...well...weather up here is devine....closest Ive seen to ..Jersey weather...since Ive been here...used to ride almost all year back in good ol jersey....bike is usually...Stabled out...and under a sheet up here by now...but this year is indeed different...call it global warming...call it a freek of nature...call what you will....I call it "balmy"...for Northern Michigan this time iof year....Hell...I just might ride on Thanksgiving day...if it keeps up this way...
. ....Saturday was even nicer....mid 50,s n sunny....oh so sweet.....both our souls needed some wind...sun....open back roads....sooooooooooo bad.....and yanno what ?....we were about to ...get it....in Spades..
. ...now Chili and I are a different breed....we never did care for that....kick stands up at what ever time....*Sharp*......nope....we like to mosey...(specially Chili)..
....so we kinda..impromptu,ed as it were....for a Saturday ride.....maybe...just maybe mind ya...the Last Official Ride of The Season..
. ..but all bets are off on that one. ..till next weekend gets here...
....anyway....we invited some good friends of ours...Dennis and Tammi..to come along...but it seems poor Dennis came down with some kinda "bug"...and had been praying to the toilet for a couplea daze...ouch....so we were to go it alone......and thats just fine by me....you see..I love just being in the wind with my Chili Gurl...especially on a nice sunny brisk day when were out exploring some fine back roads and traffic is about...zero....such was this day.....we started it with me whipping up some of my...Bodacious...Cranberry/Pecan...Cinnamon Waffles....accompanied with a nice side of Maple Sausage...and fresh brewed..HOT..Coffee...ya see we got this new waffle maker..and it makes the best damn waffles ya ever laid a lip on...especially when Im makin em..
.....so we sat down to a nice lil relaxin breakfast...and planned our day...
....once breakfast was done we both gotta hot shower and I kicked back and ...waited on Chili to get ready...you remember that part about her...moseying...right ?
...and while I was waiting I spotted this lil guy...makin a meal out of our Halloween Jack O Lanterns....we got three kinda squirrels up this way...black ...brown and red...and this guy was definitely stocking up for the long winter snows as he munched heartily on our pumpkins...
....well...Chili finally pried herself out of that bathroom of ours and we suited up in our Gerbings and hit the road....it was around 50 degrees and sunny when we left town and that was just alright with me....we turned outta town...rode up a nice lil deserted back road and hit the Interstate....and in record time too...at least for us...a nice early start....High Noon..
....we had our "plan".. in place...infact I guess you might even say that this was a...Trial Run...you see Chili and I have decided to put on a...little ride of sorts...come Inzane next year...yep...were gonna take a small group of ya,s ....up some oh so fine..Northenr Michigan back roads...to the Infamous 119 and The Tunnel of Trees...which in my humble opinion is one of THE finest rides up here in the hinterland...you see it,s 20 miles of some of the finest twisties and curves...all tucked nicely in the woods ...and the whole dang thing runs right along the ...Cliffs of Lake Michigan...so all ya gotta do is...look down to your left...and you will see some spectacular shots of the lake....and all the while you,ll be navigating one of the finest back roads up our way.....but Im tellin a story here right now..and the ride were plannin will come into play in this story...heck...it is the story..
....yep....we,ll leave one morning..(earlier then noon...I promise)....head up into some fine long sweeping roads...into the.."back way"...up to 119 and The Tunnel of Trees...we,ll go through some small towns before we make a right onto 119 and it,s gonna start out ...somethin like this.. . .
...but before long....we,ll be comming into a nice lil...Narrow two lane...and this is where it REALLY gets scenic...ofcourse...it,ll be summer...and everything will be..green...and beauriful...but believe me ...there was something to be said for this ride...no matter the time of year....
. ..now ..riding along...you,ll see all kinda ..scenic things...like this...
. ....and this
. ...you,ll be going....this way...
. ...and that..
. ..and after that...ya just gotta ...check this out...
. ...and this
. .....not to mention...this..
. . .....and what ever ya do...dont miss....this...
. . ....and this is a...definite must see...
. ...yep...gonna be some...definite fine sweepers ...hair pins...and other delights...on this...Northern Wolf Pack Excursion...
. . ...and just to give ya,ll...an Idea...this shot was taken two summers ago...in the summer....and the entire time you,re doing this ride...you,ll be lovin all those sweet curves and hair pin turns...right on the edge of the cliffs of...Mighty Lake Michigan...and all you gotta do is just...look over to your left...for some incredible scenery...
. ...but hey...back to ....last Saturdays ride...
. ...you,ll alsso be seeing some...of this...
. . ...and this...
. . .....and...Ohhhhh Yeahhhhhhhh.....dont miss...this !
. . . ...and this
....and baby....that will go ...on and on....for 20 sweet ...beautiful...sceninc...sweet curve...after sweet curve mile,s
...until you finally come to the end...and enter the cool lil town of...Cross Village...
. ...where we,ll ride by the famous...Legs Inn...so called because of all the ...table legs...sticking out of the roof...(dont ask)..
...it,s a cool lil restaurnt and a magnet for bikers in the summer...where after riding the 119...they line their bikes up out front...and dine in the back yard...where you can walk up to the edge of the cliff...and see out over lake Michigan for at least 20 miles...and see huge freighters off in the distance...slowly making their way by...it,s a most spectacular view....but were gonna keep on keeping on...
. . ...down along the shores of Lake Michigan and into the sand dunes....
. . ...and belive me...its just as scenic...down below...
.....and after a few more miles...through the woods...we will finally make our destination....Mackinaw City....right by the Mighty Mac Bridge...and the gate way to...the beautiful Upper Peniunsula....now Mackinaw CIty is what I guess you would call a...Tourist Trap Du Jour....the entire main street...and then some...is lined with all kinda cool lil shops...and some of the best Fudge...ya ever laid a lip on...so cool off them credit cards...cuz ya just might be...heatin em up..
. ...but thats not our...Main destination...nope...after all that fine riding...Im sure you will have worked up a ...powerful hunger...not to mention Thirst...so we,ll mosey on in to one of Chili and mine favorite places....The Key Hole Bar....for lunch...but there are lots of fine places to eat there...and yer welcome to pick your poison...
. ...but...I gotta tell ya...The Key Hole WILL quench yer thirst..
. ...and...quiet them hunger pangzzzz....
. ....well...after an incredible day of riding...just the two of us....hittin The Key Hole...grubbin down and relaxin for a spell...Chili and I strolled outside..it was 4 in the afternoon...and we were a long way from home...especially in late Northern Michigan fall...the sun was gone...the sky was filled with angry gray winter clouds...so we decided to blow off our plans for a nice lil photo op at this...special lil spot...we know right under the Mighty Mac...and scoot for home.....
....Hey...did I mention that you can grab a ferry...right there and fly on lover to Mackinac Island ?...if you thought there were a million little shops in Mackinaw City...you aint seen nuttin !...Mackinac Island has a billion shops...and all kinda cool history...Including Mackinac Fort...that was taken over by the French...and taken back by...US !
....so we were on a...Mission...to get back to our humble lil abode in the woods.... we hopped on the bike...gassed up...turned our Gerbings up to...HIGH...and hit the Interstate...which by the way...is right there for your convienence...now....Mackinaw Bridge is 94 miles from our house...and we left Mackinaw City at 4 in the afternoon and got home at precisely....5:05....you do the math
....yep...were were...bookin...all the way through the darkness passing every friggin thing in sight...along the way..I just was feelin...so damn good...I couldnt help but start...Howlin...and pretty soon...Chili was Howlin right along with me...and so it was...again...blasting through the darkness of a cold Northern Michigan late afternoon....the sun was a memory...it was dark..I left my super dark....RayBan Way Farrers on...and we Howled all the way home....90 - 95 miles an hour...until our exit came up...we zipped up it...a short jaunt through....still more woods....turned up our driveway...climbed off...and smiled all the way into the house.....on the way home...it was sooooo fine.. I mean fine...that I came up with an ..Idea...yeh..I get them from time to time...so I mosyed into the back yard...set up the fire pit...filled it up ...and started a nice.....Roaring Fire....and Chili and I kicked back and sucked down some ...Ice Cold Killians...while reveling in the days adventure....
....so yeh...like I said in the beginning...Chili and I got this...ride planned....and you are Invited...
.. c ya,s in the summer...or hell...mebbe even next week end...if this weather keeps up the way its going..
. ....by the by...Waffles NOT included..
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~ This has been a ... ~ Timbr n Chili ~ Northern Wolf Pack Production ~ ..
