The "No tent poles tour of da U.P., eh?

[TigerLady]

I had a few vacation days to burn so decided to head up to da U.P. of Michigan on a 4 day camping trip. The Upper Penninsula is bounded on the south by L. Michigan and Wisconsin and on the north by L. Superior and Canada.

Loaded up and in my front yard:
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/566834075_Kfyri-M.jpg

I headed east to check out the site of a Tiger rally in August. This is Ojibway native lands and the site of early logging for white pine in the late nineteenth century.

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/566829916_Cg35v-M.jpg

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/566829918_YPdwX-M.jpg

On Lac du Flambeau:
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976181_qBc6K-M.jpg

I arrived at Indian Lake State Park and burdened my beast with some combustibles and then headed to my site.

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976293_TbyUA-M.jpg

the above photo was taken only moments before realizing I had left home without my tent poles:eek:. It was the first time in 45 years of camping I had done that...So I made do.
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976196_MT6aV-M.jpg

I always try to carry the tarp so that allowed me to set up under it with the help of LOTS of rope and sticks. People walking by the site commented on the unique tent :rofl:

From the first night's camp, I headed up to L. Superior and the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. A formation called Miner's Castle:

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976307_w6gxM-M.jpg

The second night's campsite creation:

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976510_Nk8wn-M.jpg


The third night I headed out to the tip of the Keewanau Penninsula and Copper Harbor. A pic of the harbor from a previous trip...
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/566865517_5NpM8-M.jpg

http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976483_9Bcji-M.jpg

the third nite I deprived the blackflies of their nourishment and stayed in a motel :wootrock:

Thus ends a whirlwind tour of da U.P., eh?

[sweptwingnut]

:lol: And I thought you meant you would be spending every night in hotel... :lol:

Great looking ride! :cheers:

[msyzf2u]

Very inventive ! Well done !

[Moondance]

:clapping:

thanks for sharing

[Abosit]

See you had a great trip.
Sorry, but I had to laugh when you mentioned you had forgotten your tent pole. But you where very resourceful resolving the situation and you lucky to have lots of trees.

I think that combination would be great in a hot summer day. Much more ventilation!

You pictures are great, thanks for sharing.

[Luna Tique]

I agree with everyone Very Creative set up :thumbup:
Thanks for taking us along.:yahoo:

I alway enjoy learning about the areas I am looking at Thank you for the history lesson also :thumbup:

This little cove looks so inviting for a quick dip in its crystal clear water But then your backyard is :drool:

:cheers:
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976307_w6gxM-M.jpg

[tarzan77]

Thanks for the great pics and great improvisation on the tent poles :):!! Pictured Rocks Lakeshore is such a beautiful place and one of my most favorite to camp in (12 Mile Beach and Hurricane River are awesome campgrounds). When you were up on the Keewenauw did you ride Brockway Mt. Drive? I've never done it on a motorcycle but on a bicycle it's brutal but worth it for the beautiful view at the top!! LT the water on the big lake is stunning and so clear but I'm not sure I'd wanna take a dip in there even in the dead of summer - last I checked Lake Superior was at about 35 degrees F (YIKES)!!

[TigerLady]

Thanks for the great pics and great improvisation on the tent poles :):!! Pictured Rocks Lakeshore is such a beautiful place and one of my most favorite to camp in (12 Mile Beach and Hurricane River are awesome campgrounds). When you were up on the Keewenauw did you ride Brockway Mt. Drive? I've never done it on a motorcycle but on a bicycle it's brutal but worth it for the beautiful view at the top!! LT the water on the big lake is stunning and so clear but I'm not sure I'd wanna take a dip in there even in the dead of summer - last I checked Lake Superior was at about 35 degrees F (YIKES)!!

Twelvemile Beach is one of my all time favorite campgrounds :thumbsup:. I rode Brockway Mt. drive several times :ecstasy:USH 41 heading into Copper Harbor has been recently resurfaced with the worlds best asphalt :yahoo:

They run glass bottomed boat shipwreck tours out of Munising along the lakeshore. There are lots of shipwrecks and lighthouses along the lake and a really good museum at the tip of Whitefish Point.

[tarzan77]

Twelvemile Beach is one of my all time favorite campgrounds :thumbsup:. I rode Brockway Mt. drive several times :ecstasy:USH 41 heading into Copper Harbor has been recently resurfaced with the worlds best asphalt :yahoo:

They run glass bottomed boat shipwreck tours out of Munising along the lakeshore. There are lots of shipwrecks and lighthouses along the lake and a really good museum at the tip of Whitefish Point.

I've never done the glass bottom boat tours but have done the Pictured Rocks boat tour which is the best way to see why they are the Pictured Rocks. Hiking through there is pretty amazing as well. From Hurricane River the Ausable Pt. Lighthouse there are even shipwrecks on the beach and the Chapel Basin hike is amazing cause you are actually hiking on top of the 200 foot cliffs and looking down at the tourist boats :): Jeez, now I wanna be up there but gotta save vacation for the Indy Moto GP and my trip in the spring!!

[ridingAK]

Beautiful ride and very cool set up with your tent. It is nice to see how innovative people can be when necessity requires.

[KansasKawboy]

I agree with everyone Very Creative set up :thumbup:
Thanks for taking us along.:yahoo:

I alway enjoy learning about the areas I am looking at Thank you for the history lesson also :thumbup:

This little cove looks so inviting for a quick dip in its crystal clear water But then your backyard is :drool:

:cheers:
http://mizmoosie.smugmug.com/photos/564976307_w6gxM-M.jpg


:iagree: :thumbsup:

[Astir]

A minor setback like that would have some people deciding it was the end of the trip, or would lament on how they had to stay at a hotel.

YOU got inventive, and figured out a way for it to NOT ruin your ride. :thumbsup:

[indianscout]

This was a trip I had planned to take this summer before I took this new job. Looks like it is one trip I should still take some day soon. Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!


:riding: :drool:

[Mazer]

Nice photos, would have more info on the roads you took, places you stopped to eat etc...I love travel blogs