Adventure Motorcycle Blog

Sooooo……..Much…..Sand…… and a handful of unplanned tactical dismounts 😑.

As we kicked off the day, the temperature hovered around a brisk 39 degrees, a chill that lingered in the air as we prepared for our adventure. By 7 a.m. it had warmed slightly to 43, but as the hours rolled on, it hit high 60s and low 70s. Despite the rising warmth, it still felt a bit cool, particularly under the heavy fog that shrouded everything around us. The moisture hung thick in the air, causing our visors and goggles to drip with beads of condensation.

After enjoying a hearty breakfast including Poptarts, we loaded our bikes, organized our gear, and synced our helmet communication systems. Finally, we set off! Our first stop was a mere 11 minutes up the road at Iron Mountain, where we refueled and prepared to tackle the trails ahead.We soon found ourselves on a rugged path—an intriguing mix of gravel, rocks, and shifting sand—heading eastward. For the majority of the day, we wrestled with terrain that varied from a mere inch to six or seven inches of sand, a challenge one could only appreciate after reading blogs about the more extreme conditions awaiting us further north by Lake Superior. Hours slipped by as we navigated the sandy trails, enduring a fair share of spills along the way. A couple of us “ate shi$” a few times, but all in all still a good time. The ride was a trial by elements; we navigated through mud, dust flew up behind us, and deep puddles spanned the entire width of the trail. Plus there was the occassional direct hit from rocks coming off bikes infront of me. We drove around downed trees and braced ourselves for the occasional side-by-side vehicle zooming towards us. Scenery flashed by as we passed dozens of cabins and picture perfect lakes, wooden bridges, and even spotted seven deer darting around. About 3/4 into our journey, we realized we had only covered half the planned distance. Opting for a change in tactics, we veered onto gravel roads, making our own path to Gladstone. The original plan would have kept us on the trails longer, but we wanted to avoid potential fuel shortages or mechanical issues as night began to creep in. Odds are we would still be out there if we stayed on the gpa tracks. Finally, we arrived at our Vrbo in Gladstone, MI, and peeled off our grimy riding gear, feeling the relief of fresh air. We crossed the street to a waterfront restaurant, and made our way to the back patio. I found it amusing how underdressed we all looked; I was in running shorts, a tank top, and water shoes. But hunger won over fashion, and we indulged ourselves, splurging on a delightful dinner! The salmon was excellent! As the evening settled in, we turned our attention to charging our devices, looking over maps, fine-tuning our bikes, washing our bikes, and preparing for the adventures that awaited us the next day..

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