Ortonville, MI

Dear Friends,
You'll notice we've posted a new Google Earth (!) satellite view of our tracks across the country, and also that we've changed our route again! Seeing that we would be oh-so-close to Toronto, we couldn't resist. When will we be up this way again? So now, instead of touristy Niagara Falls and endless miles of upstate NY, we'll be crossing the province of Ontario and going through what one Torontan (way back in Waterton Lakes, Alberta) told us is "the most international city in the world." We'll see about that.

We are winding our way through Michigan, where quite unexpectedly we are having the great fortune to rendezvous with some of Libby's college buddies. In Lansing, we campaigned for Obama with Meg/Roni, who took us with her to one of her many house meetings (part of Obama's grassroots organizing master plan). There we met the Democrats of Eaton County, learning what brought each of them to align themselves with the new man--from first-generation Italian brothers who wanted economic equality to guys who'd grown up outside of town and lost their jobs in the closing down of GM factories, insisting on regulating the corporate thieves... Despite our shock at finding ourselves welcomed into a surburban Lansing home (where we also were treated to pizza, showers, and warm beds!), we soaked it right up. It was both insightful and inspiring, and we left with one more "purpose" to our trip: Obama!

Delightfully, we have another "meeting" scheduled with Libby's friend Rush in Grosse Pointe, on the north end of the Detroit sprawl. Other than that, our lives on the road are quite free of commitments. Each morning we unfold our free AAA maps, carefully pick out the most ideal path, and dive in. Our criteria? Secondary roads, ice cream parlours, and good camping spots. So far, Michigan has offered the worst road conditions--somehow always the most rutted within 2 feet of the shoulder, aka our "bike lane"--along with the fastest, most daring drivers, together providing for some harrowing rides that leave us feeling like embattled heroines. Each day we are more proud.

Looking forward as ever to our future destinations and relishing our freedom to choose our own meandering route to the east, thanks to our high mileage back in the first half.

Love to all.