A riding buddy of mine wants to ride across the Mackinac Bridge this summer -- it's his turn to suggest the "bucket list" trip - and it will be our 1st visit to Michigan (planning to leave the Ohio State apparel at home for this trip). We'll be traveling from Northeast Ohio and could use some suggestions for good motorcycling roads between here and there, otherwise it looks like we'll just be stuck on I-75 for the entire length of MI. It's not really on the way, but Route 31 between the bridge and Traverse City looks interesting on the map. How about Route 23 on the eastern coast? Could use some insider information from you Michigan riders.

 

not a mich rider but plan on doing the same from the minnesota side im sticking to lake mich and taking the ferry across to millwaukee and going thro the museum and had home from there

 

To avoid I-75, Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, etc, I continue west to Toledo. Then head north to Grand Rapids. From there continue up to Mackinaw, or if you have a little extra time ride west and follow the coast up to Traverse City, then Mackinaw.
After crossing the bridge bare right into the little town of St Ignace. It's a nice place to stay. Leave your bike and ride the ferry to Mackinaw Island, even if you only stay there a few hours it's worth the visit. Then back to St Ignace and ride on to Copper Harbor.....

 

Keep going north after you cross the bridge to Sault Ste Marie. If you can take a day and ride up into Canada on 17 along the east end of Lake Superior to Wawa and back down. That is a beautiful ride with some awesome hills along the lake offering unlimited views across the lake. The locks at the Soo are interesting if you've not seen them. There are a couple provincial parks and some mom and pop motels along the way. Other sites in the area west of the Soo include Whitefish Point, Iriquois light, Taguamegon Falls. Further west is the Pictured rocks by Munising. If you want to keep going west take a spin up to Copper Harbor for some more nice riding.

 

If you get into the northwest area of the lower penninsula be sure to head towards Petoskey, the take Rte 119 ( one of the nicest two lane curvey roads in the state ) up to Cross Village and have lunch at Legs Inn. The bridge is about a half hour from there. Watch for cross winds when going over the bridge and be prepared to weeble and wobble if you ride the inside lanes ( they are metal grates ). Once across the bridge if you're looking for a really neat mom & pop place to stay that is VERY BIKER FRIENDLY check out the Clark Motel in Strongs Mi.

 

I'm not from MI, but I did ride up the UP and across the Mack Bridge last June after riding up to Milwaukee to the H-D Women's Event. We hadn't even planned on riding up that way (were going to take the ferry across to MI), but after getting advice from so many other bikers to ride up the UP, we decided to take their advice. It was a nice ride...highlights were the Mack Bridge and the "Tunnel of the Trees". TOT was a fun little scenic and twisty section of Hwy 119/Lake Shore Dr that hugs Lake Michigan on the NW coast of MI before you get to Mackinaw City. It starts in Harbor Springs, MI and ends around Cross Village, MI. There, we stopped at the legendary "Legs Inn" for lunch and enjoyed not only a nice meal, but a wonderful view of the Lake from their outside garden. I'd say that little part of the trip was one of the highlights.

http://www.legsinn.com/
http://www.motorcycleroads.com/route.../MI/MI_3.shtml


As far as the bridge...we'd heard horror stories, but I found them to be over-blown...then again, we had calm winds. I'm sure if it had been gusty, I'd have had a pretty good pucker going. The grates were on half the bridge (2 lanes in each direction), but because of construction, we did have to ride on them for a good bit of the bridge. Not sure if it was the weight of my RKC, the width of my tires or a combination, but the shimmy-ing wasn't as bad as I'd anticipated. I would suspect the grates would be hairy if they were wet.

Anyway...have a nice trip!

 

Yep! --- That's what I said.

 

Just north of Ludington on West side M-22 through the dunes area and wine country then into Traverse City, lite house up one of the "fingers" in Traverse(you'll see the sign one way up and back). Once past The Big Mac take the "Mackinaw Trail" north which will take you up to the Soo, very nice since its been repaved! Serveral other nice roads around the Boyne Highlands area, Check on "The Breeze".

 

yep...you hadn't chimed in when I started typing my reply...great minds think alike, I suppose...

 

Looking to make the same trip this summer along with another couple from southeast Ohio, Athens area. Was told to make my way to mid state and then west to the coast and north along the coast to the bridge. We're looking to travel the west side of the lake to Milwaukee then back north a ways to take the high speed ferry back across to MI, some say that it will cost around 300 to do this. See if you can find a fellow on the forum, Glidermike. He's from the area and gave me a couple of tips on trips, roasds, and eats. I think that 119 was one of the roads as well as going thru the TOT. Just keep this in mind, with the wind in your face and the sun on your back, it's all good riding.