Touring in Michigan
05-02-18, 12:50 PM
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Touring in Michigan
My wife and vacationed in northern Michigan a couple of years ago and I’ve been wanting to go back for a cycling trip. We were there in September and the weather was ideal, but perhaps we just got lucky. I’m considering several options. Adventure Cycling has some organized tours that time of year in the Traverse City area and Upper Peninsula. There is also the Michigander group tour in mid-July. I could also go solo and design my own trip, but that might be rather lonely. Has anyone ridden either the Adventure Cycling or Michigander tours who could provide some feedback? I’m curious about the typical weather in northern Michigan in September as well as the availability of campsites and lodging then. Also wondering if the Michigander tour is well organized or chaotic.
05-02-18, 01:15 PM
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Haven't been on the Michigander, but I hear good things. It is on my list of rides to get to some day. Also of note is the DALMAC, with a few different route options generally running from Lansing to Mackinaw, taking place at the end of August/beginning September: DALMAC - Home Page. The League of Michigan Bicyclists offers a few tours in different parts of the state as well: LMB Bicycle Tours
September is generally going to be decent weather, but it can start to get quite chilly by the mid-end of the month. Lodging should be easy enough, and camping should still be available any weekend but Labor Day.
September is generally going to be decent weather, but it can start to get quite chilly by the mid-end of the month. Lodging should be easy enough, and camping should still be available any weekend but Labor Day.
Last edited by jefnvk; 05-02-18 at 01:19 PM.
05-02-18, 01:23 PM
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Thanks, Jeff. I also found the LMB Shoreline West Tour in August after posting my previous message. I’ll check out DALMAC as well.
05-02-18, 10:08 PM
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Michigan is a great place to cycle. The state has 2500 miles of bike trails, and some nice quiet roads in the rural areas. It is pretty easy to "roll your own" tour. My wife and I did two tours there, and both where very good. The first was a little over 900 mile loop around the Lower Peninsula. The second was a finish to a longer tour where we hit Michigan at the ferry terminal in Ludington, and rode across the state to Detroit. The people were friendly, the drivers courteous, and the rides were good experiences for us. Regardless of how you decide to do it, I don't think you can go wrong.
05-03-18, 04:21 AM
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Originally Posted by tarwheel
My wife and vacationed in northern Michigan a couple of years ago and I’ve been wanting to go back for a cycling trip. …
I’m curious about the typical weather in northern Michigan in September as well as the availability of campsites and lodging then
I’m curious about the typical weather in northern Michigan in September as well as the availability of campsites and lodging then
Originally Posted by Doug64
Michigan is a great place to cycle. The state has 2500 miles of bike trails, and some nice quiet roads in the rural areas. It is pretty easy to "roll your own" tour. My wife and I did two tours there, and both where very good. The first was a little over 900 mile loop around the Lower Peninsula.
The second was a finish to a longer tour where we hit Michigan at the ferry terminal in Ludington, and rode across the state to Detroit. The people were friendly, the drivers courteous, and the rides were good experiences for us..
The second was a finish to a longer tour where we hit Michigan at the ferry terminal in Ludington, and rode across the state to Detroit. The people were friendly, the drivers courteous, and the rides were good experiences for us..
Nice to see a post by you. You may recall we tried to meet up in North Carolina a couple of years ago on my visit there. I recall you retired after active cycle-commuting. And, nice write-up about Michigan cycling, @Doug64. I have posted on a couple of threads about cycling there, including to this recent one,“Suggestions for Fourth of July trip in Midwest.” .
Originally Posted by alan s
…I’ll be in Indiana around the Fourth of July… Was thinking Michigan, but don’t know much about that area. Mackinac Island looks interesting for a day trip. I’d most likely ride for about a week, and would prefer to camp if possible. Also would prefer not driving much further west or too far north, since I ultimately need to drive back to the DC area
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
…FWIW, after decades I still have fond memories of my earliest cycle touring in my home state of Michigan. Tourism is, I believe Michigan’s second largest industry, and it’s largely a rural / forested state with a lengthy shoreline, an extensive road system, and numerous towns and facilities, including campgrounds, spaced at convenient cycling distances.
IMO, an excellent, though perhaps mundane getaway. Just sayin’…FWIW (even as a cross-country cyclist
IMO, an excellent, though perhaps mundane getaway. Just sayin’…FWIW (even as a cross-country cyclist
Originally Posted by Jim from Boston
A lot of my early touring was in the Metro Detroit / Ann Arbor area, still rural enough, on summer weekends (back in the 1970's), and we always found sites. "Up North" are the real tourist destinations, probably north of about Midland, MI, and North of Bad Axe on the Thumb, as I recall back then.)
Originally Posted by jefnvk
You'd be surprised today, even the Detroit area campgrounds are getting overrun. I've gone overnight bike camping at Pinckney Rec Area, just west of Ann Arbor and a nice 30ish mile ride from home, even that on nicer non-holiday weekends can be hard to get a spot.
Last time I went, I pulled in to the sight of someone else setting up in my spot at 730, They figured it would be OK since no one was there yet and the rest of the campground was full
I know a few people that will spend a week in Holly, south of Flint as well.
But yeah, in general places like Petoskey and Mackinaw are harder to get into. Lots of locals have no problem staying close to home, but there aren't many coming to the Detroit area for camping.
Last time I went, I pulled in to the sight of someone else setting up in my spot at 730, They figured it would be OK since no one was there yet and the rest of the campground was full
I know a few people that will spend a week in Holly, south of Flint as well.But yeah, in general places like Petoskey and Mackinaw are harder to get into. Lots of locals have no problem staying close to home, but there aren't many coming to the Detroit area for camping.
Last edited by Jim from Boston; 05-03-18 at 07:03 AM.
