It is like old home week

Distance travelled: 439.9 km
Maximum speed: 122 kph
Temperature range: 13.4 - 21.0
Motorcyclists who waved: 44
Jerks: 7*

*In fairness to the jerks, one pair riding BMers passed us and as they went by, one guy waved at us but the other DIDN'T. We also saw a group of 16 riding in tight formation and most waved but it was on a curve and it would have been impractical for a few of them to wave. I think they would have, if they hadn't been sissies.

As a Canadian with an inferiority complex, it is easy to think that a large number of place names here are named after Canadian place names. We went through the town of Alberta yesterday. That was after we turned onto Jasper Avenue. And then went through the Ottawa Forest. Before settling in Montreal Landing. After riding down Presque Isle Road that went through the village of Lacombe. After turning at Willian H. Smith Junction. OK, maybe not that last one, but there are many place names that are coincident with Canadian place names and every time I try to tell a local that, hey, we share a name, they ask "What's a 'Can-EEEHH-dien'?" So I say, "Canada is your neighbouring country to the north, about 50 miles from here; the world's second largest country and your biggest trading partner" and they say, "You mean Alaska?". Sigh. Still, there are many names that either reflect a Canadian connection (not likely) or were U.S. place names, perhaps with a Canadian connection but later, the Canadian place name was lifted from its U.S. predecessor (more likely). Either way, it makes us feel a little nostalgic for home.

Speaking of names, we have been riding through the "Upper Peninsula" for several days. You remember the big suspension bridge from yesterday's post? That bridge connects to the "Lower Peninsula". You will note that I have capitalized these place names, notwithstanding they may not appear by their names on your map however, I have verified the veracity of these place names by Googling them and indeed finding descriptions. We didn't travel to the Lower Peninsula but I presume they have the same kinds of quirks as up here in the Upper Peninsula. In particular, I think what has happened is that Michigonians (?) have just taken to shortening their name to "U.P." -  a sort of nickname they have given themselves. OK, but what they have since done is given themselves a nickname from their nickname: "Yoopers" which, somehow to me, just seems wrong, especially to see it in media or on large billboards driving down the highway. I have not entered into debate with any Americans on this subject.

A big part of the timing of this trip was to see some leaves changing colour; not just from green to brown like we see back home but from green to yellow, to orange, to pink, to magenta, to lavendar, to salmon, to red, to crimson, to blood, to brown and then fall off the trees and die. However, leaves are about a week later than usual here (apparently) and while we are seeing stands of trees turning yellow, that is not quite as interesting to us since we see that at home. BUT, behold! Trees are starting to turn here and I don't mean into zombies. We have the trees above starting to show their dwindling production of chlorophyll and increasingly, we are seeing deeper shades of red.