ohioskully great mines think alike got the exact same picture in front of the grist mill at babcock state park, man i need to hit the road again, 2 more weeks.

 

bruce that was a great find for us we almost didn't go down that road everyone else was like ah lets just go and i pissed them off and turned down that road to the mill as i remember what they look like and they all thanked me when we got down there and saw what we would have missed.

 

You're a little over a week late! I live near Akron and just circled Lake Erie the weekend before last, with a group from the XL forum(Sportsters & Buells). There were more Big Twins on the ride than Sportsters, however.

It's a great group and a great ride. This year was the 5th annual and it occurs every Memorial Day weekend. You should consider joining us next year. Here's a link(don't know if you need to join the forum to read it or not):

http://www.xlforum.net/vbportal/foru...d.php?t=393211


The neat part about this particular ride isn't the roads, but the people you meet. Many only do part of the ride, so you add and lose people as you proceed.

Thursday morning, riders depart from Michigan, near Detroit, although we had riders from as far away as Illinois and Wisconsin this year. Friday evening is spent at Geneva on the Lake, Ohio. Since I'm nearby, I joined the group there Saturday morning.

The highlight is when we cross into Canada at the Peace Bridge and the Canadian contingent greets us in Fort Erie. They then lead us to Tilsonburg where we spend Saturday evening going out to dinner and socializing.

On Sunday we depart after breakfast for the return home, escorted by our Canadian hosts to the border. This year we crossed the Detroit river back into the U.S. on a ferry at little north of Windsor to avoid the long lines at the bridge and tunnel in Detroit. Other years have seen riders taking the ferry across Lake Erie, avoiding Detroit altogether.

I don't usually like group rides of more than 3 or 4(we probably averaged about 20 bikes this year), but this ride is an exception. Good people, scenic(at times) roads(we hug the Lake) add up to a memorable experience. I highly recommend it!

 

Sorry, had a brain fart in my previous post.

Riders leave the Detroit area on FRIDAY morning, not Thursday morning as was stated.

 

man sounds like a great time, id like to do that with you all next year.

Ill be up your way by geneva on the lake sometime here soon got some dice roll places to hit up there.

 

Skully, and anyone else here, you'd be more than welcome to join us next year. We'd love to have you!

The combination of U.S. and Canadian riding groups really make this a unique ride. In addition to lunch and fuel stops, this year a short side trip took us across the longest covered bridge in the U.S.(4th longest in the world).

I have heard there may be some changes for next years ride, however.

Because I've somewhat hijacked this thread I have another suggestion for a trip this summer that's within 600 miles of Cleveland.

It's hot enough in Cleveland during the summer and going south is even worse, so how about visiting New England and Quebec. I've done this several times and always had great trips.

You might go through Lake Placid, cross Lake Champlain by ferry into Vermont and head north to Quebec. From there, if you like large cosmopolitan cities with great restaurants you could head toward Montreal.

If you prefer small resort type towns in beautiful countryside, there are many such choices near Magog. You probably want to have at least a rudimentary knowledge of French here, however, as English is not as widely spoken as in larger metropolitan areas, where you can easily get by without any ability in French.

My top choice, however, is Quebec City. It is the only walled city in North America and sits high on a bluff overlooking the St. Lawrence River. It is probably the most European city in North America, as well. Quebec City would put you more than 600 miles from Cleveland(Montreal is 580 miles) but, in my opinion, the extra 2-1/2 hour drive is well worth it. Allowing a FULL day is adequate to tour the city, with 2 days being about perfect. While English is not as widely spoken as in Montreal, you will be able to survive nicely without a knowledge of French. After all, Quebec City is a tourist destination, although not a prime one for Americans.

Even though a knowledge of French is not necessary to have a great trip, taking a little time to learn a few common phrases shows your interest and respect for French Canadians. By learning common greetings and how to ask if someone speaks English(in French) you will be surprised how much more rewarding your experience will be. Most(upon hearing your difficulty with French) will respond to you in English, but they will be truly appreciative that you took the time to at least greet them in French. Indeed, I've found that most will then go out of their way to help you.....trust me on this!!

Really, all it takes(this is true of any trip) is an adventurous attitude, a willingness to laugh at yourself(not being afraid to make a mistake speaking French) and an acceptance of and genuine interest in the people and places you visit. Do this and your almost guaranteed to have a great time!

 

Sounds like some great ideas. One day i do plan to ride along the new england coast line thru all the small sea front towns etc.

 

I'd love to do a New England tour as well........especially in the fall. I'll bet the colors are magnificent. Only problem, I heard that New Hampshire is pending legislation that will BAN or fine all bikes that dont have stock pipes on them.

Click on link below to read this insane legislation they are proposing. It's not just LOUD PIPES......it's NON STOCK PIPES.

http://www.reuters.com/article/press...009+BW20090126

 

Hey jriley. I live in Wellsboro PA, N central PA. Rt 6 goes right through it. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with N Western & N Central PA. Lots of stuff to see. I live about 10 miles from the PA Grand Canyon. I can leave on a Sunday, ride around in N Central & Western PA, come home with over 300 miles on the bike, and I never get tired of it. Rt 6 in Western PA is a great ride. There are some great rides, off of 6, some things to see on the trip, good biker stops for burgers, etc. I know a place where tons of bikers go & spend some time watching hang-gliders take off, Elk County has the largest herd of free-roaming elk east of Colorado. (Saw 31 of them there, a few weeks ago --- just roaming around this little town, eating the shrubs off peoples' landscaping! Not all in town, but alot of them were.) Stuff like that. Lemme know if you want more details, route numbers, etc.

Jim

 

Might be a bit further than you want to go but I would consider a trip around Lake Superior. Search lake superior circle tour and there is lots of good info there.