Tuesday, March 20, 2012

A long weekend of South Shore riding

In a previous post, I highlighted the Flint Hills Trip I took last fall, only the 3rd time that I used a trailer to haul my bike rather than ride it on my travels.  Last July (7/11) was my 2nd time and it won't be my last. Able to take along more camping gear, a large fly, extra tools and cooler-food (beer) is a very good thing.  The trip involved the TW200 once again, a justifiable bike to haul, extending both the trip's distance away and the length of riding time on the last day.  I'm uncomfortable riding in the dark these days but don't mind driving in it.

Leaving for Cornucopia, Wisconsin Thursday afternoon got me to the Bell Township Park Campground on Lake Siskiwit just before dark, camping fee in the primitive park a very fair $6/night.  A quick camp setup, the bike stayed on the trailer until Friday morning.  The Noah's Tarp stayed in the trunk until morning as well.  Watching stars over and above the lake while seated around the campfire was a great way to end a long day.

Friday morning......


First ride after eggs and sausage was south to Long Lake.  This is the small picnic area and boat landing at the west end.  The family has spent numerous afternoons swimming and picnicking at the east end of the lake.


Rode quite a few fireroads and plowed through lots of deep sand, almost too much even for the fat-tired TW200.  Back to camp for lunch and to finish setting up camp.  There had been another unit in the camp over night, but they had left bright and early Friday morning.  Friday mid-day, I was the only one there.


After a quick lunch, I was anxious to get back on the bike for some more exploring.  Having visited the area often, I was curious about the many dirt roads that lead away from Hwy 13 as well as the county roads, especially the dirt roads that led north up to the lake.  I set out to start turning north towards Lake Superior at every opportunity.

"ATVer's No Donuts....."


One of the roads to the Lake.....


Fairly overgrown......


And then the lake, right above some of the sea caves....


Another shaded road, not necessarily very car-friendly....


Big Sand Bay Road, Sand Island in the distance......


A different spot, the beach at the end of Allen Road, Sand Bay in the distance.....


At the end of Eagle Bay Road, maybe the loveliest beach of them all, a couple of the Apostle Islands in the distance.  These last end-of-road-beaches are all on the Red Cliff Reservation.  This one, just around the corner from Point Detour, the spot I'd been a couple of years before on a very windy, rainy day while I was completing the Trans Wisconsin Adventure Trail, a Route that friend Chad put together that essentially uses gravel and fire roads to traverse the 'height' of Wisconsin, from the Illinois border to Lake Superior.  I spent some quality time here on a lovely July day........


Saturday morning didn't start wet and rainy but it got that way by mid-morning.  It hadn't started yet when I stopped on this hill.  Bark River Road, looking east into the valley.


The Port Wing dock and breakwater renovation.




The squall line was rapidly coming east, towards us from Duluth.  I headed back to Corny, really in the mood for a hot cup.....

And I found it, a very good one (raspberry scone too!).  While I was inside, the hard rain started.


Late morning, under the Noah's Tarp, ear buds in, some lunch and only partly hearing the falling rain.  Kayaking class had arrived Friday night, now away somewhere practicing getting wet........


The rain let up after lunch, so I got back on the bike, back to the west to continue where I left off that morning.  The Bark Bay Slough Natural Area




Bark Point Boat Launch.....


Port Wing Boreal Forest...


Brule River Outlet into Lake Superior....


Cornucopia Airstrip.  25 years ago Peg and I happened to be in Corny the same weekend that there was a large airshow, across the lake in Duluth.  A Stearman biplane was returning home to Illinois after the show and stopped at the mowed airfield, offering rides for $25.  I took the best plane ride I've ever or will ever have; open cockpit, fresh air and speeds and altitudes that made being "up" a true pleasure.


Sunday morning, bright and clear.  The wetter sand made for better riding....


The Fire Tower.  This trail UP doesn't look steep, but it is.  I tried a couple of times, sand was too deep and too soft, then found another way up......on the blacktop service road ;)


This is where I'd have come up, had I been able to make it in the soft sand.




Looking south from the base of the tower.....


South Niemisto Road.....


Sioux Beach....


Back in Corny, the obligatory photo in front of The Twin Sisters, wife Peg's grandfather's now-on-land fishing boat.


After spending time in the very fine museum, I returned to the bike parked by the Twin Sisters and saw a group of people standing in front for group photos.  Not recognizing anyone, I thought that possibly they were family on Peg's side that I didn't know.  I asked and found out that the extended family gets their photo taken in front of the boat every time they're on the south shore since they've got twin daughters, one of them not present this trip.


Back to camp for takedown and the return back to southern Minnesota.....


Packed, the bike on the trailer and ready to go.....


Just under 400 miles for the weekend on the bike, slightly more than that on the car.  I'll be doing this again!


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