Ride Around the Pond 08

Click here to see the pictures from this trip

Last Tuesday afternoon, I thought I would take a ride up to Michigan. I ended up going a little farther.

Tuesday night I stayed in Lansing, then Wednesday morning I headed to Port Huron/Sarnia and crossed over into "The Great White North" at the Blue Water Bridge.

I followed the Huron Coast along "Cottage Country", then headed to Tobermory, ON at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Tobermory is the SCUBA capitol of Canada because of the interesting geologic formations and water that is crystal clear. I had a wonderful White Fish & Chips dinner (gravy on the chips) and the next morning boarded the Chi Cheemaun ferry to Manitoulin Island.

Big boat, not just a little river ferry. The crossing took about two hours, and I got to hang out with a few fellow bikers in the cafeteria. When we got to Manitoulin Island, the weather started getting cloudy, and by the time I reached Espanol at RT 17, it was raining. I road all day in the rain till finally giving up at Wawa, ON. I got to see both old and new Wawa Geese.

Friday I road through torrential downpours headed to Thunder Bay. Roads washing out, water running like rapids over the pavement. At one point, I was riding through about 8" of water running across the road when I looked upstream and saw a giant log headed my way. I was lucky and it sailed across the road, just behind me.

Saturday, was perfect weather, and I left Thunder Bay for Duluth, MN. Only complaint was that a Customs Officer wrenched open my top case, as I was trying to explain that you have to push the lock button before you grab the handle. He obviously didn't care and finally snapped it, and it opened.

Route 61 from the border to Duluth is just awesome. When some one had to come up with a name for that giant, cold lake, the only one that would fit would be "Superior".

I met a couple of Limeys making tea, riding Honda Trans-Alps, going around the world for a year. Then I had to stop at Aerostitch.

I kept going, and stayed the night in Osseo (Pronounced like Accio broom) WI.

Sunday was the blast home, rain, hot, and I had enough for one ride.

Total 1986 miles.