CT Inception

The Circle Tour of Lake Michigan, henceforth CT, was born in the wee hours after Michelle Williams completed her transcontinental ride from Everett, WA to Yorktown, VA with PAC Tour in August of 2010. She was having that sinking spell many of us have had after completing something that big and that high up on our bucket list. One email led to another and we conceived the CT to be ridden self-supported (but plastic, i.e. motels) counterclockwise from Wilmette.

I had actually planned to do the CT solo in 2010, but I hadn’t yet figured out how to fuel myself on the bike AND manage my food intolerances. So, I had bagged that ride for 2010. Fortunately for long-term cycling enjoyment sometime in the 2010 riding season I figured out how to fuel using Clif Shot Electrolyte Replacement Drink + Hammer Sustained Energy + Hammer Gel + Dutch Baby Gold potatoes. With the CT still unridden by me it opened the opportunity for Michelle and me to ride it in 2011.

And so began the CT planning in earnest.

Over the months several riders considered joining us for some of the days. The original plan was for Kirk to join us in Mackinaw City and SAG us across the UP to Green Bay since I doubted I’d be able to find food in the UP that conformed to my diet restrictions.

Then one of several huge surprise miracles. First, Kirk decided to retire the end of June 2011 instead of end of June 2012. Second, his Spanishtown commitment in early August was cancelled so he would be able to SAG us the entire distance of the CT. And third, after I broke my right foot and was unable to ride or drive he would be SAG for both of us: Michelle on her bike and me in the car. Now that’s a major WOOT!

After several route iterations our CT would start in Michigan City, IN instead of Wilmette since I would not be able to guide the Mississippi riders through Chicago and Gary. From Mich City forward our route would look like this:

Holland->Ludington->Beulah->Traverse City->Petoskey->Trout Lake via Mackinaw City Mackinac Island and St Ignace->Trout Lake->Manistique->Escanaba->Green Bay->Ephraim->Kewaunee->Port Washington->Wilmette totaling 13 riding days and about 1,150 miles.