By Emma Rausch
emma@thepaperofwabash.com
WABASH, Ind. – When Wabash Police Sgt. Nick Brubaker set out on his 400-mile bike ride to Traverse City, Mich., on Sept. 9, he packed light and hoped for the best.
“It was unsupported and solo,” Brubaker told The Paper of Wabash County. “I went by myself and there were no support vehicles. … And I didn’t want to stop.”
From Sept. 9-16, Brubaker pedaled his way up the coast of Lake Michigan, stopping in campgrounds along the way before concluding the journey in Traverse City.
His first major cycling trip, Brubaker considered making the journey for several months before setting out.
“I do a lot of running, about 30 miles a week, and do about 70 (miles) on the bicycle because I’ve gotten addicted to it,” Brubaker said. “I guess the ‘why’ is because I can. I’m still young and healthy enough, adventurous enough. Tim Roberts, I owe a lot to him. Seven or eight years ago, we hiked the Grand Canyon. … He inspires me a lot, motivates me. He was one of the inspirations.”
Brubaker left LaFontaine on a brisk Saturday morning and traveled 70 miles on “mostly back county roads and the Nickel Plate Trail” through Rochester to Monterey. He anticipated encountering washed out roads, breakdowns and inclement weather during his weeklong expedition.
However, instead, “every day was satisfying,” Brubaker said.
Prior to setting out, the Wabash officer planned, packed and repacked multiple times. He built a bike trailer with his father to carry a tent, sleeping mat, three sets of clothes, small hiking camp stove, battery packs and food. Brubaker was ready come Saturday morning.
Not so much Sunday morning, though.
“The first night I woke up and in the morning it was 43 degrees,” he said with a smile, “and the dew and the condensation was so thick, it weighed my tent down. I was not prepared for that. I was thinking (warm) type of weather. So I didn’t take my sleeping bag. I just took a blanket liner and some compression, long sleeve (attire).
“I froze. I literally froze. I was putting on my biking clothes. I had on my riding gloves, just to stay warm that first night.”
Brubaker eventually found his way to a sporting goods store and purchased a thermal blanket for the rest of the trip.
“That was the only hiccup,” he said. “It’s hard to plan for everything. I had rain gear, a first aid kit. I tried to plan for everything, but it didn’t cross my mind that it would be 43 degrees.”
With the first night underway, Brubaker continued traveling up the coast of Lake Michigan, biking nearly 70 miles the first few days. Eventually, he slowed down to enjoy the journey more.
“I started on county roads, hit (highways),” he said. “Some days were nothing but bicycle trails, kind of like our Nickel Plate; paved and through the state forest. I hit sandy roads where I had to push my bike.”
It wasn’t always “easy riding,” though.
“I had a few close calls,” Brubaker explained. “People cut in front of me. They would turn right in front of me. I would always try to make eye contact at intersections, crossroads when I saw a car, because I know if I could get eye contact with them then I know they can see me and I see them.
“You just have to be really cautious. I didn’t take (many) chances. There was one time I had to when the road was washed out and I had to get across the river. So I had to study my map, look at my GPS and try to figure out how to get across the river.
“Well there was no other way so I came back a little bit and I had to go against the flow of heavy traffic of the bridge onto the on ramp. That was about the only chance (I took).”
Every morning, Brubaker set out at 8 a.m., ride approximately 60 miles a day and stop at a campground at approximately 2 p.m.
“So I had all evening to relax, set up camp, find supper and I met some really nice people,” he said. “They would come up and offer me supper. One retired couple, his wife made homemade lasagna out at the campground so I had dinner that night with them. A couple in another place offered me breakfast. Everybody was offering me food, coffee. … I went 400 miles and didn’t lose any weight.
“Everyone was just so nice. They would pull up beside me and wave or honk or say, ‘Keep it up.’ I never had any problems, though. There were no issues. It seemed like people were excited or glad to see me.”
Brubaker reached his final destination at a campground in Traverse City on Sept. 15, but instead of stopping a day early, he decided to keep heading north to Leelanau County, Mich.
“I got so far ahead of schedule, I probably did it in six (days),” he said. “My last two days I kind of just goofed off. One day, I only rode 40 miles to go further north, passed Traverse City, to this big lake, Leelanau Lake, and I spent the night there and the whole next afternoon.”
Upon finally reaching Traverse City, his family was there to greet him and bring Brubaker home.
Brubaker documented the journey every step of the way with photos and Facebook updates, keeping in touch with his wife, children and other family and friends along the way.
“I had a couple people think it was crazy or people who couldn’t do it or wouldn’t want to do it,” he said. “My family was pretty supportive of the whole thing. They don’t worry about me because I’ve been pretty adventurous most of my life. I was in Desert Storm in ’91. I’ve been doing this job for a long time and, like I said, I do all kinds of things.”
However, while 400 miles seems like no easy feat, “it really wasn’t all that hard,” Brubaker explained.
In all, every second of the trip was worth it, according to Brubaker.
“It’s kind of life changing,” he said. “You’re out there by yourself. You have plenty of time to think and just clear your mind. There are really no worries. Everything melts away and you’re thinking about good stuff because, with me, I was constantly happy through the whole trip. I had beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and it’s hard to explain, or put into words, unless you’ve done it.
“But I would tell people, ‘Go get a bike and go.’ … I look forward to doing it again.”