Day 79 Gordon Lake to Mercer 72km

Today starts with a series of bangs, as a thunderstorm rolls over the tent. We decide to stay warm and dry inside, well as dry as you can be when humidity is 94%, and wait for the rain to pass. Inevitably it does, a quick and too small breakfast sees us on the road to Glidden, hoping for a bakery. Our wishes are granted, when we spot the Black Bear Bakery. (quick aside, the bakery is a relatively rare find in the US, people go to the supermarket for poor quality, mass produced white bread). We go a bit nuts and sample the chocolate eclairs, the caramel buns, and save a couple of jam donuts for later. This is a family run business, there are three generations of women in the store, it is a properly beautiful bakery, the art of bread is my favorite kind.


We strike up a conversation with these wonderful women, who moved to Glidden, northern Wisconsin, pop 497, from Sacramento, California, talk about a change of pace! We chat like old friends, they share stories of living in Wisconsin, the winters, the wildlife, we get another invite to come back and stay in winter. These connections are the high points of this adventure, and we feel fed in both belly and soul by the women of the Black Bear Bakery. Just to prove the point, the sun comes out, and will shine with intensity for the rest of the day. We make use of the solar power by hanging a few wet items off the back of the bikes to dry. The humidity and the sun combine to produce a sauna like atmosphere, and we are glad of the shorter day, as the hills constantly roll before us. I discover another source of retro postcards, and Kerstin is forbearing of this obsession. But what wisconsinites may lack in creativity in postcards, they make up for in creativity of letterboxes! So far we have spotted, multiple versions of the tractor (personal favourite with the female farmer driving), lots of patriotic flag motifs, cowboy symbolism is also a popular choice. Today's winners were the letterbox professionally created with a photo of the owners dog, and the camouflage painted letterbox, a special challenge for the postie! Mercer proves to have the welcome carpet laid out for us


And provides another opportunity for lakeside camping, of which we take full advantage. Kerstin lights our first campfire, with great success, and we enjoy a peaceful evening by the water, watching the flames, reading the paper and listening to the calls of the ducks, geese and elusive Loons.


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