We continued south, past Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore and saw the spot where the energetic tourists climb to the top of the dunes (see photo). Curiously, we found few tourists in Empire but we bought food and checked out the Visitor Center. We got back on the bike for 5 hard miles to the campground. We got a large, shady tent site in open forest. It was another wonderful day!
The highlight of the last part of our day featured hundreds of water birds on McKenna Lake: a shallow, 4-square mile reservoir. We saw white pelicans, geese, several species of ducks, yellow-headed and red-winged blackbirds, and an egret.
As soon as we propped our bikes against Trapper’s Restaurant, the storm arrived. While eating breakfast and drinking coffee, we watched the rain and felt grateful to be inside. After the rain, we traveled eastward, on I-94, past wheat fields on gentle topography. We rode into Dickinson-the largest town thus far- to pump up our tires, mail stuff home, and buy food.
Well caffeinated, we headed uphill- steeply at first- toward Sherman Pass (Elevation 5,575 ft. ) with about 3,000 ft. of elevation gain. As we gained elevation under blue skies, we saw ponderosa pines, Douglas firs, western larches, then true firs in dense forests.
Day 20 on the Continental Divide Trail. Just before I went to bed, I lanced the big blister on my left heel. A torrent of slightly bloody fluid streamed from the hole into my bandana. Will the pressure relief help my heel tomorrow? Last night was cold. I barely stayed warm even with my long John’s and wind jacket.