Around Lake Superior

[slick_kipper]

Me and my new riding bud went on an inaugural adventure ride on our (new to us) Stroms. Left Grand Rapids, MI at 1PM on a Wednesday, followed the Lake Michigan shoreline north to the top of the Lelanau peninsula and arrived at the state park in Traverse City around 10:30PM on day 1. Camped on lucky site #13 and woke early to the cawing of crows perched in a tree just a few feet over our tents. I haven't been camping for a couple of decades and it was a rough night of not sleeping, and muggy as hell the next morning. I was still sweating from breaking camp when we arrived at the nearby Bob Evans, so


Day 2 it rained from T.C. to the Macinaw bridge, then stopped and we didn't get rained on for the rest of the week. I'd narrowly miss two deer shortly after this photo was taken. You know, the kind of near miss that sets you to philosophizing in yer noggin' for about an hour?


Made it to the Macinaw bridge, yep. I'm the one NOT trying to impersonate the Gordon's Fisherman. All kidding aside, there's nothing wrong with a hi-vis rainsuit. In fact, after passing through the toll booth I was almost run off the road by an older gentleman in a white pickup truck, but I don't think they make rainsuits bright enough for him to have seen me.


So, at the advice of some other internet friends, we'd decided to go round the lake clockwise and short of the Sault we jogged west to Brimley, MI and followed W.Lakeshore Dr. toward Paradise. The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli. Here's my first decent view of the lake.


And here's the same spot, but with more motorcycles.


After riding out to Whitefish Point and NOT seeing the bell to the Edmund Fitzgerald, we stopped at this here party store in Seney, MI because my belly was thirstin' and it wanted it's picture taken.


Rolled into Marquette around 7:30PM. Some local dude on a Honda Hawk saw the two of us and told us where to get some whitefish, so we go to the place and the dude comes in with us, we buy him a beer and he spills a glass of water in my friends lap. Hard to blame the dude though. My friend thought it'd be a good idea to break out his atlas at the very small, crowded table, and the whitefish hit the spot.

After eating, we had to find camping and rode about an hour to the state park near Champion, MI on 41. Like I said, I haven't been camping and I'm impressed with the quality of the Michigan state parks. Cold as hell the next morning. I'd bought a folding Thermarest pad just for this trip, but opted for a self-inflating air mattress, thinking it wouldn't be cold enough for it to matter. Maybe the Thermarest would have been a better choice, I don't know. Anyway, woke up and went directly to the shower for lots of hot water. Didn't sleep very good, but a little better than the previous night. Didn't matter though, I had 5 days of great riding ahead of me so two nights' sleep deprivation would sour my spirits.


If you're ever in the Champion area round breakfast time, stop a Francois on 41 just a few miles east of the state park and get yourself a "Youpper Omlette." The waitress there will already know that you're going to ask her what kind of meat's in it so just save her some time and say "Yes, I've got a question" when you're ordering.


Next we'd follow the east shore of the Keweenaw peninsula up through Copper Harbor. Got into a little dirt road that we thought would lead to the water right at the point of the peninsula, but about a mile in turned around and just kicked up dust for the video camera. We were both very pleased with how well the Stroms handled the rather rough conditions. My buddy's an x motocrosser and he got to throwing the Strom around pretty good. I'll post video when I get it onto the computer. After the dirt we both needed drink so we stopped at another party store. I was kinda' proud of myself for getting "on the pegs" and by golly that dusty bikes a thing of beauty.

[ClearwaterBMW]

loving this thread
can't wait to read and see more

the wreck of the edmund fitzgerald is something i've extensively studied
i hope that i can make this trip one day

[slick_kipper]

Forgot to mention, going up the east shore of the Keweenaw peninsula, we're riding along and there's a guy picking stuff out of the roadside brush. We stop to set up a video camera and I ask him what he's finding. "Blueberries" he says. Sure enough the entire roadside's choked with them. Better tasting than farm raised if you ask me. We hopped back on the bikes and about a mile down the road there was a couple in a minivan watching a black bear eating these berries. I couldn't get the camera out in time but my buddy had his video camera rolling so I'll try to post that later too.



OK, following the west side of of the Keweenaw peninsula south on 26. Very scenic. Kind of remniscent of the Pacific NW.


Only got as far as Gogebic State Park on day 3, but seeing the Keweenaw was worth it. Another nice state park; camp site right on the weather, even got there in time to have a fire and burn some socks.


Before entering Wisconsin on Day 4 we did a quick run down Black River Road (along the Black River). The river's nice, but you can't see it from the road. There's one waterfall that just a short walk from the parking area.


Stopped at a Suzuki dealership in Hurley (near Ironwood) for a little oil for my buddies Strom, then took 2 across Wisconsin. Nice road, no cops, quick travel. Stopped at this store for gas and drink and had some great smoked fish for a snack. Afterwords, my buddy says "Now, I'm not advocating riding without a helmet, but I'd like to know what it's like" to which I replied "count me in." Minutes into our ride we're cruising along at about 75 and a deer darts across the highway just in front of my friend, close enough to have to touch the breaks. I get the biggest smile on my face and chuckle at the irony.

[scarysharkface]

Very nice. I want to do that ride!

John

[slick_kipper]

If you just keep riding when you cross the border into Minnesota, and you have no helmet on, you find yourself passing through Duluth (possibly during rush hour) with no helmet on....yee haw...time to take some pics with my free hand It's dangerous, yes, but exhilarating, and I can see the allure. We did MN w/o the helmets too.



Followed 61 up the MN coast. Rather busy, but it's got a few tunnels and some great views of the lake.






Rolled into Grand Marais in the evening. Had some walleye.

[funhouse]

I'm unclear on the idea of wearing a yellow safety vest while not wearing a helmet.....what am I missing.....? Bruce

[AusStealth]

Originally Posted by funhouse

I'm unclear on the idea of wearing a yellow safety vest while not wearing a helmet.....what am I missing.....? Bruce

If the cage drivers see you, they won't knock you off the bike, and you don't need the helmet....simple.

[slick_kipper]

It was getting dark when we left Grand Marais, and a little cool, so the helmets went back on, and there was a small snafu with respect to finding a campsite. I'm not going to point fingers, so long story short, we crossed into Canada at around 11PM thinking there'd be a campsite just on the other side of the border. Well, the border guard kid didn't know what the hell we were talking about, so he asks some gal and says there MIGHT be one down some Trout Road a few miles up 61, although he didn't know if it might be closed, and if it WAS closed we'd have to get to Thunder Bay for anything. Well, we find this Trout Road, but it's called "Little" Trout road, and it's just a dirt road and we follow it into the wilderness about a half mile, see no signs for a campground so that's it. We get out of the woods and head north toward Thunder Bay. Lot of WARNING MOOSE NIGHT DANGER signs to be on a motorcycle so late at night in a foreign country. My buddy was in the lead initially, but he kept slowing down, sometimes stopping to read the few billboards that came up. Well, I didn't feel safe stopping, or slowing down that much, so after the 2nd stop on the highway (there WAS traffic at that hour, and fast traffic at that) I'd had enough and just said "We've got to just get to Thunder Bay" and literally (but not intentionally) burn rubber as I took off in front of him. Well, hand over brake all the way to Thunder Bay, we make it to town and concede to stay at the Travelodge. Damn those Canadians are friendly; the hotel clerks, the gas station attendants, passers by helping us find a camp ground back when we thought we might still find one that night...all friendly. The next morning after eating our continental breakfast amidst the friendly Canadians we joke that they're so friendly because they think us Americans are going to pop a cap in their asses if they're not nice.



Day 5: Leaving the Travelodge, we fuel up and I find Malteezers...well, both me and "Charley" watched "Long Way Round" a few times, so I bought em and we tried that trick they did. Jolly good fun, but emasculating.


After getting laughed at by some chick while we played with candy in the parkinglot (I couldn't have left that part out of my ride report??), we started the long journey east on 17. We were all set for hour after hour in the saddle, but this amethyst mine thing popped up, so we reluctantly checked it out. Neat rocks, got a few chunks for the mantle, but the 8 kilometer ride up the dirt road to the mine was more fun really.

[slick_kipper]

Done with the rock diversion, it's time to ride, and ride we did, all the way to Obtanga Provincial Park, which is about 40 miles from Wawa. Interesting road that 17. A little crazy, largely un-policed, and basically "Thunderdome." Got a little crazy with the speed from time to time, but when you're bombing along at 75mph (20 over the limit mind you) and getting passed over and over again, you just get sick of it. Nice pavement, beautiful scenery, no police, lots of long sweeping curves and elevation changes...in a word, awsome. (Click it, it's a vid clip eh!)


OK, Obtanga Provincial Park kicks arse, and I'll tell ya why in a sec. We stayed there an extra day and fished, hoping to catch some walleye to cook over a fire. Well, we'd brought travel rods, but didn't need to; they'll rent you fishing gear at Obtanga (and many other Provincial parks apparently). The other thing is, they'll rent you a canoe for like $12/day, maybe $24, but who cares! The canoes are already next to different spots on the many lakes in the park, you just ride your bike to your canoe, unlock it and go.


So between the two of us, we caught about 6 pike; the biggest being a 28" that I caught but hey, it's not a competition eh? We kept two of em, I cut the fillets and we cooked em over an open fire and drank an ice cold Labatts. What more can I say.


Campsite 7 in Obtanga. A "frequently requested" site. On the lake, near the showers, and you can ride your motorcycle down a short hill from the sites car area to the tent area (just for fun, and that way you don't have to haul your gear up and down the hill). Obtanga is a "conservation park" and quite beautiful.

[slick_kipper]

The morning of Day 7: 40 miles to Wawa, maybe 160 to the Sault. We were thinking of staying at Pancake Bay Prov.Park near the Sault, but the weather was so nice and we both felt like just riding, so after stopping at a tourist gift shop/complex near Pancake (where I was momentarily mistaken for The Kaneman (sup dude)) we bombed across the border, through the U.P. on I75, across the Mac Bridge and down US131 in the dark towards Grand Rapids.

Click it! It's a vid clip!



Arrived home at 11:30PM after an even 500 mile day, a little wired on RedBull, but feeling pretty high on life. Got to bed around 2AM and woke up at noon the next day, thinking the power had gone off because my alarm clock read 1200 when I woke up.

Reflections on Life: Screw em. I will say this was probably the best trip I've ever taken, certainly on a motorcycle, and as a result I'll probably be hooked on this type of adventure (barring some unforseen circumstance) for years to come. Before this trip, I was only guessing that I'd enjoy this "type" of activity, but it turns out I really do. It also helped me get perspective on how big riding to/from Alaska will be but I'm in no hurry:
I'll be "feeding" off this trip for a long time.

Thanks for reading,
SK

[contacterich]

- nice report & great photos. thx for posting it up!

[Monsieur]

Enjoyed that - thanks!
I used to fish when I was a boy and remember catching some pike - how do they taste?

[flya750]

I'm a GR transplant... I would love to get to know you guys... you seem like allot of fun! Any future planned trips?

[jconli1]

Great pics and info...

The next leg of my trip is from upstate NY to Minneapolis via Niagra to Michigan to Sault Ste. Marie to Thunder Bay... now I have a somewhat better idea what to expect!

[ClearwaterBMW]

Originally Posted by funhouse

I'm unclear on the idea of wearing a yellow safety vest while not wearing a helmet.....what am I missing.....? Bruce

it IS a "funny" scene, isn't it?