Back And Forth, Twice

June 15, 2024

Near Ontonagon, Michigan

I did something today that I really don't like doing . . . and I did it TWICE! No, it wasn't something illegal or morally questionable; it's more of a personal bike tripping quirk of mine. I just don't like riding out and then riding back via the same route. If I have to go out & back, I prefer a loop, or an oval, or even an elongated oval, using different roads.

Well, there is only one road that leads to and from Lake of the Clouds. I suppose I could have stayed true to my zero-tolerance for out & back rides simply by not going to Lake of the Clouds. HA! That would be like saying "no" to a million dollars in cash because you'd have to carry it home. Lake of the Clouds is my favorite SMALL lake in the world. There was no way I wasn't going to do an out & back to see it.

It's a seven-mile trip through a multitude of view-blockers, and it gains 700' of elevation, and the last quarter mile is a killer, but it's all worth it when you get there. (I did have a slight advantage in that I was able to leave most of my heaviest gear at the campsite. I only carried water, a few snacks, and rain gear.)

I'll be going UP into those mountains--after the road takes me down. Why do roads do that?

The Porcupine Mountains Wilderness is one of the most popular destinations in the Mid-west for backpackers--at least the ones who like rugged trails, rivers, streams, waterfalls, lakes, ponds, leeches, huge trees, bears, birds, porcupines, racoons, snakes, mosquitoes, biting flies, and scenic overlooks. I've spent six nights in the Porcupine Mountain backcountry myself on two separate backpacking trips, so I know.

Here is one of many trailheads in the park. I hiked a little way up there just so I could say I got into the actual wilderness. To this point, while the roads look pretty wildernessy, they aren't true wilderness. A true wilderness has no roads. Come to think of it, a TRULY true wilderness probably doesn't have hiking trails either.

Mining was a big thing all over the western U.P. This is a mine entrance that was abandoned more than 100 years ago. Now, according to a nearby information board, an estimated 15,000 brown bats hibernate in there during the winter. I like bats because they eat mosquitoes. They like me because I eat pasties.

Are you ready for my pictures of the second greatest lake in the world and the reason for my seven-mile side trip? I don't know if I'm ready to show them, but I can't think of any more ways to build up the suspense. So, without further ado, here they come.

Wait, I forgot to mention that I met another bike tripper at the campground this morning before I set out on this ride She was from Colorado and had driven to Duluth to start a tour similar to what I'm doing. She was going in the opposite direction though, so we were able to exchange some important road information.

Okay, here come the Lake of the Cloud pictures.

The million-dollar view. You might remember the picture of me standing on those rocks 25 years ago. It's on the first page of this journal.

How can a simple combination of cliffs, trees, water and sky be so amazing?

After hiking around the area for a while, I raced back down the same road without taking another picture. I had to get packed up to start heading east. I can't be dilly dallying in the Porkies forever.

But when I got back down to Superior level, I was able to dilly dally long enough to stage this little skit with my evil alter-ego, G-2.

Alright, I packed up and started eastward. Despite getting a good night's sleep, I felt tired after only a few miles. In Silver City, I used a restaurant's wifi to make a motel reservation. I felt guilty that I didn't even eat there.

I do not like making reservations. I don't like the stress of having to decide between showing up for them versus losing the money I guaranteed with a credit card. On the other hand, I also don't like the stress of being turned away due to what the hospitality industry calls “no vacancy.” It's a stressful Catch 22. As I wrote in a previous page, I try to avoid stress.

But it's tourist season in the U.P. While it's true the tourist season in the U.P. is nothing like the tourist season in major tourism destinations in Europe or other parts of the world, it's also true that there aren't as many hotel options here--especially on a summer weekend.

The good news is I found a mom & pop motel that had a room for me about 10 miles further up the road. The bad news was that the room wouldn't be ready until 3:00, and at this point it was only noon. That's okay because I'm very adaptable.

The highway along Lake Superior was delightfully flat. I came to the place I had reserved, The Sunshine Motel, and it looked pretty nice. I continued on for another four miles to the town of Ontonagan, where I spent some time blogging at the public library, and where I picked up a pasty for tonight's dinner. Then I returned to the motel. That explains my second out & back of the day.

Beautiful rock formations reminiscent of the Oregon coast. LOL

Pizza and pasties. I opted for the pasty. It wasn't as good as either of the pasties I had in Ironwood (the crust was too thick) but a pasty is a pasty, and any pasty is better than no pasty.

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Today's ride: 37 miles (60 km)
Total: 152 miles (245 km)

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Bruce LellmanWhen I was hiking through feet of snow in the Porkies in 1982 and then it started to rain hard and continued to rain hard all day which made the snow really sloppy, I wish I had had that exact sentence in my mind, "I can't be dilly dallying in the Porkies forever." But I did get out of there as fast as I could. The trail turned into Slush River. It was an experience. But the Porkies are one of my favorite places.
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5 months ago

Gregory GarceauTo Bruce LellmanHey Boof, I was just re-reading my U.P. journal and can't believe I failed to respond to this comment. I experienced a "Slush River" on a trail in Wyoming's Bighorn Mountains, and it was not fun at all. In my case, I was descending, and it was July, and the air temperature warmed up quickly. In your case, you were ascending from Lake of the Clouds, and it was March, and the air probably warmed up not one bit. You win!
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2 months ago