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Home The U.P.
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Bike Week
Yooper Cannonball Run Glancing at the map, I would enter the U.P north of Ironwood from Wisconsin 122 and ride to St Ignace or Sault Ste. Marie. Then as I looked closer I realized there might be little more to it than that.
It was 4:50am when I finally rolled over and turned on the TV for the latest weather report. I smiled as the weatherman gave his report. It was going to be a great day for a motorcycle ride. Just to make sure I crawled out of bed and took a confirming peak out the window. I think I was even happier not to see any wind blowing through the trees. It was going to be a long ride and the less wind the better. After switching on the coffee maker, I headed for the shower. It was funny how all the second thoughts about making the ride had now disappeared. Worries about my bike breaking down and dealing with road idiots were all behind me now. I couldn't get on my bike fast enough now. It was a bit chilly as I wheeled the Suzuki out of the garage. The thermometer read 47 degrees. Not warm, but not cold. Still it would be full leathers for the start of the ride. I had packed and secured everything to the bike the night before so it was all waiting for me. As I looked down the driveway I could see a light mist rising off the lake as the sun poked through the oaks. I could feel the thrill of the upcoming ride was taking hold. It wasn't long before I pulled onto Highway 51 and began my ride north towards Hurley, WI. From there I would hook up with US-2 over to Highway 122, cross the Montreal River and begin my run. It was a lay back ride through Central Wisconsin. Not much traffic for a Saturday morning which allowed me to just sit back and enjoy the ride.. It wasn't until I was north of Merrill, Wisconsin that I pulled over at a roadside park to do some stretching. I'm not a young man any longer and and it doesn't take long for the aches to start to take their toll on me. First it’s my butt and tail bone, then come the sharp pains in my upper neck and shoulder blades. Later on I learned the key was keeping the wind off my neck.
As I rode along, I was amazed that there was so little traffic on Highway 51. I hadn’t seen any police cars either. After topping off the gas tank near Tomahawk, it wasn't long before the divided highway was replaced with two lanes of blacktop. As I cruised into Minocqua I spotted my first squad car in my mirror pulling over the car behind me. A quick glance at my speedometer told me I was ten miles over the speed limit myself. Something I'd have to remember next time through. The rest of the ride up Highway 51 to Hurley was peaceful. As I rode into Hurley I debated about stopping for gas, but figured I’d gas up in Saxon. A decision I found myself almost regretting later. Event though I crossed a bridge, I didn't even realize I had entered the U.P. until I was a couple miles down the road and saw a sign that read Ironwood Township. As I rode along on Hwy 505 I was happy to find it in decent shape. The road started out as a ride through the woods, but it wasn't long before houses started to show up. I couldn't see Lake Superior except for glance or two between houses. As I rode by someone working outside, he shot me a quick look of "What are you doing here". I don't suppose they see many bikes, but then again this road is listed as one route for the Lake Superior Circle Tour. Eventually the road opened up to this nice little park on the Lake Superior lakeshore. Needing a break, I pulled in the parking area. It's called Little Girl's Point County Park and it offered a nice place to shed some leathers and relax on a picnic table. The temperatures were climbing now so I decided to pack away my chaps. As I sat there gazing out on Lake Superior, I felt myself mellowing out in the morning heat. I didn't see or hear a soul. It was late morning so I found myself wondering where everyone was. Then I remembered this was the U.P. Not everyone is in a rush to get somewhere. After hearing the sound of a V-twin and the wind racing through my helmet for most of the day, I found myself appreciating the sound of silence.
After using one the parks "delightful" outdoor toilets, I rolled out of the park. I noticed my gas low light had come on. Now with 40 miles of gas left, I found myself thinking I should have topped off the gas tank in Hurley. How far from Ironwood was I anyway? About 15 miles later, I was still wondering that same thing when I finally drove past the Ironwood airport and came to a stop at the intersection of Hwy US-2. As I drove into the gas station I came across vowed to top of my tank every chance I got. This was the U.P. and I couldn't take it for granted every town would have one or that it would even be open when I got there. . Spotting a Subway sign down the road, I decided to grab me some lunch. A three hour plus ride lay ahead of me and my stomach was making as much noise as my bike. Page 1 of 4
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Motorcycle Friendly
Motorcycle Service U.P. State Parks - there are at least 19 good reasons to buy a park sticker. U.P. Chamber Websites See local area Commerce of Commerce websites for more info on area.
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