I ‘ve had a fairly uneventful ride through Pictured Rocks this morning, stopping from to time for a scenic spot, such as this overlook of the Sable Point lighthouse (I think). For the mot part it was just a lovey ride through the woods:

I came across a couple of vultures who basically just flew down the road ahead of me, before perching in a tree. I got a few photos of them with the good camera, but I can’t upload those.

I’ve stopped for lunch at the Bear Trap, a roadside bar and restaurant in the metropolis of VanMeer. They have a pasty on special for lunch, and I like pasties, so I figured I ought to have that while I’m in the UP.

Sable Falls is (are?) just west of Grand Marais, a short drive off the road, and a short walk (with a lot of steps) from the parking lot.

There’s also access to the Sable Dunes, which are much like the dunes of West Michigan. (The trademark cliffs of Pictured Rocks are still to the west, I gather.) That’s a little bit more of a hike to get to.

You shouldn’t visit Pictured Rocks without taking a boat tour of the cliffs (or renting a kayak and doing your own your, I suppose), but I did that on my visit in 2009, so I’m going to focus on waterfalls and such on this pass. I’m riding through the interior of the park, which is already looking like some great riding road.

I had forgotten – until I was reminded of it yesterday evening – that the road from Muskallonge to Grand Marais is largely unpaved. I knew it when I planned this route over a year ago, but it slipped my mind. There was a sign on the road leading to Muskallonge.

It’s about 12 miles of hard-packed sand and stones. I try to avoid that kind of road, but it saves a huge detour inland. It wasn’t too bad, but there were areas of mud, and lots of loose sand and gravel. Like most roads of this type it’s prone to “washboard”: where traffic creates rows and rows of packed ridges, perpendicular to travel.

It took me an hour and half to ride, including a stop to explore the beach a little halfway. So, about 10-15mph the whole way.

Grand Marais is a little town on the east end of Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I topped off the tank (.75 gallons) at the general store.

It would be an exaggeration to say that I slept through the night, but it’s almost true. I woke up a few times to reposition myself and to snuggle up more warmly. I’m sure it got down to 50F. My sleeping bag is rated to 40F but that assumes you’re dressed warmly underneath as well. I was.

I decided while putting my gear together the night before leaving to substitute a hoodie for one of my warm shirts. That was a good call.

I was awake around 5:30, and began a leisurely breakfast of granola bars. (I showered last night. Yesterday wasn’t a particularly sweaty day, but that’s my habit on these trips.) There’s a bit of dew on everything, which makes packing a little more difficult, but it’s only water.

I’m going to hit the road before 8, which is an hour earlier than I usually plan on… but despite packing unhurriedly, I’m ready to go. This trip is going to have longer riding times than in the past, to cover the territory in “only” 9 days, so I might as well take advantage of the morning.

It’s only 13 hours since I set out, but it feels like I’ve gone over 400 miles. The majority of that driving Johnnie’s van, but still. 🙂

As I said before, I started an hour later than I expected, and never made it up. But that just meant having less time to bum around at camp. I still had the tent set up an hour before sunset.

I’m definitely not used to driving a “bus” like Johnnie’s van, but I managed. The Star ferry line to Mackinac Island has free overnight parking available some distance from their docks, and I took advantage of that to leave the van there. They’ll have no idea that it doesn’t belong to a customer, so it should be OK.

There was a bit of a cross breeze on the Mighty Mack, but nothing like I haven’t dealt with on land… or so I reminded myself. The paved lane was open all the way across, and the ride was almost anticlimactic, especially compared to my first crossing: riding the metal grate on the not-expressway-legal 50cc.

It was a bit of a detour on the way to the campground, but I stuck with my plan to visit Tahquamenon Falls. I’ve been there a couple times before, both camping at the park, so this was a bit of a drive-by; I spent less than two hours at the two Falls combined. This was more of a check-in with an old friend than a proper visit. (I’ve been meaning to get up here in Winter, but it never quite happens.)

Muskallonge Lake State Park is almost on Lake Superior, but not quite. It’s a fairly tightly packed RV camp on an inland lake… not a “wilderness” experience, but it’s a fairly nice setting. Two of the three “loops” are getting new electrical systems installed and other renovations, which is why I made a reservation at one of the last open spots for this night, several months ago. I’m right by the entrance, almost surrounded by SUVs and RVs. But it’s quiet: no yahoos who just drove in for a place to party. And the wind that’s been annoying me much of the afternoon is keeping the mosquitoes away.

It’s definitely cooler up here. The forecast says it’ll be in the 50Fs tonight. We had a bit of clouds and haze today, but no real threat of rain yet.

I’m having supper at Pine Stump Station, where I stopped for food and gas on my way through the area on a previous ride. I detoured here before, because it was a gas station within range, which I needed badly. This time it’s simply on the way to Muskallonge State Park, where I’m camping tonight.

Just north of here is the Two Hearted River, namesake of one of the world’s best ales from Bell’s, a pioneer of West Michigan brewing. Of course they serve it here. Of course I ordered one.

I’m about an hour behind schedule, the result of sleeping until my alarm this morning, instead of waking up earlier as I usually do. It’s a long day, but I planned enough padding into it, so I’m not sweating it. And it’s July in da UP, so the days are long.

I stopped at Tahquamenon Falls between St Ignace and here, but my food’s here, so I’ll save that for later.

EDIT: The bartender noticed that I had a water bottle hanging from my shoulder bag, and asked if he could refill it for me. If you’re ever in the northeast UP, stop here!