Day 43

JULY 21 Caro to St. Claire, MI

Not a lot happened for the majority of our last full day in Michigan: we got a late start to riding, took an hour in a library, and multiple snack and lunch stops, then stopped in Memphis, the last town with a store before our campground for the night. Unfortunately, the store was woefully lacking in food: four small shelves stocked mostly with condiments and canned vegetables, and some drink coolers along each wall; dad and I decided on subs from the store's deli for dinner. We ate our meal, then started in on the last few miles of our day.

Except they weren't our last few miles: just before our intended campground, we saw the ominous orange signs bearing the words "Road Closed." Ahead was an overpass, blocked off by more orange signs and supporting a massive crane-caterpillar. We maneuvered our way around the signs, then rode slowly up the overpass; I stopped off to one side while dad continued right up to one of the construction workers. They talked for a few minutes, and then dad rode back, hanging his head unhappily, "He says he could get us across this evening, "Dad announced, "but they're basically demolishing the overpass, and he doesn't know how much they'll get done tonight. We might not be able to get back across in the morning. So, how 'bout a hotel in St. Claire tonight?"
"Sounds good to me." Checking on the adventure cycle maps, I found there are three hotels in St. Claire: the St. Claire Inn, the Burkemo Cottages and Inn, and the Murphy Inn. The St. Claire Inn sounded most reputable, so I gave dad their phone number to try first.
Dad came back shaking his head, "They only have smoking rooms left. You have any other numbers?" Disheartened, I gave him the number of the Burkemo Inn, listed second on the map.
"Any luck?" I asked when dad returned.
"They have rooms... but I don't know. Some weird guy answered the phone, 'Room? We have room.' I asked him if we could put our bikes in them, 'Oh no! Ask lady behind desk!' I don't know if I got the janitor, or what..."

We decided to ride into St. Claire, another couple of miles, and see what we could find. After a third phone call, we made our way to the Murphy Inn, and old white building with a 2-d leprechaun out front. Inside, there was a bar and restaurant downstairs, and a floor of rooms on top. It felt very much like an old world tavern and inn. We locked our bikes out back, ferried our gear upstairs to room 202, labeled Buckingham, and spent the rest of the evening watching Food Network and Hogan's Heroes.