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Lake Superior Circle Tour Club  Member
Comments Join today. Send comments and trip details to: Circle Tour Club P.O. Box 16417 Duluth, MN 55816-0417 or E-Mail: CircleTourClub@lakesuperior.com |
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Lake Superior Circle Tour Club Member
Comments Join today. Send comments and trip details to: Circle Tour Club P.O. Box 16417 Duluth, MN 55816-0417 or E-Mail: CircleTourClub@lakesuperior.com |
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August 4, 2009 Hi, my wife and three friends just completed a counterclockwise loop of Lake Superior. Beginning in Farmington, Northville and Brighton, Michigan, we officially started the trip on Sunday July 26 at Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and arrived back there on Wednesday August 4th. Door-to-door from home we covered 2,232 miles. We had more rain, fog and coolness than we would have hoped for, but we also had no mechanical problems or mishaps. Our bikes came from three continents: one BMW K1200LT, one Honda Valkyrie Interstate and one Harley Dyna Glide. It’s tough to focus down on the single favorite spot or experience, since there were many. However, the hour we spent at Bond Falls, just south of Bruce Crossing, Michigan, was a major highlight. That place is so far off any type of path, beaten or otherwise, that few people go there. Yet it is a photographer’s paradise and a totally calming experience relative to the harsh riding environment. I was the “tour guide” for our intrepid group and made great use of your magazine to locate lodging and sights along the way. Charles Paul, Farmington, Michigan June 2009 Favorite Spots: Soo Locks were fascinating. Fabulous views of eastern shore - so different from the west. Kakabeka Falls were awesome. The Lupine were in full bloom - what a spectacular scene they made. We loved Rossport and the incredible hospitality of the owner of the Rossport Inn. Bayfield was so charming and we had a 5-star dinner at the Wild Rice Restaurant - to die for!! John Congdon, Denver, Colorado May 31, 2009 We completed our tour on Sunday, May 31, 2009. On May 5th, we received very serious news about a health issue my husband was diagnosed with. While going through the typical screenings and planning for treatment, we thought it would be the perfect time to finally get to that Circle Tour. We left on May 19th and headed for Grand Marais, Minnesota, where we spent our first night in our pull-behind 28-foot travel trailer. It just so happened there was a 40 degree temperature difference from home and Grand Marais and we loved it. I thought the Lake Superior Travel Guide, the supplement to our Lake Superior Magazine, was invaluable. I loved it and the map, and the information it included was the best. My advice to anyone going, do not leave home without it. The Canadian Provincial Parks had just opened for the season. We stayed at Sleeping Giant, Neys and Pancake Bay. We did drop down to Mackinaw City and camped at the Michigan State Park right in town under the Bridge. When leaving there, we went back up to the Whitefish Point Shipwreck Museum, stayed at Muskellounge State Park (Michigan), through Marquette and to Baraga State Park. From there we camped overnight. And then up to Copper Harbor for a couple of nights in the Ft. Wilkins State Park. From there we camped at the Porcupine Mountains State Park and then home. We traveled about 1,800 miles and would do it again in a heartbeat. We were amazed at the size of the mountain ranges that surround the western two-thirds of the lake. I just had no idea. We saw a bear in the ditch near Terrace Bay, Ontario, and just as we began to slow down to turn in to Pancake Bay Provincial Park, a moose crossed the road about 100 ft in front of us, it too heading for the park. I think we went at a great time. No bugs, great weather, cool evenings and virtually no other campers. As I mentioned earlier, it was a quickly planned trip and no reservations were made, we just left. We didn’t have any trouble finding camping facilities whatsoever. If I were to revisit a place along the tour, it would be the Whitefish Point Shipwreck Museum and adjoining bird sanctuary. It just so happened that the day we were there, it was raining, perfect day for a museum tour, but not for birding. Our favorite spot for high point Lake Superior photography is definitely Brockway Mountain Drive in Copper Harbor, Michigan. Absolutely breathtaking. At the top, we stopped at the typical tourist gift shop. Again, we were the only ones there, but the store was open. We spent 25 minutes talking to the woman in the store. Come to find out, her Grandparents were the original store owner/operators from the 1930s. This woman was born and raised in Copper Harbor. It’s interesting to hear about one-room school houses even at this moment, what do you do to keep busy and pass the time in the middle of winter with 72 fulltime residents of Copper Harbor? The timing and the purpose of this trip was right on. It did just as we had hoped, gave us an opportunity to digest the upcoming health issue and experience such beauty and grandeur together as a couple. I am ready to go again. In fact, we were so inspired on this tour, we are thinking when things get better, we’d like to circle all the Great Lakes! Allen & Kim Garber, Isanti, Minnesota July 2009 Completed Circle Tour: July 11-17, 2009. Favorite Spots: Terrace Bay - Beach Road - down by the lake. Beautiful! Turn in a complete circle and see beautiful views in every direction. Don & Janice Metz, Bloomington, Illinois September 27, 2009 We went on the Circle Tour, starting on Sunday, September 20, and completed the circle Sunday, September 27. Our favorite stop was having dinner at Naniboujou Lodge one night. The other favorite stop was the beautiful starry night in Bayfield, Wisconsin, at the Winfield Inn, and enjoying their beautiful gardens. Dave & Barb Roberts, Bellaire, Michigan |
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