Great Lakes Ride (s)

[Bustanut joker]

Maybe Bungie can guide us from Sudbury to say, Toledo? :lol:

I'm ready to roll!

 

[airboss]

So 39 south from Rockford IL, to Rochelle IL and then East? If so you will be going past both my house and my office. Too bad you won't have time for lunch.

Actually Tim, I-39 south to LaSalle- then east on I-80... My wife's friends are from Peru (S.A.) so... A receipt from Peru

would give a nice corner and a laugh.

Tony, you'll need to go west on 80 for a bit to get your Peru receipt, the first gas stop west off of 39 Flying J is LaSalle, Second one is Sapp Brothers Truck Stop, will get your Peru receipt.

 

[101stpathfinder]

So 39 south from Rockford IL, to Rochelle IL and then East? If so you will be going past both my house and my office. Too bad you won't have time for lunch.

Actually Tim, I-39 south to LaSalle- then east on I-80... My wife's friends are from Peru (S.A.) so... A receipt from Peru

would give a nice corner and a laugh.

Tony, you'll need to go west on 80 for a bit to get your Peru receipt, the first gas stop west off of 39 Flying J is LaSalle, Second one is Sapp Brothers Truck Stop, will get your Peru receipt.

Thanks for the info-

On my return from CFO, I settled for Utica as I did not want to "Waste" the time going west.

I'll have to wait and see how I feel about it then (3000+ miles into the ride) Sometimes plans

change when you are underway. :lol:

 

[Bustanut joker]

I'm in SE Michigan, about 30 minutes from the Port Huron / Sarnia Bridge. I'm interested in the Huron ride, and if you need any sort of maintenance (oil change, etc), I have garage space. Once you get closer to the planning stage, let me know if I can help out with anything.

Wayne, I'm planning on intercepting Tony In Flint on his way up to the start point.

Right now my plans are for the Superior ride and If my Candy ass holds up I may attempt the Huron ride also.. Then again if Tom decides he's going? I most likely will just go home as he's always so nasty to me.. :lol:

 

[Bustanut joker]

I might be interested in maybe one of them... or more depending on time frame. I have a few days open in July.

Gosh I somehow missed posting this.. :blink:

Tom might be going someplace? Tell me it isn't so. :lol:

 

[extrememarine]

Sounds good. I will need to be close to the house next week as I am expecting a call about my new job. I will give you a call this weekend and see what we can work out.

I'm in SE Michigan, about 30 minutes from the Port Huron / Sarnia Bridge. I'm interested in the Huron ride, and if you need any sort of maintenance (oil change, etc), I have garage space. Once you get closer to the planning stage, let me know if I can help out with anything.

Wayne, I'm planning on intercepting Tony In Flint on his way up to the start point.

Right now my plans are for the Superior ride and If my Candy ass holds up I may attempt the Huron ride also.. Then again if Tom decides he's going? I most likely will just go home as he's always so nasty to me.. :lol:

 

[Bungie]

Crap!

Polarize and a few others riding are looping the Lakes the same weekend. I've just been exchanging emails with them and planned to ride up to SSM (ON) to meet up with them on Friday after work. Then run up to Thunder Bay and return home.

Then Dorothy (Bust) tells me you guys are doing this ride.

After reading the thread it seems we'll be passing each other on my return trip from Thunder Bay.

Shit, if you were going the other direction their would've been a good chance we could've hooked up for the ride back from Thunder Bay to SSM.

So just to be clear, you guys are doing Superior out of SSM MI on Sunday, counter clockwise?

Regardless, I'll email Dorothy my cell (I can answer on the bike) give me a call just before you leave. Maybe we could meet up for gas in White River.

 

[extrememarine]

Steve (Bungie),

Can you give us an idea of what the roads are like as far as surface services between Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and down to Toronto? Main concern is forest rats and availability of gas during late hours.

thanks,

Wayne

 

[Bungie]

Can you give us an idea of what the roads are like as far as surface services between Sault Ste. Marie, Sudbury, and down to Toronto? Main concern is forest rats and availability of gas during late hours.

Kay, Safety first. Forest rats aren't really issue north of SSM. Its the bear and moose. This time of year they are being driven bat-shit insane by the bugs. Moose tend to just sit their asses down in a swamp for escape, but both tend to seek out open areas where their is a breeze - like a highway. Luckily, unless something has their dander up, they don't jump out at mach 6 at you like those other assholes do. Usually you see them with a good safety margin. Both can really motor when they want to though. Riding in Northern Ontario keep your head on a swivel and you'll be fine.

Truthfully, I worry more riding through the US deer country than I do in Northern Ontario.

After dark, whole new ball game. If you absolutely HAVE TO do it. Follow a car, not a transport! You CANNOT see a moose or a bear in the dark until its to late.

Transports: 17 is a truck route and their are lots of transports. These guys know the road and tend to run a pretty good pace on it. They WILL WARN YOU of animals on the road ahead. Please return the favour. Flash of the lights and tap of the head will do it.

Now as far as services go. The FJR has enough range to deal with space between fuel north of Superior without much worry. Keep yourself a 75 mile buffer (not reserve!) and you'll be fine. Fill up in White River. Trust me on this. Theirs gas in the small towns but theirs no guarantee they'll be open after dark. You can most likely make it Thunder Bay on a tank without much drama if you fill up in White River, plus their a Dunkin Donuts there (and not much else!).

From SSM to Sudbury, pretty much the same deal with respect to the animals. Gas available just about everywhere. No problems.

Sudbury to Toronto has changed in recent years (4 laning from Parry Sound south). Oddly enough, it's harder to get gas between Parry Sound and Barrie then it is on the Northern Leg. Sort of like an interstate where you have to get off the highway to get gas.

I understand that one of the required stops on the Great Lakes ride is to get a receipt in Sudbury. This can be a breeze or a 30 minute side trip. So here's the skinny!

Fast gas in Sudbury

I just saved you nearly an hour!

Now, for some bad news. Their working on the overpass/ramps that connect Hwy 17 to 69S. It was CLOSED last weekend. I'll take a run out tonight and check the status. If it's not open, I'll give you an alt route that will avoid most of the traffic. But that is the preferred route.

Southbound access was/is closed at Point B

Alt route:

Much slower, but avoids the worst of the traffic.

No doubt I'll see you guys on Sunday. My guess is around White River somewhere. I sent Barry my cell (I'll forward it to you as well). Give me a call just before you leave.

 

[Bustanut joker]

Oh no! You ain't foolin' me with your directions!! Nope ain't gonna do it!

Thanks for looking into this stuff Steve. It'll be good to have a backup route without having to stop and figure it out on the roads.

 

[extrememarine]

Steve,

thanks a ton, good scoop. Now all I have to do is build the route in Mapsource.

Wayne

 

[Bungie]

Kay, my plans have changed, Ray and his crew itinerary don't jive that nicely with my time off.

I take it you guys are doing Huron and not Superior (I just clued in what Wayne was asking lol!).

Let me know what time your leaving SSM MI and I'll do what I can to meet ya on this side of the bridge. If not, I'll catch you on the hwy and ride with you guys a good ways. Anybody running a Spot?

 

[Bustanut joker]

Spot got out in the road and was killed by a car the other day.. If I'd have been running with him I wouldn't be here either.

 

[101stpathfinder]

Kay, my plans have changed, Ray and his crew itinerary don't jive that nicely with my time off.

I take it you guys are doing Huron and not Superior (I just clued in what Wayne was asking lol!).

Let me know what time your leaving SSM MI and I'll do what I can to meet ya on this side of the bridge. If not, I'll catch you on the hwy and ride with you guys a good ways. Anybody running a Spot?

As soon as I figure things out, I will post a new schedule. All the routes have been changed with

the new info streaming in. The order of rides have changed also.

I am running SPOT. I think I posted my link on post #16.

 

[Bustanut joker]

You fellas figure oot the finer details here.. I have sheep to do

 

[extrememarine]

Steve,

No spot here, but I have done the google latitude with good results; just not sure how cell coverage is going to be up there.

wayne

 

[Bungie]

As soon as I figure things out, I will post a new schedule. All the routes have been changed with

the new info streaming in. The order of rides have changed also.

I am running SPOT. I think I posted my link on post #16.

Bookmarked your Spot.

I'm free this weekend so let me know your plans. Barry and Wayne have my cell number and I'm about to send it to you as well.

 

[Bungie]

No spot here, but I have done the google latitude with good results; just not sure how cell coverage is going to be up there.

Cell coverage is good between SSM and points south. North of SSM, only around 'major' centers.

 

[101stpathfinder]

As soon as I figure things out, I will post a new schedule. All the routes have been changed with

the new info streaming in. The order of rides have changed also.

I am running SPOT. I think I posted my link on post #16.

Bookmarked your Spot.

I'm free this weekend so let me know your plans. Barry and Wayne have my cell number and I'm about to send it to you as well.

I'm heading out of West Palm Beach Saturday around 4 am. Doing a BBG to SS Marie. Leaving out at that time

puts me in Atl & Chat at bad times, but I work Friday Night so it is the best I can come up with. When I pass

by with SPOT- They will give me a 1-3 hour jump so I can get some sleep at the rest stop just south of SSM.

They will stop by, I'll join up and we will gas up at the next exit. This will be MY start. We will then do Lake

Huron Clockwise. They will finish their SS at ST. Johns and I will continue up to SSM for my finish.

Other than that:

Mon- Lake Michigan SS (Extended route)

Tue- Lake Superior SS

Wen- Transition ride to Toledo, OH

Wen night- Lower Lakes SS

Thur/Fri- Great Lakes Gold

Sat/Sun- Return to Florida (Hopefully completing 10,000 miles in 9 days)

Butt then... EVERYTHING is subject to change(S)

 

[Bustanut joker]

Seems like most of the bugs are worked out.. Now it's probably going to snow.

The wife will be on spot watch Sunday, thus allowing my Candy ass a few hours of sleep before heading out.