The Minnesota 1000 Rally scheduled for June was cancelled due to loosing insurance for the event. What to do when a planned ride gets canceled? Go for a different ride. The destination would be my parents but the route would not be normal.
Contemplated doing a bun burner but client needs ruled that choice out. Decided instead to do a Michigan in State Saddle Sore 1000. Getting to Michigan took riding 200 miles. Helping clients pushed the departure time from the house to noon.
The start of the ride, Ironwood, is in the northwest of the upper peninsula. When sending an OK message on the Spot Tracker, I somehow turned it off, depature time 4:27:54 pm CDT August 24th 2023. Next stop will be up the Keweenaw Peninsula, Hancock. At the gas stop, I saw there was a problem with the Spot Tracker and got it working properly gain. On the map it looks like I arrived at the next corner via how the crow flies but the route was US2, M28, US45, and M26. Portage Channel Bridge has a steel grate deck which caused the bike to wander a bit.
The ride down the Keweenaw has a lot of twist and views of Lake Superior. By time I reached Champian, the sun had set. I have traveled this stretch of the route many times, riding it during the night time was not a concern. Gas in Mancelona and time for a long straight stretch of M28. The next stop will be the last exit of I75 in Sault Saint Marie the northeast corner of the state.
The International Bridge is visible from the gas station. The ride will now turn south. Next stop will be a land mark that has many names, Mackinaw Bridge, Big Mac, or simply The Bridge. Though I have crossed the bridge many times, it is rare that there is no maintenance being conducted. With no maintenance forcing to me to ride in on the grated center lanes. I choose to stay on the asphalt deck. I did have a pucker moment when crossing the expansion joint at the first tower. The bike slid sideways.
The turn at the Soo was at 00:32:26 EDT. Heading south on I75, because of the late start I knew that I needed to take a rest break. Pulled into the Rest Area north of Gaylord and laid down on the grass for half an hour. Feeling confident that I would not be falling asleep while riding, proceeded to Gaylord for gas at 3:07:26 EDT
Soon merged off I75 onto US127 to start the run to the southwest corner. Took a break from the freeway by turning on to M55, heading west to US131. Road through some smaller towns that I had forgotten were on M55.
US131 is one of the major highways for West Michigan. Traffic picked up closer I got to Grand Rapids. Skipped the S curve in downtown Grand Rapids, instead exited to I196. I196 starts as a curvy interstate before heading down to I94. The southwest corner for the ride was in New Buffalo at exit 1, 7:36:45 EDT.
When I left home, it was about 70 degrees so I wore a liner under the Darian Jacket. Felt comfortable till I arrived in New Buffalo. It was very humid and warm. Put the liner in the trunk for the rest of the ride. From M55 and south there was evidence that it had rained but none for me to ride through. As I rode east on I94, beads of water began forming on the windshield. After awhile the fog/haze was replaced by partial sun.
Jackson would be the next turn before I headed north. To make sure I had enough miles, picked a gas station south of I94 on M127. What I did not plan for was a power outage. Rode further east on Busines I94 hoping a station would have power. This was not the case. Took a picture of the closed sign, sent a OK pin on the Spot and headed north on M127. Found a gas station with power at Mason. Found out there that a couple of tornados had gone through the area the night before knocking out power.
It felt good to be on the home stretch. Followed M127 to M46 and headed west to Edmore. The slower pace of M46 was welcomed. Ending time was 12:03 EDT.
The run started in the central time zone and ended in the eastern. 19:35 total time on the receipts, correcting for the time zone change, gives a ride time of 18:35.
Finally submitted the ride this past week, got the confirmation last night for my MI In state SS1K.
-Mark
Contemplated doing a bun burner but client needs ruled that choice out. Decided instead to do a Michigan in State Saddle Sore 1000. Getting to Michigan took riding 200 miles. Helping clients pushed the departure time from the house to noon.
The start of the ride, Ironwood, is in the northwest of the upper peninsula. When sending an OK message on the Spot Tracker, I somehow turned it off, depature time 4:27:54 pm CDT August 24th 2023. Next stop will be up the Keweenaw Peninsula, Hancock. At the gas stop, I saw there was a problem with the Spot Tracker and got it working properly gain. On the map it looks like I arrived at the next corner via how the crow flies but the route was US2, M28, US45, and M26. Portage Channel Bridge has a steel grate deck which caused the bike to wander a bit.
The ride down the Keweenaw has a lot of twist and views of Lake Superior. By time I reached Champian, the sun had set. I have traveled this stretch of the route many times, riding it during the night time was not a concern. Gas in Mancelona and time for a long straight stretch of M28. The next stop will be the last exit of I75 in Sault Saint Marie the northeast corner of the state.
The International Bridge is visible from the gas station. The ride will now turn south. Next stop will be a land mark that has many names, Mackinaw Bridge, Big Mac, or simply The Bridge. Though I have crossed the bridge many times, it is rare that there is no maintenance being conducted. With no maintenance forcing to me to ride in on the grated center lanes. I choose to stay on the asphalt deck. I did have a pucker moment when crossing the expansion joint at the first tower. The bike slid sideways.
The turn at the Soo was at 00:32:26 EDT. Heading south on I75, because of the late start I knew that I needed to take a rest break. Pulled into the Rest Area north of Gaylord and laid down on the grass for half an hour. Feeling confident that I would not be falling asleep while riding, proceeded to Gaylord for gas at 3:07:26 EDT
Soon merged off I75 onto US127 to start the run to the southwest corner. Took a break from the freeway by turning on to M55, heading west to US131. Road through some smaller towns that I had forgotten were on M55.
US131 is one of the major highways for West Michigan. Traffic picked up closer I got to Grand Rapids. Skipped the S curve in downtown Grand Rapids, instead exited to I196. I196 starts as a curvy interstate before heading down to I94. The southwest corner for the ride was in New Buffalo at exit 1, 7:36:45 EDT.
When I left home, it was about 70 degrees so I wore a liner under the Darian Jacket. Felt comfortable till I arrived in New Buffalo. It was very humid and warm. Put the liner in the trunk for the rest of the ride. From M55 and south there was evidence that it had rained but none for me to ride through. As I rode east on I94, beads of water began forming on the windshield. After awhile the fog/haze was replaced by partial sun.
Jackson would be the next turn before I headed north. To make sure I had enough miles, picked a gas station south of I94 on M127. What I did not plan for was a power outage. Rode further east on Busines I94 hoping a station would have power. This was not the case. Took a picture of the closed sign, sent a OK pin on the Spot and headed north on M127. Found a gas station with power at Mason. Found out there that a couple of tornados had gone through the area the night before knocking out power.
It felt good to be on the home stretch. Followed M127 to M46 and headed west to Edmore. The slower pace of M46 was welcomed. Ending time was 12:03 EDT.
The run started in the central time zone and ended in the eastern. 19:35 total time on the receipts, correcting for the time zone change, gives a ride time of 18:35.
Finally submitted the ride this past week, got the confirmation last night for my MI In state SS1K.
-Mark
