So this past weekend, my brother and I went on our run around the lake. We had planned 3 full days (Fri-Sun) and ended up needing it! We met Thursday night in Hinkley at Tobies which is a glorified truck stop that is know for their caramel rolls....
Then headed to Duluth for the first stop. Nasty fog and dodging flying debris from the oncoming traffic through the construction at night was entertaining to say the least. Stayed the night at the HolidayInn as it was the only place I could find to get a room due to the Tall Ships return to Duluth.
Next morning wake to a dreary day but head over to Sara's Table in North East Duluth and help a couple of ladies out get their car started in the rain....with jumper cables..... When we got there, it was dry which should have be an omen for the trip...
Hit a marine supply store for a Fogg Togg suti and headed north on HWY 61. Cold an rain was the day. Stopped at Palasaid Head for a view, then a coffee shop in Grand Marais.
The Java Moose if you are nearby....
Then headed across the boarder, through customs (no sense of humor, eh?) and stopped at ThunderBay as we were just not making any time due to weather. So day one was poor for making distance to say the least...
A renewed sense of hope with eating McDonalds and ignoring the fact that rain was everywhere we intended to go. Had a straight 13 hour ride ahead of us as we had to make Manistque, MI that night in order to make up for the time lost yesterday. Great scenery and nice people, but horrible weather. Also hard to find premium fuel in the rural Ontario region....
Made it to Sault Ste. Marie and across the bridge to US soil. Met a guy there who has a ZRX "D" model and wanted to chat. Told him about this forum and he had never heard of it....would've expected rumors far and wide by now with this bunch....
Rode in the dark in the national forrest in the UP (can't remember the name...) but the detour they has us take for HWY 2, ended up having a bridge out! Had to find our way on some local park roads back to HWY 2 and run through the rain and bugs 'til we got to Manistque and our Hotel. Never so happy to see one....
Next morning, ground was wet and another storm hanging in our way. Breakfast at the "Big Boy" and off to fight it we went.....
We had to stop a few times to change cloothes to stop shivering so we could actually ride. Only after leaving Lady Smith, WI did we see sunshine and temps above low to mid 50's. I have to say that it was a beautiful ride, but nextime rain gear and heated grips are on my list!
I was cautious about taking the ZRX after all the trouble I had getting running again after the ZX-11 work, but she ran flawlessly (expect for the noise which I still have to fix....lol). Everytime I take a long ride on it, reminds me of why I love this bike.
Will be back to do it again.....in warmer, drier weather.....
Cory