• Date Circle Tour Completed
• Favorite Spot and/or Experience
• Member

Summer 2006
I have always loved Lake Superior. There’s just something mysterious about it that touches my soul just thinking about being there. Though I didn’t complete the tour in one trip, I put the finishing touches on it this past summer. My experiences with the lake go way back to my childhood, as my parents would take me to their cabin near Copper Harbor during the summer. There’s just something awesome about being in the presence of that amazing place. I don’t know if it’s the beauty of the fog rolling in and out along the shoreline. Maybe it’s the waves crashing up against a breakwater. Perhaps it’s the sea gulls scavenging for their next meal. Or maybe it’s seeing the beauty of a lighthouse light up at night as the sun goes down. Maybe it’s the serenity and tranquility of being in complete desolation on Isle Royale. Whatever it is, I love it. We have long since sold that cabin and my parents are aging and don’t get out as much as they used to. However, our final leg of the journey was completed this summer, as we drove from Thunder Bay to Sault Ste. Marie. A long trip, yes, but what a beautiful journey it was! I want to be a part of this club. I want people to know how incredible this lake is and I want people to be inspired to see it as I see it.
Josh Spaete, Nevada Iowa

September 2006
My friend Bryan and I rode the Circle Tour, starting from my house on September 13 and ending early on September 17, 2006. We ended up with more than 2,000 miles (2,086 for me and around 2,200 for Bryan). We did this trip on our motorcycles and camped every night, which was quite a bit of fun. The first night we stayed near Finland, Minnesota, and made it all the way to the White River the second night. The third night we wound up sleeping at a roadside park about 40 miles before Baraga Mountain. By the fourth night we had made it almost to the Apostle Islands and found a campsite a little ways after Ashland. The next morning we packed up and finished our circle and blasted south in the cold rain. For me the highlight of the trip was the section from Wawa to Sault Ste. Marie. Amazing scenery! We also got to watch a couple of planes fight a forest fire just off the road, which was pretty cool. For pictures and a ride report, visit this site: www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=167401&highlight=lake+superior
Chad Berger, Westby, Wisconsin
Bryan Much, Oconomowoc, Wisconsin

August 2006
Keweenaw Peninsula to Copper Harbor. The last 20 miles or so to Copper Harbor was the best motorcycle ride with the hills and switchbacks and curves and so forth. Every mile a great ride.
Sam A. Nemadich, Chisholm, Minnesota

• Date Circle Tour Completed
• Favorite Spot and/or Experience
• Member

October 2006
Three of us did the Circle Tour September 29-October 2. We loved it - gorgeous fall colors, lots of beautiful deer, not crowded with tourists. Favorite spots: Lake Marie Louise and the Thunder Bay overlook on Sleeping Giant. The entire town of Wawa.
Messerli & Kramer P.A.

August 2006
Thunder Bay was absolutely gorgeous! Loved Sault Ste. Marie, too. Whitefish Point and Big Sand Lighthouse. Recommend at least 10 days.
Sharon Pautsch, St. Louis Park, Minnesota

August 2006
This past August, I rode my bicycle around the lake to celebrate turning 50. I went counterclockwise and a friend, Bruce Ludwig, rode the opposite direction at the same time. I live in Knife River and am a lifelong environmental educator. One of the the things I did was to work with the Environmental Association for Great Lakes Education (EAGLE) to inquire about water privatization issues in small towns along the way. Specifically, it was to find out if any local water supplies have been bought or leased by something other than their local municipalities. It was interesting, especially on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border where Michigan is controlling a town in Wisconsin’s water supply and the prices were higher for the Wisconsin residents than for the Michigan (Ironwood/Hurley). I also was intrigued to find that many provincial parks AND the city of Marathon, Ontario, had boil water advisories, and when I asked, was told that they do not yet have the equipment to remove certain parasites from the water supply! Needless to say, it was frustrating for a bicyclist to have to find water that was potable during the daytime! I was forced to purchase water in some spots. We take this big,clean lake for granted, yet water is becoming an issue here. Anyhow, I began my trip on August 10 and completed it on September 1. I carried all my camping gear, took lots of photos, collected lots of material and thoroughly enjoyed myself. My parents in Pennsylvania used your Circle Tour map to follow my exploits, and while I was looking at a copy of that map the other day, I noted the Circle Tour panel, so I am writing to you. I put a complete scrapbook together of my adventures, and would love to add a “certificate of completion” on the last page!
Judy Gibbs, Duluth, Minnesota