Great Lakes - Tour planning. Route advice needed.

Hi all,
I'll be coming through your area this summer on a coast to coast tour. I'm from Oklahoma and know very little (ok, nothing) about your part of the world. I would really appreciate it if someone could take a look at our proposed route and make suggestions concerning bike friendliest and things we might want to see or do along the way. Thanks in advance.
Keith
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=210381330892239424788.00049b5730e821d114163&t=h&z=6

Mackinac Island is a must do. If you stay away from everything touristy. Da U.P. has few roads. 2 lane highways w/ Winegegos and lumber trucks or gravel. Marquette is very bike friendly. http://www.miningjournal.net/page/category.detail/nav/5140/Friday--Outdoors.htmlWe groom trails in the winter here for bikes. You'll need at least a 55 gallon drum of DEET to camp a week up here in June. Good luck!

and the 'tunnel of trees'......it's outside mackinaw city going southwest

I'm very familiar with the MN stretch from Ogilvie to Hinckley. You've chosen a good route, but there's not a whole lot out there. MN 47 is smooth and wide. Cty 3 and MN 65, you may wish to jog south a little to the gas/booze/bait shop on the north end of Knife Lake for services. It's pretty much your only stop until Hinckley.

I haven't biked the Upper Peninsula of Michigan but have camped there extensively. It's just a little off of your route but Porcupine Mountain Wilderness State Park is IMO the most beautiful place in the state, might be worth a little side trip if you have the time. The campground at the west end of the park is "primitive camping" but the one I would recommend. Hwy 41/28 from just west of Lake Michigamme to Ishpeming is a beautiful area but will also probably be the most challenging in terms of climbing. Keep in mind what Social Suicide said about sharing two lane roads with RVs and lumber trucks. And he's definitely right about the DEET. Actually you might be better off with a flame thrower, the skeeters and biting flies can get Bad up there in the summer. Mackinac Island is great, especially if you are lucky enough to hit it when the tourist herd is thin, but keep in mind that there is no camping on the island. Munising is a nice little town, and if it's still there, a restaurant called Dogpatch does a good breakfast. Sounds like a great trip, have fun.

Thanks all. We appreciate all the help. Really starting to get excited. So about these insects, are we talking net on the head deal when cycling or just closed mouth?

Thanks all. We appreciate all the help. Really starting to get excited. So about these insects, are we talking net on the head deal when cycling or just closed mouth?

I usually just try to think of myself as a blood donor :) Seriously, if you're not used to the bugs you may want a head net for around camp. At least have some serious insect repellent handy.

Keep your mouth open. Free lunch! The bugs aren't that bad untill you need to fix a flat or anything else that requires two hands.......

It is almost time. I went live with my crazyguy journal yesterday. Pretty big step. Thanks again all for the advice. http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/whenlife