Upper Peninsula of Michigan Ride

July 1st - Photos - We rode 412 miles today in moderately warm weather. One bank sign displayed "94" as the temperature. The humidity was not to bad and there was a breeze blowing for most of the day.
We left Knoxville at 7:45 AM and rode I-75 North to Mt. Vernon. We then got off the Interstate and followed Rt. 150 to Rt. 127 North through Franklin, KY to I-71. We got back on the Interstate and crossed the Ohio River in Cinncinnati, Oh. I-74 West towards Indianapolis but we turned North on Rt. 52 following the directions signs to Anderson.
Dinner at Red Lobster topped off a perfect day.
Riders today include Gary & Robyn Malone, Janet Davis, Joe Swinsick, Jim Brown and myself. Jim left us tonight for Dayton and a Museum full of vintage aircraft. Don and Michelle join us after they rode over from Detroit. Ned Goodman should be here early tomorrow.

July 2nd - Photos - It is 312 miles from Anderson, IN. to Ludington, MI. The weather was a mixture of clear skies to overcast and rain. We saw a lot of wet roads but no more than about 5 minutes of rain actually fell on us. Don and Michelle are a nice addition to the group. Don is a member of CRGR and a long time friend of the club.
The attitude today evolved in to a "lets just get there" mood. We did travel a lot of two lane but we opted to hit the four lane and 70 mph speeds for the last 60 miles.
Don and Michelle had to back track to our last gas point to get something left behind. They caught up quickly to Joe who saw them and left the group to go get them but we ended up being separated until we arrived in Ludington. (No harm done).
Tomorrow is an easy day. Less than 75 miles of riding and a 4 hour ferry boat ride.

July 3rd - Photos - Don and Michele left us as Don has to be back at work. They did see us off at the ferry dock.
Less than 50 miles to be ridden today.....but a four hour ferry boat adventure made the day interesting.  Beautiful cool weather did not assure me that the ferry would be a smooth ride. You see, I get sea sick at the drop of a hat. But the water looked calm and the breeze was cool. Both, in my favor. A light load allowed the boat to zoom across the lake and arrive early. Fine by me!
We got to the hotel in Green Bay early so I enjoyed a afternoon nap. It was needed. A wonderful steak dinner topped off the night.
One thing I have noticed. Concrete is everywhere. The majority of the streets are concrete as well as a lot of the buildings. Maybe weather related?
Tommow, we get our first good look at the U.P.

July 4th - Photos - Another day of about 300 miles. 327 to be exact. Skies were mostly clear but it was windy and I don't think the temperature reached 70. When you are use to 90 degree temps in Tennessee and then come up here, it is kind of chilly. It was 54 degrees when we got to our hotel in Sault St. Marie and I was cold, even with my leather jacket on. The local kids were in shorts and flip flops.
I am surprised by the appearance of this place. People really take care of their land and cities. There are very few junk cars or condemned houses. Very little litter and most people keep their yards nicely manicured.
A good hot meal and warm bed is needed so we will be ready for a long day tomorrow. Canada, here we come!

July 5th - Photos - Another wonderful day starts off brisk with cooler temperatures and clear skies. We ride motorcycles less than 20 miles today and opt to ride the Algoma Excursion Train over on the Canadian side. No trouble at Customs coming or going. In fact, we were not even asked for I.D. from either border.
Joe may have made the right selection by deciding to take a day off from the group and go on his own. The train ride was not that great. The train destination was a Park where we had two hours to eat lunch and hike a little. There were some waterfalls in the area that were great. But the 3 1/2 hour ride each way was just too much.
We had dinner tonight at a small Greek restaurant in town and then rode down to the Locks. We got back to the hotel before dark as it was getting chilly.
Oh yeah, it is daylight from 6AM - 10PM up here.
Uh Oh! Ned called me to tell me he has mechanical problems. It is 100 miles to a Kawasaki dealership and he plans to get up early and leave the group to try to get it fixed. Maybe he can join us later.

July 6th - Photos - Ned called me last night. He is going to head South about 100 miles to the nearest Kawasaki dealership in an attempt to find the fix he needs for his bike. He called my cell this morning saying he had no luck at the dealership so he was heading on South for home. He only has to make it back to Indianapolis. Good Luck Ned!
Great weather again today. We rode about 337 miles from Sault St. Marie to Alpena MI. via White Fish Point. The museum at White Fish Point was one of the trip highlights. Each shipwreck was documented with artifacts and remains from the wreckage. A lot of lives have been lost near Whitefish Point mainly due to collisions. The lake narrows making traffic congested at times. Add fog or rain at night as a factor, and you have a formula for disaster.
The ride South was wonderful. We ended up in a coastal town named Alpena. Joe, Janet and I opted to stay at Days Inn while Gary and Robyn opted for a more economical option. We agreed to get a early start the next day, but a voice mail from Robyn later that evening, indicated they wanted to sleep in the next morning. They picked a great place to spend some extra time.

July 7th - We have settled in to a "get home" mode and I am typing this from Ohio. No more scenic Great Lakes and Beaches so no more photos. This was a great ride to a wonderful place. Clean, fresh and beautiful. The weather was great except for one short shower and a few hours of wet roads.