Lake Superior Tour Report (2013)

[TimC]

NOTE: This is actually a tour report I wrote last year and never got around to posting. I had saved it as a Word document, then never did the cut-and-paste here on VFRD. So everything you're about to read was actually from August 2013. Enjoy!

Lake Superior tour wrap-up

Earlier this year I completed tours around Lakes Huron and Michigan. I saved Lake Superior for last, as it was the largest lake and longest tour, and I wasn’t sure if I would get to it this year. My calendar cleared up in late July for this tour, and I was very happy to go. The route around the lake offers some options for spending more or less time riding near the lakeshore, and there are plenty of small towns all the way around the lake for fuel and hotels/motels and camping. I didn’t plan every last detail, which is how I prefer to travel. Sometimes it’s better to plan everything, but I like to wing it a bit.

Day 1 – Ravenna, OH, to Mackinaw City, MI – 461 miles

I got a late start because, since I’d be gone for the better part of a week, I needed to run a couple errands and pay a few bills before I left. I didn’t get on the road until about noon. This was going to be the most boring day of the trip, running freeways all the way to Mackinaw City, so it didn’t matter that I left so late. Nothing to note here, other than I’m thankful for 70 mph speed limits on the Ohio Turnpike, US-23, and I-75.

I hit rain in Michigan but it wasn’t too bad. Unfortunately, rain would be a theme for the first few days of the tour. I used the Priceline app on my iPhone to book a room at an independent motel in Mackinaw City. It wasn’t very nice, but at $100 for a Friday night in a tourist mecca I couldn’t complain too much, especially considering that I waited until the early evening to book the room. At least I had a nice view of Lake Michigan right outside my door.

Day 2 – Mackinaw City, MI to Calumet, MI – 420 miles

My original route left out the peninsulas that jut out into Lake Superior in Michigan’s upper peninsula (or UP), but I also wrote in optional trips if I wanted to explore. My first extra trip was to Whitefish Point, home of a lighthouse and the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. I got my first-ever glimpse of Lake Superior here, and took the time to tour the museum. The museum is well worth your time and money. Many artifacts are on exhibit, but maybe the coolest and yet eeriest artifact is the ship’s bell from the SS Edmund Fitzgerald.

From Whitefish Point I headed south to take MI-123 to MI-28 toward Marquette, MI. Somewhere on MI-28 it started to rain. It rained and rained and rained. I’ve discovered my rainsuit’s limits, as well as those of my gloves. Oh, and it felt like September, with temps in the low 50s. I was miserable, but had enough spirit to take my next option on my journey, heading north onto the Keweenaw Peninsula, all the way to Copper Harbor, MI. The weather had cleared up along the way, and I was able to enjoy my ride and the scenery. There were some nice views along the way, but the highlight on the roads was MI-26 heading west out of Copper Harbor. Nice stretch of twisty road, just watch for deer. This optional side trip took some time, and the sun was setting while I was still kind of in the sticks. I was tired and cold, and it was now dark, so I got a not cheap room in Calumet, MI, while still on the peninsula.

My visit to Whitefish Point and the shipwreck museum put me pretty far behind my original schedule. I could have skipped the Keweenaw Peninsula, as the scenery wasn’t the greatest, but afterward I was glad I took that trip. This was probably the only tour I’ll ever do around Lake Superior, and I definitely got my money’s worth by doing the extra side trips.

By the way, I learned a new trick that day. I took off my soaked rain gloves, and wrapped the wrist straps around my VFR’s mirror stalks to let the wind dry them out as much as possible. It worked OK, not great, but well enough that they weren’t still soaked by the time I got to the hotel.

Day 3 – Calumet, MI, to Silver Bay, MN – 340 miles

After a good breakfast at the hotel, I tried to wait out the falling rain before leaving. I did manage to miss the heaviest rainfall by waiting until almost 11 a.m. to leave, but still rode through rain for the first 2-3 hours of the day. I headed south back toward MI-28 and west toward Wisconsin. The rain finally stopped just as I hit the Wisconsin border. I hoped (and actually prayed) that was the end of the rain for this tour. I don’t normally mind riding through rain, but I’d already done several hours of it. Riding in a steady rain takes twice the concentration of normal riding, plus managed to slow me down at least 10 mph at all times. Other than a few sprinkles near Toledo on the way home a couple days later, I stayed dry the rest of the tour.

Just west of Ashland, WI, I had another choice whether to stay on US-2 heading toward Minnesota, or to go north onto Wisconsin’s peninsula on WI-13. I took the trip north and was glad I did, as the scenery was very nice on the way north and back west to US-2. By the time I hit Duluth, MN, the weather had gotten very nice – sunny and temps in the low 70s. I stopped for a couple photos on the outskirts of Duluth, just before hitting the North Shore Scenic Drive, which runs along the lakeshore, parallel to MN-61 between Duluth and Two Harbors. This was a tip from Knute and crakerjack here on VFRD, and I really enjoyed the ride. (Thanks, guys!)

I wanted to take advantage of another tip, this one from MaxSwell, to ride the twisty 62 miles up MN-1 from Illgen City to Ely. But by the time I was getting close to Illgen the sun was setting. I took a chance and picked a small motel in Silver Bay. The Mariner Motel was nicer than I expected and a great deal at $45 plus tax. (I wish I’d found more motels like this during my trip. Cheaper than the big chains, and when I just need a bed and a shower, I don’t really want to spend more for other amenities. I mean, I didn’t even turn on a TV in any of the places I stayed during this tour.)

Days 4 – Silver Bay, MN, to Marathon, ON – 461 miles

Picture-perfect weather as I started the day with the trip up MN-1, as described above. This side trip takes some time, but it is very worth it. No technical twisties, but some great sweepers and some great scenery along the way in the Finland State Forest. Ely is a larger town than I expected, and is a great place to stop for lunch and fuel. I really hustled most of the way back to MN-61 and made the trip back in under an hour. (Thanks for the tip, MaxSwell!)

Once back on MN-61, I headed northeast toward Canada. I topped off my VFR’s tank in Grand Portage, MN, knowing the fuel in Ontario would be more expensive. There is a very beautiful overlook a few miles before you reach the border, where you can see a few small islands just off the shoreline. Incredible. Thankfully, crossing the border in smaller towns is much easier and faster than in big cities like Detroit/Windsor, though if you’re looking for well-stocked duty-free shops, stick to the big cities.

I had originally planned to stop in Thunder Bay, ON, for the night, but it was much too early to stop. I had also thought I might make this a 6-day tour instead of a 5-day trip, so running behind wouldn’t be a real problem. But my family was going to be leaving town on that 6^th day, which meant I had to be home early enough to take care of our pets. So I stopped in Thunder Bay for coffee in the early afternoon, then just kept going. I made it all the way to Marathon, ON, that evening before stopping due to darkness and fatigue. (More darkness than fatigue, really. No way I wanted to be on ON-17 after dark.) I booked an overpriced room at the Airport Motor Inn (formerly a TraveLodge) and searched the town in vain for a decent dinner after 10 p.m., and settled for a pretty lousy late dinner from an all-night donut shop. Marathon is about the midpoint of the northern shore of Lake Superior. Not much to it, but a decent little town.

ON-17 has some very nice scenery and some terrific sweepers with changing elevation. It also has plenty of passing zones, so don’t worry about getting stuck behind the many campers and motorhomes you’ll see on the road in the summer months. This highway was one of the highlights of my tour.

Day 5 – Marathon, ON, to Ravenna, OH – 820 miles

I had a poor continental breakfast at the hotel the next morning, then set off toward Sault Ste. Marie and the U.S. border. I enjoyed as much scenery near Lake Superior as I could, knowing it would soon disappear from view during the day’s travels, and not knowing if or when I’ll see it again. The natural beauty around the lake is the best of the Great Lakes in my opinion, and I’m glad I saved it for last.

I made good time but wasted too much time on the Canadian side before crossing the bridge back into Michigan. (I really could have used that time later.) Thankfully, the border crossing went more quickly than I expected at rush hour on a weekday. I wanted to visit the locks on the U.S. side but I had already spent too much time off the bike and headed south on I-75.

My original route/schedule had me stopping overnight in Mackinaw City again, but I felt like I had to keep going, as I didn’t want to be that far from home on Day 6. I kept going south toward Ohio, figuring I’d find a cheap motel on the way. I stopped in the small city of Grayling, MI, for dinner, and decided to keep going as far as I could that night. (I don’t worry as much about deer at night on limited access freeways.)

I ended up in Toledo around 1:30 a.m., stopped for gas and a snack before getting on the Ohio Turnpike for the last leg home, and figured then that I’d make it home. It would be around 4 a.m., but I’d make it that night. Besides the motivation not to spend more money on a motel, I really wanted to see my family before they left for their own trip in the morning. With an extra stop or two to gas up and imbibe some necessary caffeine and snacks, I made it home by 4:30 a.m. on what was really Day 6. Tired, but happy to be home, and with a certain sense of accomplishment.

During my journey south toward home, I actually experienced a little sadness, knowing this was the last of my Great Lakes tours. Sure, I may do another one someday, but completing tours around each of the Great Lakes has been a goal of mine for a few years. I started with a 3-day tour around Lakes Erie and Ontario in 2010, and had hoped to do one tour per year. A busy schedule has kept me from doing any real touring until this year, and I’ve only been able to do this much riding because I’ve been unemployed since last fall. Being out of work this long really stinks, but I completed tours around Lakes Huron (in May), Michigan (in June), and now Superior (in July).

Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, and completing a tour around it was, to me anyway, a daunting task. This was my longest tour by far, almost 1000 miles longer than my previous longest tour. My original route (without the side trips) totaled 2100 miles, and I allowed 5 days for that trip. My actual total ended up a hair over 2500 miles, and I needed more like 5.5 days to complete the trip. Again, I have this great sense of accomplishment now, but I’m also a little sad this phase of my motorcycling life is complete.

I’ve been thinking about what’s next, or what else I could plan for the future. The first thing that came to mind was riding the entire length of the Blue Ridge Parkway. I did a tour in 2010 to ride the Skyline Drive, and I’ve hit a couple sections of the BRP in years past, but never more than 30-40 miles of the Parkway at one time (other than the Skyline Drive). If it’s not too late in the season, I’ll think about camping for a change, both for fun and to keep the cost down.

I’ve also considered riding south to the Dragon for a few days. I haven’t been there since TMac ’10, and would love to ride the seriously twisty mountain roads in that region of NC/TN again soon. Finding a cheap place to stay for a few nights would make that trip more attractive, too.

Observations:

--In my opinion, Lake Superior has the best natural scenery of any of the Great Lakes. I had no idea there were all these small islands just offshore, and that there were mountains of stone rising from the land near the shore. Absolutely beautiful. If lighthouses are your thing, stick with Lakes Huron and Michigan, as there are plenty of them around those lakes. Not that there aren’t any on Lake Superior, but to me these lighthouses were no match for the splendor around the lake itself.

--I grew to hate riding in the rain during this trip. As I said above, it normally doesn’t bother me, but riding in rain for 2-3 hours at a time, 3 days in a row really got to me. It won’t bother me as much in the future, but believe me – by the 3^rd day I had had enough for one trip.

--I expected cooler temps up north, especially near the lake, but wasn’t quite prepared for September-like weather for a couple days of the trip. If you’re touring up north, bring more cold weather gear than you expect to need. I ended up buying an extra top layer and wool-blend socks in a small town in order to say warm that day.

--If your bike’s tires are a little iffy for a long tour, change them before you go. There aren’t many cycle shops around the Great Lakes, especially Lake Superior. My VFR had a fairly new rear tire already installed, and I had the front replaced the day before I left. This was very prudent, as my existing front tire would not have made the trip, plus would have been very dangerous in all the rain I rode through.

--“Powersports” shops up north are different from here in the Midwest. Most shops like this around here sell (in order) motorcycles, ATVs, side-by-sides, maybe personal watercraft (aka jetski’s), and possibly snowmobiles. Up north, the order seems more like ATVs, snowmobiles, side-by-sides, and a few motorcycles and personal watercraft. No offense to any of my northern friends, but I wouldn’t count on most shops up north having what you need in stock should you break down during a trip up there.

--It was interesting to see all the signs for snowmobile crossings on the roads in MI and MN. There is absolutely nothing like that in Ohio. We don’t even have public dirtbike and ATV trails in most places. Makes me a little jealous.

--For all my deer and moose awareness, I never saw one of either during my trip. I did see something cross the road in front of me in MI, WI, or MN, but I think it was a wolf, as it definitely did not move like a deer. Whatever is was, I was glad it was too far in front of me to see it clearly.

--I wrote during a previous ride report that you can’t throw a rock in Ontario without hitting a Tim Horton’s. I wish that were actually true, as they were way too few and far between around Lake Superior. Besides having terrific coffee and chili when I really could have used it, I also love the free WiFi at their locations.

--Way too many bugs in the boonies, and not just at night. But I think I actually dodged (most of) the worst of the bugs during this trip, as the rain and lower temperatures helped keep many of the bugs at bay for the first few days.

--Each of my Great Lakes tours was longer than the previous one. I think that’s the way to go. It made this final tour more special, knowing it would be my best touring achievement yet.

--It’s difficult riding one-handed through Ann Arbor at 70 mph on US-23 while your left hand is pointed in the direction of the University of Michigan with your middle finger extended. (Just kidding! I’m not really that much of an Ohio State fan.)

--I think this was the last tour for my old Marsee magnetic tankbag. I’ve really loved this bag – big and expandable, with a nice large map window on top, and good magnets on the flaps and bottom of the bag. But the seams keep coming undone on the side pockets. I’ve repaired it several times already, and while at my stop in Toledo on the way home I noticed the left pocket bottom seam was giving way. I’ll probably repair it and use the bag again this season, but I’ve had my eye on a very nice FirstGear Silverstone bag for awhile, and will likely buy it before next riding season.

--My VFR ran perfectly. My odometer is just shy of 73k miles at the moment, 69k of which I’ve put on it in just under 7 years, and I still love this bike. It’s a terrific all-around motorcycle, though I wouldn’t say it’s an ideal touring bike. Still, my only real ache was a sore neck toward the end of the long days. BTW, I did the math after totaling my fuel receipts, and my VFR averaged 40 mpg for the trip. Considering my weight (I’m a big guy.), loaded hardbags, loaded tankbag, and 70-80 mph speeds during the freeway miles, I’m pretty happy with a 40 mpg average over 2500 miles.

--I’m definitely not replacing my VFR for awhile, but I’ve been considering a naked (or semi-naked) bike for my next motorcycle. For example, one of my dream bikes is the BMW R1200R. I’ve also considered a Triumph Tiger 800 Street. After running 70+ mph for much of this trip, I’m thinking twice about a naked bike. Even with a decent sized flyscreen or small windshield, I’m wondering if the windblast at higher speeds will be a problem on tours like this. Plus, the weather protection (during rain and/or cooler temps) of my VFR’s fairings were appreciated the first few days of this tour.

Here is a link to all my photos from the trip, including those posted above. You shouldn't need an account or password to view the photos.

LINK: https://www.flickr.com/photos/98983586@N03/sets/72157635904784215/

All photos were taken with my Fujifilm FinePix S4200 digital camera, with 14 megapixels and 24x zoom. I bought this camera a year ago for around $220 USD, but it can now be purchased new for less than $150. CNET’s review only gave it 3 out of 5 stars, but Amazon’s customer rating is 4.4 stars out of 5, which I think is accurate. For the lower price tag now, it’s a great camera for the money IMHO. I think the features in this camera are much better than competitors’ cameras in the same price range. Also, just before this tour I bought a Targus mini tripod. It came in handy a couple times and fits nicely in my camera bag.

[LangoPTC]

Good stuff! Thanks for posting.