.
After a couple of exciting days here, I moved north to Upper Michigan, through Menominee, Escanaba, and Manistique, ending my longest day of travel in cold winds (600km) at Trout Lake where my old birding buddy, Russ Bright, has a summer cabin. He was quite surprised to see me as all the local Harley riders were complaining of the cold. It was a tough drive but the thought of a cold beer and a free place to stay kept me driving on and on.
Just got back from my first real motorcycle trip. One week, 2100 kilometres. I left home, crossed the Bluewater Bridge to Michigan, drove across the state 400 km to Ludington, caught a ferry, the SS Badger and took it across Lake Michigan, disembarked in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, slept in a Super 8 motel after getting soaked in the rain.
The next day, I carried on to West Bend, Wisconsin, via the Kettle Morraine Scenic Drive. I arrived safely at the fairgrounds where almost 10,000 BMW motorcycles were gathering, almost all of which would be camping.
The next day, I carried on to West Bend, Wisconsin, via the Kettle Morraine Scenic Drive. I arrived safely at the fairgrounds where almost 10,000 BMW motorcycles were gathering, almost all of which would be camping.
The rally was very exciting. And astonishingly quiet! I expected a motorcycle rally to be rather noisy but these bikes all purr! The only time I heard a loud noise out of a bike was when a Harley intruder gunned his engine. BMW’s of every kind were in evidence, from vintage 1 cylinder pre-war models to sidecars to the latest 150hp speedsters and highway cruisers. Everyone was so well-behaved! No rowdyism here. Everyone seemed to be asleep by 10pm.
I signed up for a 6 hour advanced riders course where I was able to refine my driving skills on a parking lot, driving around orange cones. I also attended various seminars on safety, travel, and maintenance. The ChainGang (headed by Steve Johnson) held a wrenching seminar where we got to see a chain and sprockets replaced. Several vendors were present, as well. I splurged on new Michelin Anakee tires and bought a tall Cee Bailey windshield and a tankbag. Jackie, a dutch BMW rider and tire salesperson, posed with my bike.
After a couple of exciting days here, I moved north to Upper Michigan, through Menominee, Escanaba, and Manistique, ending my longest day of travel in cold winds (600km) at Trout Lake where my old birding buddy, Russ Bright, has a summer cabin. He was quite surprised to see me as all the local Harley riders were complaining of the cold. It was a tough drive but the thought of a cold beer and a free place to stay kept me driving on and on.
Russ and I spent a day birding the Lake Superior shoreline from Tahquamenon Bay to Grande Marais where we found a rare Piping Plover and an unusually early Whimbrel. I went swimming in the lovely cool waters of Lake Superior!
I continued driving northeast, crossing the border back into Ontario at the Soo, then along the TransCanada highway to Espanola and south across Manitoulin Island. Here I stopped to visit a guy I work with in Sarnia who has a cottage hidden away in the woods. He wasn’t home, so I continued on to the South Baymouth dock to reserve a spot on the Chi-Cheemaun ferry to Tobermory. Someone pointed out that my license plate was gone! It had broken off.
A quiet ferry crossing, disembarkation in Tobermory, then a few km drive to old friend John Haselmayer’s Bunkie on the Lake Huron shoreline. Several of his friends were visiting, so there wasn’t any room inside. I pitched my tent near the shore. Here we had good times playing guitars around a campfire with a glass of scotch and a few beers.
The next morning, I packed up and drove about six hours until I arrived at my doorstep, a week after I departed. A safe and uneventful first trip!
When I got back to work the next day, Terry, the guy who wasn’t home in Manitoulin, produced my missing license plate! It had dropped off in his driveway, 500 km away!
Birds added to List:
Common Loon
American Bittern
Common Eider
Hooded Merganser
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
Ruffed Grouse
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Whimbrel
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Common Snipe
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker
Alder Flycatcher
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
Nashville Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Purple Finch
Evening Grosbeak
Total species observed: 120
Total Km on bike: 5,674
I continued driving northeast, crossing the border back into Ontario at the Soo, then along the TransCanada highway to Espanola and south across Manitoulin Island. Here I stopped to visit a guy I work with in Sarnia who has a cottage hidden away in the woods. He wasn’t home, so I continued on to the South Baymouth dock to reserve a spot on the Chi-Cheemaun ferry to Tobermory. Someone pointed out that my license plate was gone! It had broken off.
A quiet ferry crossing, disembarkation in Tobermory, then a few km drive to old friend John Haselmayer’s Bunkie on the Lake Huron shoreline. Several of his friends were visiting, so there wasn’t any room inside. I pitched my tent near the shore. Here we had good times playing guitars around a campfire with a glass of scotch and a few beers.
The next morning, I packed up and drove about six hours until I arrived at my doorstep, a week after I departed. A safe and uneventful first trip!
When I got back to work the next day, Terry, the guy who wasn’t home in Manitoulin, produced my missing license plate! It had dropped off in his driveway, 500 km away!
Birds added to List:
Common Loon
American Bittern
Common Eider
Hooded Merganser
Bald Eagle
Broad-winged Hawk
Merlin
Ruffed Grouse
Semipalmated Plover
Piping Plover
Whimbrel
Sanderling
Least Sandpiper
Common Snipe
Common Nighthawk
Chimney Swift
Belted Kingfisher
Hairy Woodpecker
Alder Flycatcher
Red-breasted Nuthatch
White-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
Winter Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Hermit Thrush
Nashville Warbler
Chestnut-sided Warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Pine Warbler
Palm Warbler
Common Yellowthroat
Scarlet Tanager
Savannah Sparrow
Swamp Sparrow
White-throated Sparrow
Eastern Meadowlark
Brewer’s Blackbird
Purple Finch
Evening Grosbeak
Total species observed: 120
Total Km on bike: 5,674
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