Miles: 257
We decided to take the ferry from Muskegon to Milwaukee and avoid the 280 miles around the South shore of Lake Michigan and the likely 5 hours of city and interstate riding. The ferry was delightful and since it didn't leave until 10:00 we set a very leisurely pace. We started out with breakfast at Lakeside Cafe and rode to the Margaret Drake Elliott Park to view the Muskegon South Pierhead Lighthouse. Not much to look at but we walked down the 700' pier and strolled around the park that was there. We still had some time to kill so we rode along the lakefront and by chance found Kruse Park. We hiked up some wooden steps, jumped a fence and we were up on the cliffs overlooking the lake for a really nice view. We headed back the way we came and headed toward the ferry launch but we stopped at the USS Silversides museum. The USS Silversides is a WWII era submarine that was highly decorated and sank many Japanese vessels during the war. Interestingly not only did she survive 14 patrols, but in all of her service only one crew member was lost in action. Also in the water next to Silversides is the US Coast Guard Cutter McLane. This ship was commissioned in 1927 and participated in chasing rum runners and is also credited for sinking a Japanese sub in WWII off the coast of Hawaii. I could have stayed and looked around the vessels for a few hours but as we were at the museum the ferry passed by so we knew it was time to head over to the entrance a couple of miles away. We didn't have to wait long before boarding. The whole process of boarding strapping down the bikes and getting to the premium seating we reserved was flawless. We went up on top as we departed but once we left sight of the shore we went below deck, used their wi-fi to get a little work done, took a little nap and arrived fresh and ready to ride. Two and a half hours later we exited in Milwaukee, jumped on I-43 and exited toward Port Washington. In doing research for the trip it looked like Port Washington has a nice community, and I guess a suburb of Milwaukee being only 27 miles away. However the main point of the visit was another Lighthouse. This one was built in 1860 and has been beautifully restored. After viewing the Lighthouse and managing as best we could with limited parking space, we moved to the Port Washington North Beach Park where the view up on the cliffs was quite nice. After eating some snacks it had begun to sprinkle so we continued on up I-43. There wasn't a good lakeside road so we continued on the interstate until exiting at Sheboygan where we stopped at 3 Sheeps Brewing. We tried the Fresh Coast Juicy Pale Ale and it was quite good. We were just about the only ones in the place. After Sheboygan we got off the interstate and ran north on Lakeshore Rd up to Manitowoc. Although it was called Lakeshore Rd there were not many glimpses of the Lake. It was actually quite a boring ride, but better than the interstate. Once north of Manitowoc we connected with WI 42 which is a four-lane road but with the Lake in constant view. I'm not sure which was better, but it wasn't long before we stopped at Rawley Point Lighthouse. The Lighthouse at this location was completed in 1874 where a limestone tower was erected to house the light, but it had structural issues and was replaced by the current structure in 1894. The Lighthouse has seen a number of improvements over the years but remains the highest land based tower on the Great Lakes to this day at 113'. It is now a vacation rental property for Coast Guard personnel. We continued on WI42 which gave up some lake views on occasion. We stopped in Algoma at the Ahnapee Brewery. This was a very small brewery but the owner was a friendly sort that talked some about the struggles he has faced in trying to stay open during the pandemic. We got our beer and went out onto their little deck overlooking the Ahnapee River. The beer selection wasn't significant and settled on an amber selection that was probably pretty good but we're not big amber fans. We followed a series of county roads staying as close as possible to the lake. In about 20 miles we were crossing over Sturgeon Bay on the historic Sturgeon Bay Bridge which opened in 1931. The bridge began to experience numerous maintenance issues as it neared its 70th birthday. In 2002 the county decided to build a parallel bridge in order to allow for some long term maintenance on the old bridge, but red tape being what it is time drug on, and the bridge closed for good in 2008. But as the second bridge was open it allowed for needed repair time on the old bridge and it reopens in 2011. We were staying at the Holiday Music Motel and we chose this one for its nostalgic flair. It really looked like a 1950s motel inside and out. They were overboard on the covid considerations but we enjoyed it despite that. We walked across the bridge to dine at Sonny's Pizza which housed Bridge Up Brewery. The food and beer were both pretty good. We ate outside and enjoyed the evening as the sun set.