my U.P. adventure

[detdrbuzzard]

I just got off the IBA forum ( I can't log in until I get my IBA number ) and found out that there were eleven of us and everyone finished in time. one guy was riding a Suzuki burgman 400 scooter, its in one of my parking lot pic's

 

[detdrbuzzard]

the guy on the burgman actually left the starting point when scott, Kenny, jeff, and I hit the road but my last sighting of him was when he cleared customs, we made it through customs before he did and were on our way to wawa, on. I swear the weatherman lied, it wasn't warming up though I wasn't cold yet. we took hwy-17 and north and the only problem we ran into was the morning sun shining right in our faces. there is a curvy section on hwy-17 and by the time we got halfway through them the sun was on our right side. the other 140 or so miles went by and we were soon pulling in the gas station in wawa, our mandatory fuel stop ( one of four mandatory fuel stops ). four of us pulled in and there were a couple guys already there. I didn't even see scott pull out but when Kenny left I figured I better get my butt in gear and follow him, I knew jeff onhis st1300 could and would catch up. somewhere near amyot, on we caught and passed glen on his red Harley, he must have gotten motivated cause he picked up his pace and kept up with us. by now we could feel we wind coming off of lake superior and it was a cold breeze that made me even colder. up near Schreiber glen pulled in to a gas station, my tank was low enough that ithought it would be a good idea to fuel up also, it was the last time I saw jeff, scott, and Kenny until I finished the ride

 

[detdrbuzzard]

once glen and I were done refueling I asked him if he would mind if I rode with him, he said hewanted a riding partner and welcomed me plus we both had to refuel about the same time. I think hwy-17 meets up with hwy-61 around red rock, on. we ran into some on and off rain and I was getting cold, the I" taller than stock windshield was obstructing my view and I was getting cold. I was happy to see thunder bay, on it was our next mandatory fuel stop but we forgot that the gas stations were not on hwy-64 and went a couple miles out of town before turning around had going back. we made a right turn on what seem to be main street and a left turn in the first gas station we saw. glen told me ( and everyone else ) at the star of the IBA that he wanted to stop at the Harley dealer in thunder bay, he was in luck, the Harley dealer was right across the street from where we were. I was happy to see the dealer also not that I was excited to see the Harleys but while there I got a sweat shirt, ahhh warmth.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

from thunder bay, on. to grand marais, mn is about a 35 minute ride, being the lead I spoke with the boarder guard first, he told me to wave to glenn and get him to pull up so we could stay together. grand marais is a beautiful area and I would like to go back. the bad part of it was the construction on I-35 which had it down to one lane, a flag man, and some terrible dirt to ride on on our way to Duluth, mn. where we stopped again for fuel and I took this pic

 

[detdrbuzzard]

it was cold, windy, and raining on the bridge between Duluth, mn. and superior, wi. I had rain on oneside of my windshield and fog on the other side, I could hardly see the road. the cages and glenn guided me through, my truck driver training also helped and I knew what to look for on the road. I remember passing through Ashland and hurley, wi. but I didn't realize we had made it to Michigan until I spotted an leo's patrol car outside of the post. the rain had stopped long ago and our next mandatory fuel stop was in Ishpeming, mi. when we arrived the gas station we stopped at didn't have any premium fuel for glen's Harley, we found another station about three miles down the road. at that point we were both very tired and about 75 miles out from sault st. marie we stopped! I needed to stretch my legs and glen needed to rest his eyes, we lost about 15 minutes there. back on the bikes it started raining and drizzeling, I was smart enough to take a pair of clear riding glasses with me ( remember my dark smoke face shield ) so things were not totally black. we were glad to see the rain end and happier to see sault st. marie. we made our last mandatory fuel stop then went across the street to the parking lot where it all bean, it was about 3:15. jeff, scott, Kenny and two others were there to greet us. soon we went backto the motel and went to bed

 

[jerryinmich57]

If I had known you were heading up this way I would have rode the 3 or 4 miles to I-75 and waved as you went by. lol

 

[detdrbuzzard]

detdrbuzzard » Wed Jun 25, 2014 6:39 pm[/url]":2yom73lc]
it was cold, windy, and raining on the bridge between Duluth, mn. and superior, wi. I had rain on one side of my windshield and fog on the other side, I could hardly see the road. the cages and glenn guided me through, my truck driver training also helped and I knew what to look for on the road. I remember passing through Ashland and hurley, wi. but I didn't realize we had made it to Michigan until I spotted an leo's patrol car outside of the post. the rain had stopped long ago and our next mandatory fuel stop was in Ishpeming, mi. when we arrived the gas station we stopped at didn't have any premium fuel for glen's Harley, we found another station about three miles down the road. at that point we were both very tired and about 75 miles out from sault st. marie we stopped! I needed to stretch my legs and glen needed to rest his eyes, we lost about 15 minutes there. back on the bikes it started raining and drizzeling, I was smart enough to take a pair of clear riding glasses with me ( remember my dark smoke face shield ) so things were not totally black. we were glad to see the rain end and happier to see sault st. marie. we made our last mandatory fuel stop then went across the street to the parking lot where it all bean, it was about 3:15. jeff, scott, Kenny and two others were there to greet us. soon we went backto the motel and went to bed

I didn't want to quote this I wanted to edit it

 

[detdrbuzzard]

jerryinmich57 » Wed Jun 25, 2014 7:22 pm[/url]":l21hysab]
If I had known you were heading up this way I would have rode the 3 or 4 miles to I-75 and waved as you went by. lol

it would have been great to meet you jerry, i didn't even think of it
i woke up saturday morning before 8am, still not sleeping well only about four hours of sleep. i hit the shower, it felt great to take a shower after putting over a thousand miles on the wing just a few hours earlier. after jeff took his shower we decided to go back to franks for the breakfast buffet. during the IBA ride glen and i didn't bother to stop for a meal, i had some beef jerky in one pocket and a few pieces of cheese bread in the other. i was really hungry and had a second helping and part of a third at franks resturant. if we didn't have soo much ground to cover i could have just sat there and ate somemore

 

[detdrbuzzard]

I got close to four hours of sleep go up and hit the shower, when I was done jeff did the same. then we started load gear back on our bikes, scott and Kenny were already up and gone. after checking out of the motel we went back to franks restaurant and had three helpings each from the breakfast buffet, it felt good finally eat. we headed west on w. portage ave then south on I-75 andwestagain on m-28. looking at m-28 on a map it looks like the usual Michigan straight road but riding it reveals all the nice sweeping curves and we rode it out to near newberry, mi. our next stop was the tahquamenon falls, these are pic's from the lower falls

 

[jerryinmich57]

No problem I also would liked to meet up sometime I do not get down your way much don't like the traffic and really don't ride Stella to far from home Bay city is about as far south as I go, but if you every get up this way again let me know.
Jerry

 

[detdrbuzzard]

we took the four mile ride to see the upper falls. there are two stairways to the bottom of the falls, one has about 98 stairs and the other about 118. I didn't bother trying to go down either

 

[detdrbuzzard]

my short cut back to the parking lot wasn't so short

 

[dan filipi]

Pretty countryside.
I'm envious. We have to go several hundred miles North for any sort of waterfall.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

once back at my wing I changed out of my shoes and into my boots. jeff came over and got his jacket and helmet on, I was a few steps ahead of him and already geared up. we left the upper falls and got back on m-28 going west, next stop Munising, mi. the weather was great and the jacket that I hated the night before was perfect for today. just as we got in town I stopped at the first gas station I saw, I had run about 190 miles on the last tank full. how come wings can't hold as much gas as a Honda st 1300??

 

[detdrbuzzard]

dan filipi » Mon Jun 30, 2014 8:58 pm[/url]":28xi74fo]
Pretty countryside.
I'm envious. We have to go several hundred miles North for any sort of waterfall.

not much difference there dan from home the falls are about 355 miles north. seeing we left out of saul tst. marie, mi it only took about an hour

 

[Ansimp]

Nice country and I hope I can get 190 miles one day on a tank of gas. Some of the guys I ride with are getting almost 300 miles on a tank. I am used to filling up the CBRs all the time before 300ks so the Rats Nest is just a little less.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

we got a room at the superior motel and suites

https://www.superior-motel.com/

 

[detdrbuzzard]

once we got our bikes unloaded we headed back out on m-28. i think the IBA has a light house contest going and cousin jeff is participating. the game. you have to get pic's of 60 light houses with your bike and IBA number or something like that so we went out to find the light house just outside of Christmas, mi. we didn't know at the time but we had passed it and found this location where we took a few pic's before going back and finding the light house. that's cousin jeff with the safety vest on

 

[detdrbuzzard]

after that we did an about face on m-28 back to Munising then took e. Munising ave to Washington st. it turns into sand point rd, we took it out to pictured rocks for some pic's before the sun went down

 

[detdrbuzzard]

a few more pic's before we headed back to our room and to look for a place to have supper. we had a very nice fish dinner at Sydney's restaurant which was in walking distance of the motel