- A Motorcycle Ride Report /w Pics - Sturgis 2012' - Page 5:
The ride through South Dakota and back into Minnesota is enjoyable as always, especially because I’m riding a new route. I look for areas I haven’t ridden through before and interesting landscape. I googles ‘Minnesota topo map’ and saw an area that could be interesting in northeastern Minnesota, the Superior National Forest, so that’s where I’m shooting for, the long way to Rainy Lake border.
I’m glad I started back yesterday, now I can explore the Superior National Forest before my rendezvous with Heidi at the border. I still have to hard ride today so the mode is to rest only when needed, and rest only long enough to suck down some liquids and munch down some road food. That’s the way I like to ride anyway.
Blasting through western Minnesota toward Duluth.
Super, I reach Duluth by 6:00PM, still enough time to get further north and make into the Superior National Forest, where I know there has to be tons of free camping.
Duluth Minnesota starts the beautiful north shore drive along Lake Superior. Less than twenty miles up the north shore my route shoots due north into the Superior National Forest.
This is new area for me but it feels very familiar, public forest and public forest roads. I see dozens of fire-lanes and logging roads with large boulders placed at their entrance. I’m sure they are for deterring ATV use on those trails, which is highly regulated in Minnesota. These trails are perfect for adventure motorcyclists looking for a protected camping spot, the boulders would have to be moved for anything with four-wheel to get through.
I like the way this sign reads “Road may be impassable Travel at your own risk” I check out several trails looking for a perfect isolated and protected spot. This is a great area for adventure dual-sport motorcycle riding.
After sunset, I go into the mode ‘look hard for a camp site, Now’. I ride down a few rough dirt roads pulling over to stop and look for any flat area to set a tent. The key for me is to feel confident that no one will ever see me or discover me if I stay just the night. I find a couple of sites that would have been fine but decide to ride further. I mark in my head what the odometer reads so if I can’t find anything up the road, I can always return to exactly this place, in the dark if necessary. I do this for every acceptable spot when its this late in the day.
The next dirt road I try has a small sign with a name on it ‘White Lake’. A quarter mile down is a little sigh showing a symbol of a tent. The trail ends at a small lake and four sweet campsites right on the foot of the lake. What a score, no one here but me.
Witnessing the transformation of twilight over a lake is always a good way to end the day.
Packing up the next morning, I cannot help but notice the torn stitching on my new saddlebags. This will need attention soon.
A forty mile detour right in the heart of the northern Minnesota boonies, all good to me.
Any water site with a secluded place to park is worth a stop in my book.
This is Iron Range country, fabulous northern sticks riding.
After studying the maps, I knew this road was going to be good.
My route goes north through Ely Minnesota, the doorway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area, commonly known in these parts as BWCA, one of the wildest wilderness areas in the United States.
I’m close to the International Border with Canada now, Heidi and four of our good friends should be there already.
All Right! let the party begin.
It got noting but raunchy after this shot so that’s the only photo I will show. We are so lucky to have such fun friends.
We have a pontoon for the next three days for exploring, swimming and fishing this huge lake on the International Border, Rainey Lake.
The weather is ideal for the ride home.
A stop in at my favorite bugger joint, listed in Americas top 150 burger joints, the Anchor Bar and Grill, Superior Wisconsin.
The End:
I hope you enjoyed this little ride report. I think it proves that you don’t need a ton of free time to do a good adventure ride. And it proves that I’m not that different after all, because who wouldn’t enjoy this type of ride. ??
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