I reached four different milestones today.
First, my journey is three quarters over – 9 weeks completed and 3 weeks to go. I am looking forward to my remaining days on the road – and also to resuming my regular activities starting June 4th.
Second, as I write this opfrom Mackinaw City, Michigan, I have now visited all 50 United States in my life, which was one of my major goals of this trip.
Third, I got an oil change, tire rotation and balancing today and the Subaru service department in Green Bay thinks I will make it my last 5,000 miles or so.
And finally I am on Eastern Daylight Savings time for the rest of the trip. For the first time since March 31st in Louisville, my watch (which I did not reset) is correct.
I spent the day in Green Bay, by far the smallest U.S. city to host a major sports team. I visited the American Railroad Museum, which has plenty of trains to walk through, one to ride on but also exhibits on the history of Pullman porters and why railroad passenger travel largely died with the growth of cars and airplanes.
Lambeau Field has been the scene of some of the greatest – and coldest – pro football games ever. It was 60 degrees and sunny as I took a tour with two guides who are also both long-time season ticket holders and partial owners of the only publicly-held pro sports team.
The 5 mile long bridge to Mackinaw City, just after dark 
Sunset over Lake Michigan at 9:00 EDT 
Magnolia trees at Green Bay Botanical Gardens 
Some early roses 
A colorful path 
A formal garden 
In the end zone in Lambeau Field 
The stadium. Those are men mowing the field with lawn mowers – the field is primarily grass with some fibers weaved in 
A statue of the great coach Vince Lombardi 
The Fox River and a bridge, from the train ride 
A train car built by George Pullman and an exhibit on the history of Pullman porters 
The “Big Boy” locomotive, used to go over and around the Rocky mountains 
A summary of the causes of the decline of railroad passenger travel
Then a pleasant stroll through the Green Bay Botanical Gardens, which had more flowers in bloom – even some roses – than I would have expected in early May this far north.
I left Green Bay after my Impreza was serviced and had an over four hour drive through Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, seemingly inches from the water of the vast Lake Michigan. You’ll see a sunset picture taken at 9:00, as I am 950 miles west of Boston but in the same time zone.
The song of the day is from Bob Seger, a Michigan native – “Roll Me Away”, which has the line “12 hours out of Mackinaw City”.
Mark's cross-country trip 