Same place as last year, only a week later and for the most part, this year's week delay put us into what just may have been on average the most colorful. We've been fortunate enough to witness more brilliance in the area though this year was awfully darn pretty.
We four made our way up Thursday, got ourselves settled and went out in search of what turned out to be a very elusive old CCC Camp. We missed it but it will be a target for next year....our reservation is in for the same cabin, same weekend in '24.
Mileage for me on the weekend was 270 miles...including a few on the Madeline Island Ferry. Thursday afternoon was the quick red loop, Friday was our group ride to Madeline Island. Saturday I took off on my own, a wander that looped up to Port Wing and lunch at the boat ramp.
Check out my new set of Battle Axe tires!
Our 3rd year now at this resort and cabin...
In search of the old CCC camp we wound up at a new place. On previous visits, the road (bridge) to the Fishery was always closed. The new bridge, very grand was worth a stop.
Friday morning, a busy (long wait) Delta Diner. We were glad that we managed the wait however!
My Breakfast Sandwich, Eric's stuffed French Toast across....
County H.....we ran into these horrible tar snakes back in August while camping in Herbster. I think there was consensus, we've never encountered any that were more slippery.
Almost to Ino on Hwy 2.....
Colors were bright....there were pockets.
Peg recommended a hike out to Houghton Falls....so we stopped.
These were on the hike out to the falls but the forest floors in general were home to bounteous mushrooms everywhere I looked.
The cavern, the falls were subdued with not very much water running through.
The end of the trail at Lake Superior.
Bayfield on our way to the Madeline Island Ferry, here the Carnegie Library, a place I try and spend some time in during all of our Condo Weekend visits.
The ferry line.....
There was light drizzly rain on the ferry ride and for part of our loop on the island.
I wanted to share the Big Bay County Park with the guys.
After the park, we looped back to LaPointe
Grampa Tony's....perpetually closed and FOR SALE
We found coffee and some sweets at the Coffee Shop....
We planned a "ride mine, I'll ride your's..." but we never got around to it.
Waiting to board the ferry...
Boarding the ferry...
Working our round-a-bout way to Washburn...
Niemisto Rd, most of which is an off-road bike passage....
I wanted to have fun with this....and I did. Back in August, Steve and I saw a Tshirt, Steve saw a Tshirt that we both looked interesting. The pile was small, 3 in fact and none of them were our size. A small PostIt note, "supply is low, give me a call....John". When we got home from our weekend, I called. Possibly a week later, John called, he found a couple of shirts and offered to mail them or....if I would be coming north again, we could meet. Steve had no idea any of this was going on behind the scenes and I wanted to surprise him with a shirt that he'd forgotten about.
From the island, texts were shared, a time and location that we could make after our ferry crossing was agreed upon. We arrived at the coffee shop in Washburn a few minutes prior to our scheduled time.
John was right on time, we learned more about the old railroads, the area and local history that I was hungry for and that the other guys were tolerant of listening to. Steve donned his shirt right away, a happy customer.
FS-695 on the way to Birch Grove Nat Forest Campground
Long Lake County Park, our family has picnicked and swam here....
Make sure you See Motorcycles.....
I just love the light on these late afternoons in (almost) October
We were almost back to Delta....way tooo many deer lurking in the ditches before we got back.
Saturday morning we split up, I took off on my own and wandered with no real destination in mind. That is until I noticed Orienta Falls on the map. Never heard of it, never been there before, so I had to go.
See 3 fishermen on the shore of Iron River?
A motorcycle in Port Wing....
The village of Port Wing on the right, the Boreal Forest on the left.
The Boreal Forest State Natural Area....
Saturday lunch at the Port Wing Boat Launch...
Another evening meal at the resort lodge....
Sunday morning the guys helped me load the '78 Honda 400 Auto.
Here I was north of Hayward on my way home, WOJB on the radio and I was enjoying Polka Hour. I recognized many of the bands from listening to dad's record....he'd have been proud of me.
A lot of video was taken, on the ground, on the road and in the sky. I'll be Posting at the video place soon, just not yet, I'm in no real hurry.....I'm retired.
We had a great time, no catastrophe's, nothing out of the ordinary at least. The weather was mild, only a few quick showers. The weekend was the end of season event for us as far as I know though we're all hoping to squeeze a few more miles in.
quite the day of riding! the mud on FS-695 looked slippery.
ReplyDeleteWe always have a great time riding up there, this year's recent rains made the sand easier to navigate but you're right, 695 was gooey in that stretch. My new tires did very well though, I'd have been in trouble with the previous ones.
ReplyDeleteI like the "you are here" dot on the screenshot.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that I remembered this time....kind of fun to be crossing water on a motorcycle. I've done the same on the ferry to Washington Island and on the Badger crossing Lake Michigan as well.
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