Lake Superior Circle Tour

[BellePlaine]

Oh boy! Since this winter, my neighbor, Chad and I have been dreaming and planning an adventure for our families by piloting our buses (my '75 Rivi and his '84 Westy) around the greatest of all lakes, Lake Superior.

Round trip: 1,600 miles. The lake itself is only 1,300 miles in circumference and we've given ourselves 7 full days for travel around the lake plus a day up and back for a total of 9 days. Our philosophy is to let the adventure be our guide and try not to plan every last detail. I figure we simply need to travel 175 - 200 miles per day and we'll set up camp where we find space, hopefully at a State or Provincial Park.

We leave Friday, July 2nd and return Saturday or Sunday on the 10th or 11th. Because of the holiday weekend, I did reserve camping spots for the first two nights. I've got my fingers crossed that after my visit with Colin, my bus will be ready and up for the challenge to take us safely and reliably on this voyage. We'll be ready.



http://www.mapquest.com/my/private/12

[vdubzen]

sounds like a fun adventure, i can't wait to hear about it.

[hambone]

Something that I always dreamed of doing. Live it up for us marooned on the far shores. Smell the Indian Smoke.

[Cindy]

I love my Great Lake--the much smaller, but no less majestic Ontario. Sounds like you're in for some beautiful views.

Cindy

[BellePlaine]

I love my Great Lake--the much smaller, but no less majestic Ontario. Sounds like you're in for some beautiful views.

Cindy

We determined that it would be best travel clockwise around the lake because the Westy closet would block the backseat view on the driver's side.

Cindy, have you ever taken the Lake Ontario Circle Tour? You'd get to see Niagara Falls!

[Cindy]

I love my Great Lake--the much smaller, but no less majestic Ontario. Sounds like you're in for some beautiful views.

Cindy

We determined that it would be best travel clockwise around the lake because the Westy closet would block the backseat view on the driver's side.

Cindy, have you ever taken the Lake Ontario Circle Tour? You'd get to see Niagara Falls!

I love that you thought of the closet.

I haven't taken the tour. I didn't know there was one. But I have seen Niagara Falls, many times.

I'm going to be in the Fingerlakes region in a few weeks, and I've been looking into tours around Skaneateles. I've also scheduled plenty of time for sitting on the porch, at the lake house where I'm staying.

Cindy

[sped372]

We determined that it would be best travel clockwise around the lake because the Westy closet would block the backseat view on the driver's side.

I guess <'71 models should go CCW then. We talked about doing this trip last year but opted for the Smoky mountains instead. It's still on the list, though, for a future adventure.

Hope you have a blast!

[Randy in Maine]

We did it a few years ago. Great trip. Met lots of great people.

Great kayaking on the CA side in adjacent lakes and streams, but you have to pick the days well on the US side due to potential wave/wind action.

[MeyerII]

Hey! That's my lake! I've been all over that place! My mom was born in the Soo.

On the Canadian side, look for the Agawa Pictographs on the trans-Canadian highway outside of the Soo. On da UP side, look for Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and stop by, if only to see Miner's Castle. You will probably be pretty worn out on the return trip, but there's no sin in climbing up into the Keewenaw Peninsula if you can. No use going unless you go all the way though. Worth it to see the Brockway Mountain drive and Copper Harbor. I know a guy, Jim LaMotte who owns the Eagle River Inn in Eagle River. He makes sure that the food is very good - probably one of the best restaurants on the Peninsula - and the bar is well stocked. I used to play guitar there, he may remember me, although it was over 20 years ago. If he likes you, he may introduce you to one of his wolves, if he still has any around.

If you do get up into the Peninsula as far as Houghton, ask around for Douglass Houghton falls. I don't think its on any map, and isn't marked on the highway, but its worth a visit. There's a little cave up the rock face to the left of the falls that you can poke your head into if you can get to it. I've climbed the falls face and the rock face to the right of the falls -- I wouldn't recommend it, as both are pretty slippery climbs.

My favorite place in the world to spend a night is on the way home in the Porcupine mountains. One short day in puts you at Cloud Peak, overlooking the Lake in the Clouds. I would highly recommend it.

Do NOT speed in Wisconsin. Under any circumstances. Unless they've changed, they WILL ticket you for 5 mph over the posted limit.

 

[sped372]

Do NOT speed in Wisconsin. Under any circumstances. Unless they've changed, they WILL ticket you for 5 mph over the posted limit.

Maybe they target out-of-staters but I've never had this problem. Granted I stick to between 5 and 7 mph over the posted limit but hey, in the Bus I can't do much more than that anyway.

[BellePlaine]

I can't get this map to post like whcgrady03 can, but here's a link to our proposed route with the markers pointing to where we are going to try and set up camp. http://www.mapquest.com/my/private/12

Randy, how many days did it take you? Meyer, we are definitely going to spend the some time on the peninsula. I've been to Houghton once before and it's a place like no other that I know. Thanks for the tips; I've been studying up on all of the highlights but I come to the conclusion that one cannot see it all in 7 days! We are thinking about starting traveling each morning kind of early so we can take lots of impromptu stops and set up camp in plenty of time before dinner. We'll have 4 adults, 4 children (ages 3 - 7), and 2 dogs.

Have you heard of the Eagle River Canyon Suspension Bridge near Thunder Bay? That's on the list! It's Canada's longest suspension bridge; the youtube videos make me wanna pee myself. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh7oR-Uu ... re=related

I know that I'm probably a little early launching a thread about this trip, but I put in the vacation request and wanted to celebrate!

[MeyerII]

Yeah ... I lived in Houghton for four years. Man, what a time it was. I would be a completely different person were it not for those four years. It is indeed a very special place.

Builds character too, if you can survive the winters.

Man, you are going to have FUN! That's one of my favorite areas in the world. Remember to buy some smoked whitefish and frybread from a roadside stand anywhere along US 41. Oh YES! And pasties! Make sure you find a pasty shop! There's probably still one in Hancock. Marie's deli might still be in Houghton too. Yummmmmm.

 

[BellePlaine]

Meyer, you should put in YOUR vacation request and come with me! Have you been to The Library Bar and Brewery in Houghton?

BellePlaineFromDuluth

[Ryno]

What Meyer said. The Copper Harbor area is one of my favorite places on earth(so far).

Some interesting locals up there too. Each time we've traveled there in the bus we've met some dandys.

[MeyerII]

Meyer, you should put in YOUR vacation request and come with me! Have you been to The Library Bar and Brewery in Houghton?

BellePlaineFromDuluth

I knew Jon Davis (original owner and founder). I used to play guitar there on weekends. I still have my own personal Library Bar mug on my office shelf. I still have Library Bar coasters and notepads. I used to, in short, live there.

I loved the high-back chairs in the upstairs bar where you could belly up to the bar, but sit comfortably instead of balancing on a stool. I loved the way all of the meals were scaled to big Jon's appetite, so every meal was in fact two meals. I loved everything about that bar.

They started a brewery? Cool! I heard it burnt to the ground a while back, and am glad to hear that they rebuilt. Last time I was in that joint was many years back, after Jon sold out to some yuppie husband and wife team. For all I know, they still own it. I'm sure they're doing OK, but NOBODY had the personality of big Jon Davis. Whatta guy...