I'm gonna try my first road trip soon.  Trying to figure out what I need to take care of before I go.

I live in Chicago.  I'd like to go to San Francisco, but I gather it's a bit too far, and I don't think I can afford it.  Instead, for a pilot trip, I'm thinking of circuiting Lake Michigan: up to Milwaukee, Door County, Green Bay, up to the UP, the Keweenaw, Houghton, Marquette, Pictured Rocks, Mackinac bridge, Traverse City, Interlochen, Sleeping Bear, then south to Muskegon where I'll take the ferry across to Milwaukee and head south to Chicago.

How long should I estimate for this trip?  Is my ass going to kill me on my stock seat?

What extra parts (if any) should I take along?

Do I need any extra gear besides leathers, saddlebags/tankbag, rain gear, and camping gear?

My '95 GS500E just crossed 8000 miles.  I got it at 7000, when I changed the oil, oil filter and battery.  I plan to change the break fluid, the air filter, and check out the plugs and carbs before I go.  My tires look OK.  Anything else I should do to the bike?

And last, has anybody else ridden around the UP/Northeast Wisconsin and have any suggestions for nice roads to ride/places to visit?  I plan to stay on coastal state/county roads as much as possible.

Thanks

I'm about to head from Sydney to Melbourne (900km) to watch State of Origin 3  on my GS500.

Its about 3 times longer than I have ever ridden and I am planning on doing it in 1 day!

So I think any advice you could give us would be gold!

I've got a '93 and just got back from going around lake superior. It sounds like you've got the right idea as far as the packing list. I found that I should have brought less clothing. My riding clothes, and one pair of casual would have done just fine, but don't forget some swim shorts. I'd also bring allong a repair guide if you've got one, just in case anything goes wrong.

As for roads, I'm not too familiar with Wi, but the U.P. has some pretty good stuff. just S.E. of marquette M-35 between Gwinn and Palmer is pretty nice. Also, if you're up hear you have to ride up to copper harbour go up 41, hang a left on 26 (eagle river/harbor) follow that up the coast to copper harbor and come back down on 41. Thats the best in the U.P. hands down. Then out east, the streatch between Taquaminon (sp?) Falls and White Fish Point is pretty nice. If your headed that far,  I'd say cross into canada at Sault Ste Marie and drive through Lake Superior Provincial Park, It's way cooler that anything you'll find downstate Michigan. Well, I hope that gives you some ideas.

If you let me know when you'll be up here I'd be happy to go out ridding. 

Take a cell phone and plenty of money with you.  A cell phone that works in the UP. I drove through there  about 4 years ago, and my ATT cell phone didn't work through most of the UP.

Hey niteshade, I'm also planning on doing a trip this summer.  Something close to 2500 miles north to Oregon and Washington.  You might find some of the info on my road trip thread useful.  I posted a couple of links to articles from the AMA, and there's also a link to Cal Price's thread about his trip to Prague, with a handy list of things to take.

For planning purposes I've been using Microsoft Streets and Trips.  It's great to estimate how long your trip will take, and also to find interesting spots along the way.  You can also print out detailed maps and directions, etc etc etc.  Any other mapping software should work though.

In addition to that, all I can say is have fun, be safe, and take many pics!   

Getting to Chautauqua is nice, especially if you're an open-water paddler.  You can camp on the Rez and paddle until you realize that the GS is actually a nice, comfortable way to get around.

There are some beautiful perfectly-paved, curvy, tree-shaded roads between Interlochen and the Sleeping Bear dunes.  I had an establishment there refuse to serve me unless I paid first!

Sadly, the roads across the UP are mostly straight, with only the occaisional pasty shop and deer-camp cabin strip; so it is beautiful in a "how much longer can this wonderful beauty possibly go on (and could it maybe hurry up a bit?)" kind-of way. 

Only in the U.P. can a resturaunt succeed, when it is not visible from the road, and the only signage viewable from the highway reads "FOOD" (not even "good food"... oh, well, at least it's truth-in-advertising). 

Check-out the Triangle Falls and Pictured Rocks Nat'l Lakeshore.  Don't bother with the towns... except the fenced-off abandoned mining towns (they're called "locations").

Quote from: niteshade on June 24, 2006, 09:16:51 PM
I'm gonna try my first road trip soon.  Trying to figure out what I need to take care of before I go.

I live in Chicago.  I'd like to go to San Francisco, but I gather it's a bit too far, and I don't think I can afford it.  Instead, for a pilot trip, I'm thinking of circuiting Lake Michigan: up to Milwaukee, Door County, Green Bay, up to the UP, the Keweenaw, Houghton, Marquette, Pictured Rocks, Mackinac bridge, Traverse City, Interlochen, Sleeping Bear, then south to Muskegon where I'll take the ferry across to Milwaukee and head south to Chicago.

How long should I estimate for this trip?  Is my ass going to kill me on my stock seat?

What extra parts (if any) should I take along?

Do I need any extra gear besides leathers, saddlebags/tankbag, rain gear, and camping gear?

My '95 GS500E just crossed 8000 miles.  I got it at 7000, when I changed the oil, oil filter and battery.  I plan to change the break fluid, the air filter, and check out the plugs and carbs before I go.  My tires look OK.  Anything else I should do to the bike?

And last, has anybody else ridden around the UP/Northeast Wisconsin and have any suggestions for nice roads to ride/places to visit?  I plan to stay on coastal state/county roads as much as possible.

Thanks

Well.............I have done a lot of touring on motorcycles, and I have gone from here to the west coast on a Yamaha RZ 350 and a Honda 400F (as well as a BMW/R100RS a few times) and I can tell you it is not too far.  Your budget might be another matter.  The stock seat is just fine, unless you are a candy ass. ( I have toured cross country on bicycles, so when people tell me the seat is no good, I just laugh.) The loop around the lakes is just great and a good starter trip, but don't be afraid to go further on the GS.  You can go around your route in a week, with plenty of time to spare.  You could add Lake Superior, and still do it in a week ( I have and it is a great 9 day trip), but you will be spending a lot more time on the bike.

Quote from: Emmajoe on June 25, 2006, 08:52:03 AM
the U.P. has some pretty good stuff. just S.E. of marquette M-35 between Gwinn and Palmer is pretty nice.

Did you mean S.W. of Marquette?

I spent a couple years in the U.P., but I don't remember ever going to Palmer.  I do remember a trip to a state fair or something (in Escanaba or somewhere) on the back of my Dad's bike.  We came home pretty late, and I was so sleepy I thought I would fall off the back of the bike on every curve....

Back to the topic:  Mackinac Island was a fun destination with a group of other teenagers back then, but I don't know if I would enjoy it as much by myself (or at my current age  ).  For all I know, it has become much more touristy than it was in '77.  But it was pretty cool to take the ferry out there, see the Grand Hotel (where they filmed "Somewhere In Time" a couple years later), ride a bicycle around the island, etc.

QuoteDid you mean S.W. of Marquette?

oops, yep I did mean S.W.

Ignore eveything Rrema1000 said bout the U.P.    you just need to know where to look and which roads to take.  Some of the towns are great, and the food can be too if you go to the right place.My girlfreind and I would be happy to go out with you for a day thorugh the area.

I just got back from Houghton and Copper harbor this weekend... but I was in my truck.  I went to houghton to pick up the last of my stuff from my old apartment, but I wish I had the bike up there... I love the ride to Copper Harbor, as Emmajoe said taking 26 one way and 41 the other.

I would probably plan about 4 or 5 days for the trip +/- a couple days depending on how much sightseeing you want to do.   I can recommend more specifics in WI later, I'm pretty tired at the moment.  A couple places off the top of my head are Kettle Moraine state forest, Point Beach state forest, and Door County


[off topic]  Emmajoe, how did your trip go (ignore if you posted elsewhere... I'll find it) and if you don't mind me asking, what town are you from?[/off topic]

+1 to Kettle Moraine, there is a scenic road that goes through there, some of best twisties ive found in wisconsin.

Im living in milwaukee right now, so if you want some company on part of your ride let me know when your going. I might be able to show you a few nice roads.

There is also a ferry that runs between Ludington Mi, and Manitowoc Wi, (my hometown).
http://www.ssbadger.com/

Def stop here---> Mackinac Island

hey guys, thanks for your help!

I have my Rand McNally map on order, so unless I can find a good website with county roads and stuff, I'll have to wait to comment on specific routes.  I'll post back to this thread when I get that data.  But thanks for the suggestions... I'm taking notes.

I think I'll budget a week for the trip, then.  Should be enough.

Anybody know a good online trip planner?  The ones I checked out seemed pretty cumbersome.  I wish Google had a trip planner on Google Maps.

Would there be any benefit to an AMA membership?  I have a AAA membership.

Where can I get the best pasties in the UP?  Are all pasty shops the same?

I love Interlochen... went to camp there when I was a kid.  Haven't been to the Sleeping Bear Dunes in years... I've never been to the Pictured Rocks.  Those are the highlights of my trip.  I'll probably skip Mackinac Island... I've been there several times (you're right, though... it's beautiful and generally worth the trip).  I'm also looking forward to Door Co., the Keweenaw and driving the Mackinac Bridge.  Is the bridge scary to ride?

My cell phone is T-Mobile.  It's usually OK in the cities, but in rural areas it can be a bit iffy.  However, I did have reception in the middle of the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, if you can believe it.  Hiking miles from anywhere.

D-Day: I was just out in Colorado, driving (in a car) along the Trail Ridge Road in the Rocky Mountain National Park, which winds along the peaks of a main mountain ridge at around 12,000 feet, with wind cross-gusts of around 50mph.  We got caught in a snowstorm (in June).  White knuckles the whole way, because if you screw up and cross the white line, you fall 1500 feet.  But then we get to the top, and see a whole bunch of motorcycles up there, and bicyclists!  Those guys are hard-core.  If their butts don't hurt, I won't let mine either.

Emmajoe, zukiGS500: I'll get in touch with you when I get my schedule in order.  Riding with you would be fun.

Keep it coming.  Maybe we should petition the moderators for a specifically touring forum on this website.

Quote from: niteshade on June 26, 2006, 10:58:12 AM
My cell phone is T-Mobile.  It's usually OK in the cities, but in rural areas it can be a bit iffy.  However, I did have reception in the middle of the Badlands National Park in South Dakota, if you can believe it.  Hiking miles from anywhere.

As far as cell phones in the UP, there are going to be places that none of them will work.  Your tmobile should be fine, I use my cingular (GSM like tmoble) up there and it works fine in most areas, but there are definately some dead spots

No not all pasty shops are the same. Some are really good and some are crap to sell for the FIBs.

The Mackinac bridge is scary if you drive on the inside lane which is the metal grate that pulls you in every which way, ride on the outside lane with is solid, if you can. When I crossed it was under construction and I had to ride the grate, a bit chilling but fine.

P.S.-When in the U.P. just make sure people don't see your licence plate is from Illinois, they'll be much nicer to you.  FIB is common U.P. slang of f%$king Illinois Bastard. Just hide the plate, or ride with a local.

Quote from: Emmajoe on June 26, 2006, 10:21:30 PM
The Mackinac bridge is scary if you drive on the inside lane which is the metal grate that pulls you in every which way, ride on the outside lane with is solid, if you can. When I crossed it was under construction and I had to ride the grate, a bit chilling but fine.

Last summer I crossed the bridge and there was construction then too.  What I thought was really cool about riding on the grate was being able to look down at the water from a couple hundred feet up.  My girlfriend doesn't even like riding across the grate in a car, so she thought I was crazy when I told her I was looking down through it on my bike

Never heard of FIBs... didn't know that Illinois people were so reviled up north.  Well, I'm a Michigan native, grew up in Detroit, although that may be just as bad.  My grandparents have a cottage in Bay View, just outside of Petoskey.  I'm sorta familiar with the landscape.  Maybe I can pose as a Michigander.

My friend gave me some neodymium magnets... said they work great to hold license plates in place.  Super strong, but you can just pull off your plate when you want.  Let's you slip the plate in your pocket as you park, and they don't fall off when you ride.   

This may be a ridiculous question, but is wireless internet access at all common in rural areas?  I've never traveled with my computer, but I may this time.  Let me do work as I go.

I'd say we get alot more people from the Chicago area than Detroitso the FIBs get the harassment. Trolls (those living under the bridge) are tollerated like little siblings, out of everyone, it's the cheeze heads that get along just fine. Whats really odd is when you hear the FIB term used in official city meetings

As for wireless; Marquette  and Houghton have enough college students who have wireless, uprotected, routers that you should be fine. Besides that, some of the cafes and hotels will have it, you just gotta si in their parking lot.

Oh, there is another term; FIB PAt= FIB Pulling A Trailer (we get lots of outdoor tourists, bad drivers too)