Circling the Great Lakes this July

[Toledo Mark]

I am planning a solo ride around the Great Lakes this July and I am looking for tips and thoughts to make the ride fun.  The total ride is about 2500 miles.

I will be leaving Toledo, Ohio heading to Syracuse along the Turnpike around Lake Ontario to Kingston, Ontario (Stay Overnight).  (How is the border crossing there??)

From Kingston to Barrie, Ontario (Stay Two Nights).

Leave Barrie and head to Sault Ste. Marie (Stay Overnight).

Sault Ste Marie to Thunder Bay (Stay Overnight).

Thunder Bay to Milwaukee (Stay Overnight).  

Milwaukee back to Toledo.

Any thoughts, tips, comments would be appreciated. 

If anyone would like to tag along that would be great. So far my target date for leaving is July 8th.

Thanks,  Mark

[NITRO]

Only advice I'll give is that you should take more time to get through all of it. Three of us did it in the other direction (Thunder Bay to SSM to InZane) and all said it would be great to spend more time to see everything along the way.

Are you really going form Thunder Bay to Milwaukee in one shot? It's going to be long day!

[Toledo Mark]

I mapped out Thunder Bay to Milwaukee to be about 600 miles.  Not sure of the speed limits but I figure 10 hours.

I only have 9 days to do this but would prefer to get back in time to have several rest days before returning to work.  

Nitro, How many days did you take for the ride?

[Moonshot_1]

Well, if your goal is to just ride around the Great Lakes just to ride around them, then your schedule is certainly doable.

If you are looking to experience the things such a ride has to offer, then it is not.
I have been on the road from Duluth to Thunder Bay. You can easily spend 5 days just on that stretch just taking in spectacular views and the communities along the way.
Duluth is a great place to stop for a couple of days as is Grand Marais.

So it kind of depends on what your goal for such a trip is.
If it is to go around the lakes as fast as possible just to say you did it, there is really nothing to add except to be safe and be sure to stop when you get tired.

My suggestion is that if you only got 9 days, pick a section of the route and thourghly explore it and smell the roses. Next year, pick a different section.

And if you stop in Miluakee go to Usinger's meat shop on State Street.
Old School Sausage place. If it's your last stop before heading home it is a good place to get the best sausage in the world. Their Liver sausage is out of this world. Incredible wieners.

[alph]

Only advice I'll give is that you should take more time to get through all of it. Three of us did it in the other direction (Thunder Bay to SSM to InZane) and all said it would be great to spend more time to see everything along the way.

Are you really going form Thunder Bay to Milwaukee in one shot? It's going to be long day!

Yeah!!  That three day trip thing was too short!!  It was Me, MP, and Nitro on that three day jaunt around Lake Superiour.  It was a blast and would love to do it again!!

I mapped out Thunder Bay to Milwaukee to be about 600 miles.  Not sure of the speed limits but I figure 10 hours.

Nitro, How many days did you take for the ride?

We left Eau Claire at about 7:30 in the morning and we got to Thunder Bay at about 5 or so.  We did stop at Wiawiga (I know that’s not how it’s spelt) Falls



There is one spot that I will most definitely stop at if I get the chance, and that would be the rest stop about three miles east of Nipigon, there’s an over look of Nipigon Bay, beautiful!! 

HEY!  Do me a favor and get a picture of one of those Moose Crossing signs!!  They’re the best!!  It looks like the moose is charging the road!! 

[PhredValk]

I'm riding Home, (Durham, Ontario; 2 hours west of Barrie), the last week of June, and coming back in that week. I'll have to keep an eye on this as I would love some company riding over the lakes.
I'll be riding from Mom's to SS Marie (The Soo) (about 8 hours), then T-Bay (9 hours), then Winnipeg, then home.
I'd like to make each leg about 12 hours, to stop and see the sights etc. Heck, the Pancake Bay trading post is good for an hour on it's own. Ice cream, fuel, furs, carvings...
Fred.

[Jabba]

I'll say avoid Chicago.  Do it at night if not totally avoidable.

JMO.

Jabba

[Garry 2r's]

Here is a good place to stay at Sault Ste Marie  http://www.longshipsmotel.net/ have stayed there several times. Nothing fancy but is cheap and right on the locks. VFW is right down from it and American Legion is 5 blocks away on the lock really cool.  Not sure of your funds but you might consider one of the car ferries and avoid Chicago Good riding on west side of MI shore line.

[Grizhead]

Thunder Bay-Milwaukee  600 miles in 10 hrs., not.   Practically all two lane plus time at the border. Then their is Duluth and Superior, WI

[Toledo Mark]

Here is a picture of the route I am taking.  Stop #3 will not be an overnight stop.  I will go from 2 to 4.  The white boxes with pink numbers are the miles between the stops.  Thanks Grizhead for the info from Thunderbay to Milwaukee. 

Any additional comments are welcomed.

Thanks, Mark

[alph]

when you go through Eau Claire, and if you need a rest, we're about 1/2 mile off hwy 53, you are MORE then welcome to stop in.  also, if you have ANY issues, need anything, break down, give me a call, i'm listed in the "VORTEX".

AL.

[Toledo Mark]

Also thought about taking the Ludington-Manitowoc Ferry and not going through Chicago.  Anyone every take a motorcycle on that ferry?  Is it secure?
Thanks,

[Red Diamond]

Thunder Bay-Milwaukee  600 miles in 10 hrs., not.   Practically all two lane plus time at the border. Then their is Duluth and Superior, WI

I agree, just from a riding point of view, averaging 60MPH is hard to do, even on wide open highways.

[valkmc]

If you are following route 3 north from Syracuse avoid Watertown, Jump on 81 to get past it. Alex Bay (last town before crossing over the border at the north end of Lake Ontario) is a neat bike spot during the summer to hang out but only if you are staying the night. I grew up on Lake Ontario, route 3 north is a good ride but the traffic can be difficult.

[bigdog99]

anyway you can get closer to the lake in new york, its beautiful along the lake.

[Raverez]

Meet you in Syracuse and tag along to the border, or there abouts.  Been wanting to go to alex bay.

[valkmc]

anyway you can get closer to the lake in new york, its beautiful along the lake.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:New_York_Route_3_map.png   

The first section of route 3 runs right along the lake, once you get past Mexico NY going north you can see the Lake in many spots. lots of neat places to stop.

Route 104 from Rochester to Oswego comes close to the Lake in a few places but summer traffic is bad and lots of 104 does not give you a veiw of the Lake. If you do go this way make sure you stop at Rudy's stand just before SUNY Oswego, best fish sandwich around and the building is built right on the lake. If you like spicy try a tail hot, great fish and great hot sauce.

[BradValk48237]

From Michigan here and have to say I have been around all of the lakes and the route your taking will get you around them, but you're going to just see alot of highway.... boring , flat highway.. You wont see the lakes on 80-90% of your route....

Id say split it up and use the 2 lane along the lakes, that way you'll see more and have time to stop...

Maybe do Erie/Ontario first.. see the 1000 Island area- lots a nice scenery along there- lots a little towns along the way...... Stop at Niagara and Niagara on the Lake..... Avoid HWY 401 in Canada.... Like riding thru Iowa.....FLAT

i could go on, but if you want to see the lakes and what they have to offer--- don't try to do em all at once.... Superior is worth 9 days all by itself.... Took 10 days from the Lansing area and that was 10 days of mostly 2 lane- Once you get north of the Soo, its all 2 lane and will take you much longer than you think....

Once again , split it up and enjoy the ride...

B

[Raverez]

looks like you're taking I90 ( NYS Thruway- Toll Road!)from Buffalo to Syracuse. You should try Rte 20 instead. No tolls plenty of small towns and places to see. In Syracuse, the Dinosaur BBQ is the place for great food.

[Oss]

I took the ferry from Muskeegon to Milwaukee last June on my way to LaCrosse Wi

The bike rides free in June, or was that I rode free anyways it was under 100 bucks

It was fast (took a long nap  it was raining anyway) and bypassed all that Chicago traffic. It was my 1st time tying the bike down on a ferry

Coming back I rode thru Chicago and was stuck in walking speed traffic for a good spell.  Took the left lanes when the road splits in 2 and saved at least an hour or so, maybe someone can explain what I did who lives there

+1 what Raverez said  why take the Thruway unless you are in a hurry?

[ILcruiser]

Since you have a pretty ambitious schedule, I would warn you in advance that summer traffic through the Chicago area will bring you to a virtual standstill in several places.  What Oss was referring to is the express lanes on the Kennedy Expressway near the Loop (downtown Chicago).  That section is always jam-packed, unless you plan to hit it around 2-4 a.m.  But aside from that, there is going to be a big repaving project with lane closures on the Jane Addams Tollway in two long sections, one between Belvidere and Marengo, and the other between Elgin and Barrington.  I would strongly suggest that you  consider one of the Lake Michigan ferries, either the Lake Express, which Oss took, from Milwaukee to Muskegon, or the S.S. Badger, from Manitowoc to Ludington.  It'll save you time overall, but also allow you to rest.  The only scenery you'll miss is the NW Chicago 'burbs, downtown and Gary, IN 

http://www.lake-express.com/

http://www.ssbadger.com/home.aspx 

[T.P.]

WHATS THE RUSH?   Your missing a lot from Thunder Bay to Milwaukee, along the MN North shore, WI South shore, MI-UP.

[Davemn]

Try to spend some time in Ely, MN. Ride up hwy 1 to Tower/Soudan.

[Hoser]

Best advice I can give is don't try to take a firearm into Canada, could cause a slight delay.  Have a good ride.  Hoser 

[Valkahuna]

I agree with what most of the guys are sayin'. If you want to say you did it, then do what you mapped out. But you will be bored.

I've taken 104 out of Niagra Falls all along the shore of Lake Ontario. Then, as has been said, picked up Rt. 3 North in Mexico. Great place to spend the night is a small little town right on the lake not too far from Watertown. It's called Sackets Harbor. There is a Micro Brewery and combination restaurant there that is not to be missed.

Hey, it's your trip, and do it as you want to. I always take two lanes if possible, and stop to smell the roses. I'll tell you this, doing it that way you are lucky to average 40-45 mph, but you'll have a trip you remember. But then again, I've done most of my trips on my H-D Roadglide, and as many on the board know, they are much slower.

Someone else gave you good advice to take Rt. 20 instead of I-90. That's great advice!
Many neat places to gas, eat , etc. I've done that many times, and every time I see something I missed before.

Good luck! And enjoy whichever route you choose.

[Toledo Mark]

One thing with this trip is I only have one week off.  Also I go back to work on a Monday and would like to be back no later than Saturday.  I tried getting two weeks in a row off but the work boss said NO.

[Moonshot_1]

Take this for what it's worth.
My suggestion would be to flip your route so you get through the Chicago metro area on the first leg while you are fresh. This will also give you the opportunity to cut your trip short on the back side of the route if you have to get back sooner or if you have issues with weather that set you back. You'll have more opportunites to modify your route at the end of your trip.
Your current route really hangs you out there on the last two legs and gives you no way to cut time or distance.