Observation:  Two firsts today…and neither of them that good.  First off, I have walked through many abandoned structures and I know they can be a little unsafe. I know the things to look for to ensure structural integrity, I make sure to have both hands clear in case I need to grab something, and in general I don’t take that many risks. But today I was passing through an old building when suddenly…boom, my leg went right through the floor…and I mean my entire leg.  Pulling out of it, I knew I got lucky because it could have been a lot worse, and looking at the spot I fell through I should have seen it. You learn quickly how to pick out loose, decayed boards, but I was excited about a pic I wanted to take and that is when accidents can happen.  Slow and steady wins the race, even when doing a few thousand miles. Secondly, I saw my first pack of wild dogs together. I remember reading an article years ago about packs of dogs in Detroit, but in 1200 miles I had not seen any until today when three dogs crossed a few 100 yards in front of my bike and they weren’t interested in going anywhere. They were an odd collection, not what you would think.  I white wolfish looking dog, a Great Dane/something hybrid and then what looked like a Lab/Pitbull mix.  They didn’t seem overly threatening, but they sure were keeping their eyes on me.  I waited 5-10 minutes thinking they would move on, but when the white one actually laid down next to the road somewhat daring me to pass, I figured I could do Every Linear Mile…Minus a Few 100 Yards. 🙂

Distance:  22.68 miles

D-Fact:  Rolling Stones reported in 2012 that Detroit had about 50,000 stray dogs, but a more recent study in 2014 showed the number was actually closer to 1,000, which really is not bad for a city 138 square miles large.