Ride around Lake Michigan - worth it?

[Goodman4]

I'm chomping at the bit to get a couple good rides in this year with my wife. With the work project I've been on, I was only able to take off around Christmas last year which sucks for much of a motorcycle trip. We got to do Nova Scotia and Maine in June 2016 and then the job changed with this project. July 2018 is when things finally slow down and I'm planning to revisit Moab UT and Colorado with my nephew at the end of the month when I'll have a week or two off.

But I'm trying to find something different we can do over July 4th when I'll have 4 or 5 days. I have my Iron Butt number and plate but this won't be one of those rides since it's with the wife and is for unwinding. 280 miles per day is relaxing/sight-seeing and 600 Interstate is tops for us two-up.

Our go-to spots are North Carolina, Georgia and NW Arkansas. But in my US map of our travels there are conspicuous gaps in the states of Michigan and Wisconsin. (Louisiana is a gap too, and we have discussed combining a fishing trip with eliminating that gap with Redfish Hunter some spring.) I know the great lakes area is painfully void of those mountains I love, but it's someplace we haven't been, so I'm leaning towards trying it.

Is the Tunnel of Trees and the other parts of the lakeshore in Michigan interesting enough of a ride in early July? It would likely be Monday and Tuesday before the 4th that we are in that area, so tourists and traffic are a bit of a concern. My wife has an uncle we'd like to visit in Waupaca WI as we loop around through central Wisconsin.

If we had more time we'd go up through OH and hit some roads I like but that probably won't work. This would be more of a touring trip around the lake.

Any thoughts? You can help talk me out of it, or convince me it's worth the experience. Maybe recommend key sights or a road that's within range?

Thanks for any advice,

Paul

 

[Bugnatr]

I rode the Tunnel of Trees and on up to Mackinaw City after CFO back in 09, traffic was light as it was Mid September. I heard it's heavy in the summer but I really did enjoy the ride and crossing the Mackinaw bridge is a must if in the area...quite the structure. Beautiful 100 year homes in Petoskey, I would ride it again if ever back in that neck of the woods.

 

[Geezer]

The tunnel of trees is worth riding, and crossing the Mackinac bridge on a motorcycle is quite an experience.

The eastern shore, in Michigan, is nice with many small resort towns and touristy things. I have not ridden along the western side of the lake.

The Chicago area is very busy with traffic and aggressive drivers, as well as toll roads all over the place.

 

[graler]

My experience in western Michigan is limited to halfway up the mitten. Sand Dunes / lots of water - Pentwater has a weekly concert in the park that is a pretty neat part of Americana. If you wanted not do a loop you can take the ferry across - everyone likes a boat ride. Eastern Wisconsin / Door County are very nice. That big bridge in the north is pretty cool as well. I rode around Superior a couple of years ago - The route around the North is beautiful.

 

[101stpathfinder]

If you had more time or a little more aggressive riding schedule, I would recommend the north shore of Lake Superior. Given the amount of time you have,

perhaps more local riding. Maybe a loop route through Ohio, West Virginia and make sure you hit Cumberland Falls in your loop? You are in my old tromping

grounds and have many great roads that I am sure you know about. Land between the lakes, SW of Nashville on backroads…

IF you want to ride Michigan then by all means hit the bridge, Mackinaw City, perhaps a ferry … The UP is loaded with deer and I would not recommend night

riding at all. As others have said, the fall would be better with its pie festivals and changing colors. Wisconsin! Now there are some great alphabet roads to just

get lost on.

 

[Dutch]

I've lived and ridden motorcycles in N. MI for 35 years and know that NW corner of the state well.

My preferred riding destination is Wisconsin, some of the best sport touring roads anywhere.

We like taking the ferry across to Manitowoc and make Madison home base.

Now, if you were talking about dual sport bikes and single line trails - this is the best up here in N MI.

 

[Goodman4]

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm feeling good about the trip.

If you had more time or a little more aggressive riding schedule, I would recommend the north shore of Lake Superior. Given the amount of time you have,perhaps more local riding. Maybe a loop route through Ohio, West Virginia and make sure you hit Cumberland Falls in your loop? You are in my old tromping

grounds and have many great roads that I am sure you know about. Land between the lakes, SW of Nashville on backroads…

Thanks, Tony. I've done many roads in WV and also the Cumberland Falls area. I've only been in SE Ohio once though and only on a portion of the triple nickel. But that's probably for another time. I did some routing to look at what it would take to go around Superior (I think it looks "superior" to my current route) but I'd need another day to make it work for the wife and that's not gonna happen.

And many days it takes an extra half hour to get home because I ride the back roads down to the north edge of Ft Campbell to enjoy some of our Ky country curves. A salute to you and all our soldiers this Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Goodman4]

So any recommendations for coming through Wisconsin? We are staying in Waupaca so anything around Madison is in range.

 

[roger dodger]

So any recommendations for coming through Wisconsin?

The Southwest corner of WI is called 'The Driftless' and was NOT Glaciated. Lots of low hills and curves that are mostly paved wagon trails. Ride anything with a letter ... called the Alphabet roads. We often ride from the southern border up to Tomah... and really love the Dodgeville up to Sparta route. Anything west of I90 is good.

A few good ones show up here... www.motorcycleroads.com/routes/wisconsin .

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Yup, what Roger said.^^^^^^^^ The area south of I-94, and west of Madison, toward the Mississippi, from the Iowa border north to Durand, is all good. You could spend quite a few fun days there and not hit the same road twice. Pavement quality varies wildly, and there will be plenty of road construction, but any detour will be fun too, if you stay on the alphabet roads. Just watch for deer, farm equipment, and Amish buggies. Don't forget to try some cheese.

I did the ride around Lake Superior solo, in 1980, so it was a long time ago. Nice scenic ride, but bring layers. The weather can be all over the place, and it can get mighty frigid next to the lake, even in mid-summer. Let us know your plans. Maybe we can meet for a few miles and have a burger. Good luck!

 

[deagle]

I ride around Lake Michigan every year. The U.P. is a pretty area, and I've been pretty fortunate to meet police not worried about enforcing the speed limit when going 10 mph over. The bridge is entertaining. Be prepared that one lane is a grate and you may be forced to ride on that. It feels like you're riding on flat tires and a little wiggly but you'll get used to it pretty quick. It's not a big deal, just different. The West side of Michigan has a lot of small towns and cottages. Some pretty scenery, some good riding if it's not crowded. As for the Tunnel of Trees, I did it once during peak fall colors and we barely moved. I'm not sure if something else was going on but I didn't care for it. I probably should give it another chance because it sounds like my experience isn't common.

I enjoy Wisconsin very much, but going through the Chicago area to go home is very congested. I take the toll road around it. Traffic moves decent on Sunday morning but lots of tolls to pull over for. This year I'll have the IPass (?) type thing so I don't have to pull over.

It's funny you coming here to check out the roads. I love the Kentucky people and roads and visit it every year. I probably need to be a bit more appreciative of what I have in my own backyard.

 

[Gurock]

Deagle, the Kentucky roads are superb. I do the Lake Michigan Circle every year for the last few years and it's worthwhile but doesn't move the adrenaline the way Kentucky does. Also you hit the Tunnel of Trees at a bad time. Most of the time you can do it like a race track. I've done it three times and always at speed. It just wasn't so designed for the FJRs. The turns are very tight and the road is pretty narrow. It's easy to screw up. I've done it on my Yamaha TMAX faster then I can do it on my FJR. Some of that may be my lack of skill with the "Big Girl", but some of it is how tight the turns are and that it's totally wooded so you can never get much of a glimpse of things ahead.

 

[Goodman4]

Great help. I had mapped out a route that took me across 60 from Sauk City to Prairie Du Chen since one of the route sites recommended that road. I may alter that and cut through the SW corner on smaller roads.

On the north side of WI I was going to go to Land o Lakes and go down Cty S and West across Cty K to Boulder Junction before working my way down to Waupaca to stay with family. Is the Boulder Junction area worth it?

Here is the WI section (as is) in Google Maps:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Escanaba,+Michigan+49829/Land+O'Lakes+Town+Clerk,+4331+County+Rd+B,+Land+O'+Lakes,+WI+54540/Waupaca,+WI/@44.4216453,-89.3510508,11.52z/data=!4m60!4m59!1m15!1m1!1s0x4d4d965e4edc0e1f:0x2de55ccbd7cb6ff6!2m2!1d-87.0645801!2d45.7452466!3m4!1m2!1d-87.7868632!2d45.7703478!3s0x4d5269cd1fba5a7f:0x3f1ba01f0ae98f73!3m4!1m2!1d-88.6035357!2d45.9309833!3s0x4d53f28ed7dd70cf:0x478dbc32000297e5!1m35!1m1!1s0x4d542884fa03fea3:0x8659cc4416b7427e!2m2!1d-89.222319!2d46.160779!3m4!1m2!1d-89.3442148!2d46.1131729!3s0x4d542c8d9b819bdd:0x68d2d842b3b7c45c!3m4!1m2!1d-89.5794446!2d46.0832766!3s0x4d55db1b587185db:0x5070695f143a79f3!3m4!1m2!1d-89.6326705!2d46.0770854!3s0x4d55dce9f36b8fe5:0x7f198bdd2127f306!3m4!1m2!1d-89.5749542!2d45.780359!3s0x4d55bafd6a9f827f:0xb5dc7ef638149ff0!3m4!1m2!1d-89.1666668!2d45.5536057!3s0x4d54f689b88c7f13:0x623b3a98873bb507!3m4!1m2!1d-89.168982!2d44.531245!3s0x8801a4a095f66f2d:0x5ec5f17974ad00b3!1m5!1m1!1s0x88010424347db5b1:0x12f93e441f4ca31d!2m2!1d-89.0859464!2d44.3580348!3e0

and then

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Waupaca,+WI/Dubuque,+IA/@42.593987,-90.7489977,11.21z/data=!4m44!4m43!1m35!1m1!1s0x88010424347db5b1:0x12f93e441f4ca31d!2m2!1d-89.0859464!2d44.3580348!3m4!1m2!1d-89.3446041!2d44.0684172!3s0x880121bc78eb4b3f:0x3df0d6e0afd01d06!3m4!1m2!1d-89.8743488!2d43.2103721!3s0x8807784cceab6ff3:0x71ad506fac1eec04!3m4!1m2!1d-90.3293723!2d43.2124703!3s0x87fda1b32b6c2787:0x8d9a200e8c13dabb!3m4!1m2!1d-90.9305836!2d43.078171!3s0x87fc8c9401cfc045:0xbfc3124b05e255c5!3m4!1m2!1d-91.0784781!2d42.8884329!3s0x87fc984971ae504f:0xfba33bc62402341e!3m4!1m2!1d-90.8482098!2d42.8204831!3s0x87fcc10a8fc6bd4b:0x13a6b5b90c78d082!1m5!1m1!1s0x87e32b84c08a86d3:0xb4be1ec626a37147!2m2!1d-90.6645718!2d42.5005583!3e0

I do enjoy our local roads, but Western Ky isn't quite as spectacular as N central and Eastern Ky. Still I keep finding different 100 mile loops that make me smile.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Boulder Junction is a cute, kind of touristy town, but beautiful scenery and worth the trip through. As far as the rest, southwest of Portage, you'll have fun on 78, but then take the free ferry across the Wisconsin River at Merrimac. It's a fun little diversion. That will also let you cut across country toward Dubuque on some of the most fun, deserted roads in the upper midwest. The state and US highways shown in your route will have plenty of traffic and law enforcement coverage. Running a sort of parallel route, but south of the Wisconsin River, and on the lettered county roads will be WAY more fun, with almost no traffic, and better scenery. If you're making a trip of this magnitude, do what you can to make it fun. And the alphabet roads are way more fun than those big highways.

 

[BikerGeek99]

A few thoughts...

Have you ridden in Door County? It's quite nice, but traffic can suck. On our way to NAFO '14, we stayed a night in Sturgeon Bay at the Holiday Music Motel. It's an interesting, cool place to stay.

Deagle summed up the Mackinac Bridge nicely. I've ridden across it on the damned grates, in the wind, above the clouds. It can be quite the experience.

My family does a vacation every year to the NW portion of the lower peninsula. We rent cabins on a lake ~ 30 minutes from Traverse City. If you can make the detour, head down to Torch Lake - the water is so beautiful, you'll think you're in the Caribbean. Where Torch Lake and Clam Lake meet, there's a placed called the Dockside. Go there, sit on the deck (and laugh at the idiots who don't know how to dock a boat), and get the fried pickles. Trust me. Get the pickles.

 

[Dutch]

I rode from Mackinac City to Cross Village a few days ago along the lake on 119. The pavement was in terrible shape with large sections of broken blacktop and dirt/gravel sections. After enduring that stretch of "road" I chose to head east rather than continue south through the "Tunnel of Trees".

 

[Goodman4]

I rode from Mackinac City to Cross Village a few days ago along the lake on 119. The pavement was in terrible shape with large sections of broken blacktop and dirt/gravel sections. After enduring that stretch of "road" I chose to head east rather than continue south through the "Tunnel of Trees".

Ugh. Less than two weeks before we head that way. Anybody else have any road reports on the other sections near the lake in MI? A lot of bad roads and we might make some big changes.

 

[Dutch]

If I was wanting to circle L. MI. from KY. - I'd start in Holland on 31 - Grand Haven, Muskegon, Manistee, north of Manistee hop on 22, Empire, Glen Arbor, Leland, Northport, Suttons Bay, Traverse City (great place to stay the night). From Traverse head north on 31 to Elk Rapids, Charlevoix - on your way into Harbor Springs look for C-77, head north. Maybe ten miles north look for Robinson Rd. - turn left (west) and head to Good Hart (visit the grave yard). From GH head north on 119 to Cross Village - the Leggs Inn opens at noon - it is a must see!

Leave Cross Village heading east on 66 to Levering, turn left (north) on 31 which runs into I-75, then Mackinac/Bridge.

US-2 goes west along the north shore and has had the speed limit bumped up to 65 (from 55) so it's easy to make good time.

Enjoy your adventure, hope you have good weather.

 

[DesignFlaw06]

Just did the route from Muskegon to Traverse City two weeks ago.

If you're heading north from KY into Michigan, you can run the Red Arrow and Blue Star Highway. It beats the slab for the most part, but you won't find any good twisties in Michigan at all. Best turns you have are on ramps to the freeway. Instead you'll find a lot of good sweepers near the water. It's a scenic tour, not a technical one.

Highlights along West Michigan are Scenic Drive through Muskegon State Park. You can go through the Silver Lake area if you want to see the ORV park. I would probably blast up US31 until Ludington. You'll have to continue up through US 31 (or go Stiles Rd to alleviate some traffic). Take a left when you see the Burger King in Manistee of US31. That's 110 and it's the best kept secret in the area. It dead ends into M-22 and the you can stay on that forever. There's a scenic overlook just past Acadia called Inspiration Point. Sleeping Bear Dunes is worth the visit.

Traverse City is nice town, but it is expensive. It will be insane from June 30th through July 7th. That's Cherry Festival and you do not want to stay the night there. Hotel rooms will run you $300+ a night if you can find one. We went up even after Cherry Festival was overand our cheapest lodging option was to get a suite at Great Wolf Lodge for $550 a night (split 5 ways). I would push it to Mackinaw City or St. Ignace for cheaper options. Tunnel of trees is worth doing on your way there, even if the road condition is sub-par. It's about 1.5 lanes wide and you're likely to encounter slow traffic anyway. There aren't many good places to pull off and enjoy the view.

For the most part, I think the beaches in Wisconsin pale in comparison to West Michigan, but Door County is still worth the detour and is some of the best scenery Wisconsin has to offer. Once you get to Milwaukee though, it's more about just getting around Chicago. Personally, I don't think Chicago driving is that bad as long as it is moving. Get smart on where the construction is and it's fine. It's aggressive driving for sure, but I think people make it out to be worse than it really is. It's only bad if you're not moving.

The Station in Muskegon or The Brown Bear in Pentwater or Shelby are pretty good burger joints. House of Flavors in Manistee is also worth a visit for some good ice cream. Moomers in Traverse City also has good ice cream.

Depending on when you'll be through Muskegon, I might be able to get away for a little bit and run you up a ways.