Our Trip

[T.J.]

We had a trip planned during FreeBirds Maintenance Day. We were going to head to Virginia and stop by Don's on the way but the weather changed that.

 

 

 

Get your Michigan map out before reading this.

 

 

 

Because of the weather report for the Eastern part of the U.S last week we went to plan B, in the U.P.

 

 

 

We left Oxford at 6:30 a.m. Saturday and drove across state to Manistee. Picked up Hwy. 31 to 22 and followed it all the way up and back down to 31 again. 31 all the way up to Charlevoix around to Harbor Springs to 119. By the time we got into Mackinaw City it was 10:00 with 450 miles behind us. We started out with (5 riders) ran into rain around Gladwin up to Frankfort before it stopped. Turned a little cold on us but not bad. Sunday morning in Mackinaw the one guy called it quits and headed back home. He was riding a BMW. Two other riders backed out because of the rain forecast for Saturday and were going to leave Sunday. It rained and they never went anywhere.

 

 

 

The rest of us headed up to Sault Ste. Marie. (Two Gold Wings, a Kawasaki Concours, and my Yamaha Venture). From the Sault we headed to White Fish Point, Grand Marais where I have a niece that took us on a 2 hour tour around her place. We all road in a 4 wheel drive pick up for that. From there we headed on H58 through Munising and spent the night in Ishpeming of 41.

 

 

 

Monday morning we headed on up to Copper Harbor and spent most of the day touring around the Copper Country and headed back down to Hwy. 26 to 45 and spent the night just the other side of Ontonagon off Hwy. 64. We stayed in a real nice Motel/Cabin place in the country. Had a fire pit so I built a fire and two of the guys ran back into Ontonagon and got some hot dogs and the fixings. We sat around the campfire, roasted hot dogs, talked till Midnight then went to bed.

 

 

 

Tuesday morning we were on the road (Hwy.64) by 8:30 and headed to Porcupine Mtn. We walked to the lookout where we could see the Lake of The Clouds. Nice place if you have never been there.

 

 

 

From there we headed into Ironwood taking Hwy. 2 into Wisconsin before heading south back on around heading East till we picked up 41 to Hwy. 2. Long day but we crossed the big Mack 10:00 at night and stayed in Mackinaw City that night. Once we got settled in and unloaded we went to a place called "Dark Sky Viewing" just outside of Mackinaw City to the West. Great place to view the stars. We found a spot to lay down on our backs in the grass and watched the stars and Satellites go by. Felt like a bunch of kids for sure. Got back to our Motel around Midnight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wed. morning we started back home the long way. Down 23 to 33 all the way to Sterling. ate lunch and back home.

 

 

 

Total of 1850 miles. No miss hap's just good times. It all ended way too soon. Great weather all the rest of the way after Saturday's rain.

 

 

 

I was the oldest by 25 up to 35 years difference.

 

Just thought I would share.

[Flyinfool]

Sounds like a great trip.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[cowpuc]

WOW - AWESOME RIDE TJ!!!! Thank you for posting up such an amazing account of it all brother!! Its always a pleasure to ride along on trips like this with good buddies like yourself!!

[XV1100SE]

Glad you had a good ride ! Nice write up

[T.J.]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]99815[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]99816[/ATTACH] Just a couple of pic's. from the trip

 

Copper Harbor Michigan Record Snow Fall. 390.4 " Oops I said the word snow, oh no I didn't. I spelled it. Man that was close.

 

Other picture is in Grand Marais looking over Lake Superior.

[mirider]

Nice report.....been there done that many times. My roots are in the UP (my dad's family lived in Ironwood) and I've spent a lot of time up there. Made the mistake of taking my bride up there on our honeymoon in April.....the UP was closed ?

[Prairiehammer]

Thanks, T.J.

Even though I reside in Illinoistan, I have traveled (on the bike and in a cage) all the places you so succinctly described.

We have "cage-ationed" for the past 11 years just south of Ironwood (Lake Pardee, Wisconsin).

Unfortunately, not this year, (well, maybe we will get there this coming fall). Duluth is on the radar for the summer, though.

Sorry, I did not get to see you at MD. The UP made up for it, though.