{"id":713,"date":"2022-07-12T20:31:59","date_gmt":"2022-07-12T20:31:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/?p=713"},"modified":"2022-07-12T20:33:45","modified_gmt":"2022-07-12T20:33:45","slug":"ride-report-august-2019","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/ride-report-august-2019\/","title":{"rendered":"Ride Report – August 2019"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A \u201cPure Michigan\u201d dual sport adventure \u2013 U.P. Edition \u2013 Eh!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Originally posted on FJRiders.com – August 26th, 2019 – here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are over 1,300 miles of ORV trails in Michigan\u2019s upper peninsula. They vary in composition from groomed gravel rail beds to forest service roads to 2 track and single track. Rocky, sandy, hardpan dirt and mud. Forum member \u201cCannonshot\u201d on ADVrider.com used these trails as the basis for his \u201cCannon Trek\u201d called the Upper Peninsula Adventure Trail or \u201cUPAT\u201d for short.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve ridden trails in the northern lower peninsula of Michigan over the past few years \u2013 there is a lot of sand in most of it \u2013 sand dune level sands. I was unsure what to expect in the U.P. With such uncertainty, it was a perfect opportunity to lure others along. They took the bait, hook line and sinker. A rough plan was formed and timeline set. We\u2019d park at the K.I.Sawyer airport near Marquette, Michigan and ride as much of the UPAT as possible over 5 to 6 days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Usual Suspects plus 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MrBill, CJ, and (new to the gang) Junyah would join in the adventure. A pair of WR2fiddies, a KTM690R and my DRZ400. They drove from New England and used my folks place in Croswell, MI as a stop over because it was on the way up north and it meant they could avoid traversing Detroit to get to my place. We made the drive north from Croswell Sunday morning with reservations at a local hotel in near Marquette, Michigan. We unloaded the 2fiddies at the hotel. Bill and I unloaded at the airport parking lot Monday morning. It was early. And cold\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lunch stop on the way north \u2013 when pigs fly, you know there are great things ahead\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Monday\u2019s plan was to ride from Marquette to Copper Harbor. I had no idea what the trail and travel time would be. The weather was perfect, the roads & trails were a mix of gravel and two track. A highlight of day one riding was seeing a wolf \u2013 it was standing in the trail as we rounded a corner; it paused long enough for everyone to roll to a stop and catch a glimpse. I was not quick enough with a camera to catch it unfortunately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6:30am at K.I. Sawyer airport \u2013 it was cold\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Quick stop to \u2018adjust the load\u2019 trail side\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Slate quarry on a quick side trail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bike shot\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The trail ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mud hole on the exit \u2013 the preferred path was to the left. It was deep; I dropped in and the bike stopped. I let the clutch out and the front end dropped further in so I stopped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gee \u2013 this is going to suck\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

KTM recovery kit deployed \u2013 Bill has been waiting to use that on a Suzuki; this was not a mechanical failure, but a navigation failure\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bike is standing there waiting for me to get my stuff together\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lunch stop \u2013 food porn \u2013 1lb sweet roll\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

After running about 30 miles of open gravel \u2013 everyone said it was really dusty, but I didn\u2019t notice any dust\u2026 Some creative navigation found a way around it after confirming that the road was closed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next few shots are in Copper Harbor after dinner in front of the campground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lighthouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 2 \u2013 Copper Harbor (Fort Wilkins State Park Campground) to Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the ride out, you never know what you might find laying in the road\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Is that mine? Yes Bill\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

On the trail leading out to the end of the Keweenaw Peninsula.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Lake Superior shore line.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Keweenaw Rocket Range site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Rest stop along the shore of Lake Superior, south of Copper Harbor \u2013 this is a \u201cFJR\u201d worthy road\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Coming into Houghton from the north, we followed some stretches of snowmobile trail \u2013 this is abandoned rail road beds \u2013 like the roads in Ohio \u2013 flat, straight, but not boring\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once south of Houghton, we were treaded to some more nice (not) smooth trails. Somewhere in this stretch, the fender bag with my spare tube and tire irons that I relocated from the fender to under the straps of my rear bag, got ejected. Another donation to the trail gods\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDid either of you guys see my fender bag back there?\u201d \u2013 Nope\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The UPAT took us over the Firesteel tressels \u2013 pretty cool drone footage from a local ADV rider below. My slightly less dramatic footage is below that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From traillink.com: \u201cAt 2 miles, the trail heads northeast and merges with the former railroad line and its level surface. Not long after crossing MI 38, you\u2019ll cross the first of three steel bridges over the Firesteel River, which total 1,300 feet in length and clear the rivers by 85 feet, creating one of the trail\u2019s scenic highlights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From CrispADV on Youtube.
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UkaqVi2Q94s?wmode=opaque<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My slightly less dramatic footage.
https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FyQewcwVfms?wmode=opaque<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DRZ became the mud hole recon hole \u2013 \u201cNope, don\u2019t go this way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

CJ trying to show is kinder, gentler side \u2013 suggesting that I slow down and smell the flowers\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

End of Day 2 was at the Big Bear Campground at the edge of the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State park. Great little private campground \u2013 even had wi-fi! Bill\u2019s post ride routine was park the bike, strip down to his speedo, then set up camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Those do not make good S\u2019Mores\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Day 3 \u2013Wednesday – Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park to Lake Henry Lake with detour to Hancock Yamaha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday evening, it was discovered that an ugly noise one of the WR\u2019s was making was a cracked front sprocket. We would locate a replacement Wednesday morning and back track to Houghton to get it. Junyah offered to go along so we could stay on track, but leaving one of the expedition members to be stranded alone is not in the op plan. We make the ride back north via pavement together, watched as he did the swap \u2013 Bill even supervised \u2013 and we retraced our path (via pavement to the campground to continue on our way south.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was sitting in the showroom \u2013 apparently motocross bikes up here do not come with wheels\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Shiny parts \u2013 new chain with the new front sprocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Antique grader and happy operator!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We finished the day up on some fine Forest Service roads \/ trails ending up at Henry Lake campground. No water, no trash, and free! Bonus was plenty of mosquito\u2019s, which kept Bill fully clothed\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u2003
Day 4 \u2013 Lake Henry to Gwinn
Temps dipped into the upper 40\u2019s that night \u2013 a crisp morning that took us into Wisconsin on some great twisty pavement and gravel roads. Quick stop here to warm up with some coffee and a donut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Look \u2013 big bike friendly!!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More trail bounty \u2013 or is it Bill\u2019s gas can??<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A \u201cspirited\u201d pace on some more great forest service roads \/ trails \u2013 CJ knocked over the sign on the way by, so he did the right thing\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCaptain?\u201d \u2013 \u201cCaptain.\u201d\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave either of you seen my gas can?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

We hit some sand in the next section. Bill was complaining about it. I found a spot for him to call someone who could serve him some cheese to go with that wine\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I almost did a hero wipe out \u2013 saved it though. Pretty sure Junyah bit it though\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slightly concerned \u2013 trail is deteriorating\u2013 just keep going though \u2013 it\u2019s only 2 more clicks\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

He things I\u2019m serious when I say it\u2019s only 2 more clicks \u2013 it\u2019s probably another 40 miles\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Me, waiting \u2013 hopefully they didn\u2019t get eaten by a bear. Or sand dragon\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Image\"\/<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

This was the end of the ride for me. A text message and a few phone calls from work forced me to make the drive south Thursday night to address an HR issue Friday morning. Left the airport lot at 7pm, home by 2am, at work the next morning with a \u201cyou are no longer employed with this company\u201d conversation with a direct (now former) employee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The story goes that the 3 amigos ended up setting up camp and sleeping alongside the road at about 11pm because they got lost. I wasn\u2019t there, so Bill, CJ, or Junyah will need to confirm details\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ride will happen again \u2013 I was pleasantly surprised at the varied terrain in the U.P.; Cannonshot did a spectacular job putting this loop together and we only got in the western half of it \u2013 very nice riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe next time I\u2019ll stop and smell the flowers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or Maybe I\u2019ll just ride\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wayne<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A \u201cPure Michigan\u201d dual sport adventure \u2013 U.P. Edition \u2013 Eh! Originally posted on FJRiders.com – August 26th, 2019 – here. There are over 1,300 miles of ORV trails in Michigan\u2019s upper peninsula. They vary in composition from groomed gravel rail beds to forest service roads to 2 track and single track. Rocky, sandy, hardpan […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":716,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/up-eh.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=713"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":715,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/713\/revisions\/715"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/716"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/attacktheroad.com\/atrblog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}