Wow! What a great weekend at Big Snow in Wakefield, MI.
The weather was absolutely perfect, and Big Snow was a real delight! The riding was great too. Besides the trip up to Wakefield, we spent Saturday riding up the North Shore of Lake Superior in Minnesota, and Sunday going up the Michigan shore to Copper Harbor. The scenery was dazzling.
The weather on Friday on the ride up was great, with a few sprinkles early on and then big puffy white clouds scattered across a deep blue sky.
Club members arrived at the lodge between 5-6 p.m. The group also included a few CRBMW members and some folks who had heard about the trip through our club Facebook posting.
We were greeted by Steve Eliasen from Big Snow. He made sure everything we might want was taken care of, and rode with us to show us the sights.
We were met by Sue Rihn, MOA Director, and part of the Madison Club. She and her husband Tom were checking out the area as well.
It was great to share with Sue some of the new things we're trying to do as a club.
Dinner was on the expansive deck of Big Snow, with fantastic views and hummingbirds flitting around the tables, heading to and from the feeders. The Friday Night Fish Fry....it was sooo good. Came with homemade potato pancakes with applesauce as well.
Saturday started out with the group assembling in town, and some heading out on their own while others made their way into the lone bakery to experience a Pastie for breakfast.
Then it was on to the North Shore of Minnesota, passing through Bayfield WI, skirting Duluth, MN, and on to check out some of the beautiful waterfalls at the state parks along Lake Superior.
The riding was good. Stopping for gas or catching a hot dog for lunch, we were among those who donned our masks during this strange new world of Covid 19.
It was great to see the line of bikes in front and behind as we explored the area.
We all met up again at Big Snow for dinner on the deck and watched the sun go down.
Sunday it was on to the Michigan side of Lake Superior.
We grabbed a quick breakfast at Big Snow, and the group of us headed out with Steve who was anxious to show us the scenic roads to Copper Harbor.
We were joined by a local rider, John and his wife. John, an early Iron Butt member (his number was in the 36,000's where now the numbers are in the 70,000's) converted to a trike Gold Wing, but still rides throughout the U.P. The trike did not slow him down!
Again the weather was in our favor, with cool breezes off the crystal blue lake. Steve and John took us along the shore and played tour guides with the history of the area and its mining legacy.
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We took the 9.5 mile Brockway Mountain Drive which offers stunning views of Lake Superior and at its peak, is the highest above-sea-level drive between the Rockies and the Alleghenies.
  Lunch was at Keweenaw Mountain Lodge where we enjoyed salads and burgers in a rustic setting.
The group met back back up at Big Snow, where we had the chance to try dirt bikes on the gravel roads. Some took the challenge and looked like a kids having a lot of fun. Monday morning dawned with a storm front to the west making its way toward us. Everyone left at their own pace and raced the clouds back to Illinois. And yes....we did get wet.
 That's what rain gear and Gore-Tex are for! What a nice trip. Thanks to Bryan Whitehead for leading the ride up. We hope everyone had a great time.If you missed this trip, there's a possible chance to repeat the journey in early August.
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Great writing Liz! Thanks for taking the time!
Thank you for your warm camaraderie while here at Big Snow Resort – Home of Indianhead and Blackjack Mountains. We truly believe we are surrounded by a great gift in the outdoors here in the U.P. We are so excited to have shared our backyard with you. Big Snow is looking forward to the next time we meet!
Matt was a wonderful time. I think there’s another group from the Club planning the trip up August 5 or 6.
Interested in joining your club. Looks like a great group of persons. Also very interested in going up to the U-P in August if it is available with your club.
Jim – sent you an email with our latest newsletter. For sure August to Big Snow in the UP is a go. We’ve got a good group already planning to go. Come along! I’ll add you to our mailing list for all the details.