2010 MUP Photos: Our campground was filled with excitement this morning. Riders were up early taking their tents down in anticipation of finishing their week of fun with a ride along Lake Michigan into St. Ignace. This excitement was augmented by a forecast of a 30% chance of showers. As we headed for US 2 and Lake Michigan we were treated to 4 miles of blacktop that had just been laid the day before. Not only was it smooth, but it was downhill with a tailwind. US 2 provided the riders with a 6'-8' shoulder and wonderful views of Lake Michigan. Riders had the opportunity to have lunch or snacks at Epoufette or Brevort. There were many opportunities to enjoy the beaches along Lake Michigan. As we turned off US 2 for the final 6 miles we were greeted by Cheeseman "Hill." This short (1/2 mile), steep hill (12%) was a final challenge before we had 5+ miles of downhill into St. Ignace. Scattered showers hit around noon so some riders were lucky and missed the showers and others were not so lucky. The Little Bear East Arena was a welcome sight as we finished up our tour, found our luggage, took showers, loaded our cars and said our good byes to our new friends.
Every year we have the curse on MUP of rain the day we go from Paradise to Newberry. This morning we woke to cloudy skies, but no rain and cool temps. Our tents had no dew on them, which should have been a warning. Soon after we began to ride a foggy mist blew in off Whitefish Bay and stayed with us all the way to the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. Our first stop was the lighthouse and museum at Whitefish Point. Many braved the misty weather to make the trip up to the point. Those that had travelled to the point on Thursday afternoon headed for the Falls directly. The weather began to clear by the Falls so our riders were able to view both Falls plus some enjoyed the micro brewery at the Upper Falls. From the Falls we passed many cedar swamps, but no reported sightings of Moose. Our next stop was the North Star Bakery, where bread is made over a wood fired oven. From the Bakery, we headed south into a headwind and clearing skies to Newberry. Tonight at the Rider's Meeting we "named" Myles companion. Her name is "Roada." Myles and Roada are the official moose mascots of the MUP tour. After this and other fun activities we prepared to end our trip tomorrow as we head for St. Ignace. When we reached the Ojibwe community of Bay Mills we encountered the Bay Mills Casino where some of the "hooked" gamblers tried their luck. But most of us stopped at the Dancing Crane Coffee Shop for flavored coffees, smoothies and other goodies. From there we headed for the Point Iroquois Lighthouse. Some visited the top of the light, others stuck their feet in the bay and some picked the blueberries. From there we hugged the Whitefish Bay shore for almost 30 miles. The remoteness and beauty of this area is hard to match. The MUP Tour catered in a lunch for all the riders at a scenic overlook along this stretch. Once we turned north on M-123 we had a downhill and slight tailwind for the last 10 miles into Paradise. Some riders took the afternoon to visit the Whitefish Point Lighthouse. Our campground for the night is the Paradise school. Their K-12 enrollment this year is 52 with a senior class of 2. We enjoyed UP classic, homemade pasties, for dinner. We enjoyed temps in the mid to upper 60s and cloud cover for the day.
After enduring strong storms last night we were greeted by sunny skies when we got up this morning. After breakfast at LSSU the riders headed in many different directions to enjoy the day in the Soo. Some took the ferry to Sugar Island and challenged the "hill." Howard said that he reached 50+ mph on his recumbent going down. When I saw him his flag was straight out in back so he may just be telling the truth. Others grabbed their passports and headed for Sault Ste Marie, Canada. Some rode their bikes over the International Bridge and others took the bus over. Some visited the Casino and tried their luck. Many just sat in the Soo Locks park and watched the freighters and tall ships go through the locks. While some experienced the locks first hand with a boat tour. Others visited the museums and other attractions in Sault Ste Marie. As dinner approached we all headed for a favorite local eating establishment to enjoy their cuisine. The weather was spectacular today with temps around 78 with a westerly breeze. We followed the St. Marys River for awhile before heading west to Pickford. After Pickford it was north towards the SOO with a stop at the Bruce Township Town Hall for lunch. From there we again followed the St. Marys River into Sault Ste Marie past the Soo Locks and on to Lake Superior State University. LSSU will be our home for the next two days. Our camping area has a spectacular view of the International Bridge. Wildlife sightings' included a black bear rambling across the roadway. The forecasted thunderstorms hit the SOO around 2 pm. As we headed to dinner we were bracing for another round of storms which included hail. We woke to sunny skies and excitement was in the air as we packed up our tents, had breakfast, loaded our gear on the baggage truck and began our journey to DeTour Village. We were greeted by cloud cover and cool temps as we headed up Mackinac Trail. Once we turned east on M-134 we were presented with a new challenge ... road construction. They were in the process of milling the old surface off in preparation for new black top. We rode for about 8 miles on cobblestone like roads. Finally we caught a break. The last 5 miles into Hessel they had paved the shoulders. So while the main road bed was still milled, the shoulders were new smooth black top. This was a relief to all of us. As always the harbor in Hessel was a highlight for the group. The beautiful views and the wooden boats in the harbor were worth making the stop. From Hessel to DeTour we were rewarded with spectacular views of Lake Huron and a tail wind. Those that hadn't stopped for lunch in Hessel or Cedarville stopped at the bar in DeTour for beer and a bar burger. After enjoying a beautiful day of riding our thoughts turned to what was in store for us tomorrow as we headed to the Soo.
On Saturday St. Ignace delivered a beautiful day for riders as they arrived at the Little Bear East Arena to check in for the 2010 MUP Tour. Riders and staff had a great time getting acquainted and renewing past friendships. After exploring St. Ignace and Mackinac Island those that still had some energy took part in a 30 mile pre ride. Sunday, was a different story as rain fell all day long. Many riders still braved the rain to explore Mackinac Island. While others stayed inside renewed friendships from the past and made new ones. After the riders meeting on Sunday night the riders went to bed with excitement about a forecast of sunshine and 70s for Monday as they anticipated the start of MUP 2010. This year we have 152 riders from 25 different states (55% of the riders being from out of Michigan). The average age of the riders is 54.68 with the youngest being 13 and the oldest being 78. We have slightly more males than females with 55% being male.
Last Updated on Tuesday, 03 August 2010 13:43
 |
Legislative Priorities
