3 weeks and 4300 miles, clockwise.
What an excellent trip! I love that you went through the Soo. I was raised there and, really, probably will never be there again, although I'll love it always. I've heard that a lot of old Germans are nostalgic about the Third Reich; not because they're Nazis, but because they were young then. It could be the same with me:-)
Don
For Don
Enjoyed the Soo. Course the whole city was dug up and many street were closed. Apparently a massive construction project.
We also camped just west of town at Brimley on Whitefish Bay.
For Don
The Algosoo - downbound through the Mac, the MacArthur Lock, that is. I'll never forget.
Thanks, Perry
Don
Excellent time of the year to be up in that neck of the woods !
Took a canoe trip in Ely, Minnesota that was truly back to the basics.
Got a certificate for completion ... (true story).
The maps were quite interesting ...
And took a tour of Upper Minnesota via motorcycle ... once - lol.
That was one loooooooooong ride.
Skeeters BIG up there?
Now admittedly I have not been in that area of Canada, but it looks like a cut across is not on a road?
Keith
Keith - the Canadian Shield
That would be the Route 101 between Wawa (on lake Superior) to Timmons (home of Shania Twain).
A 4 hour drive on through the rugged hills, uninhabited lakes and the coniferous forests of the Canaidian Shield. We passed through only maybe 3 one-horse towns on the entire 4 hour drive until Timmons, where the traffic lights and Walmarts were almost a culture shock. Timmons sprung up from the mining of precious metals.
Keith - the Canadian Shield
Perry, tell us your opinion of the Great Lakes. I was raised on the Great Lakes and I sure miss it.
America's third coast
They truly are America's Third Coast. I can't count the times I accidentally said ocean, when referring to the lake(s). Much of the north shore of Superior reminded me of the coast of Maine, but with less crowds. Impressive cliffs, and (sometimes) pounding surf.
The land away from the lake has a certain wildness to it and seem to be littered with clear sparkling lakes. While there were no big mountains, there were high dunes, rock cliffs and small peaks which added to the beauty.
You could take your pick of sand beaches, cobble beaches or smooth rock beaches and often time have it to yourself. Almost every lake access was free (no $10 parking fees to use the beach).
> Excellent time of the year to be up in that neck of the woods !
>
> Took a canoe trip in Ely, Minnesota that was truly back to the basics.
> Got a certificate for completion ... (true story).
> The maps were quite interesting ...
>
> And took a tour of Upper Minnesota via motorcycle ... once - lol.
> That was one loooooooooong ride.
>
>
> Skeeters BIG up there?
Didn't make it to Ely. We ended up spending more time in the lower peninsula of MI because of the MN government shut-down. With all the state parks shut-down, we weren't sure how easy camping would be and figured they would deny access to all the parks. We actually got to Minnesota the very day they reopened the State parks for camping and were just about the first campers in Gooseberry Falls State park.
The skeeters were not particularly big but were bad in the mornings and evenings. When we hikes to MN's highpoint (a 7 mile round trip hike), I was sure glad I had some 100% DEET with me.
America's third coast
This brings back 1995 memories in my young East-West days...
I was traveling back from Western Canada to Quebec on a motorcycle, a little 400, my first bike, in late October, early November. It was cold. You sure get to enjoy warm soups when riding motorcycle in the late fall. The hardest thing (with a frozen jaw) is to place your order to the waitress.
Once I reached Ontario, I decided to drive south of Superior Lake in hopes of getting warmer / better weather. At the US border in International Falls, the agent asked me: "why are you coming here, do you have any money?" I got 400 dollars, I am a good son, I am going home to see my mom and the Canadian route is too cold. He let me in.
So through the States I went. I thought that the wind was going to push me off that tall Bridge in Duluth, got stuck in Marquette in a snow storm, with my hair dryer warming up the spark plugs. It was just as cold south of the Lake I found. The Superior Lake was so stormy, it looked like the North Atlantic.
I really enjoyed traveling in those states. One of these years, I will have to travel through all 50 of them. People are friendly in USA.
