months (years?). He’s a videographer… no hint how he pays for his travel. He travels very lightly with his cat Marilyn and has absolutely nothing new or fancy on his old bicycle so he’s not sponsored by cycling products. I’m guessing his camera equipment is good! Anyway he has ridden across the US 7 times! He often camps at Fire Stations. He’s visited like 500 fire stations or police stations while bicycling. He’s got the patches on his vest and panniers to prove it. He started in New Hampshire and was turning south along the Lake Michigan shoreline and headed south. You can check him out on Facebook or Instagram @CalebplusMarilyn.
Shortly after leaving Caleb (6 miles) we were in Naubinway. The northernmost point on Lake Michigan. Very small town with a Snowmobile Museum… which happens to be a Harvest Host! I did not realize this but thought I’d ask if we could camp behind the museum for the night. The manager Charlie said yes as a matter of fact we could! He’s a Harvest Host! There are 2 RV’s camped here and our two tents. $5 (price of admission to camp).
Since it’s Friday… it’s Fish Fry in the UP. Paul found the Cove Bar along the shore. It was busy for dinner tonight. We had the choice of Whitefish, Perch or Blue Gill including a massive salad bar, soup and dessert. Plenty of food! The salad bar had lots of choices including fresh lettuces and spinach with lots of toppings. We ate all of it… except maybe the soup. And a happy hour draft of microbrew or any beer was $1.75.
After dinner we road to the marina where there’s a sign for the northernmost point on Lake Michigan…
The highway was busy, busy today with people headed to enjoy the Labor Day weekend. There were lots of motorized boats, campers, vehicles hauling kayaks , canoes and bicycles. Dozens and dozens of kayaks. It’s definitely recreation country up north in the UP!
Tomorrow we ride to St Ignace. (ig-niss). We have a layover day. Looking forward to laundry, bicycle lubing and walking around. We also have a motel.
cinnicrew 