Friday July 29th - Day 5

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After coffee and a bagel, we pulled out of the parking lot under a cloudless blue sky, headed over to get Sally and Joe for a ride that will take us over the Mackinac (pronounced: Mack-in aw) Bridge into Michigan's U.P.

Heading north on U.S. Highway 23, also know as the Huron Shores Heritage Route, we passed through Cheboygan (The one in Wisconsin is spelled with an "S") and onto Mackinac City where we would cross the bridge to the Upper Peninsula or U.P.  The unofficial dividing line between Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, the bridge opened in 1957.  The 5 mile long roadway rises almost 200 feet over the Straits of Mackinac and her towers, another 250 above the deck.

At the north end of the bridge we went through the town of St. Ignace (pronounced Ig-ness) on our way to Sault Ste. Marie (pronounced Soo Saint Marie and referred to as "the Soo)(Yeah, they talk funny up here).  There we went to the Soo Locks where we watched as a 1,000 foot iron ore freighter, belonging to U.S. Steel, was lowered 22 feet from Lake Superior to Lake Huron.

During lunch at a local restaurant in the Soo, Judy enjoyed what she called the "Best F*%$ing Chowder Ever" which was made with locally caught Whitefish.  I had to try a local traditional item, the Pastie (pronounced: pass-tee) which is sold in almost every restaurant and in many Pastie shops along the road.  It is a meat filled turnover served with brown gravy on the side.  It was o.k. but nothing to get excited about.

Leaving the Soo we traveled west and north as we rode around the edge of Whitefish Bay on our way to Whitefish Point.  During the ride, two Bald Eagles were spotted.  One nesting in a tree, the other soared within a few yards above our heads.

Bell from the Edmond Fitzgerald

Arriving at Whitefish Point, a former Coast Guard Rescue Station, it is now the home of the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum.  Here, you will find the history of the ships that went down around this point over the centuries.  Artifacts from the wrecks, along with maps and stories, educate you on the perils of traveling the Lakes.  The most prized item in the collection is the ship's bell from the Edmund Fitzgerald.  The Fitzgerald was made famous by Gordon Lightfoot in his 1976 ballad, "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald".

After sticking a boot in Lake Superior, we left Whitefish Point and traversed to the southern side of the U.P.   We rode through dense forest until we reached the shores of Lake Michigan for a ride back to St. Ignace along the Lake Michigan Scenic Highway.

Crossing the Mackinac Bridge brought us back to U.S. 23 for the remaining 60 miles to Rogers City.

This was 240 miles of sheer motorcycling bliss.  Tomorrow we head back to the 'Burgh.

Once again, We have to thank Sally and Joe Cercone for being the consummate hosts and tour guides.  Joe and I went to elementary and high school together at St. Joseph's in Mt.Oliver.  His college, work and love of a woman brought him to northern Michigan, where today, he is Executive Director of Presque Isle County's Economic and Tourism Development Commission.   It's nice having friends that can show you around the area they love.

If you haven't been to northern Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, you should go...SOON!  Check out the website developed by Joe and officials from other counties along the Huron Shores Heritage Route  http://www.us23heritageroute.org/.