2023
Great Lakes Run
Friday, September 8, 2023
GLR (Great Lakes Run)- Day1
So, boys and girls, what did we learn today?
1) Be prepped and ready before you think you need to be prepped and ready.
2) Don't be afraid to change the plan.
3) Don't be on-call the week before a big trip.
4) Even if you have to stay on The Slab, go AROUND any metro or mini-metro location.
I would add "keep an eye on the weather" but that's a given. Departure was targeted for SEP10 as it gave me a day for careful packing and loading the bike along with some rest after a long 12-day stretch at work....BUT.... keeping an eye to the weather, it looked like departing SEP09 kept me out of rain for at least 3 days and I realized this in the middle of the night (see lessons #2 and #3).
Saturday morning then became a bit of a scramble as I rechecked the weather along the first 800 miles of the trip and it was absolutely clear that early departure was the answer. A bit of a hurried pack&load and on the road about an hour past my target. The planning worked out well and, instead of rain, I was riding in nice weather that peaked at 92° and then dropped to 70° by the time I arrived at destination just north of Syracuse.
For those of you interested to see the fruits of my departure decision, search YouTube for weather SEP09, 2023 in Clarks Summit PA. I was ahead of that shit by several hours and going through there on the original planned day would have been a non-starter. As the day wore on, I realized I was going to HAVE to stay on the super-slab to get in before dark. It crystallized my opinion that...
1) I am NOT a cruiser at heart
2) Wind protection is key for fighting fatigue
3) Cagers are total a$$holes.
Now waiting for the rain to blow through this morning and on to Pembroke Ontario!!
Saturday, September 9, 2023
GLR Day2- Goin' for 'Broke
Today was the reason to renew the passport.
Across the border at Thousand Islands and on to revisit my youth spent in Canada. A great ride to Ottawa Whitewater Leaders (OWL) on the Big Ottawa.
Dear old friends Claudia and Dirk Van Wijk were at the basecamp for the final rafting day of the season.
The place was quite a site compared to my first year there in 1981. A fabulous reunion and difficult to tear away but on the the hotel in Pembroke.
This was also the inaugural trip for the Pyrat Crew.
Ellwood and Terra
Their story unfolds as does my own
Rafting the Big Ottawa with OWL (Ottawa Whitewater Leaders)
Circa 1980
Sunday, September 10, 2023
GLR Day3- Paddling Memory Rapids
The long hike up from the river to the lodge
Another day of revisting my younger days with a trip from Pembroke to Barry's Bay, around Kamaniskeg Lake and in to Madawaska Kanu Center where I once trained and taught whitewater kayaking.
An unexpected flood of memories and emotions that took me to a place of reflection and an overwhelming sense of Sonder* as I reviewed the intervening decades and what lead me to this Ontarian adventure. I even forgot to turn on Rever Track when leaving and missed recording the entire trip through Algonquin Provincial Park!
Up the 11 with a side-bar out around Sand Lake on some unimproved wilderness roads.
Finally into North Bay with the beginnings of rain spitting at me from the western skys. Thinking a rest/weather day may be in order.
Kamaniskeg Lake
OWL on the Big Ottawa
The MKC Crew
Monday, September 11, 2023
GLR Day4- “The Time has Come, the Walrus Said...”
I knew the day would finally come and here it is.
My first big Rain Ride!
Looking at 48hrs of rain pushing in from the west. The only difference was going to be a 10° temp drop if I waited for tomorrow. So time to break out all the wet-gear and strap on my big boy pants.
The morning actually looked promising with just fog and misty light precip. I can do this.....
What I didn't count on was the sudden downpours and absolutely no place to pull over.
I was OK riding but I couldn't find a single safe place to deal with my electronics. The phone/nav was in protected case but the power connection died. I was then eeking out the last bit of power but it finally went completely dead before I reached my target hotel in Sault St. Marie, ON. That'll teach me.
Unfortunately, the power source on a Triumph is a Hella plug- yeah, try finding THAT at Walmart!! So, now in addition to trip planning, power management has been added to the adventure. Fortunately, I had the foresight to bring a powerpack and could put it in the jacket pocket with the cord stretched out to the phone for the subsequent days.
The hotel in Sault Ste Marie was atrocious. I gotta learn to camp!
Couldn't wait to get going the next day.
Tuesday, September 12, 2023
GLR Day5-
The Soo to Terrace Bay
Not much navigation required today.
It was a straight slab run on the Trans-Canada Hwy (Rt17). This long stretch of cement and asphalt is populated primarily by commercial trucking.
I had a quasi-comforting reminder of home up here in the Northern wilderness. Sorry to say that Canada has their own version of the annoying 4-wheeled species, Le Cageur du Douche.
Speed limits are merely suggestions and passing lanes are many kilometers apart. That said, when I spied an F-150 doin’ 150kmh up behind me, I would signal left and get on the shoulder and let them pass unimpeded. Never got the karmic satisfaction of seeing one pulled over. In to Terrace Bay for a another sketchy accommodation- I did NOT choose well, especially since there was a MUCH nicer establishment within walking distance
If this trip is ever on your list, stay at The Drifters Hotel. Good restaurant, friendly people. Now getting ready for the long run down the western edge of Superior tomorrow.
Rest stop near Marathon
Wednesday, September 13, 2023
GLR Day6- Terrace Bay to Duluth
Morning in Terrace Bay
Another long day on the TransCan.
Lovely ride from Terrace Bay up to Nipigon and hit the farthest point north I have been on 2-wheels (49.02° North). Unfortunately, I missed the Nipigon Lookout but there were actually too many "scenic overlooks" to count. Just pick one with no other visitors and the experience is amazing. Fantastic views!
A cruise through Thunder Bay and down the "beak" of Superior to roll into Duluth.
Thursday, September 14, 2023
GLR Day7- Duluth to Marquette
Now into the 2nd half of the trip and keeping an eye to the weather and possible routings.
Considered getting up to Houghton and some REVER-recommended roads toward Copper Harbor but the added distance was a barrier in the allotted timeframe.
Instead, hit some nice swoopies along the south coast of Superior, through Ottawa National Forest and into Marquette. Just a straight-up riding day.
Didn’t take any pictures but some decent video soon to be on YouTube
Duluth Ship Channel
Friday, September 15, 2023
GLR Day8- It was the Best of Times, The Worst of Times
My next target was Whitefish Point Lighthouse (huge emphasis on WAS). The shore road from Grand Marais was closed so down M77 to 28 and over to Newberry. This could have been an enjoyable ride up Rt123 to the point but I was again enticed with the "similar ETA" (and the deceptive term "Road") on the map. Depending on what map you look at, I considered going out to Crisp Lighthouse and the road was reasonably well-packed dirt/gravel.
Doable, even for this novice. After a couple of miles in, the sign said "12 miles" to go. Naahh... not doing that. The road veered off to the east and had me headed in the right direction for Whitefish so I pressed on. However, the road was now really just a trail and the deeper in I went the softer and sandier it became... NOT GOOD. At this point it was a hard call to tell if it was going to improve in front of me, or turn back through what I already knew was pretty sucky. To quote the Grail Knight from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade-- "He chose...poorly".
Went down on the right in soft-ish ground, rolled out of the path of the falling bike and knew enough to immediately hit the kill-switch and make sure no injuries to rider or steed.... now what?? Take breath and assess.
First order of business was to lighten the load and proceed to disconnect all the luggage- one huge advantage of my KRIEGA soft gear arrangement is nothing was smashed or trapped under the bike. Just as I was pulling off the last pieces, a miracle happens and a truck is rolling down this deserted wilderness trail.
Turns out there's a lot of bear hunting underway so I'm even happier to get some help and try to get the hell out of this self-inflicted debacle. With the bike back in vertical mode, the best suggestion from my truck-savior was to airdown the tires and try to get back to the road. The path ahead was reportedly slightly more packed within the next mile so.... the adventure continues.
Marquette, MI
What a day!
It definitely ran the gamut of my riding experience. Knowing this was going to be the last day in the UP, I wanted to make the most of it. Leaving Marquette and on to the M28 E at Chocolay for a lovely ride along the south coast of Superior to Munising. Then on the H58 that takes a turn to the north and becomes the Au Sable Point Trail (County Rd 58).
*** TAKE NOTE HERE***
This freaking road should be the "Michigan Dragon"!! -- or, maybe something in the Loch Ness family. Can't believe it doesn't have a Butler designation.
The surface reminded me of much of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Better than tar&chip but not super-smooth rolled asphalt. Plenty of grip. Awesome twisties with decent sightlines and good passing areas.
This unexpected delight ends at Grand Marais and is worth it to take a break and enjoy the view of Superior.
The sand didn't improve nor did my skills. Had several near-drops until one finally finished the job.
The airdown had the desired effect and the remainder was tough but manageable. Gratitudes to the Universe for the prompt rescuer arrival. Here endeth my off-road aspirations!
My battery powered air pump was struggling to get back to full pressure so, after 15 minutes of effort, I mapped the closest service station and slowly rode the 5 miles to get to a place for proper inflation. The misadventure caused me to miss out on getting to Whitefish Point and riding the Lake Superior Shoreline Road into Sault St. Marie but, as a reminder of my error in judgement, a cold rain set in for the final 45 minutes of the day. Never did a hotel and a hot shower feel so welcome. This seemed like the right time to take my only rest-day of the trip and I kept occupied with laundry, weather and route planning.
Sunday, September 17, 2023
GLR Day9- On a Mission
Monday, September 18, 2023
GLR Day10- Good from Huron out!
Today was the completion of transecting the LP over to Presque Isle Light and then down the western edge of Huron with a stop at Sturgeon Point Light... Pyrat's gotta Pyrat.
A smooth, comfortable and relatively short day run down the coast. Tomorrow is going to be a jolt back to reality as I have to get through Detroit and into Toledo/Oregon before the final 2-day push home.
After a rest day in US Sault St. Marie, it time to get busy with the 2nd half of the GLR.
Today's target was Mission Point Lighthouse on the peninsula the vertically divides Grand Traverse Bay. Decided to take The Slab out of SSM to the Mackinac Bridge.
This was NOT a treat as the construction had a single lane only with the open-grate roadway. Like riding on ice.
Then a jump over to US31 for a lovely but chilly ride down the eastern coastline of Lake Michigan to Traverse City. A sweet ride up Rt37 with plenty of sweepers and not much traffic. As it's the only road in/out, it was a a great ride back. Then on to Gaylord as I transect the Lower Peninsula
Mission Point Lighthouse
Pyrat feeling like home port
Crossed again!
Sunset on The Soo
Tuesday, September 19, 2023
GLR Day11- Thumbs Up/ Thumbs Down
Leaving Bay City for a ride around the Thumb of Michigan today, final destination Toledo, OH.
A little hike out the massively long jetty/pier at Port Austin and then south on Rt25 along the western coast of Huron. Made it through Port Huron down to St. Clair when trouble sneaked up for a visit.
After riding slowly through a construction zone, Pyrat rapidly lost handling stability and I pulled over ASAP to find a large, shiny attachment in my front tire. Definitely looked too big to plug if I could even pull it out. Opted to leave in place as it was probably keeping some air in the tire to be able to push or ride a short distance..... Considering the options, I was able to locate a FANTASTIC bike shop that could help.
TORQ MONSTER MOTORWORKS in Port Huron. They hooked up their own trailer, drove the 30mile round-trip to come pick me up and even dropped me off at a hotel!!!
We were able to source a new front tire the next day and Phil and Lori had me back on the road by afternoon. There's nothing like the riding community to step up when a brother gets in trouble.
Wednesday, September 20, 2023
GLR Day12- Some SERIOUS Slab
A broken 1/4” socket
Shameless plug. They are AWESOME!!
Today was all about the destination as I was racing the weather.
Tropical Depression Ophelia was due to hit the mid-Atlantic region in 48hrs and riding in those conditions was a non-starter so a solid effort to get as many miles munched as possible in the available time.
The day started late as it took the bulk of the day to get the new tire and get it mounted. Leaving Port Huron around 1600 with 220+ miles to get covered meant I would be doing something I HATE..... riding at night.
It was dark by the time I got across the Peace Bridge and through Customs. Unfortunately, the last 15 miles were rough. With no warning signs, the roadway became the dreaded "freshly milled" surface that is the dreaded Zamboni-smooth-ice-rink riding experience.
Add whizzing traffic and darkness and this was an anxious 30min of riding. Finally rolled safely in to a hotel and was grateful for an unscathed arrival.
Peace Bridge Buffalo, NYThursday, September 21, 2023
GLR Day13- Beating the Storm
The final push to home harbor for Pyrat and the crew.
There were several choices for this last day but after an hour or 2 of riding, I realized I was pretty tired and didn't have the reaction times and stamina to allow for much in the way of twisties. The route took me through the center of PA and I made a stop to rest outside my former employer and then a side trip to see a former colleague who has recently been infected with the incurable "motovirus".
He has a Triumph 1200 Scrambler and it's nice to know there are similarly afflicted medicos like me out there. As the clock was ticking with still 150+ miles to go, I thought I would hit some slab and just get there....but, I misjudged the haste, anger and craziness of Pennsylvania drivers on a Friday afternoon.
After about 80 more miles, I had as much as I could take of the road raging cagers and jogged west to Rt74 for the final rollout.
Pulled into the garage just as night descending with the breeze picking up and spit or two of precip. Perfect timing!
FINAL TALLY
3564 Miles
109,880 Vertical Feet
Tropical Depression Ophelia
This version of Pyrat is a 2017 Triumph Tiger 1200 Explorer (XRx)
I include the odometer since I had only picked the bike up in August with 5800 miles on it and did several solid training rides before the GLR.
One more adventure coming before the year closes out.
Hope you join me!!