The Smith Brother's ride

[detdrbuzzard]

CousinJeff came over to my work station Friday and asked me if i feel like looping the thumb with him Saturday, a new guy in the shop name Mavis over heard the conversation and said he wanted to ride with us. so there was Mavis Smith, Jeff Smith, and Will Smith going on a ride together with cousinjeff becoming brother Jeff. the plan was to meet up at Mavis's house Saturday morning at 06:30.

 

[detdrbuzzard]

Saturday i made it to Mavis house just before 06:30, i was a little surprised to see a black BMW R1200RT in the driveway. soon after i arrived Jeff arrived on his Harley ultra classis. there was just one problem, that was Scott on the black BMW and he wasn't a Smith!! well with some quick thinking i made Scott an honorary Smith so he could ride with us it was a great looking morning, still pretty cool, about 68f, mostly sunny with a light breeze, we took m-39 north to I-696 east. i was leading the group for now because i know the area better that the others. i kept an 80mph pace cause it was a little bit of a haul to get to the east end of I-696. i took I-94 east and exited the expressway at 21 mile road, that would be the end of our expressway riding for a long time. i made a right turn on 21 mile road took it down to Jefferson road and made a left, i knew none of my brothers had seen this part of Chesterfield, MI. we rode on until we got up to 23 mile road / m-29. i made a right turn on m-29, there are a lot of big money homes to see along the way. i made a stop in Marine city, while most of my brothers have been through the city they didn't know about the Lighthouse

 

[detdrbuzzard]

Jeff took some pic's of downtown Marine city while Scott and Mavis meandered around, i didn't want to do much walking and have foot problems so early in our ride. i got us back on m-29 and once out of the city i was running 65 to 70mph in what is mostly a 55mph zone outside of the cities we would be passing through. Scott expressed his concern about my speed while we were stopped at a traffic light up around China township. i told him that i was going no faster than the locals travel. in Saint Clair Jeff wanted to stop at Tim Horton's but they weren't open so we continued on to Marysville and Port Huron, i stopped at DG and got some insoles for my boots, my foot was starting to bother me. from there i had Jeff take the lead and get us to Maria's restaurant which was just up the road on m-25, m-29 changes to m-25 at the Marysville Port Huron boarder. we got caught at the draw bridge so it took a little longer to get breakfast, thats Mavis on the BMW LT1200

 

[detdrbuzzard]

finally at Maria's

 

[detdrbuzzard]

after leaving Maria's Jeff took the group through Thomas Edison park and Lighthouse park so Scott and Mavis could see where they are. back out on m-25 Jeff's next stop was the roadside park about six miles south of White Rock

 

[detdrbuzzard]

our next stop was at the roadside park in White Rock, i joked with Jeff and Scott and told them this was as far as they could go
https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=68866

 

[detdrbuzzard]

we made it to Port Austin where we took a break at a quaint little coffee shop which was owned by a guy from Toronto, he was full of stories, between he and his dog we were entertained the whole time we were there, sorry no pics

 

[detdrbuzzard]

from here we were bound for Bay City but Jeff stopped for this mural in Caseville

 

[detdrbuzzard]

somewhere back around Forestville it became very windy, something we would have to deal with until we were almost home. down in Unionville Jeff missed a turn and we were going south on m-24, good thing i was riding the Mighty ST 1300 !! i caught up with him and got us going in the right direction. in Bay City Jeff missed another turn, i didn't realize it and just thought he wanted to see the riverfront. then he made a wrong turn trying to get over to the expressway, we ended up on m-13 which we took over to m-25 then picked up us-10 and once again Jeff went the wrong way. Scott took the lead made a stop on a bridge in Midland just pass the Meridian road exit overlooking the Tittabawassee river, there were two dam on the river that collapsed earlier this year

 

[detdrbuzzard]

Scott knew this area pretty good so once off the expressway we followed him around. eventually we made our way over to m-52. we took m-52 down to and through Owosso. at I-96 the group broke up some, Scott stayed on m-52 and headed south so he could make his way home in Monroe, MI. Jeff, Mavis, and myself headed east on I-96. at I-275 Jeff headed south for Garden City while Mavis and i headed east on I-696 for Southfield, MI. by the time we got to Mavis house my foot was really bothering me so i took a break there for about an hour. i took m-39 south and I-96 east to Shafer south for home, a good 450 mile day and for Mavis it was his longest ride ever but despite the heat and wind he enjoyed every minute of it !!
i'm sitting here at home relaxing my foot, i toughed it out yesterday but maybe i shouldn't have

 

[mcgovern61]

Great ride! Thanks William. Not having a bike anymore, I have to rely on ride reports like these to continue to enjoy the sport!

 

[detdrbuzzard]

i'm sorry that i haven't posted more but that right foot is really slowing me down