Your favorite saddlebag trip

[uncle_ed]

I think I may be able to finally swing the time off work this winter to pull off a saddlebag trip and want to try something along the lines of 3 or 4 days on the trails somewhere nice with my wife. I have covered a lot of territory in Michigan both upper and lower but only day trips and want to really cover some ground and see some sights but not looking to rack up tremendous miles per day. We have clicked off over 200 mile days before but are looking for something around 150 to 200 give or take. I have a couple areas I would like to explore but would like to hear what others have enjoyed and hear why. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

 

[Deleted member 10829]

I'm not sure where you will start from, but 2 of my favorite places to stop are Big Bay and Copper Harbor. In Big Bay, we stay at the Thunder Bay Inn where Anatomy of a Murder was filmed and where Henry Ford used to vacation. It's a neat old place but no TV's in the rooms. Nice bar with great food attached.

In Copper Harbor,we stay at The Mariner North, great place to stay and beautiful area. Good luck and have fun!

 

[ezra]

when I get back to taking vacations to ride trail the snow train is at the top of my list.
tied with a trip to Maine to ride around the Appalachian trail system.

 

[uncle_ed]

That is one of my must do trips to hit the keweenaw as I can just imagine they would be quality miles and hopefully a better chance for good snow. That is what I would like to experience is a nice destination a few nights as well.

I do have a trip planned with the boys to the big bay area in January and we are staying in Guinn. It will be nice to explore some new areas as I have not been sledding that far west yet and want to check it out before taking my wife.

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Is the snow train running this year? I thought about that before or maybe doing a R.A.P. tour since I have family up in Simcoe that have tried to get me to do that for years now. Canada is always an option for me since I am half hoser

 

[rv245]

No on the snow train

 

[whitedust]

If wanting to bag UPMI venturenorth is your guy that can fill in the blanks. If west is your question he has bagged Hayward to Big Bay and everything in between and keeps a data base. He will want in if you have room so might have a free guide..... drop him a PM.

 

[favoritos]

I'm not sure where you will start from, but 2 of my favorite places to stop are Big Bay and Copper Harbor. In Big Bay, we stay at the Thunder Bay Inn where Anatomy of a Murder was filmed and where Henry Ford used to vacation. It's a neat old place but no TV's in the rooms. Nice bar with great food attached.

In Copper Harbor,we stay at The Mariner North, great place to stay and beautiful area. Good luck and have fun!

Wow! I must have met you at some time.
We ride Wakefield to Copper Harbor about 5-6 times each winter.

I have only done the Big Bay trip a few times. BTW, there is some real beauty with some of the terrain and old growth trees. Just make sure you plan you gas stops for that ride.

 

[shelby369]

St Germain/ Vilas/ UP every weekend from trails open to close......

 

[polski]

St. Ignace,Budget Host or Driftwood, to Drummond Isl.,Drummond Isl Resort, to Casino in Brimley to Grand Marais,Seney, or Munising. Just depends what you want for last day.

 

[Woodtic]

Just a FYI: ThunderBay Inn had a fire when we wheeled up there back in July. The Bar was open but the hotel was closed. X2 on the good food in that place.

 

[1fujifilm]

St. Ignace,Budget Host or Driftwood, to Drummond Isl.,Drummond Isl Resort, to Casino in Brimley to Grand Marais,Seney, or Munising. Just depends what you want for last day.

Cool trip, I stayed at the Budget Host two weeks ago when we were driving the leaves for color. Nice place, ask for room 109 it is a king with a whirlpool that can actually fit two people at once. Room is huge and appears to have been remodeled in the past 18 months.

I have done your trip backwards from Munising but never get past Raco as the snow runs out. lol.

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I think I may be able to finally swing the time off work this winter to pull off a saddlebag trip and want to try something along the lines of 3 or 4 days on the trails somewhere nice with my wife. I have covered a lot of territory in Michigan both upper and lower but only day trips and want to really cover some ground and see some sights but not looking to rack up tremendous miles per day. We have clicked off over 200 mile days before but are looking for something around 150 to 200 give or take. I have a couple areas I would like to explore but would like to hear what others have enjoyed and hear why. Thanks in advance for the feedback!

I LOVE to drive up from Green Bay early in the morning mid-week and drop my truck at the Watersmeet Casino and ride to the Ramada Inn in Hancock, MI then stay over night. Next morning, ride to Copper Harbor and back down to Watersmeet Casino and stay and play. Back home in Green Bay on the third morning.
If anyone wants to ride with me/us on this trip just P.M. me, must be mid-week as I don't do the weekend bump fest.

 

[uncle_ed]

I have only done the Big Bay trip a few times. BTW, there is some real beauty with some of the terrain and old growth trees. Just make sure you plan you gas stops for that ride.

I was definitely going to plot all the gas stops on the gps before we do our january trip to the west end of the u.p. I have them all from munising east and look forward to adding some sights and destinations for the westerly end as well.

Always wanted to check out the big bay area ever since I saw a guy heading east around melstrand with a moose antler strapped to his sled. I flagged him down and asked him where he found it and he said he stopped off a 2 track sw of bigbay for a nature stop and saw it sticking out of the snow and scooped it up. It wasnt real huge but a nice moose antler specimen none the less!

 

[polski]

Hopefully the EUP has good snow this yr. St Ignace is a great place to start a trip across the beautiful UP !

 

[Tracker]

Always wanted to check out the big bay area ever since I saw a guy heading east around melstrand with a moose antler strapped to his sled. I flagged him down and asked him where he found it and he said he stopped off a 2 track sw of bigbay for a nature stop and saw it sticking out of the snow and scooped it up. It wasnt real huge but a nice moose antler specimen none the less!

that antler is hanging up in the cabin in wisconsinny....just one...damn it all.....LOL.....twas me....me buddy AL was taking it back, it was under our coats at first but its along way back from the 2 tracks in bigbay and was a PIA....we looked all over that area for the other one....never found it.

 

[bladeguy]

May I suggest that you only schedule 100-125 miles per day? This way if you are delayed for whatever reason (such as mechanical) you don't come in beat at 2am. Remember, just because you arrive at your destination does not mean you have to stop sledding. Do some loops and explore the area. Or take the long way. That way you can make up time the fast way if you need to. You can still have a 200 mile day if you want to. But if you don't it sure is nice not to have to. It's all well and good that you have 200 mile days under your belt but four in a row may be a bit much - they can add up and take a toll. Maybe schedule more miles the first day or two and less the last.

 

[polarisrider1]

Ontario. Start in Wawa

 

[uncle_ed]

that antler is hanging up in the cabin in wisconsinny....just one...damn it all.....LOL.....twas me....me buddy AL was taking it back, it was under our coats at first but its along way back from the 2 tracks in bigbay and was a PIA....we looked all over that area for the other one....never found it.

small world isnt it!

May I suggest that you only schedule 100-125 miles per day? This way if you are delayed for whatever reason (such as mechanical) you don't come in beat at 2am. Remember, just because you arrive at your destination does not mean you have to stop sledding. Do some loops and explore the area. Or take the long way. That way you can make up time the fast way if you need to. You can still have a 200 mile day if you want to. But if you don't it sure is nice not to have to. It's all well and good that you have 200 mile days under your belt but four in a row may be a bit much - they can add up and take a toll. Maybe schedule more miles the first day or two and less the last.

I am usually only a 100 mile a day kind a guy but tend to do more in the u.p. when the trails are nice and I want to make the trip north more worthwhile

Ontario. Start in Wawa

On the bucket list!

 

[MELROSEMAFIA]

Feb 1986...5 guys...All YAMMIES...Phelps,Wi to Thunder Bay,On,Cn...Roundtrip 1300+ miles in 7 Days

 

[Tracker]

Feb 1986...5 guys...All YAMMIES...Phelps,Wi to Thunder Bay,On,Cn...Roundtrip 1300+ miles in 7 Days

ha....I was based outta the LAKEVIEW MOTEL IN PHELPS when tom hemerlie (sp?) owned the motel and whoever was before tom too...cannot remember their names....we rode the heck outta phelps for many years....we mighta met.....you stayed at the lake view? plus jimmy in phelps....the go to guy for JOHN DEEREs....he lived up north of the bank a tad off the trail kinda....you know him too?

 

[MELROSEMAFIA]

ha....I was based outta the LAKEVIEW MOTEL IN PHELPS when tom hemerlie (sp?) owned the motel and whoever was before tom too...cannot remember their names....we rode the heck outta phelps for many years....we mighta met.....you stayed at the lake view? plus jimmy in phelps....the go to guy for JOHN DEEREs....he lived up north of the bank a tad off the trail kinda....you know him too?

Yes, I have stayed @ Lakeview several times thru out the 1980's into the mid 1990's. I don't remember the owners names, but they owned the Holiday Lodge/Supper Club at that time also. I also have friends that live there that were originally from Countryside,il...They live off Manual Lake Rd...Fred & Pat L....I always enjoyed the banzai runs down FR2199 back and forth to Eagle River in the old days...