Topic: Team Michigan

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Let's use this thread to keep track of Riders, Routes and Photo Ops

I've volunteered to be the Michigan coordinator.  A few of you have already been in contact and we've come up with a tentative route and rough schedule.  This is TENTATIVE and input is more than welcome if you have some ideas!!  We'd really like some thoughts on photo ops!  I'll do my best to keep up the route map, rider list and schedule here in the first post.

Changes:

12/28
 - Added M119, GREAT idea Sean!

1/9
 - added 5th day
 - added M-88, Paradise, Taquamanon Falls
 - moved central LP route from M-66 to old-27 (mostly)
 - new map format with landmarks

1/11
 - Added Honda Dealer Short List map

4/23
- Building rider list in separate thread

Anyway, here is a Google map with the route that has been talked about already.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=212639289406289974048.00049716f0cc34cd3d621&ll=44.323848,-85.495605&spn=7.199202,14.128418&z=6


<< Moved rider list to new thread   http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=87832.0  >>


Short list of Michigan Honda Dealers:

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=212639289406289974048.0004992e693086989e435&z=6

[Damfino]

Nice coordinating there OldSchool!

[RatRacer]

That looks like a pretty good schedule. 
I'll play Yooper tour guide and suggest a few more locations:

Marquette: Michigan's oldest operational pocket iron ore dock (it would be cool if they had a freighter docked) and World's largest wooden dome (NMU's Superior Dome stadium).

Ishpeming:  "Big Gus and Big Ernie" at the Yooper tourist trap.

L'Anse:  Keweenaw Bay photo op.

Houghton/Hancock:  Portage Canal lift bridge and Quincy Mine Shaft House.

Mohawk:  UP Snow Gauge.

Copper Harbor:  Fort Wilkins, Lake Superior photo op. and Brockway Mountain.

And of course somewhere along the trip we have to get a pasty (pronounced: past-ee)!

Gas stations are plentiful along the whole route but most gas stations, stores, restaurants, etc. do not accept credit cards north of Houghton... make sure you bring cash!  I'll put a list of metric motorcycle dealer's phone numbers together (Honda shops are too few and far between) to bring with us in case something happens to break.

There are literally hundreds of cool things to see and do up here.  This is just a brief overview of the best stuff.  We could spend well over a week sightseeing if we weren't on a schedule!

[OldSchool_IsCool]

I've heard of those "Pastys" before.  I could never figure out how strippers kept them on their nipples! 

Sounds Awesome Rat!! I'd LOVE to take more time in the UP, maybe we can if things come together.  Great idea about getting a list of shops.  I'll work on a similar list for down this way.

[dave the welder]

what date month are you thinking

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Hey Dave,

Dates are yet to be determined.  We're on the last third of the North American route, so once the first two thirds can get their tentative schedules together, we'll have a better idea. 

[seanbarney41]

  Hi Old School.  Your route plans are looking really good.  I know the ride up to the bridge is gonna be a long one but I have numerous reports that M119 north of Harbor Springs is fantastic.  It looks  like a little loop of it could be done without too much extra time. I am admittedly bad at estimating such things and you seem pretty goood at it so maybe you could check it out.   Also, your route back from Detroit looks great and I have never been that way.  I also know a pretty good route that involves a sizable chunk of US12 with some great riding and photo ops like an abandoned miniature golf course with a huge Dinosaur!  Have you ever seen "The Abandoned Thread"?
http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=54370.0
I plan on contributing some to that sucker...

[RatRacer]

I've heard of those "Pastys" before.  I could never figure out how strippers kept them on their nipples! 

*sigh... (shakes head)... silly trolls. 

[dave the welder]

do you have a rough idea on what month??? so i can request vac time from work

[seanbarney41]

Seems pretty hard to say for sure still, I would venture a guess of mid-late summer.  So I know you probably can't just ask for July and August.  I've been bugging guys to start nailin' down a time frame for the same reason.  I work for a small company and my vacation time is pretty flexible but I realize that is not necessarily true for others.

[RatRacer]

As long as it doesn't co-inside with the second Saturday in August I'll be all set.

[dave the welder]

again depending on when i can ride all the way to mackinaw with you guys

[seanbarney41]

Yup, seems everybody is currently more concerned with patches, t shirts, and whatever IT turns out to be.  I'm hoping the dates work out for you, Dave.

[jpswino]

Well I would certainly be interested. Too bad there isn't any eastern MI riding though. Thats not to say I won't participate though. And I have more than a dozen sohc friends that would be up for joining in if the dates work out. The sooner we know the dates the better. But I guess we all know that.

Hey Dave, whaddup? Dave knows quite a few of the sohc guys I know.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Welcome to the ride JP!  The route is far from final.  If you have some suggestions, please post 'em!  And keep an eye on this thread.  Hopefully dates will start to finalize soon!

[jpswino]

I will keep an eye on the thread. I am very active on the Hondachopper board and TCU.
We do have a backyard bike builders meet in July which usually brings more than 20-30 CB750's together with a bunch of other metric builders. It would be incredible to somehow tie that group into the ride although I doubt it happens.

But many of those guys live right here in MI so I will spread the word and organize a posse for whatever route is decided. Maybe we will be able to claim the largest group together for the entire tour?   

[OldSchool_IsCool]

I will keep an eye on the thread. I am very active on the Hondachopper board and TCU.
We do have a backyard bike builders meet in July which usually brings more than 20-30 CB750's together with a bunch of other metric builders. It would be incredible to somehow tie that group into the ride although I doubt it happens.

But many of those guys live right here in MI so I will spread the word and organize a posse for whatever route is decided. Maybe we will be able to claim the largest group together for the entire tour?   

Yes!  It would be cool if we could tie 'em together!  I also have in mind the Gilmore Vintage Show if "IT" shows up here in mid June.  All depends on the timing.  Thanks much for spreading the word, if nothing else, it will be a GREAT opportunity to go for a putt!

[dave the welder]

jp once we knew the date i was going to bring it over to the other site i guess you beat me to it and you know more people anyway so i leave it up to you to spread  the word

[jpswino]

I'll mention it to the guys just to put it in their minds. Roadkill, JYJ, Kamakazee, Fishman, Minno, Crowbar, Javahut, 74rat, Feederpig, Apoc, Schooter, oldmanhonda, junkman, Wonkythumb, Laddie, Wildwolf, kwats...........etc

There is bound to be a few interested.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

WOW!  That's quite a list of folks JP! I see oldmanhonda in the list.  Is that THE oldmanhonda of www.oldmanhonda.com by chance?

As you know, the route is still in flux.  I was thinking that after picking up "IT", that we could pass through Ann Arbor on the way to Hell.  Maybe get a photo op at Michigan Stadium, you know, where they play outdoor hockey    If we do that, then it would pretty much REQUIRE that the route include a photo op with Sparty in East Lansing. 

If we do that, then the route is very likely to bend to the middle of the lower peninsula.  Any thoughts on a good route to Gaylord from Lansing?

[RatRacer]

I usually take old 27.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

I thought old 27 also, but its a bit straight.  Got any twisty routes?

[jpswino]

Yeah and there are many more all on cb750 choppers. No, its a different Oldmanhonda, sorry. But the guy I speak of is a cool cat by all means. There are quite a few of us hondachopper guys here and we've all made friends.

Up the middle in my area is 27. BUT, there are some options for sure. 88 is one of the best rides in the middle of the state and its newly paved with rolling hills and shade trees. I am sure if you want to run up the middle for atleast part of the way I can help with some ideas for good roads.

I'll probably meet you in Hell............MI that is and ride with you from there depending on the route if it gets developed more.

As I mentioned earlier, the sooner we have dates the better so I can get all the guys on board for the run. We shoot a bunch of video to document the gang (of the four lol) rolling down the road for all the other regions to see. I've got my fingers crossed we can get the group together.

[OldSchool_IsCool]

Good intel on M-88 JP!  I took a look at how we can add it to the route and I think I have a way to do it (see below).  Sure, I'll meet you and any of ur chopper buddy's in Hell!!  Please realize that Hell is on Day 1 with an overnight in Kalamazoo.  You are more than welcome to jump in there, and there is a free place to flop in Kazoo if ya do.  

Proposed Changes to the route:
I'd still like to hit Gaylord for a photo op at the Big Buck Brewery.  They have a 3-story beer bottle there and I'm sure we'll all be thirsty after a long day's ride!!  We'd have to back track South from Gaylord a wee bit to pick up M-88, but it looks worth it!  

Something that is becoming quite obvious to me though, its that a ride from Kalamazoo to Marquette in one day is prolly unreasonable.  This is supposed to be fun and relaxing and not a Pony Express reenactment!

I'd like to propose that we add an overnight in Gaylord.  This would impact Seanbarney41, Dave, me and RatRacer who was going to meet us in Gaylord.  Would also impact any HondaChopper riders too.  It should allow us to pick up M-88, Paradise (Whitefish Bay), Christmas (Pictured Rocks) and Taquamenon Falls on Day 2.  Gents, what do you think about adding the overnight in northern Lower Peninsula, making for 2 relaxing days in the LP and 2 more in the UP?

[seanbarney41]

Something that is becoming quite obvious to me though, its that a ride from Kalamazoo to Marquette in one day is prolly unreasonable.  This is supposed to be fun and relaxing and not a Pony Express reenactment!

I'd like to propose that we add an overnight in Gaylord.  This would impact Seanbarney41, me and RatRacer who was going to meet us in Gaylord.  Would also impact any HondaChopper riders too.  It should also allow us to pick up M-88, Paradise and Taquamenon Falls on Day 2.  Gents, what do you think about adding the overnight in northern Lower Peninsula, making for 2 relaxing days in the UP?

Fine by me