The Michigan Ride DAY 7 5-26-09

DAY 7 Tuesday 5-24-09, took us from Mackinaw City over to Traverse City and East Grand Traverse Bay. We hoped the weather guy was wrong about the rain in today's forecast. Was he? Scroll on down and join us on today's ride and find out and REMEMBER: IF YOU WANT TO SEE THE PICTURE BIGGER, JUST CLICK ON THE PICTURE..







We left the hotel and before heading out of Mackinaw City, Bob wanted to stop and buy Melanie, his daughter, some fudge. So, here is Bob packin' some fudge.... This is actually some outstanding fudge. When we finally got home, Melanie let me try a piece of it. For more on Murdick's Fudge, visit their site at: http://www.franmurdicksfudge.com/ You can order online...

Bob & Rick as we head to Traverse City

We make a quick stop so Bob can secure his luggage cover, which had started flappin' in the wind.

We came up to Cross Village Michigan, which is home to the Leg's Inn, so we stopped and looked around. This is the Inn

A view from out back of the Inn. That is either Lake Michigan or Sturgeon Bay. They both come together pretty close to here. A great view though..

Another view from the back of the Leg's Inn. That is one big birch tree

Bob & Rick out front in the parking lot

Bob & I out front

Rick & me in the parking lot

One side of the sign telling about the Leg's Inn

The other side of the same sign....Did we take a wrong turn somewhere? I think it's Polish...

me at Cross Village Michigan. For more info on Leg's Inn, see this link: http://www.legsinn.com/

Fixin' to enter the Tunnel of Trees. This is a highly recommended place for a motorcycle tour..see this link: http://www.motorcycleroads.com/routes/MidWest/MI/MI_3.shtml

Bob & Rick in the Tunnel of Trees

Coming up to one of the many 90 degree turns

Rick bringing up the rear in the Tunnel Of Trees

We stop and look at the view of Lake Michigan

Rick points out that these flowers that are blanketing the area, are trillium's..

Rick

Bob looks out at the lake as Rick and I get ready to depart the area

If you have ever seen the movie " It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World", you know that I am pondering if these trees have any relationship to the palm trees that formed the 'Big W" in the movie..

Bob's curiosity gets stoked too...Should we start digging Bob?

While riding in the Tunnel of Trees, an unknown type of large flying bug hit the top of my windshield and exploded. Half of it went up my nose. That's some of its blood & guts in my left nostril. Yuck!!

Bob coming up on an opening in the trees

Rick still cruising along. The ride was going pretty smooth

Rick now in front of me

We get to Petosky Michigan and pull over at the Subway for lunch. Bob has a friend and fellow co-worker that lives here and we gave him a call. Here is Bob & Rick while we wait for Ron to arrive..

Bob & Ron in Petosky Michigan

After lunch, we get ready to leave. Ron looks over Bob's bike as Bob gears up to go

Next stop was a gas stop. Here are Bob & Rick at the gas station. Ya know, I was complaining about our prices of gas here in Texas being high when I left. They were like $2.29 a gallon. I crossed the Mississippi River and they shot up to $2:59 and in Michigan we were paying anywhere from 2.79-2.89 a gallon. I won't complain again about our gas prices in Texas. They are getting raped up North

We continue along the coast towards Traverse City

Birch trees are in abundance here and add to the scenic view

This is Little Traverse Bay

We pass three biker's wearing rain suits going the other way and figure that can't be good. A very short time later, we get a clue as to what we're in for...

As we stop and put on our rain gear, I discover I should've tried it on it Texas before I left on the ride. I find that it has shrunk & won't go over my butt... You do believe it shrank don't ya?

I can foresee wetness & an unhappy biker in the very near future.. With the rain ahead, this can't be a good thing...

Rick with his rain gear on

Bob with his rain gear on

I did get the top half of my rain gear on so maybe I would luck out and it wouldn't rain that much. As we get back on the road, the rain picks up

Starts coming down a little harder...

Rick is doing okay behind me

Rick in the mirror

Then it got real wet out.

Rick was having no problems with the wet roads

Bob in the lead as we ride in the down pour around East Grand Traverse Bay

We get to our hotel & go to our room. This is the view from our balcony of East Grand Traverse Bay with the rain falling..

The rooms were large . They had 32" T.V., DVD players, refridgerator, two queen size beds & more, all for $72 a night. For more on this great place to stay, see this link: http://www.tcresorts.com/grand_beach/

The beds

Bob on the balcony

The view from the balcony

East Grand Traverse Bay

some small craft at one of the docks

Since it was raining and forecasted to keep raining, the hotel folks let us park the bikes under the overhang out front.

The rain let up and we walked to eat down the road. This is a pic of the front of the hotel and our bikes

We walked down to G's Pizzeria & Deli for dinner

for those of you unfamiliar with Michigan, Bob points out our location (Traverse City) on the back of the menu..

Bob poses with a G's Pizzeria & Deli menu. For more info on G's, see this link:
http://local.record-eagle.com/g+s+pizzeria+deli.9.52380775p.home.html

Rick & Bob in G's

here is a night time shot of the hotel as we walk back from G's

the last pic of today is of the bikes out front as we go inside to our room. Today was a good day even with the rain. We are hoping it quits and we can do the West coast of Michigan and Lake Michigan tomorrow...

So, scroll down for more rides, events & posts and don't forget to click on the "older posts" link at the bottom of EACH page for more rides and posts. Check out North Texas Bikers (1) at http://www.jjskewlstuff.blogspot.com/ for rides, events & posts from January 08-November 08. Until next post, ya'll be careful out there, ride safe, keep the rubber on the road & pray for our Troops................JOHN