Riding the U.P.

Mix Canadian and U.S. cultures together, and what do you get? Well, you get the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, my friend. It's a place where sand, water, and copper rule the roost. But it's not just about the elements; it's also about the friendly folks who call this beautifully remote environment home. They've got a slightly different accent that adds a unique flavor to the mix.

Now, let me tell you about my adventure in the U.P. during my first year of GS riding, which happened to be my 63rd trip around the sun. It was here that I first encountered the challenging art of duckwalking and the thrill of tackling sand dunes head-on. And you know what's interesting? Thanks to the winter traffic of motorized sleds, the U.P. has its own kind of interstate system of unpaved, mostly sandy off-route routes. You can check out more about it on this website: link.

But wait, there's more to my story. On my journey to the northernmost arm of the Peninsula, just north of Copper Harbor, I found myself in a sticky situation. Mudbogs and mosquitoes swarmed as dusk set in while I attempted to make my way to the shores of Lake Michigan. I'll save the juicy details for a future blog post, but let's just say it was a real adventure.

Cutting to the chase, after some serious effort, I managed to rescue my GS bike from the clutches of a muddy bog. Sometimes, persistence pays off, even in the most challenging situations.

Ride the U.P. and discover the headwaters of Bell Brewery's namesake brew, Two Rivers. And if you can ride to:

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore

Whitefish Point

Tahquamenon Falls

Kitch-iti-kipi (The Big Spring)

Castle Rock

Eagle Harbor Lighthouse

Presque Isle Park

Glass Bottom Shipwreck Tours

Sugarloaf Mountains

Riding the Ridge Route

In 1914 WWI reached its apex. Woodrow Wilson was President. Alexander Graham Bell inaugurated the transcontinental telephone service. The Lusitania was torpedoed off the coast of Ireland. Nearby Lassen Peak (of the yet-to-be-named Lassen National Park) erupted. A Category 4 hurricane hit Galveston, Texas.

And California's 120-mile highway construction was begun connecting the northern and southern economies of the Eurika state and helping end talks in Sacramento to divide the state in two at the Tehachapi Mountains.

a 36-mile stretch with a 15 mph speed limit between Castaic and Gorman traversed 697 curves atop the mountain ridges. Several small filling stations and inns opened to serve the travelers and repair their mostly Model T vehicles. 

21 miles of the remaining route can still be traversed. Although the passage is anything but routine. Portions of the mountain are falling onto the roadway, and segments of the roadway are eroding from the mountain. Sand washes abound and boulders the size of a small car litter the passage. 

I had the pleasure of enjoying the beautiful remote area weekly during my sometimes weekly explorations on my GS. 

There are 7 routes accessing the Ridge Route. Although most have barricades in place... proceed with caution. Prepare yourself for an incredibly remote and beautiful ride.

Re-Wilding

Tasting the marrow of life through ADV riding...

So, picture this: I was out there, exploring the wild on my adventure motorcycle, savoring every bit of life like a true explorer.

Now, let me set the scene for you. There had been this massive Fuller Fire, and for weeks, it had turned the whole area into a smoky haze. But finally, by September 1, 2016, they managed to put it out. After that, something amazing happened to me. I became the very first civilian to venture into the Saddle Mountain Wilderness area. You can check it out here: [link].

The moment I stepped foot in there, it was like I'd been transported to scenes from those old WWII bomb sites. I mean, it felt like I was on a battlefield, minus all the man-made wreckage and debris.

Now, here's the backstory. I'd been cruising along the back roads and trails of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon for a good three weeks. My main base camp was at the Jacob Lake campground, which was pretty convenient because I could easily get fuel and food over at The Jacob Lake Inn, just a hop and skip across Highway 89.

As I rode my trusty GS through the North Rim's wilderness areas, I couldn't help but notice something. It seemed like almost every nook and cranny of the North Rim had been hit by some big fire at some point in the past few decades. It was both eerie and fascinating, like nature's way of reminding us who's really in charge out there.