Battle Creek to Jackson( Great Lake to Great Lake)
Battle Creek to Albion (19Aug 26)
Today we skipped the usual crappy hotel continental and enjoyed a proper, sit-down breakfast in the hotel restaurant before heading back to the Kal-Haven Trail to continue our easterly trek. We rolled past the Underground Railroad sculpture and the historic Kellogg House, then rode a lovely stretch where the trail hugged a creek on an elevated wooded walkway—where we had our first (and only) mishap: Trey tried to turn right, his bike slid left on the slick bridge, and he went down hard. He wasn’t hurt and popped up quick as a wink; his ego took the worst of it. A fast once-over of the bike revealed no damage, we got moving again, and made it into Albion in time to snag lunch at a great diner before heading back onto the trail.
Albion to Jackson
Legs rested, bellies full, we found the trail and headed east. A key to making a long day seem easy is the once-an-hour breaks along the route, and today those pauses felt like tiny celebrations—especially when the scenery served them up: stretches of Michigan shoreline reminding us why this state is famous for its blue water lakes. As we rolled into Jackson we spotted a brewery right along the trail—okay, a block or two out of our way—so we stopped at Ogma Brewery for a tasting; afterwards Bob and Danny headed to the hotel while the four of us hunted down the local bike shop. No jersey in my size—despite a killer shop-design—so I settled for a shop-logo water bottle and we pushed on, only to find a locked gate across the trail. We climbed it, passed the bikes over, rode through the famous old penitentiary grounds, and rolled up to the hotel satisfied with a day that somehow felt both effortless and perfectly earned.
After check-in we split into two groups: Bill, Jeff and I headed back downtown in search of a local pub called The Dirty Bird, while Bob, Trey and Danny stayed closer and found the Red Lobster across the street from the hotel. I can tell you ours was delicious—great chicken dishes, cold beer, and the sharing of Jeff’s Mac-n-cheese. After dinner we tracked down an ice cream shop and wandered the town, stumbling upon vibrant murals on nearly every corner that turned a simple evening into a colorful little adventure.
Not only was Battle Creek home to Kellogg’s it was also an important way station on the Underground Railroad, and the city’s monument to the men and women who risked their lives for freedom is an impressive work of public art. One side honors Quaker stationmasters Sarah and Erastus Hussey, showing them bringing escaped African Americans into their Battle Creek home; the opposite side evokes Harriet Tubman leading people north, a tribute to her ferocious spirit and monumental contributions to freedom even though she never actually stopped in Battle Creek. Too bad, she missed a pleasant little community.
