Reunion Voyage: Nicolet Bay, Peninsula State Park

Today I needed to visit the ranger station at the entrance to the park to check on the process for getting a camp site without a reservation. But there was an obstacle, I had changed a flat tire on my bike a week or so ago and had not ridden it since, however, last night I noticed that the tire was flat again. So I tied up the bike and lowered the dinghy to go ashore. My first thought was to rent a bike and ride it to the hardware store at the top of the hill to purchase an inner tube and repair kit. But when I went to the bike rental, I thought maybe they could sell me an inner tube or a repair kit. They did not have repair kits and said they really were not worth the effort, but they did sell me an inner tube and provided some good information as to how to look for the leak since the bike had not been used. Dinghy ride back to the boat, take the tire off the bike on the swim platform, remove the inner tube and fill it full of air. No leaks, uhmm!! Put the tube back in the tire reassemble, pump it up, leaking a bunch, Uhmmm!! Take it back apart, blow it up again, and sure enough near the valve stem. Put the new tube in and blow it up, no leaks, Wow!! Reassemble the wheel to the bike on the swim platform, load the bike into the dinghy, and go to shore. Begin my ride to the entrance gate, the tire only took 30 pounds of air, so as I rode I added air as best I could. I don't ride all that much and a few miles is a long trip for me. I think about 4 miles later after going up hill all the way and against the wind, I arrived at the ranger station learned about the walk up system and returned by the Sunset Trail to Nicolet Bay, fully 5 miles as it is marked. Quite tired, I loaded the bike into the dinghy and returned to the boat. Rested for a while, sent a text with the information I had learned to my kids and had a late lunch. \

This afternoon was restful, lots of sitting around and a dip in the lake. Beautiful day here, light winds, sunshine in the 80's I think.