HavengaBikeRide

>  > We got some packing done a few days ahead of time, but had to do the bulk of our packing today because the busyness of work and life. What made it especially challenging was all the different things that we had to pack for, which required a variety of items. Tent camping, family reunion activities, family photo, multi-day road trip, national park hikes and our bike trip.    To add to the challenge Jim had discovered his accreditation was due to expire on the trip. So also squeezed in amongst the preparations, he quick did some online courses and renewed his accreditation. We had also found out that today was the first day we could vote in the August primary, so also squeezed in were reviews about candidates and ballot proposals and a trip to city hall to vote.  > > So got car all packed and then spent another 1/2 hour picking raspberries one last time, so with a very full car finally left about 5 pm for Cran-Hill Ranch.

When we heard that our daughter Katie and her family were going to Halifax, Nova Scotia and Acadia National Park, we jumped at the opportunity to get a ride out to the east coast and pedal back.  First there were some prelude events: Camping at CranHill Ranch with our son John and family and our daughter from Panama.  Both had been on summer staff there years before.  This was a prelude to: A family reunion of Kay's family in Michigan's Upper Peninsula.  All 4 of our children and 7 grandsons were there, and all of the rest of Kay's family except for one sister and one nephew and spouse.   A trip to Marinette, Wisconsin just across the Michigan border so that our son-in-law could work for a day--it was online, but it had to be on Wisconsin soil. A  road trip across Canada to Halifax, so Katie and her family could visit some friends (they were kind enough to take us in, too!) A multi-day visit to Acadia National Park. Then we could start our bike ride!