LAKE HURON!

Day 12, Thursday, May 11, 2017

I was solo last night in a very nice Hotel.  My alarm sounded at 6:30 AM, as usual.  I got up, got dressed and packed.  My room was right next to the door and my Motor was parked right outside.  I went out and it was a little cool.  I took the cover off of my Motor and packed my bags.  I gave my Motor a little cleaning.  Breakfast was next.  When I arrived in the breakfast room, Ken and J.B. were already there eating.  I joined them.  The others came in slowly.  We were ready to leave and left at 9:12 AM.

C.E. was still leading.  Chuck had given him some instructions on which direction to go.  We were headed to the Canada/US border.  We left the parking lot and onto the street, Can. 17 heading south.  I’m sure we looked “cool” peeling out and riding out like professionals.  We got to the first traffic light.  The Group stopped in the straight through lane while C.E. rode in the Right Turn Only lane.  When it was clear, C.E. made a right turn.  We all looked at C.E.  There was a sign above the traffic lights that had an arrow pointing forward for the border.  Chuck turned after C.E., as did Ken.  They followed C.E. and about two blocks away, Chuck caught up to him and he turned left into an auto parts parking lot.  Chuck told him that he wanted to go straight south.  We all returned and got to the light and turned right, south onto Can. 17.  We rode for a couple of blocks and C.E. turned right again.  Again there was a sign above the traffic light directing the traffic to go straight to get to the Border.  We went c few blocks and came up to a detour.  We turned left, then right, then right again.  There was a sign to turn left for the Border.  We turned left then left again.  We then turned into a fenced parking log that was blocked.  We made a U-turn and then back onto the street.  C.E., Ken and J.B. turned right.  The rest of us stayed.  The others came back and we turned left, then left then left again and NOW we rode into the right entrance to the Border.  It was very confusing.  We talk now that if we had gone the way C.E. initially turned, we would have been at the Border about 10 minutes sooner.  We were finally on the bridge to cross the Border.  There was construction on the bridge also.  As we were stopped on the bridge, Chuck got off of his Motor and into his left saddle bag.  He was digging out his Passport.  Everyone had already gotten their Passport and had it handy and ready to show it at the Guard Shack.  Chuck was holding up traffic and Jan honked at Chuck.  Chuck looked up and cracked a big smile.  He got on and finally took off.  We all got to the Border at 8:36 AM after riding 8 miles.  We all handed over our Passports, answered the questions properly and we clear to go.  We rode to a nearby gas station to check the map to see where we were going to go.  We left at 9:59 AM.

C.E. led the Group to I-75 South.  Ken followed, then J.B., Jake, Chuck, Jan and Me.  We rode on I-75 and the temperature was in the 50’s.  We continued south on I-75 at about 80 MPH.  We came up on US 28 west at Dafter, MI.  We turned west.  We rode for about 30 miles and came upon Eckerman and then south on US 123.  The roads were very nice with farms on both sides and large trees.  When we were southbound on US 123, the guys in front of me all pointed to the left.  There were two deer grazing.  As we passed them, they looked up at us.  We continued on. We rode for a short distance and stopped after riding 52 miles at 10:49 AM in Trout Lake.  We were in need of a pit stop.  While we were taking care of business, C.E. topped off his gas tank.  The rest of us were good with gas.  We left at 11:10 AM.  We switched back to I-75 and rode southbound.  We came up on the Mackinac Bridge.  This bridge is a cool bridge.  It is over two bodies of water.  On the west side is Lake Michigan and the east side is Lake Huron.  The bridge floor is a metal grate.  As we rode over the bridge, you look down and you can see the water.  It was freaky.  We paid a $4 toll.  As we rode over the bridge, I kept looking down on the left side and could see the water below.  I got my camera, pointed it downward and took several pictures.  You can see the water below.  After we got off of the bridge, we soon changed to US 23.  Us 23 borders Lake Huron.   We rode for another 53 miles and at 2:10 PM we stopped at a Speedway Gas station in Cheboygan, MI.  We all filled up with gas.  As we were gassing up, Jan spotted a Subway about two blocks away.  Everyone was told and we rode over to the Subway as we finished gassing up.  We were all in Subway and it was cold.  We were talking about putting on more clothing to keep warm.  Inside the Subway, there was a guy with a short sleeve t-shirt and shorts, also a young lady wearing flip flops!  We had lunch and went to our Motors and some put on more clothing.  We left at 12:55 PM.

Chuck took over the lead.  I was next, then Jan, Jake, J.B. Ken and C.E.  We continued on US 23 and could see Lake Huron when there were no trees or houses.  It was breathtaking!  We rode for 39 miles and at 1:35 PM we stopped just north of Rogers City, MI.  It was a very nice place to stop to take a photo op.  As we turned off of the roadway, we had to ride onto an area with very soft sand.  Everyone was trying to be careful, but unfortunately, one of us was unlucky.  Ken slowly laid his Motor down on its right side.  No damage and no injury.  Ken was a little embarrassed.  Like I said, “No damage and no injury.”  C.E. and J.B. helped Ken pick up the Motor.  He was good to go.  We lined up our Motors and took pictures.  We were ready to go and left at 1:49 PM.

Chuck led us back on US 23.  It was a beautiful ride and scenery.  We rode for another 40 miles and stopped at 2:27 PM at Alpena, MI. at a gas station and mini mart.  It was time for another pit stop.  Chuck, Jake and J.B. had their coffee.  Chuck and J.B. looked at a map to see if they could find a Harley Dealer close by so that J.B. could get an oil change.  Jan said that he would also get an oil change.  Chuck found a Dealer in Gaylord, MI. not far from where we were.  That’s where we were headed.  We left at 2:52 PM.

Like I said earlier, Gaylord wasn’t very far from where we were.  It was 67 miles.  The road was nice and so was the scenery.  The weather also managed to warm up a little for us.  It got to 66 degrees.  We had some “twistees” on the road.  The traffic wasn’t that bad either.  We enjoyed the ride and we arrived in Gaylord sooner that we had expected.  We rode for 77 miles and at 4:12 PM we arrived at a Holiday Inn Express.  We rode up onto the property and I walked in to “make the deal.”  There were two gentlemen ahead of me and we had to wait for them.  Their rate was $139 and that was my goal…to beat that price.  I did, by $40.  Everyone checked in and we rode to our rooms, which were at the other end of the complex.  We unloaded our bags and took them into our rooms.  After we had checked in, J.B. and Jan left to go and get their oil changes.  After checking in, we all met up at the breakfast area.  Soon after, J.B. and Jan returned.  We decided to walk to dinner next door.  There was a Mexican Food restaurant, El Rancho, which came highly recommended by the Desk Clerk.  We walked over and had a good meal.  We returned and then went to the Hot Tub.  We also went to our Motors and tucked them in for the night.

Today we rode for 269 miles and rode over two bridges and saw two Lakes.  The ride and scenery was beautiful.  Tomorrow, I believe that we are going to ride a little west and ride north along the coast of Lake Michigan and back to the Mackinac Bridge.  I’m not sure, but, we shall see…