Ride Report: Houston to MI, the long way

It was epic, at least for me. 4424 miles in 9 calendars, 7 riding days, all of it towing a trailer.

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I had been planning this trip for months, laying in supplies and gear. I intended it to be a trial to a shorter but more camping-oriented trip coming up in September. That one doesn't have as many fall-back options, so I wanted to shake the bugs out NOW. There were bugs, and please note that I will be posting a trailer-centric message in that forum, but in this post will just mention in passing the issues I had.

My trip actually was to start a week-ago Friday (7/17). I wanted to get a jump on the trip, since I was flying my wife Jamie to Indianapolis to avoid the longest days. I had to be there in time to get her at the airport, so I left after work Thursday. I ran up to Shreveport to have dinner with a friend, then rode on the freeways to Jackson, MS. I wanted to avoid deer, so I took the major roads.

After three hours sleep, I headed north. It was my first real night riding with the HID, and I have to say that I wasn't impressed. It just didn't seem that much brighter than my old Silverstar Ultra. I didn't see the doe feeding on the shoulder until she was lit by the passing lamps, for example. However, one fellow got pissed at me and tailgated me for a while with his high beams on. I guess it was plenty bright for him. LOL I was just considering braking and then tailgating him with the high beams when he slowed and turned off his brights. No harm, no foul.

I completed an iron butt by 2PM, but didn't print the form nor have the receipts, so I let it go. Besides, I already have my certificate. I got to Indy around 4:30 and relaxed until her plane came in. I was so relaxed, that I forgot that there was a time zone difference! I took the hotel shuttle and got there just in time to collect her.

The next day we traveled to Battle Creek, MI, where my family still lives. We had a short diversion to Ohio. LOL One thing I saw right away was the casinos. In Michigan?! Things change, I guess.

Sunday was the family reunion—the reason for the trip—and an off day. I did a minor trailer repair (see other post) and we went to the reunion on the bike. It was nice family time.

Monday we went to the Soo Locks in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. Jamie had her first pastie in Mackinaw City, and it was delicious! The Mackinaw Bridge was scary to cross—the solid lane was closed for construction and we rode on the grating. I hate that stuff! At least it wasn't windy! The Soo wasn't busy, and we enjoyed watching a tour boat go through and I explained how the locks worked. Then we had an adult beverage before heading to the state park to camp.

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It was our first night really camping with the bike. Our previous trial included a friend with a car, which carried supplemental stuff. This time we were on our own. The Powerlets I'd installed on Roxie had worked perfectly, keeping our electronic tethers charged. Now, it inflated the air mattress—almost. It turns out that a hole had worn in it. We rode back to Sault Ste Marie and got a patch kit, and it lasted most of the night. By morning, we were caught in the floppy water-bed feeling deflated air mattress. Ha!

Tuesday, we packed and had breakfast at the diner outside the state park. Those were the greasiest hashbrowns I had ever experienced. I am glad I had listened to the LD riders' advice and packed Kaopectate. The roads along the Whitefish Bay Scenic Byway were gorgeous and deserted. We stopped to experience Tahquamenon Falls, which were even better than I remembered.

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We hustled to Marquette, where I'd planned to get pasties and eat at a park by Lake Superior. However, the dark rain clouds and trailer repairs forced us to change plans. We left Marquette in a heavy rain that changed to a drizzle until we got to the Keweenaw Peninsula. We gassed up in Houghton, then took recommended routes along the western edge of the peninsula. By the time we took the Brockway Mountain Drive, skies were blue with fluffy clouds. Even so, we were done with the outdoors following the rain, and elected to stay in a motel instead.

Snow gauge

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The beginning of US41

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US41 is LONG! 1990 miles to Florida

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I was struck at how many conversations we heard of return visitors to Copper Harbor. SO many people return again and again. It seemed like a pleasant, tranquil place, and the thimbleberry cobbler was delish. I would like to go back.

Wednesday, we took US-41 south out of Copper Harbor. Those first dozen miles are incredible, probably the best roads I can remember. Smooth, twisty, and covered by a canopy, they are magic! The remainder of the roads to Green Bay were pretty, but mostly looked the same.

I put Jamie on a plane and then my solo trip resumed. I began to pound the pavement hard, eating up miles. I met a friend in Wausau, and continued to Minneapolis. I got there by 9PM, and had a late dinner with a friend. She insisted I try the burger at the Buffalo Tap, since she knows I am an avid burger connoisseur. It was "good", perhaps the best in the Minneapolis area, but would only get a B by Texas standards.

Buffalo Tap Burger

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Rain was coming, and I didn't want to fight rush hour traffic with wet roads, so I was traveling by 5AM. I wanted to get to Omaha by dinner time, so I of course went to Fargo. LOL! I had to collect North and South Dakota for my ride map. Minnesota and the Dakotas have surprisingly good terrain. Maybe it is that I am used to Houston Flat, but I loved these roads.

What I didn't love was the construction. SO MUCH CONSTRUCTION! Very irritating! I am glad that they are spending the stimulus money (finally), but seriously. 300 miles of construction would be plenty, don't you think?

It was raining or threatening rain until I got to Iowa, so I wore my rain gear. That did a great job of keeping in my body moisture, so by the time I got to my friend's in Omaha by 7PM, I was a stinky mess. Luckily, they had both a shower and a cold adult beverage (or two).

The next day (Friday) was my first non-riding day since the Sunday before. I hung around town, met friends, and showed my friend's wife how to add water to her Suzuki Intruder's battery. She loved learning how to do something for herself, and an hour's labor just worked up my appetite for the burger at Stella's. Now, this burger is justifiably famous. It gets a very solid A from me. The fries were great as well. Stella's in Omaha: remember it!

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I wanted to be home yesterday (Saturday), so I got an early start. My phone kept thinking I had a text message, and kept making a noise every 15 minutes. It was my alarm, so I hesitated to turn it off. But when I rebooted it, the noise stopped and I still got my alarm. I was on the road by 5:15 despite a nearly sleepless night.

Not much to report for yesterday, except a 900 mile day. Kansas and Oklahoma had some really nice roads. I dodged a bullet coming into Houston, when a terror of a storm blew in. My route let me thread the needle, and I stayed dry. Eventually most parts that I went through got 3+" of rain.

Like I said at the top, I went 4424 miles on what amounted to a trial trip for the real McCoy in September. Most of my miles will be with the wife on that trip, I want them as easy and trouble free as possible. The technique of flying her so as to skip the longest days worked really well. She has shown that she can do a few 350 miles days without complaint. I'm looking forward to those!

Dave

hi dave

thanks for the pictures. looks like ya'll having a great time, be carefull and ride safe. see ya when you get back.

don c.

Dave, sounds like a great trip, even with the trailer problems..glad you made it home safe. Hope to see ya`ll at Owens.

Take care

Kreg

Just enough detail: Scenery, beer, and burgers.

Enjoyable ride report.

Welcome home Dave zipcode! Glad it turned out so well.

Dave, it looks like you have the stock seat with the butler mode...if so, my hat's off to you. He makes a bad seat really good, but after 3 hrs I've had enough.

Thanks everyone! It was a fine trip, but it is nice to be home!

Dave, it looks like you have the stock seat with the butler mode...if so, my hat's off to you. He makes a bad seat really good, but after 3 hrs I've had enough.

Yes, that is the Butler mod. I'll admit to getting a little squirmy the last day. Most of that was spent in the saddle with 5 minute breaks for gas. I waited as long as possible, but after dropping my bride in Green Bay I began alternating beads, sheepskin, and nothing. None of those are a silver bullet, but working together you can really chew up miles.

I think I have about 40,000 miles on the Butler mod, and I could probably use new foam.

Dave

I was getting ready to post this olde-tyme photo of the Mackinaw Bridge when I spilled coffee on it! Darn!

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Luckily, I have a few more! A bridge with a view!

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My lovely wife and I!

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Have I mentioned that long steel grating is terrifying?!

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The lighthouse has a prime spot

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The colours were amazing!

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Roxie carried us there. She deserves her own photo!

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I might have more photos later. I hope you don't mind if I keep adding to this thread.

Dave

 

I might have more photos later. I hope you don't mind if I keep adding to this thread.

 

Dave

Bring em out bud, I love those pics!

Glad your back home safe.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH the Mighty Mac such a nice place, pics are making me home sick.

I was having similar thoughts as flipping through some of the pics of the U.P... I just heard from a good friend of mine that she was headed up there in a few weeks to go camping. Boy, I sure do miss the SUMMERS up there.

I am really glad, for your sake, that the weather eased up as you made it to the Keweenaw. Presque Isle park in Marquette is nice, but, no fun in the rain when you are just going to get back on the bike for a while. With as many times as I have been up to Copper Harbor, I never did get pics of those signs at the beginning of US-41.

Sounds like, for the most part, you had a great trip [minus the trailer troubles]! Glad to hear it!!

Oh, by the way, try doing the Mac in the rain, wind, AND on the steel grate. Good times...

Bring em out bud, I love those pics!

Oh, thank you!

Glad your back home safe.

AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH the Mighty Mac such a nice place, pics are making me home sick.

I felt a little sad visiting again after so long away. Nothing really had changed, except my longing for it!

I was having similar thoughts as flipping through some of the pics of the U.P... I just heard from a good friend of mine that she was headed up there in a few weeks to go camping. Boy, I sure do miss the SUMMERS up there.

I am really glad, for your sake, that the weather eased up as you made it to the Keweenaw. Presque Isle park in Marquette is nice, but, no fun in the rain when you are just going to get back on the bike for a while. With as many times as I have been up to Copper Harbor, I never did get pics of those signs at the beginning of US-41.

 

Sounds like, for the most part, you had a great trip [minus the trailer troubles]! Glad to hear it!!

 

Oh, by the way, try doing the Mac in the rain, wind, AND on the steel grate. Good times...

Yes, the summers are very, very nice. To think we went there to escape the heat of Battle Creek!

Today we go to the Soo area, and visit Brimley State Park.

I love the Soo Locks. What a man-made wonder!

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The beach at the State Park was closed due to e. coli, but no one told the flying rats.

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I'll see your Atlantic or Pacific, and raise you a Lake Superior. Lapping waves are so calming!

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Camping amongst the trees. Just one night, but my appetite is whet!

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Dave, glad your back safe, looks like a great trip. Sure filled in the center of the country on your map. Look forward to some stories at Owen's MD next month. Glad jamie got to ride some of the great rodes up there. See ya.