DALMAC Day 1 is complete! It was supposed to be a 72 mile ride, but I clocked 74. It was hot and humid all day, with heat indices in the mid-upper 90s. Fortunately we didn’t get rained on though, so I’ll take it.
It was really something to be pulling into Alma this afternoon after starting the morning in Lansing. I still had another 13 miles to go at that point, but that struck me as a long way to ride.
Tomorrow is a few miles longer than today, but it should be 10 degrees cooler. Rain could be an issue though so we’ll see.
Check the photos below for comments about the day.
This was a snapshot I took from a video I recorded near the starting line. It took me longer to tear down camp than expected, so I didn’t get on the road until 8am.This is rest stop number 2, around 25 miles in. The drink available at most rest stops that surprised me was chocolate milk. Who would have thought it was such a big biking drink?A longer lunch stop was at Maple Rapids. The town reminded me of Radiator Springs: just one intersection with a flashing red light. We pretty much took over the whole town for lunch.Another angle from Maple Rapids.Today’s ride was a lot of farmland, and surprisingly a lot of coasting because it was so flat. Still a pretty area. Tomorrow the hills will begin.One of the rest stops was at a farm. This was about 55 miles in if I remember correctly, and during the hottest part of the day. I was feeling it.A shot from Pine River in Alma. The Meijer trail heading west out of Alma.Even though I was among the last to leave, I got to Vestaburg before a lot of other riders. These are their unclaimed bags.Dinner was tacos served in the Vestaburg HS cafeteria.Today’s route. Keep heading north tomorrow!
