Peninsula High Mighigan Touring Motorcycle

One reason why the trip is for the mind to cope with the road and life with a proactive, and another is for the joy of seeing the landscape is developed. If this is part of your psyche on horseback, so you will feel at home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, or "UP" as the locals call it. Stretching 310 miles from Sault Ste Marie near its end Ironwood del Este, near its western border, is a separate wilderness of the Peninsula Low by the Mackinac Bridge and Detroit (293 miles southeast) by large cultural differences.

Born and raised in the west of the Baja Peninsula Michigan, and I remember at school singing the official song of primary unofficial "Michigan, My Michigan" (of the order of "Tannenbaum, O Tannenbaum"). In the 1970s I used to go on vacation in the UP. Despite a tendency to California over 30 years I still return to my hometown, but was not returned on the rise since 1975. So I was particularly excited by the opportunity to ride there for a few days last fall some in October.

On this last trip I found refreshing UP unchanged, and instead of my Honda CB450 early 1970 I was riding a loan Electra Glide Classic Harley-Davidson Bald Eagle in Marquette. I was also accompanied by Brad Kolbus of Munising, on the Camino del Rey, published a guide to the UP corridor seems to know everyone, and know where to go and see.

Immediately after he started riding on the shores of Lake Superior in Marquette Bay, Brad immediately arrested a vision that seemed directly a Star Wars question "What does that mean?" It was a huge structure, massive and gray, and hundreds of feet long, a succession High, tight concrete arches that extend into the water. Brad told me that was the ancient port of Ore Dock Baja, which is in use. railroad cars filled with mineral iron have been thrown into it, workers and the ore falls with a crash shook the hold of large mineral companies that serves to connect here.

Then walk to the west, where there are signs of autumn approaches: pontoon boats on blocks of wood stacked on porches and the leaves turn yellow. We join Big Bay, this small city was the scene of a murder in 1951 that inspired the book Anatomy of a Murder, and the film of the same name in 1959 Jimmy Stewart and Lee Remick. Thunder Bay lunch shelter, which has seen the classic movie scenes. The pub where we had dinner on the hotel was built for filming.

Although Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie and Ontario are designated as "The Great Lakes," are actually a large inland sea. In Munising board a ship observation of 60 feet for a cruise along the Rocks National Lakeshore photos. The captain informed us that the increase only contains enough fresh water to cover Entire continental United States to a depth of 5 feet! It's cool and windy day, and once the island of Great course, we're in the right place Lake Superior, where waves begin to rock and roll. Most clients leave the room cold, wind open the top to see the window seats on the main deck, because I think give up my lunch on one side. Throughout the photo rocks are treated to a comedy, the commentary on the operation of cliffs have been eroded by eons of wind rain and freezing time, and painted in shades of brown, beige and green by runoff from limonite, copper, iron and manganese. We sailed past caves, arches and rock called the Indian chief. A wide, low as a cascade veil of fog striped cliffs.

The next day Brad and I are traveling east on M28 to Munising along what is called "the corner Seney," 25 miles directly through bush full of stunted trees and pines. Thirty years ago I stopped in Seney to commemorate that he was here, where the paths cross on 28 and 77, the young Ernest Hemingway had disembarked the train in 1919. Wounded in War World Hemingway had traveled north to fish the Fox River, and later fictionalized his experiences in one of Nick Adams stories called The Heart of Two Big River. But wait, the heart is actually two to the north of this, Hemingway went wrong? Nope. Like a fisherman, was wrongly called the river in an attempt to maintain favorite fishing place in secret.

We headed east along a tree-lined road to two lanes, and when a signal passes Deer Park Remembrance camping with him in the lake in Muskallonge 70. My night was animated when five raccoons sniffing cons of a lake, begging on its hind legs. I gave them bread, and half hour Later, he was roasting marshmallows by the fire, when something hit me on the shoulder. Surprised, I turned to find a raccoon, and when I turned to another career toast marshmallows two others have been based hot in the dark with the whole bag of them! They do not these masks bandit for nothing!

Lake Superior is cold, gray and windy whitecapped day and when the rain begins, I curl up in my electric train and turn the thermostat to "weld." The classic fairing to keep down the worst weather conditions in me, and Gordon Lightfoot's haunting song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" is played by the stereo on our way to the Great Lakes Museum on Whitefish Point collapse. The song talks about the disaster that took place on Wednesday, November 10, 1975, when the company ore in a storm sank with 29 men, only 17 miles northwest of here. In a hangar at the museum I met Tom Farnquist, executive director of the remains of Great Lakes Historical Society. The speculation is that the SS Edmund Fitzgerald was too close to Caribou Island about 40 miles northeast of here, where the feet to 35-45 feet of water Wednesday has enabled the company to strike low, which damaged its hull and was taking on water. She finally broke in two and sank in 535 feet of water near Whitefish Point. Farnquist dived on the wreck and personally helped to restore the ship's bell, which now includes the centerpiece of the museum.

Dinner was at the horns Restaurant in Sault Ste. Mary, who was full on Friday night. Yes, it's a Yooper head straight trophy and stuffed animals placed along the walls and between joists. Suddenly, the siren, flashlights and we asked the waitress what's happening. "Oh what do every time they open a barrel again, "he said.

In the morning we crossed the street from our motel for a view of the famous Soo Locks. Unfortunately, in this There is currently no boat in sight. The International Bridge to Canada's remote offices across the street.

This a tour of the highway 55 miles south of the Mackinac Bridge, then we headed west on Route 2 through the bush with Lake Michigan on the left. By Brad Blaney Park introduced me to Steve Zeller, who puts an annual event called Blaney Park Rendezvous motorcycle. It gives us a tour of his expansive Camping ground that housed 3,000 runners last year, the rally will be held 18 to June 20, 2010.

The thumb-shaped peninsula hanging garden on Lake Michigan and historic homes of Fayette State Park. Lafayette was founded in 1867 as a fusion of the iron furnaces with a huge, a docking station wide and has about 500 people lived and worked here. When the charcoal decreased iron market, the operation has been interrupted Lafayette in 1891 and was abandoned. Today, it has been left in ruins arrested, a gift from the past with their homes foreman painted, the old hotel and the rest of the cast stone castle in the picturesque port of snail shell.

We stop at the hostel in Nahman Nahman, a bed & breakfast with 14 rooms and a cozy bar and restaurant. Brad introduced me to Charley and Laurie Macintosh owners (who seems to know all the world) is planning a cycling event in the near future. Next door is the old general store, which was abandoned in the 50s with some of its cargo intact. Its owner, a man Pat called, gives us a tour inside the time capsule.

Brad leads northwards H13 Alger County, and this autumn Sunday afternoon enjoy the leaves turn the Harley feels surprisingly Agile the way of hills and gentle curves. Every few miles a track or two tracks leading to the yellow wood, where the mud and dirt-road bikes disappear aspire to follow in the forest.

Therefore, it is to the west, to visit Da Yoopers Tourist Trap, near Ishpeming. As a former Michigander was as cheesy as I expected, with dioramas of the size of a jeep driven by a deer hunter jumped on the hood, playing maps deer, this house full of bumps and Yooper souvenirs. In the front is "Gus", running the world's largest / chainsaw work (It's in the Book Guinness World Records) and "Big Ernie," the greatest weapon of work.

The ghost town of La Fayette a symbol for many of the UP, which unfortunately is suffering economically.

Along the roads are abandoned houses and factories. Tourism is now the main economic engine of the region, and there is much love for the UP. For me, the real charm of the place, with its pines and cedars, maples and birches, lakes and hidden coves and rustic cabins, it's like everything is together. On Sunday, we fall into along rural roads Rumble in the North Lodge, near Gwinn. The sunshine yellow and red speckles maple leaves, and there is no moisture in the fresh air recent death of a shower. We Tromp inside the smell of wood smoke puffs from the chimney of stone. customers turn to the signal and beckon. Hamburgers and haddock, ribs, whitefish and smelt to populate the menu, and a football match lights the big screen. This welcoming and friendly country confirms that it is really more … Michigan My Michigan.

STERM bill –

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