Across Lake Mitchigan to Milwaukee.

Milwaukee

Lake Michigan was kind to us today and we got flat, calm glassy water until the last 2 hours when it chopped up just a little. The trip was 72 nm and took 10.4 hours. However we did have fog banks either rising ahead or behind us. We were crossing a major shipping route and also had a 40 mph ferry which went back and forwards three times on the same route as us so we had to keep alert. Fortunately Ted has AIS which is an on board GPS that detects and transmits info about vessels (who also have AIS) near you ; size, speed, name, etc. The ferry called them and warned to keep 1 mile off their track (due to the fog we presume – they do not have exclusive use). We found dockage down town near the Discovery Museum - a new an innovative science & technology museum we wanted to see. In fact we were very close to all sorts of Museums and Memorials on a very large park and harbour where we walked that evening and saw at least 4 weddings.

Next morning we got the bikes out to go touring. The Discovery museum was very innovative and kids would love it (hands on stuff) but we did too – I tried out a bed of nails!! We also checked out the War Memorial. We gave up biking into downtown as it was very hot & further than we thought. We decided to dinghy in after dinner (in Ted's dinghy – ours only has oars) but as it was nearing dusk the police launch stopped us and stated that we needed navigation lights on a motorised vehicle and also 'was the dinghy registered ?' No – so we quickly turned round and headed for the boat before they decided to think further and issue us with a ticket. To top off the evening the winch cable broke as Ted was lifting the dinghy back up on to the upper deck and it fell back into the water with a loud crash – but no serious damage done.

The next day was Labour Day and we biked to the Harley Davidson Museum. This would be one of the best laid out, informative and modern museums we have seen. To add value to the day it was also a Harley Davidson meet weekend so there were bikes & riders everywhere. The waitress said over 3000 bikes were there and they had 1000 through the restaurant on Sunday. Prices were reasonable -most good museums do a seniors price and usually no more than $12 each. We also had a great lunch there.

We biked back to the boat and met Jonathan & Rosa (much younger couple than most loopers) off 'Salty' a 22ft C-dory who are doing the loop and just seem to pop up everwhere. Being a small boat they can tie up to many town docks - usually for free. By now it was 3pm and we needed to leave for the next port of Racine about 20 miles away. The Lake was flat calm again. The day had been a triathlon – about 1 hour of cycling, 4 hours of walking and finishing with 3 hours of boating.