Author Topic: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas  (Read 7697 times)

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Offline walter9999

We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« on: July 11, 2010, 12:02:13 pm »
The wife and I completed the Southern Tier earlier this year (self supported March 8th to May 17th) and are now off to visit family.  We will be in Michigan during the months of August/September with no real time table.  Any and all suggestions are welcome.  TIA
Walter

Offline RansRider61

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #1 on: July 11, 2010, 12:30:31 pm »
A very nice trip is to park in Manistee and follow the coast line on M-22 around the Leelanau Peninsula down to Traverse City and cut back across to Manistee . A nice side trip is to take M-109 up into the Sleeping Bear Dunes and the Pierce Stocking Drive . There are alot of neat small towns along the way with plenty of camping available . Owosso Bob

Offline dclifton

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #2 on: July 11, 2010, 02:31:12 pm »
my wife and I just spent three days in Traverse City a couple of weeks ago and cant wait to go back.We did some riding out on the Old Mission Peninsula and loved it.Be sure and check out the little town of Sutton's Bay out on the main Peninsula and Fish Town in Leland.The scenery is spectacular especially compared to where we are from in NW Ohio.

Offline paddleboy17

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #3 on: July 12, 2010, 01:12:09 pm »
There are so many placed in Michigan worth riding.  Where abouts will your base of operations be?
Danno

Offline walter9999

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #4 on: July 14, 2010, 08:28:28 am »
Our base in Michigan will be around the Pontiac area and we would like to leave from there, even though it's not mission critical.  Anything you have in mind will be appreciated.  TIA

Offline MIBIKER

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #5 on: July 14, 2010, 11:31:09 pm »
Check out the League of Michigan Cyclist web site at WWW.LMB.org.  They have a list of one day rides, county maps with which roads are bust of bicycling.  Also check out  Michigan Trail and Greenways   at WWW. michigantrails.org.

Offline paddleboy17

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #6 on: July 15, 2010, 01:35:37 pm »
It was not clear if you also have access to a car or not.

The Michigan Trailways web site suggestion was a really good suggestion.  I should have thought of that. Camping in Michigan starts to shutdown in October, so your August-September time frame is good.

If you can get yourself to Gaylord, there is a fabulous rail trail that goes to Mackinaw.  There are good routes down either coast.  I have done the Lake Huron side to Alpena along US-23 (great shoulder).  I have also done the Lake Michigan side to Traverse City using M-119 and US-31.  Riding US-31 through Traverse City can be scary, but there is a bike path called the TART that you can get on (Bunker Hill Rd?).

If you are truly trapped in Pontiac, there is are rail trails that you can take that connect to other rail trails. Once you get out in the country (any direction but south), your bike bushwhacking options are pretty good.  If you can get east to Algonac or Marine City, the ferry will transport your bike into Ontario (Canada).   
Danno

Offline walter9999

Re: We Are Looking for Michigan Touring Ideas
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2010, 08:34:45 am »
Thanks to all who responded. great info
ps Way to go Michigan and all their bicycle friendly roads and trails.
Walter