A lap around Lake Superior

[Ole]

Lake Superior has always intrigued me. I have been around it in a truck but not on a bike. My son had a week off work and our passports were up to date so away we went.

Lake Superior:
largest fresh water lake in the world
over 350 ships lay on her bottom
350 miles east to west
160 miles north to south
deepest point 1,333 feet
average water temp 40F (brrrrr)
large enough to contain all the other Great Lakes plus 3 more Lake Erie's
could cover all of North America in water three feet deep
is large enough to create it's own weather patterns



The guy who bought one of my old bikes went with us. I put 28,000 miles on the Versys I sold him in 2 and a half years now it is up to 40,000 with no probs.
Ready for take off




My son rides a 2002 Honda VTX 1800. I had a VTX years ago also. Mine had 48,500 miles on it when I traded it. We ride.


Our trip lasted 7 days and covered 2200 miles. 5 nights in a tent and 1 night in a motel.
We didn't get as early a start as I wanted so we just hi speed slabbed it to Duluth, MN the first day. Wisconsin Point near Superior, WI has some nice harbor views.



it seems like half of my pics are the same three bikes,,,



We camped on Spirit Mountain above Duluth





Skyline Parkway was a nice above the city ride



Soon Hy 61 took us down to the Lake. It would become an old friend after 7 days



Split Rock Lighthouse on the north shore Minnesota



we explored harbors, boat landings, taconite factory's and anything else that tickled our fancy as I had promised my son there would be no death march iron butt rides like his Dad is used to.

we made many stops along the pond




So basically, we just chilled and rode bikes and drank beer and camped.
This was our theme.



We set up our tents at the Grand Marais MN campground and took a run up The Gunflint Trail. A blacktop road that ends near Canada. It was a fur trapper route.

Grand Marais





up The Gunflint to the lake country



this is Gunflint Lake
the other side is Canada but you can't drive there must take a boat



nearing the end of the 63 mile dead end we spotted a critter





she had no calve with her, wolf must of got him

[Hawk52_imp]

Chilled,rode bikes,drank beer,camped it don't get much better than that!!! Thanks for sharing!!!

[the Ferret]

Nice! Beautiful territory. Any troubles at all?

[Ole]

Hawk, it was a very relaxing week. With great weather.
This is where my Dad and I and two high school buddies put in our canoes in May of 1980 for a canoe trip into Canada. It is Saganaga Lake.



I remember meeting two hippies smoking pot in their canoe on the second to last day of our canoe trip. We asked them if anything new had happened in the world as we had no contact with anyone for about 10 days. They said "dude havent you heard about that mountain that blew up in Washington and buried a bunch of dudes alive?"
no we hadn't heard that and for sure did not believe them for a minute
they was just pot smoking hippies right? what do they know?
Of course as soon as we hit the landing a couple told us that indeed Mt St Helens had erupted and killed 60 people

We got off the bikes at the end of the road Nat Forest campground and just hung
it was 80F up there very warm for late september





a father/son chilling





our campsite was about 100 yards from the big lake
we walked into town for beers and supper



the marina at Grand Marais





Oh Canada in the morning,,,,,

Nice! Beautiful territory. Any troubles at all?

mr ferret the bikes ran perfect no troubles at all
I had enough tools along to do a major engine rebuild and did not even take em out of the bag
of course I take a small air comp and tire plugger on all my trips and have used them on several occasions but not this time
the only prob we had was one shoulder blade pain and one sore hamstring
but the old guy (me) had no issues it was the youngsters who did
I guess my body is used to long rides I have done so many
I know how you guys and gals like pics so I will link some more in here.

A solo to Alaska:
http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.p...ight=balou

A solo Versys ride out west: (the same Versys in this report)
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/sho...php?t=5473

The long way to Seattle on a Phantom:
http://www.hondashadow.net/forum/53-gene...amble.html

My son and I on a Hyder Alaska run:
http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/sho...hp?t=17410

[rboe]

Woot! Duluth is my old stamping ground but never made it around the lake. Up the north shore and over to the UP but that was it. Nice pictures!

[Guth_imp]

Cool trip, thanks for sharing so many photos.

[hondahoarder_imp]

My wife grew up in Sault Saint Mareie and she is itching to take the bikes up there and do this thanks for the ride report.

[the Ferret]

Awesome ride reports on the other forums as well.

I love ride reports .... And mountains

[Ole]

Our border crossing into Canada was short and uneventful. It took about 90 seconds. Thunder Bay was fogged in so we hung at a Tim Horton's til it cleared.

The Border



The sun burnt through and the road was never far from Superior





many stops we were on vacation



for the most part we stayed off the dirt but,,,,





Canada was nice




We camped at the city park in Marathon Ontario for $22 and it included a shower!





and free campfire wood



Went in to town for food and beer, no luck on the beer. The Beer Store closed at 6pm and the grocery stores do not sell beer in Canada

our highest gas price for the trip was $1.44 a liter here.


Wawa Ontario must be a goose hunting hotspot
They had several huge goose statues







A sign in Wawa said the record low temp was -66F
today it was a balmy 84F
many little lakes around Wawa



A beautiful day to ride no wind



We got into an area of Lake Superior that had many islands





traffic was starting to pick up as we were getting close to America

[HikerToo_imp]

very nice post, love the pics and the comments, I stopped doing long camp trips on motorcycles years ago, nice to see some who still do!
Which wind screen is that on the CB, NC Deflector?