Cycling Traverse City to Cleveland: Day 5 - A Ride Through Grand Rapids

Route
Coopersville, MI to Lowell, MI - 45 miles.
For details of part 1 of today's route, click here.
For details of part 2 of today's route, click here.

Weather
Sky condition: Overcast becoming broken
Temperature: 55 to 65
Visibility: Great!
Precipitation: Threatened to rain/thunderstorm, but it didn't!
Wind: Mostly light tailwind, estimated 5 knots
Comments: We definitely enjoyed the tailwind, too bad it wasn't 25 knots!

Significant Events
-Hit 38 mph downhill into Ada
-Arrived Lowell, where I booked a Suite at the Main Street Inn

Today's Song
"Cruisin' Deuces" by Danny Gatton

Wildlife Observed
Wild turkeys
Geese (same ones from the other day?)
Ducks

Today's Ride
We got up early and packed to go. There were thunderstorms in the forecast, so we ate a quick breakfast of Cheerios and a banana nut muffin.

Once on the road, the "app" I am using (Osmand) for mapping took us a couple miles out of the way. This app is kind of convoluted to use, but I suppose it could have been operator error. Either way, it added a few miles to the trip. I noticed it after a short while when our route just didn't look right. Must have been my "spidey sense"...

In any event we got back on track and headed toward Grand Rapids. I thought about spending a little time downtown, but we were trying to stay ahead of thunderstorms! We did stop for lunch at a decent deli on the east side of town. Not as good as yesterday's lunch, but good nonetheless.

Heading toward Lowell, I had selected a route that kept us off the heavily traveled road. The nice thing about this route is that it had a few decent downhill sections. On the road leading into Ada, we hit over 38mph (25 zone; I need to turn myself in to the sheriff). The downside of that route is that for each downhill section, there is usually a somewhat equal uphill section. But we were off the highway which seemed to have more than its share of heavy rigs on it.

We rolled into Lowell which seems like a pretty nice town. My cousin Paul told me about a covered bridge a couple miles to the north, but unfortunately I don't think we will make it there.

The hotel I booked was a total surprise for Ileana. I told her it was a flea bag but it is actually a pretty nice place.

We ate some decent pizza for dinner then headed back to the room for a good night's rest! Tomorrow, I have a little bike maintenance to do prior to leaving.

Los Dos Centavos de Ileana
Today before leaving the campground, the grounds' manager came over to our spot (room, zimmer?). She had a cardboard box with several baby bunnies in it! (picture below). She stated that they were cleaning around the pool and they 'disturbed' the nest and when a rabbit's nest is disturbed the mother will not return! (I thought can humans use that same logic but the department of social services may have problem with that logic?). Anyhow, the lady will feed them until they can be return to the wild. I wondered if they will have any questions for their mom, if they see her again, and will they break the cycle!