[johnbryanpeters]

Theresa and Earl and I plan to drive to South Dakota for the Maah Daah Hey ride. The rough idea at present is that we'll be hauling a camper. We'd like to stop about halfway there for an eat, sleep, drink beer, and ride day, and Chicago would roughly be halfway.

We could cut north to Copper Harbor or Marquette, but that would add significantly to total drive time.

Suggestions?

 

[Nick]

The only place is Palos forest in willow springs, il. (my old stomping grounds)

Copper harbor is like 7 hours north. That said, Kettle Morraine in southern Wisconsin has a bunch of fun riding too and not so far out of the way.

 

[dan-o]

What Nick said and I'd def hit Kettle Morraine over palos. You can camp at the Bong Recreation Area and fill up at Brat Stop on way to trails.

You could also stop and ride in western MI instead to avoid the chicagoland shitshow.

If time is no matter then hit the UP.

 

[SkaredShtles]

Go to Copper Harbor.

Oh - and take the north route to get there - if you gotta drive to North Dakota... at least take the scenic route on the way there. And of all the ways to get through the Midwest - that northern route has got to be the most scenic of all.

 

[stevew]

i would take a seven hour detour over chicago.....

 

[Nick]

yea for sure, if you all opt for the Canadia route and swing through Marquette you should not regret it.

 

[jdcamb]

Ontario County Park Bristol NY, Ellicotville NY, Allegheny National Forest PA, Warren Dunes SP MI, Kettle Moraine WI. Alpine Valley WI, Lacrosse WI.
All have camping and riding.

 

[gratefulbiker]

Skip Chicago if possible. Palos is ok during the week, but a nightmare on the weekends with all the people on the trail. Camping options will be a lot better just about anywhere else as well. Kettle Moraine would be great if you only have the one extra day. But if you can swing two, Marquette is worth the detour. Great riding, cool town, and a nice little campground a few blocks from Lake Superior.

 

[jdcamb]

Skip Chicago if possible. Palos is ok during the week, but a nightmare on the weekends with all the people on the trail. Camping options will be a lot better just about anywhere else as well. Kettle Moraine would be great if you only have the one extra day. But if you can swing two, Marquette is worth the detour. Great riding, cool town, and a nice little campground a few blocks from Lake Superior.

Pequids is in Chicago and it is a big mistake to travel within 100 miles of there and not stop for one of those delicious pies.

 

[Tom Ritchey's Moustache]

From Vermont, I would go north into Canada and over to the UP making Marquette your stopping point. That route isn't much longer (if any, considering traffic) and much more scenic. Montreal > Marquette > Duluth > Bismarck would be a much more pleasant drive than Buffalo > Cleveland > Chicago > Minneapolis > Bismarck.

Way more shreddertunities on the northern route.

 

[kickstand]

Skip the Chicago traffic, head through buffalo to port huron and then up to Marquette. You can camp for free anywhere on state land in Michigan with a permit (and within the rules outlined) or you can camp at Tourist Park right in town across the street from the north trails, and a short 5-10 minute drive from the southie trails. Copper harbor is neat, but the trails are not as good as marquette, and it is out of your way. Also Ishpeming just 20 minutes west of Marquette has an incredible number of miles of trails as well.

From New Haven, VT to Medora ND
1700 miles to go through montreal, ottawa, marquette, etc.
1850 miles to go through NY, cleveland, chicago, etc.

Of course gas in canada is more pricey. If you were to take the buffalo, Port Huron, Marquette, and then west route it looks like approximately 1839 miles. The only tolls you would then encounter would be the bridges from US to canada, the Mackinac Bridge connecting upper and lower michigan, and the Upper Peninsula is pretty damn cool in my opinion. Definitely the route I'd take. The other nice thing is that from Port Huron to the upper penninsula you'll be on 70 mph freeways and won't have any traffic in the UP.

I lived in Marquette 5 years and know the area well, if you do decide to take that route let me know and I can recommend good swimming holes, restaurants, trails, and breweries.

 

[Tom Ritchey's Moustache]

Port Huron

I was uh, one of the authors of the Port Huron Statement. The original Port Huron Statement, not the compromised second draft.

And yeah, the Mackinac Bridge is pretty sick.

 

[Nick]

I was uh, one of the authors of the Port Huron Statement. The original Port Huron Statement, not the compromised second draft.

And yeah, the Mackinac Bridge is pretty sick.

Dude?

 

[Tom Ritchey's Moustache]

Dude?

You ever heard of the Seattle Seven? That was me ..... and 6 other guys.

 

[johnbryanpeters]

You ever heard of the Seattle Seven? That was me ..... and 6 other guys.

We could take this one of two ways:

The Seattle Seven is a group of seven seafood companies, operating in the city of Seattle, known for negotiating a secret agreement with Exxon Corporation in 1991, relating to punitive damages resulting from the Exxon Valdez oil spill.

Or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seattle_Liberation_Front.

The Seattle Liberation Front, or SLF, was a radical anti-Vietnam War movement, based in Seattle, Washington, in the United States. The group, founded by then-University of Washington visiting philosophy professor and political activist Michael Lerner, carried out its protest activities from 1970 to 1971.

The most famous members of the SLF were the "Seattle Seven" — seven SLF members charged with "conspiracy to incite a riot" in the wake of a violent protest at a courthouse. The members of the Seattle Seven were Lerner himself, as well as Jeff Dowd, Joe Kelly, Susan Stern, Michael Abeles, Charles Marshall III, and Roger Lippman.

The Port Huron Statement.

 

[Tom Ritchey's Moustache]

Obviously you're not a golfer.

Sorry to jack your thread. I just love Lebowski quotes.

Have you decided whether you're taking the north or south route yet?

 

[SkaredShtles]

I'd recommend staying north and crossing at the Soo. Because Port Huron to the Mackinac Bridge = teh suck.

Oh - and eat all the pasties you can possibly fit into your belly. Do it for me.

 

[kickstand]

I'd recommend staying north and crossing at the Soo. Because Port Huron to the Mackinac Bridge = teh suck.

Oh - and eat all the pasties you can possibly fit into your belly. Do it for me.

When you consider the cost of fuel through canada, that's pricey. Sure, the scenery on the canadian route would be better....

The Port Huron to Flint portion of the drive is pretty boring, as is the flint to Saginaw portion, but once you get north of Saginaw it's an enjoyable drive. It's fast easy driving though, something that might not suck on an 1800 mile road trip, a few easy miles is nice.

 

[jdcamb]

When you consider the cost of fuel through canada, that's pricey. Sure, the scenery on the canadian route would be better....

The Port Huron to Flint portion of the drive is pretty boring, as is the flint to Saginaw portion, but once you get north of Saginaw it's an enjoyable drive. It's fast easy driving though, something that might not suck on an 1800 mile road trip, a few easy miles is nice.

Axles my friend ain't cheap. Every toll road, bridge, and border crossing costs $$. Not including wait time either.

 

[kickstand]

Axles my friend ain't cheap. Every toll road, bridge, and border crossing costs $$. Not including wait time either.

I cross through port huron/buffalo about 4-5 times a summer. We've only encountered one long wait and that was on Memorial day at around 5pm in Port Huron. 30-40 minutes. The buffalo side has three crossings to choose from. I've never encountered more than a 15 minute wait.

I80 from pa/oh border all the way through chicago is a toll road. It costs me something like $12.75 from Michigan to PA/OH on I80 when we take that route, with out trailers.

$10.50 to cross with car plus two axles at Niagra.
$9.00 car plus 2 at Bluewater bridge.
$8.00 for Mackinac Bridge.

$35.75 to cross Ohio
$31.40 to cross Indiana

calculated at 4 axles.

Fuel in Canada = 1.00 a liter. = $3.87 Per gallon (canadian) factor exchange rate = $2.78/gallon. He's going to have to fill up at least once or twice in Canada at a minimum. That's $50 extra in fuel for two fill ups. Plus 2 border crossings. (just north of vermont and soo)

If he goes the port huron route he can buy gas in the states and make it the two and a half hours through canada with no stops for fuel. (2 border crossings + mackinac bridge toll) He would still encounter the thru way in New York, but would likely encounter at least some amount of the i90 tolls going the i80 route. I don;t recall what we have to pay to cross i90 when we go to windham or platty.

If he goes the toll road route he drives through boring as shit ohio and indiana, then deals with chicago traffic and has tolls from PA all the way to wisconsin for the most part.

 

[stevew]

yea for sure, if you all opt for the Canadia route and swing through Marquette you should not regret it.

i wasn't shitting on chicago.....i just wouldn't want to haul a camper trailer through it....

 

[sunringlerider]

If you go the OH and IN way. Hit up the Mohican trail in OH. Brown County and Winona Lake in Indiana are a good time as well.

 

[TreeSaw]

Excellent discussions happening here Question -- passport required for re-entry? We only have enhanced NY licenses now and I will need to get those papers filed if we do the northern route.

 

[kickstand]

Excellent discussions happening here Question -- passport required for re-entry? We only have enhanced NY licenses now and I will need to get those papers filed if we do the northern route.

I believe that you only need the enhanced license to drive from NY to MI to but you will want to double check. We already had passports, so I didn't look into the enhanced.

If you are traveling with pets make sure you have proper papers indicating that the pet is up to date on Rabies, though they have never asked me for that.

If you have kids they are good to go with parents and the childs birth cert still. If you have kids and are divorced make sure to have a notorized letter from the other parent. We do one letter each summer with all the potential race/travel dates so we are set for the year.


Looks like you can still use the enhanced license to travel to and from Canada via Land.

http://www.dhs.gov/enhanced-drivers-licenses-what-are-they

 

[kickstand]

If you go the OH and IN way. Hit up the Mohican trail in OH. Brown County and Winona Lake in Indiana are a good time as well.

Both are good reccomendations, but don't compare to the riding in the UP. Brown County also now requires a $5 per day per bike license (all of Indiana does).