Touring - Riding around Lake Michigan

I am going to be riding around Lake Michigan this summer for charity with 6 other people (check out www.team242.com for more info), last week of July, first week of August. First, has anyone done this and their experience. Second, anybody local to the lake have any tips of the trade. Prevailing winds, weather expectations, traffic density, traffic niceness to riders, etc. I appreciate any help. Thanks.

i live in muskegon right on the lake let me know what way you plan on coming i might have some tips

We are starting around Milwaukee and heading clockwise.

I don't know. In summertime in Chicago, winds are sometimes from the south, and sometimes from the west. If you're headed south and you hit winds, it could be a bit stiff at times. Other than that, I do't have too much.

Koffee

Eat pasties when you're in the Upper Pinensula- old school power bars!

Prevailing winds along the WI side will be south/west at that time of year. Expect few problems with motorists in WI. The stretch along US2 in the UP will have the most high speed traffic, including lots of travel trailers and semis. Some stretches have good shoulders, but not all.

"Cooler near the lake" is something we hear alot of in the summer months. Be ready with spring/fall type clothing. I once lived about a block off the lakefront, sometimes in summer we would have fog stay along the shore all day. We'd be wearing sweatshirts, but 6 blocks inland the sun was out and kinda hot (shorts & T shirts).

Good thing you can't bike across the Mackinac Bridge..The winds have thrown compact cars into the drink..Bikes are even lighter...

Good thing you can't bike across the Mackinac Bridge..The winds have thrown compact cars into the drink..Bikes are even lighter...

I've ridden across the bridge as part of an organized ride (the traffic police were rather militant about keeping the pace up), more than 5 years ago. Is that ride no longer held?

Seamless...I know on a day to day basis bikes must be loaded on buses..Seems the transit authority even provides for those buses?
The only day Mackinac bridge is open to pedestarians, etc...The famous Labor Day walk...Sure the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce would fill you in...
The Yugo fell in the drink in November..Not too many cyclists then...Lake Michigan is my favorite Great Lake..Gaul Cory..If you guys aren't super racers, it would be a dream to join in...How open is this charity ride...To the mountains we encounter in the west...THink the ride might not be too strenous...
Some cycle tour sponsor should pick up on this idea..

Good thing you can't bike across the Mackinac Bridge..The winds have thrown compact cars into the drink..Bikes are even lighter...

i did the labor day bridge walk two years ago.the winds were really high the whole bridge was moving, it was not fun. they ended up stoping the walk. first time ever..

Cyclezealot, I had a bit of trouble understanding your whole post, but we ride around 100 miles a day (a couple days of 60, a couple of 140) at around 18 mph. Take a break every 20-25 miles, and a nice long lunch. To be honest, I don't know how open the ride would be, right now it is just a group of friends that do it, but if you were really interested, first check out our site at www.team242.com and then contact Andy at tmslovic@yahoo.com, he is the ride leader and can get you more info.

Cory...I am a real Yooper fan..."Say, yeah to the UP heah"..the UP logo..That bumper sticker is on the back end of my car.....Just wondered how open it is...Will check out the site...
a flat 60-100 sounds easy to us westerners..Not that I am a racer.
I see one of your riders is from California.If not with you guys, would be nice if someone organized this ride for us- tourist types..In fact it would be a feat to cycle even 1/2 the lake..Biking through Chicago , would seem to be a challenge. ?

I've ridden across the bridge as part of an organized ride (the traffic police were rather militant about keeping the pace up), more than 5 years ago. Is that ride no longer held?

Bicycles are still allowed to cross the Mackinac Bridge for the DALMAC tour (crosses the day before the Labor Day crossing for pedestrians), and I believe for one or two other tours as well. The Bridge Authority does escort you across, with vehicles in front of and behind the group. Part of the escort process is to lay down matts to cover the expansion joints, which would be terribly dangerous otherwise. It is an experience, to be sure, to pedal across! The escort tries to keep the group at a constant 5 - 7 MPH, which is CONSIDERABLY slower than most people would want to go - there is much more braking than pedaling. As a matter of safety, the crossing are not permitted if weather is questionable.

Pel-o-ton: that sounds like the ride, thanks for the update. I remember it was windy, the surface swayed noticeably, but loved the ride.

Actually, Chicago has a wonderful Lakefront path that spans most of the city. If you have never been to Chicago, they have done wonderful keeping the lakefront open and building free. The one spot I am worried about is Gary, IN, the armpit of the midwest, apologies to anyone from Gary.

Concerning Gary, I had no problem riding from the Chicago lakepath through us41 to us-20 which cuts through downtown Gary. US 12 is the "scenic" alt to 20, and intersects 41 north of 20 so if you are coming out of Chi you will pass 12 first. When you google up a map things seem very confusing because of all the industrial and commercial arteries. Just head out and you pretty much are routed by necessity in the right directions. The somewhat parallel 12-20 merge east of Gary. On 20 you will pass through one of the main streets, with a very wide inside parking and in effect biking lane. It is a no-brainer in terms of no congestion, and the economic blight which persists downtown there results in rather few pedestrians hanging around the downtown area. My ride was on a hot 4th of July, so I don't know if that means more or less population than normal. A few older couples walking down the sidewalk actually waved at me, a very nice welcoming touch. US 12 passes through slower-paced neighborhood sections, with advantages and disadvantages. I toyota'd this route several times in the last several years to see whether it was bike-friendly, and I'd say as long as there is daylight or predawn it's good. Of course, US 20 once was the route from the Boston area to the Pacific (Newport, Oregon), and it has a history associated with it. Like Route 66 out of downtown Chicago to California, it has great potential as a tourway, and apparently some diehards regularly use it as such in their summer pilgrimages.

http://www.geocities.com/usend2029/index.htm