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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.
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