Kind of a long story here so I'll start off with just the basic question:
Starting at Muskegon MI and riding around the lake counter clockwise back to Chicago, what are the "must see"; "must ride" spots?
OK, now for the long story. I was talking with a sport biker/track biker/C14 owner acquaintance (
TGE on the other forum) at a bike night here in Fort Worth, where I mentioned how my C14 is mostly limited by my skill set. I was complaining that there are so few ERCs (now called BRC2?) in the area and when they finally get around to having one, it's always at a bad time for me. He offered that most times the ERC is like the basic course only using your own bike. He thought that I would get much more out of a
Lee Parks' Total Control course. I looked up the schedule and I see there is one in Grand Rapids MI just around the time (Aug 4) that I'm looking for an excuse to visit family in Chicago. I make plans for some twisties in Arkansas, a stop over in Branson MO., followed by a few days in Chicago. Then, Saturday Aug 3rd I'm going to head up to Milwaukee for lunch at Mader's German restaurant followed by a
ferry ride across Lake Michigan to Muskegon and continue to Grand Rapids for the Total Control course the next day. I'm somewhat committed to the trip (I announced too soon, and there are now familial expectations), but I find out that there is a good chance that the Aug 4th class may get cancelled. So far I'm the only person to sign up for it, apparently early August in Michigan is too hot for most mid-westerners.
Assuming that I can't get a bunch of you to sign up (arm twisting emoticon goes here) and save the course for me (I think that's a safe assumption), I need to make some alternate plans and I thought a ride 3/4s of the way around the lake might be a viable alternate. Not as educational, but enjoyable none the less, I hope. There are some routes listed online at various websites, however when I go to the Google street views all I see are a lot of trees and houses even though the lake is very close to the road. It seems that I may only get a lake glimpse here or there when lucky. Doesn't seem set up at all like say the PCH. This is especially true on the lake's east shore, the north shore and the Green Bay shore look very promising. The drive south from the city of Green Bay to Chicago doesn't seem promising either (down Wisconsinites, down , I meant for lake shore riding, I like the Wisconsin countryside just fine.
), but I was expecting that. I was thinking that other than the Mackinac Bridge (
pronounced) there must be some other must see spots (or must ride roads) along the lake that I can string together via the GPS directed faster routes, rather than follow the lake itself and slowly not see much of it.
So for those that have been there or have made extensive plans for that, what are the must see spots-rides?
