pmeysemb
Well-known member
My first report so go easy on me:
The wife took the kids to her mom's house for a couple weeks this summer so I had my first opportunity for a longer ride, which I hadn't really done before. Actually, I didn't really have a concrete itinerary set, only that I was going to head east over the Great Lakes and see what happens! No motel reservations - just me, a tent, a credit card, and the FJR.
The route I ended up doing:
A beautiful Tuesday morning:
Bad timing: just as I was gearing up, my new tires arrive via UPS! Oh well, gonna ride the Dunlops and go for it - no time to change em now :angry2:
Of course, Lake Superior was fogged in but I tried to make the best of some of the scenic overlooks - most, I didn't even bother pulling out the camera:
My second moose sighting - the first was earlier in the summer back in Minnesota:
First night - Pukaskwa National Park - White Lake campground. Yes the bugs came out!
Manitoulin Island is very cool - I will have to get back there someday. This island is bigger than some of our states with self-sustaining communities scattered over it. Of course, I had to catch the last ferry, so I didn't have time for too much sight-seeing. As I was locking my bag again after getting some batteries out, I noticed the lock cylinder is strangely loose! DARN! Out comes the duct tape and I spend the next 75 miles feeling behind me making sure my tape job doesn't come loose. Figured I would have time to look closer at it on the ferry.
The Ms Chi-Cheemaun ferry:
Bye bye Manitoulin:
My first car ferry - can't you see I'm excited?
Nicest kids you will ever meet - of course I had to buy 'em dinner:
They were very familiar with this campground, which was near their town (Southhampton). They escorted me (on their GSXR) at a "brisk" pace and then we said our goodbye's. He thought it the better part of valor not switching bikes for our 20 mile jaunt. Maybe another time. I was hoping for a ride on one of those Gixxers some day.
The next day had me heading south on the "Bruce" and back into good ol USA at the Sarnia border crossing. Didn't even have to take my helmet off, it was so busy, unlike going into Canada. Michigan drivers, in my opinion, are in a much greater hurry than the rural Minnesota drivers I am used to! I got used to the strange looks as I pulled over to let 'em fly by heading up the "thumb" of the mitten on MI 25. I was actually hoping for more of a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Huron but the road is more of an expressway. In my opinion, again, the scenic 61 along Lake Superior is a much better cycle road. I kept heading north looking for a campground and found this one. Again, the friendliest folks you will ever meet. If you are ever in the area, I don't think you will find a nicer campground. Of course, being Thursday night, I had pretty much the whole place to myself. Oscoda KOA, Oscoda, MI
Next morning, again a nice day, still contemplating which way I will head home. Luckily, the owner of the KOA, a rider himself, told me about the Tunnel of Trees, over on the Lake Michigan coast. He said I really have to try it since I had never even heard of it. Sounded good to me! So I made my way around the mitten. Here is the closest I got to the Mackinac Bridge, which I had hoped to be crossing but never did. Again, some other time. Done it by car, but not on bike.
Finally made it to the Tunnel of Trees (M119). Awesome! is the only way to describe it. 20 miles of narrow, no-centerlines, paved trail along a scenic shoreline. Only bad part was the vintage Porshe Spyder rally going the other way. Luckily, I was on a cycle and not in a car as the road is almost too narrow for two wider cars to pass.
Too bad it had to end.
Again, found myself in a bit of a hurry thinking I could catch the last Ludington-Manitowoc Ferry and avoid going around through Chicago. The SS Badger is much more expensive than the one across Georgian Bay but I think it was worth it, saving about 10 hours of freeway and the Chicago mess.
Boarding the Badger:
Some nice folks (yes, on HD's) :
They carry big stuff on this ship... I think this is a brewery vat heading to Milwaukee (seriously). They held the boat up so it could load.
All in all, a nice trip across Lake Michigan - met some nice folks again, took about 30 sunset pictures and relaxed:
The only bad part was the fact that six stereotypical, leather-clad HD dudes with their trophy girls decided to make the vessel their very own party cruise! Seriously, I was embarrassed to be another MC rider due to the actions of these jokers. I just tried to avoid 'em and it turns out, they would influence that nights (lack of) lodging.
Getting into Manitowoc about 11:00 pm, I had already ridden about 450 miles that day and thought I could find a cheap motel. I tried one - about $95 bucks for about 7 hours rest - ain't happening. Also, I saw the aforementioned HD clan cycles at the cheapest one (Motel 7, I think) and decided to not even think about looking there for vacancy! Well, my plan became clearer as it passed midnight: I was going to ride through the night and stop at "Motel Aerostich" when I felt tired enough which turned out was about 150 miles later, at about 3:00 am. Having known some others, to remain nameless, who have done this before, I thought I too, could sleep in gravel next to my bike with my helmet on. To make a long story short, I ended up sleeping next to about 20 idling trucks in a large truckstop. After about 3 hours, with the sun just starting to show, I felt rested enough to continue.
It was good to see the familiar hills of Duluth and the High Bridge as I made my into Superior.
The last 200 miles went by quickly as I was strangely missing being home, even though no one was there to greet me. For me, it was my longest day on a bike - about 800 miles in a 24 hour period.
Had a nice nap that day!
The wife took the kids to her mom's house for a couple weeks this summer so I had my first opportunity for a longer ride, which I hadn't really done before. Actually, I didn't really have a concrete itinerary set, only that I was going to head east over the Great Lakes and see what happens! No motel reservations - just me, a tent, a credit card, and the FJR.
The route I ended up doing:
A beautiful Tuesday morning:
Bad timing: just as I was gearing up, my new tires arrive via UPS! Oh well, gonna ride the Dunlops and go for it - no time to change em now :angry2:
Of course, Lake Superior was fogged in but I tried to make the best of some of the scenic overlooks - most, I didn't even bother pulling out the camera:
My second moose sighting - the first was earlier in the summer back in Minnesota:
First night - Pukaskwa National Park - White Lake campground. Yes the bugs came out!
Manitoulin Island is very cool - I will have to get back there someday. This island is bigger than some of our states with self-sustaining communities scattered over it. Of course, I had to catch the last ferry, so I didn't have time for too much sight-seeing. As I was locking my bag again after getting some batteries out, I noticed the lock cylinder is strangely loose! DARN! Out comes the duct tape and I spend the next 75 miles feeling behind me making sure my tape job doesn't come loose. Figured I would have time to look closer at it on the ferry.
The Ms Chi-Cheemaun ferry:
Bye bye Manitoulin:
My first car ferry - can't you see I'm excited?
Nicest kids you will ever meet - of course I had to buy 'em dinner:
They were very familiar with this campground, which was near their town (Southhampton). They escorted me (on their GSXR) at a "brisk" pace and then we said our goodbye's. He thought it the better part of valor not switching bikes for our 20 mile jaunt. Maybe another time. I was hoping for a ride on one of those Gixxers some day.
The next day had me heading south on the "Bruce" and back into good ol USA at the Sarnia border crossing. Didn't even have to take my helmet off, it was so busy, unlike going into Canada. Michigan drivers, in my opinion, are in a much greater hurry than the rural Minnesota drivers I am used to! I got used to the strange looks as I pulled over to let 'em fly by heading up the "thumb" of the mitten on MI 25. I was actually hoping for more of a scenic drive along the shore of Lake Huron but the road is more of an expressway. In my opinion, again, the scenic 61 along Lake Superior is a much better cycle road. I kept heading north looking for a campground and found this one. Again, the friendliest folks you will ever meet. If you are ever in the area, I don't think you will find a nicer campground. Of course, being Thursday night, I had pretty much the whole place to myself. Oscoda KOA, Oscoda, MI
Next morning, again a nice day, still contemplating which way I will head home. Luckily, the owner of the KOA, a rider himself, told me about the Tunnel of Trees, over on the Lake Michigan coast. He said I really have to try it since I had never even heard of it. Sounded good to me! So I made my way around the mitten. Here is the closest I got to the Mackinac Bridge, which I had hoped to be crossing but never did. Again, some other time. Done it by car, but not on bike.
Finally made it to the Tunnel of Trees (M119). Awesome! is the only way to describe it. 20 miles of narrow, no-centerlines, paved trail along a scenic shoreline. Only bad part was the vintage Porshe Spyder rally going the other way. Luckily, I was on a cycle and not in a car as the road is almost too narrow for two wider cars to pass.
Too bad it had to end.
Again, found myself in a bit of a hurry thinking I could catch the last Ludington-Manitowoc Ferry and avoid going around through Chicago. The SS Badger is much more expensive than the one across Georgian Bay but I think it was worth it, saving about 10 hours of freeway and the Chicago mess.
Boarding the Badger:
Some nice folks (yes, on HD's) :
They carry big stuff on this ship... I think this is a brewery vat heading to Milwaukee (seriously). They held the boat up so it could load.
All in all, a nice trip across Lake Michigan - met some nice folks again, took about 30 sunset pictures and relaxed:
The only bad part was the fact that six stereotypical, leather-clad HD dudes with their trophy girls decided to make the vessel their very own party cruise! Seriously, I was embarrassed to be another MC rider due to the actions of these jokers. I just tried to avoid 'em and it turns out, they would influence that nights (lack of) lodging.
Getting into Manitowoc about 11:00 pm, I had already ridden about 450 miles that day and thought I could find a cheap motel. I tried one - about $95 bucks for about 7 hours rest - ain't happening. Also, I saw the aforementioned HD clan cycles at the cheapest one (Motel 7, I think) and decided to not even think about looking there for vacancy! Well, my plan became clearer as it passed midnight: I was going to ride through the night and stop at "Motel Aerostich" when I felt tired enough which turned out was about 150 miles later, at about 3:00 am. Having known some others, to remain nameless, who have done this before, I thought I too, could sleep in gravel next to my bike with my helmet on. To make a long story short, I ended up sleeping next to about 20 idling trucks in a large truckstop. After about 3 hours, with the sun just starting to show, I felt rested enough to continue.
It was good to see the familiar hills of Duluth and the High Bridge as I made my into Superior.
The last 200 miles went by quickly as I was strangely missing being home, even though no one was there to greet me. For me, it was my longest day on a bike - about 800 miles in a 24 hour period.
Had a nice nap that day!
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