9/15/2025. Monday
Bay City to Frankenmuth MI
Stats; Miles: 46 AIS: 4:12 Speed: 11mph. Elev. 324 ft.
Leaving Bay City this morning it was easy to get out of town and on the backroads… no drawbridges to cross. There was about 1/2 mile of bike trail but I haven’t changed my mind on Bay City having very good bike infrastructure as compared to other cities and towns in Michigan on our route.
Once we were out of town, the backroads we travelled were smooth and quiet. We even had a few that were gravel that was also very good. We tried twice to get close enough to see Lake Huron but there was too much marsh before the shoreline. Just a glimpse or two. We gave up and said goodbye to Lake Huron. That was going to be as far east as we are going to travel in Michigan. We headed south for about 20 miles and then turned west. We will be heading west all week back to Lake Michigan.
Along our way to catch a glimpse Lake Huron were these big ditches where they were pumping water to irrigate. The ditch had the prettiest thick green algae. Along the ditch it looked like pampas grasses.
The map below is at the point where we were turning south toward Frankenmuth …our destination today. This map gives you perspective on where we are geographically.
(This is a description my friend
Curt could relate to)
We really enjoyed the quietness of today’s ride and all the small farms, so neat and tidy. The crops seemed to be corn, sorghum, soybeans and sugar beets. A few big trucks now and then but mostly it was just the two of us for 44 miles. Almost no wind today… we could feel the warm humidity that we haven’t noticed up until today but it was very comfortable riding.
It is not finished yet.
Arrived in Frankenmuth… a Bavarian themed town about 1pm today. We walked around a little bit of it before heading to our campground and again after dinner. They say 3 million people visit this town annually. Today was nice and quiet… perfect!
We did pass several Zehnder farms today.
Our campground is a little one right in town operated by the Lutheran Church. The guy Gary who is camp host was a really nice guy. Lots of long term rv are parked here. Quiet and small.
Frankenmuth was not originally going to be a destination but merely a pass-through. We actually had never heard of it but more than one person asked us if we were going there that we rerouted a bit and made today’s destination. It really is a special little place but I’m glad we hit it on a Monday.
Things I See…
Remember the Jeeps and ducks on the dashboard? Well I guess it’s a thing! We have seen it about 4 times now and friends have told me they’ve seen it in LA too! So this Jeep was near me and I had as chance to ask about the ducks and take another duckling photo! Then a lady on the street told me she collects them from vending machines! She gave me a “girl” one to go with Mich. When I get her mounted I’ll take picture.
This house! Our first house was a rock house about the same size as this cute one but only one story. It was in Miles City, Montana. So I have a thing for rock houses too! The rocks on this one have a beautiful design
Tomorrow we ride to Chesaning… another Halloween RV Campground! But first we are hoping/planning to stop in downtown Saginaw to look up the genealogy of my maternal Grandmothet. With any luck we will find her birth certificate or baptismal certificate from 1884!
cinnicrew 