We started the day with coffee on the lake. We then toured the neighborhood by boat, checking on fishermen and kayakers in the early morning light. On downtown to breakfast at the Palace Cafe, a warm and friendly place where Susan had a friend who greeted all who entered. Hillsdale is an attractive small town, dominated by a huge courthouse tower. Today it was decorated for Memorial Day. Crosses with the names of the fallen lined the main road into the square. Very respectful. Home to the self proclaimed Greatest Fair on Earth, half the town is occupied by Hillsdale College, a small conservative liberal arts school.  Doug and Susan seem very happy here indeed. 

 As Doug says, going from Hillsdale to the Upper Peninsula is the same as going to Washington DC . The state is enormous. I started off with a new concept -- let the GPS loose with the roads and define it to stay away from interstates. You will then see random countryside. I then set out for Ionia MI, to see if I could find the Alibi restaurant owned by a fellow student at the BMW Off Road Motorcycle Course. I found it, and Gala was actually there. It is a really nice place, specially decorated and organized for bikers. She is from Russia originally, so the food has Russian variations on American favorites (i.e. burgers with dumplings...) . She was surprised to see someone from the course, but insisted on giving me a free lunch and then showing me round a few back roads on her bike. I think she needed a break from the kitchen, as her cook hadn't shown up that day.  

I then headed North through the rain, wondering if my new strap on bag would leak. It did. I think if I turn it upside down it may stay dry. The further north, the fewer farms, and eventually one is riding through continuous forest. The traffic was intense, with all of Southern Michigan migrating North for the Holiday.

It seems that Fudge and Fish are the favorites in Mackinaw City, where I spent the evening, so I sampled both as I struggled to shake off the damp.