Ashland, Wisconsin

I have 26 minutes remaining on the Ashland library's computer. Silly time limits! This trip is supposed to be about escaping deadlines and constraints and boundaries and here I am consciously anxious of time escaping me. Time. There's always time. On my mind.
Tiiiime is not on my side... like sand through an hourglass...

Actually, there was a quote by Dylan Thomas on a towel dispenser at Tom's Burned Down Bar on Madeline Island that said 'Time held me green and dying, though I sang in my chains like the sea.' -- I'm still thinking about that one.
Blue used to be my favorite color but green is coming on strong. Amazing all the different shades of green there can be. And blue. And for the deadheads - gray! Miles Davis has a song called Blue in Green - maybe that'd be the best of both worlds and I'll choose that.

So, the journey continues. I met some fantastic people in Duluth. It's a cool port town right on Lake Superior. I stayed there two nights. The first night I met up with someone from couchsurfer.com named Lura. She is moving to Switzerland in a few weeks so her apartment was a mess and the couch was unsurfable. We just met for dinner and a few drinks. The few drinks turned into many. The blasted Lake Superior Oatmeal Stout was just too tasty. I awoke on a bluff overlooking the Lake with a headache. Rolled into town and found coffee and the library, which was closed. Had a great phone conversation with a good friend. You know after a night out how you have a nervous excitable energy where you feel tired but happy? Something like that... I enjoyed a lazy day, saw an afternoon movie, then had dinner at Little Angie's Cantina.
There I met some softball players from the Saint Benedict's Church team. They wanted to use my table and chairs so they offered me a margarita to join their jamboree. I accept!
They were funny, and actually another random guy named John ended up joining in the fun. He was in town on business and on his own. The team started telling jokes, good clean jokes, so I threw out my two standbys -
Where did the General keep his Army?
Give up?
In his sleeveee!
And....
Why is 6 afraid of 7?
Because 7 ate 9!

Those went over well. And then Zack countered with:
What did zero say to eight? .............. comedic pause........... give up?
Nice Belt!

Oh boy.

Anyway, we walked out to the lighthouse. Kim, Zach and I. They asked where I was staying, I said 'beats the heck out of me!' -- actually there was supposed to be a rowing club over the bridge and through the woods that had some nice grass to lay my head, so that was my vague destination. We parted ways, and I found a playground with some grass where I pitched my tent and started to fall asleep.

In a dazy sleepy haze, I heard someone say my name. ANDY. Was I dreaming? Sleeping? It seemed real, and there was a figure outside my tent. Who was it? I said 'yes?' -- she said 'it's Kim -- I was wondering if you wanted to stay on my couch.' Kim's parents were staying with her so she didn't think having a stranger sleep on the couch was a good idea, but she got home and ran it by her parents and her parents said 'you should've invited him over!' -- at this point, I would've said oh well and gone to bed. It was near midnight and she had to be at work by 8am. But Kim, being the kind soul that she was, decided to get in her car and drive across town, over the bridge, to search for a stranger in a tent that she may or may not find. Because she has traveled before and know how nice a warm shower can be. She found me, I packed my stuff up, bungeed the bike into the trunk, and off I went to a warm, comfortable couch, which was carefully (full of care) covered with fresh sheets and blankets and pillows. It was great. Thank you Kim. That wins the random act of kindness award for the trip so far.
The next day I hung out with her parents for a bit, her dad took me to AAA to get a map, then over to the bridge that I had crossed the night before. Where we bid goodbye and I continued on my way. With grateful gladness.

I stayed in Burle, Wisconsin that night. Found a bar/restaurant/general store - but no casino! where the bartender was kind enough to do a load of laundry for me. She did my laundry while I enjoyed a cold Budweiser and played Bingo with the locals. Soooo, you'll do my laundry, while I drink a beer and play Bingo? Deal, or no deal? - DEAL!

I spent the next afternoon on an outdoor patio in Bayfield, listening to an acoustic guitarist play lonesome lullabyes. The sun was warm and the breeze was slight and it was all very relaxing. Madeline Island lazed in the distance. That was my destination for the night but I was in no hurry. Eventually I made my way over to the ferry and if I had a boat, I'd go out on the water. And if I had a pony, I'd ride him on my boat. And we would all together, go out on the ocean. Just me upon my pony upon my boat. We'll have to substitute bike for pony. Although that makes it less interesting.

On the island there was a softball tournament in progress. I watched. Girl's softball. There's only so many good eye, good eye, good eye! Let's go Sheila! Let's go Sheila! -- shrill and shrieky comments that you can hear before you want to leave. So I left. Rode around the island a while, then stopped at Tom's Burned Down Bar because I heard music. Me likey music.
There I met Courtney (a guy), his wife Kristen, Deanna, Bridget and a few of their other friends. We had a good time, eventually heading back to their campsite, where we promptly jumped into the water. I stood there in calm, cool water - looking up. Millions of stars, millions of galaxies. Can you believe that there are millions of other galaxies out there besides the Milky Way galaxy? Hard to imagine the vastness.
And then I saw a shooting star. Sweet sweet magic.

The next morning, after breakfast, I encountered a fabulous family in the parking lot who were wryly wondering what I'm doing. A surreptitious smile. Why, I'm on the road to everywhere and nowhere, all at once! We talked for awhile, they had questions, I had answers. I didn't catch their names, but hello to you guys! The mom secretly donated to my cross-country cause, slipping dollars into my panniers, for 'the next good meal or hotel room'. Cool cool family.

I'm in Ashland now, trying to decide if I should head over to Green Bay, or make my way across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. If I go to Green Bay, there is the possibility of catching the Packers-Seahawks game at Lambeau Field this Saturday - which would be incredible. Plus I've heard Door County is scenic, lots of little coastal fishing villages. I would then take the ferry over Lake Michigan to Michigan. The other option is to trek across the UP, which I've heard is beautiful too. Either way I suppose I win. I like this game!