Michigan

(42.2753906 N, 83.7377931 W)

Bay City camp

(43.6644584 N, 83.9044816 W)

Spent the night at the Bay City Camp on Saginaw Bay. I got in pretty late and don't remember much of it other than that it wasn't raining.

Pinconning, Michigan. Home of the mythical room full of NT650 parts. Yeah, right. It turned out that the owner of the store was just getting into converting an NT650 for ice racing but was still trying to locate a suitable pipe, among other things. I suggested using an M4 Products pipe which could be had from Arizona Motorsports for about $450. My bike was in a more advanced state of race ready than his. Hard to believe but true.

Needless to say there was no room full of parts.

Grayling

(44.6621704 N, 84.7100831 W)

99.08.09
Road Trip '99 Log
Grayling, MI:

Amazingly I got an APRS message from Pat last night to "CALL JARL" but I couldn't respond because I couldn't hit a digipeater.

Today I need to find an IrDA printer and a post office again to send off the latest batch of photos and post cards.

I also need to get cash from an ATM today, right now. The nearest one with no charges is a NorWest bank. The Customer Service line for NorWest in Minnesota is 800 222-6679.

The closest NorWest affiliate is in Manistique and is the MFC 1st National Bank at 226 Cedar Street, Manistique, MI.

The next ones are in Escanaba. All of them are MFC 1st National Banks:

1121 Ludington

412 North Lincoln Road

516 North Lincoln Road

-----

Mackinaw City

(45.7800293 N, 84.7402955 W)

Mackinaw Bridge photo S.

(45.7867348 N, 84.7281022 W)

Mackinaw Bridge from the south end
45.78674 N, 84.72810 W

St. Ignace

(45.8651733 N, 84.7293092 W)

I need to keep going today and get further on because the lodging here is very costly. Must keep going. Must keep driving...

Mackinaw Bridge photo N.

(45.8494717 N, 84.7054321 W)

Mackinaw Bridge from the north end
45.84947 N, 84.70543 W

Near the little town of Epoufette I went past a very recently killed deer. It was laying on the right hand side of the lane but I saw it far in advance (100 Watt high beam, don't ya know) and slowed down to take a look as I went by. I went about a mile further before I decided that I should turn around and get a photo of the bloody mess. By the time I got back there somebody had stopped and dragged the deer off the road and was in the process of butchering it. I guess you gotta be quick 'round these parts if you want your share of road-kill venison. So much for the photo op.

Manistique

(45.9613037 N, 86.2481690 W)

99.08.09
Road Trip '99 Log
Manistique, MI:

Found the bank in Manistique and got $400.

Tonight I'll be staying in the Harbor Motel (@ 45.9545875 N, 86.2459428 W) because it's raining and all my luggage is wet. I hope it stops before morning check-out time.

The town Post Office is right next door to the motel. How convenient. Now all I need is access to an IrDA printer (which probably doesn't exist in this town).

I still haven't found my Valkyrie-girl although from the number of blondes in this part of the country I must be getting closer.

bank

(45.9553814 N, 86.2461466 W)

motel

(45.9545875 N, 86.2459428 W)

79.08.10
Road Trip '99 Log
Manistique, MI:

My right thumb is still somewhat numb and I think it's from that stupid Throttle Rocker device. That really should have been made of a more vibration damping plastic instead of the hard ABS-like plastic that it is. It's gonna get a bad review in spite of being a good idea because of what its done to my thumb.

Well, where to today?

-----

Escanaba

(45.7443237 N, 87.0693971 W)

Iron Mountain Mine

(45.7823038 N, 87.8638727 W)

Iron Mountain Iron Mine
45.78230 N, 87.86388 W

Small Stope at Iron Mountain showing cave in

Big Stope at Iron Mountain showing cave in

Norway

(45.7937622 N, 87.9016114 W)

Iron Mountain

(45.8239746 N, 88.0664063 W)

Ironwood

(46.4584351 N, 90.1593018 W)

79.08.10
Road Trip '99 Log
Ironwood, MI:

Today was a productive day. I changed the oil in my bike's engine, mailed two film chips and the books from the Air Force Museum, and went on a tour of the Iron Mountain Iron Mine (@ 45.78230 N, 87.86388 W).

Tonight I'll be staying at the Advance Motel in Ironwood. The motel is of a very low quality, although not quite as bad as the one I stayed at in New Orleans.