Michigan Tour of the UP-day eight

Friday 9/13-38 miles

Today we continued around Lake Huron headed to Ignace.  The terrain was nice but really remote.  We rode for 20 miles without seeing anything before we came to the break wagon.  We rode 18 miles before we even made a turn. There were long stretches of unbroken forest on one side and Lake Huron on the other.  It was also cold.  It was mid-thirties when we pulled out and the forest on the one side kept us in the shade for long periods of time.  It was along these cold stretches that the ride sometimes became weird.

With long stretches of trees to look at we began to discuss what the best pasty ingredients would be, or just what the heck a white fish was?  We also could not figure why some places spell it “Mackinaw” and others “Mackinac”.  Evidently you have to be a yooper to know these answers.  We also noticed a lot of snowmobile crossing signs and snowmobile trails.  With some of the rough patches of road, we wondered if they spent more money on snowmobile trails than on road maintenance.  And as odd as snowmobile signs were to us, the strangest thing we saw was a bumper sticker that said, ”Say Ya To Da UP.”  Not sure what it meant though.  Yeah, these were long stretches and we were happy to finally pull into a coffee shop.  The cold ride finally came to an end when we climbed the second longest hill of the trip up to our hotel.  By the time we walked in I was sweating. 

We quickly took our stuff that the gear truck had dropped off to our room and jumped back on the bike.  We rode down the hill and back into town.  Ignace was the biggest town we had been in so we wanted to look around.  We stopped at the Mackinac Grill for a really good lunch.  I had some white fish.  The food on this trip has been unbelievable although I have yet to try a pasty.  Just can’t figure out what’s in them.  I did try the fudge though.  They have the best fudge. 

That night we rode down to the camp site for supper.  After supper we decided to leave the bike there and take the shuttle back to hotel.  Bad idea. 

Not a sign we see in TR.

Bundled for the cold.  It's early September and I'm freezing!

The Bay in Ignace

If you are every in Ignace, stop here for food!