Author Topic: Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year  (Read 6599 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline epate

Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year
« on: July 28, 2011, 03:09:54 pm »
Many years ago, I cycled around Lake Ontario in September.  From the moment I finished that tour, I've wanted to tour around Lake Superior.  Apparently, life got in the way - but as a 50th birthday present, I'm going to try my best to make it happen in 2012!

Is June about as early in the year to expect reasonably predictable weather and temperatures around the lake? Any recommendations for the best time of year?

I'm hoping that getting a few weeks blocked out on my calendar will help turn this dream into a reality!

Thanks,
Emmett "Buddy" Pate

Offline Rep

Re: Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year
« Reply #1 on: July 30, 2011, 11:34:17 pm »
Good luck to you and your tour.

I leave this Wednesday to complete a 33 year old tour that did not happen.  Yes, life got in the way.

I would suggest as you begin planning your tour you also consider mosquito's as a factor as well.  Northern WI, MI and MN can be hell at certain times of the year.

Good luck and BTW - Your tour is on my list as well.  I will though not wait 33 years for this one.
Bicycling, Brewing & Backgammon...What a life.

Offline karatechop

Re: Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2011, 06:48:32 am »
I can only really speak for the MN part of a Lake Superior tour. By early June along Minnesota's North Shore, you'll find the mosquitos and black flies are out. Bring strong bug spray. The flies are the worst - they don't seem to care about bug spray! If you left in mid-May, you'd probably miss the bugs, but it can get pretty cold at night.

If I were touring around Lake Superior, I'd go in September. The bugs are basically gone by then, but the days are still pleasantly warm and nights are cool but not cold. I'd also consider the traffic. The North Shore is a very popular destination among Minnesotans, which means heavy traffic on Hwy 61 following the shore. There's wide shoulder in some sections, and a great trail in a few sections, but there's also some spots with very narrow shoulders and very heavy traffic. Whatever you end up doing, have a great time!

Offline epate

Re: Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year
« Reply #3 on: August 05, 2011, 02:54:11 pm »
Decisions, decisions, decisions...

Go early in the year and have more traffic, more flies and mosquitoes, colder nights, but a better chance of staying motivated through the winter.

Go late in the year and have less traffic, less flies and mosquitoes, reasonable weather but a better chance of something coming up and getting in the way of actually doing the tour.

Thanks for the input.  For the moment, I may just try to block off both late May and September.

Offline geegee

Re: Lake Superior - Earliest/Best Time of Year
« Reply #4 on: August 05, 2011, 05:39:11 pm »
June can bring erratic weather for Northern Ontario. Expect lots of on-going construction on Highway 11/17 between Thunder Bay and Nipigon next year. Definitely go clockwise around Superior.