2016 Niagara Falls Motorcycle Trip
Our third, long motorcycle trip for 2016 was to Niagara Falls. We were joined by our friends, Fred and Karen Stumpf again this year and I hope this becomes an annual event! One objective that we had when began our first trip (3 years ago) was to be flexible and open to explore. I think we really did that this year as we carved off an entire trip to Toronto. Our trip was primarily in Canada but took us on a large loop toward and back from Niagara Falls.
Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (Upper Michigan)
We took advantage of a beautiful day with a very calm Lake Superior to visit Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and take the boat tour of the lake shore.
The boat tour of the shoreline was beautiful and Tim even got sunburned!
Sudbury, Ontario
We crossed into Canada at Sault Ste. Marie and then headed east to Sudbury, Ontario. Sudbury is a mining city focused on nickel-copper ores in the Sudbury area of northern Ontario, Canada, since 1929. Nickel and copper are the primary metals but cobalt and precious metals, such as gold, silver, platinum and palladium are also produced. We did take a mine tour that brought us about 70 feet underground.
Manitoulin Island
We received a lot of suggestions for things to see and do along the way. One suggestion was to backtrack a bit to take a motorcycle tour of Manitoulin Isand which is a Canadian lake island in Lake Huron, in the province of Ontario. It is the largest freshwater lake island in the world
This did turn out to be a really cool trip for us. When we reached the southeastern point of the island, we took a car ferry out of South Baymouth to get us back on track and headed to Niagara Falls. Fred and Tim had to learn now to strap down the bikes on the ferry which was a learning experience!
Niagara Falls
We planned to spend an entire day at the falls. There were lots of people visiting the day we were there even though it was mid-week; it felt like we spent the first half of the just figuring out how each particular site worked. Once we had it figured out, we knocked off a lot of the famous sites:
Mist Rider (2-week old, Zip lining experience)
Hornblower (Canadian version of Maiden of the Mist) boat tour to the mist of the falls
Walk behind the falls
Evening of Fireworks and lighting of the Falls
The falls were great and we had a fantastic day to visit!
Just before we left the Niagara Region, we took a 2 hour Segway tour along the channel and locks of the Niagara. It was a lot of fun and we were able to watch a big ship navigate the locks.
Final Leg
The four of us have developed a pattern of looking for ice cream (nearly every day!) and pie (Karen loves Coconut Cream) on these trips. We seem to have been short of the Pie quest this year so we made a stop at a Stumpf-favorite of Schloegels in Menonomee, MI where we bought an entire strawberry pie and consumed nearly the entire thing sitting along the shore of Lake Michigan. What a great way to cap off a great trip!
Notes from our trip
7/22/16-Fri leave APPLETON 1:30pm -150 miles.. ESCANABA, MI (138mi from Appleton,WI Hwy 41 to Marinette/Menomonee, 35 along Lake Michigan to buy; 2 hr 35m EDT - est. Drive time) Eats: House of Ludington - great Perch fry; chicken & strawberry cashew salad also very good. Best Western $116 (132) free breakfast -4 choices; pool, 4 people. 7/23/16-Sat. ESCANABA to SAULT STE. MARIE, ON CANADA; +230 = 380 miles MUNISING, MI (63 mi from Escanaba, MI; hwy 41-57-94, 1h 12m EDT) (50 mi to Grand Marais on **scenic Hwy H-58, 1h 3m EDT) (skip opt. 71 mi to Tahquamenon Falls via M77-M28-M123, EDT 1h 15m) Pictured Rock Cruises $38 each Eats: Johnny Dogs: great homemade fries $1.50 Log slide Overlook; short trail to overlook sand dune where logs were rolled down during logging days. Option to go down 5 min, but 1 hr back up! -. Late in day so we opted out! Kyle would have fit it in. SAULT STE MARIE. (US & CANADA) (111 mi from Grand Marais,MI 2h via M77-M28-I75, MI; EDT 2h) (4km US to Canada, Sault Ste. Marie Int'l Bridge - $3.50 / vehicle; construction on C side of bridge b4 customs,ETD 15m) Hotel = Quattro Suites: on Hotwire $136 ask 2Q. Booked as 1K & sleep sofa for 4. Rod gave us suggestions for bike tours - changed out itinerary. 7/24/16 Sun. SAULT STE. MARIE, ON CANADA to SUDBURY; +171 = 551 miles Church: Our Lady of Good Counsel; 114 MacDonald Ave 1.3 miles away. Loved all the stained windows as major moments in Bible stories, 10 commandments, stations, saints pictures on walls! Statue of Mary in front - cream & pearl blue (paint mine) Ontario Canada WAWA (on Lake Superior tour too) ESSO gas station: full service while you go in for coffee bathroom break; wash your windshield inside & out. SUDBURY, ONtario (334 km from Sault Ste. Marie, ON, via TC17-55; 3h 30m ETD) The Big Nickel Mine - Tour C$21/ person Hotel: Ambassador - $77. (C$109 Hotwire in June) not many guestswhen we arrived 6:30. More in morning. Nice breakfast M.I.C. Made In Canada Whiskey Restaurant across road - *good variety eats) 7/25/16 Mon. SUDBURY - SUDBURY; +354 = 905 miles. Temiscaming Bike Loop - NORTH BAY -NOTRE DAME DU NORD - TEMISKAMING SHORES - WEST NIPISSING - SUDBURY Sudbury to North Bay via TC17 some light rain before M63 North Bay to Temiscaming, QB via M63 along Ottawa River. cross at Temiscaming, QB to Notre Dame Du Nord QB via 101; 123 km, 1h 25m EDT Nice ride. Subway Lunch in Laniel, QB. Hwy 65 to Temiskaming Shores, 26m, 32km ETD. TC11 to West Nipissing (wet nipples per YIM) 1 hr 39m, 149km. Radison Hotel in downtown Sudbury (Hotwire 2dbl pillow top C$103 No bkf, nice pool/ht); quick dip b4 dinner) Eat: Towne House Tavern - music every night, hamburgers & sliders for Karen) 7/26/16 Tues. SUDBURY TO THOROLD (CATHERINE'S) ON = +397 = 1302 miles, long day ( direct, not via Manitoulin island ferry =4h 47m, 495km) +165 =1070 miles to SOuth Baymouth Left hotel 7 am - record time! SUDBURY to ESPANOLA via M55,TC17,M6; 79 km, 57m EDT Breakfast @ Tim Horton's on TC17 @ M6 to MANITOULIN ISLAND via M6 , GORE BAY via M540: 111km 1h 25m EDT. * very scenic drive; great 78 degree weather, blue sky. Several stops for road construction. to SOUTH BAYMOUTH;71km, 1h 2m EDT via M540 to Kagawong & Bridal Veil Falls. (Falls at bottom of steps, nice & warm for swimmers; 2km easy hike to Bay); via 540B toward Gore Bay (no time to go into town), via 542-E, past Big Lake on right, lake Manitoulin on left is largest lake on an island in North America, & it has an island! via M6 13 km to SOUTH BAYMOUTH. SOUTH BAYMOUTH to TOBERMORY Chi-Cheemaun car Ferry, largest passengee ferry on the Upper Great Lakes. Reservations 1:30pm to 3:15, 1h 45m ET. (C$113 C$16.5 /adults &/ C$23.5 / motorcycle) Between Lake Huron & Georgian Bay Hotel Four stars Sheraton, 3537? Schmon Rd, Thorold (St. Catherine's) (*2Q suite C$114 / night x 2 booked via Hotwire week b4). 7/27/16 Wed. Niagara Falls = +40 = 1342 miles, Parked at Tower parking lot $5/day. Buy ticket in tower. Walk to promenade overlooking falls. Wild Thing Zip Line. C$54 each ($43)? Canadian Hornblower Cruise to Horseshoe Falls CA, past American Falls & Bridal Veil Falls, US. C$20 ($16) Journey behind the Falls; walk in tunnels behind the Falls.; C$17 ($13)? Fireworks at 10pm on Wed. Rain or shine. 7/28/16 Thurs.. THOROLD to ST. CATHERINE'S, ON & back, to SAGINAW, MI (via Port Dover, Port Stanley, Talbotville, Sarina, ON & ? MI) , = +350= 1692 miles, St. Joseph's Catholic Church & Fr. Frank. Where Fr. Dan Anholzer was Capisian priest in Saginaw Diocese since 1984 til died 2011 less 6 years as council for Capuchin priests. 7/29/16 Fri. Saginaw, MI to Traverse City vs. = +397 = 1302 miles, SLEEPING BEAR DUNES Pierce Stocking scenic drive ( h 109) Esch Beach 158 mpg 262 200 360 400 28 361 $Radisson + B, Saginaw, MI $80? + Ent code for Wyndham hotels (S) 327 T=706 $220 Quality Inn +B, Gaylord, MI (S) 1.5 hr from Traverse City viaHwy 72 & Alba Road to Gaylord. Temps down to 59. 7/30/16 Sat =K 257, (T=968) +260=1562 miles) GAYLORD, MI to MANISTIQUE,MI, w/ drive back to Lake MI shore (ATWOOD thru CHARLEVOIX to PETROSKY), Detour to INDIAN RIVER & back, "TUNNEL OF TREES", then back to I-75 to MACKINAW CITY over MACKINAC BRIDGE into Upper MI, to Manistique) Leave GAYLORD via Hwy 32 * , C 48 to Altmond start scenic drive along East Lake MI, at Atwood. via M119 Charlevoix - cute tourist city - views of Lake MI & Charlevoix Lake -- bring bicycles next time, if stay longer to bike on trail around Little Traverse Bay Detour to Indian River to Cross in the woods Shrine on M -68. & Back to Petrosky state park to M-119. Ate dinner in Indian River at Wilson's River's Edge Restaurant. Good food & good homemade pies. Karen got her coconut cream pie! No cherry Pie for Rox, but Tim got the berry pie. *"Tunnel of Trees" via M-119 Harbor Springs to Cross Village & continue north ti Wilderness State Park, then east to Carp Lake to Mackinaw City; Legs Inn at Cross Village = known for good Polish food & great view of lake from back yard. Crossed Machinac Bridge to Upper Michigan, & hwy 2 from St. Ignatius to Manistique along northern sandy shore of Lake Michigan. 3nn $89 + tax Grey Wolf Lodge, Manistique,MI ( upper mi on hwy 2) (V) Dinner at Three Seasons:. My first Pasty (pronounced paah stee) (hamburger, carrots, kolorabi, potatoes in pastry shell w/ beef gravy) 7/31/16 Sun. + (12nn - 968) =2562 + 2nn) Last day -VB MANISTIQUE to APPLETON WI - Home 9am Mass at St. Francis de Salle's in Manistique. Breakfast at Drifters Restaurant (long wait, but great food) In Escanaba. Strawberry jello pie @ Schloegel's Restaurantin Menominee, MI. Took it to go & Sat on chairs by lake to eat, the Whole pie! Also had POO-POURITE in bathroom. Buy some for Fred's Birthday for next year trip Home Sweet Home! 1nnn miles Italy: Cinque Terre- 5 century old villages with colored buildings. Greater are the hiking between the villages. Echo Tourism - Amy Hermus (boys were 9 & 11) recommends for adventure vacations. Windy Hill Resort - Belize Hikes in pottery caves. Finger Islands Region, NY - east of Lake Eerie, south of Rochester