Heading east from MN/WI, up or down?

[dstutz]

Either way I'll be starting in WI just east of Minneapolis. The first part of the trip I've already got planned going up through the Adirondacks and into Ontario then following up and over Superior.

 

 

At the moment I'm leaning towards going under Michigan as there are at least foothills on the western side of WI all the way down to the Illinois border (And I could easily add Iowa to my list of states). The problem is after that it seems pretty flat. Going up and over Lake Michigan doesn't seem all that frisky either.

Looking at the map, I'm actually considering heading down into Ohio a little more to get some of those wonderful hills (I was out there September of last year and loved it). Basically...I'll take any suggestions from people out in IL,IN,OH to get back east.

 

What I'm looking for are great roads above all else. For me, it's about the riding. I'm not ashamed to say I don't care that much about historical/tourist/geographical things that make good stops on the trip. I'd rather be in the saddle carving up twisties. I can check out the rest of that stuff after I get married/kids/minivan.

 

For comparison's sake, here are my previous rides:

 

 

[Fubar]

Well, for what it's worth, my $0.02.

Used to live in Alpena, MI and US23 from Mackinac down the Lake Huron coast to just north of Saginaw/Flint area is nice. 2 lane with some elevation changes. It ain't straight but no twisties.

I've been across the UP and the roads are pretty straight away from the coast but I enjoyed it (long ago in a cage).

PA has some fun bits (Bellefonte/State College/Hershey areas) and eastern OH and WV panhandle were nice as well.

If you're looking to get into Canada at a different location, you can cross over at Port Huron, MI into Ontario but I don't believe there is much in the way of fun roads though I have no experience.

[DavidEBSmith]

Southwestern Wisconsin is underrated for twisties. That whole slice of the state from Madison to the Twin Cities to the Mississippi is full of nice roads to ride. I don't think you'll find anything comparable heading up through the U.P.

 

Once you get south and east of Madison, it's just flat until Pennsylvania.

[KarlS]

Follow Hwy 35 in Wisconsin along the St. Croix river. At Winona switch to Hwy 61 on the Minn. side. Stay on it South into Iowa. If you like you could switch to Hwy 35 in Wisconsin at the River in LaCrosse. This is good Riding into DuBuque Ia.

 

Enjoy

[Rocer]

Well, looking at your previous trips (thanks for including them with your post) it'll be hard to top where you've already been.

 

Having said that if you do decide to come north of the border I'd be happy to lay out some routes. Basically, if you cross at Sarnia and hug Lake Huron you'll go through Collingwood (ski country ie. hills), continue east through Barrie, Orillia continuing in the general direction of Pembroke then double back via North Bay, Sudbury and continue north along North Lake Superior. If you're interested I'll detail some specific roads that'll give your sidewalls a work out. And hey, like any members on the ST board a place to lay your head down at our place in the Haliburton Highlands as you pass through.

[dstutz]

Thanks for the tips so far guys.

DavidEBSmith and KarlS, I planned my route heading south along the western part of WI as you suggested and plotted out a fairly snaky path through all the hills. Google is awesome. I followed along some of it on Street View and I can't wait to ride them for real. I also decided to go under Superior instead of over so I could save some miles for dipping down into southeast Ohio.

 

Rocer, I had a route heading up through NY and into ON before I originally posted in here and I'm already heading right through Haliburton on my way west. In your area I'm heading up 41 from Cloyne, 28, 118, and heading out on 35. If you want to go over it a bit more PM me. I can send garmin GDB or recreate it on Google maps if you'd like.

[rx35285]

Have you considered taking the high speed ferry from Milwaukee to Muskegon? I haven't done it and would appreciate feedback.

 

The two lane roads all the way to the Quad Cities aren't bad if you go low. Taking the slab thru Gary, IN isn't my idea of fun, just part of the price of admission.

 

On you past trip across MA and CT, was that on the slab? I want to visit a nephew in CT after seeing my son in NH.

 

Dave

NE Iowa

[Rocer]

Well that's pretty exciting - it's always fun to have a rider from the ST board pass through the highlands.

 

Which month are you planning your trip? Your route as you have outlined from Cloyne to hwy 35 is on nice roads but perhaps not as twisty as you might want - more like sweepers, but then perhaps at that point of your trip you may want to expedite things.

 

I might suggest (and here I'm contradicting my earlier post routing you to Picton) heading north from Kingston on hwy 10/Perth Road (and if you get a chance loop off onto Old Perth Road that'll drop you back out onto Perth Road) to Westport (good Inn if you need accomodations by that point), hwy 36 to Bolingbroke through Maberly and Elphin then 12 to Lanark, 115 to Calabogie, 508/65(yahoo)/71 to Griffin, 41 to Denbigh, 28 to Bancroft and I think you're back on our own route at that point.

 

I can fine tune it a little more if any of this sounds interesting ie. I'd send you north from B'croft on 62 to Birds Creek then 5 to Highland Grove, 648 to Wilberforce, 4 to 118 and you're back on track and really no appreciable loss of time.

 

Where do you plan on re-crossing the border? Sudbury, Sarnia or Windsor?

 

I'm not sure how to deal with your Garmin file but perhaps if you have time to transpose to google maps that might be better from this end.

 

looking forward to your reply.

 

Paul