Michigan's Upper Peninsula Adventure Trail (UPAT)

I have wanted to travel to Upper Michigan to do Cannonshot's documented trail from the Adventure Rider website. The track is 2,100 km (1250 mile) long and documented with gas spots, camping, some motels, points of interest and Cannonshot's photographic stops.



Bryan is a wonderful researcher and photographer who puts together an excellent, well documented ride report.

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=627424&highlight=UPAT

I have wanted to complete this track for a number of years with other rides getting in the way so, this year I decided it was going to happen come hell or high water. I originally planned to depart around the first long weekend in August which, then got postponed 3 times with work issues taking precedent. I had to be home by no later than September 18th and so, we decided to trailer the bike up to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan where I would start the loop with fresh tires and drive the bike home.



After a 700 km drive, we pulled into the Soo, Michigan, registered at the Best Western and then shot over to Wal-Mart to purchase the Michigan Department of Natural Resources ORV permit and affixed it to the bike.


Day 1 - 270 km (162 miles)

I'm suited up and ready to go.


My wife headed home with the car & trailer and I headed down I-75 then across Hwy # 28 to the Raco Army Airfield. http://www.airfields-freeman.com/MI/Airfields_MI_N.htm#raco
This is now used as an automotive winter test facility.



After my first stop I skipped across the road and was heading through the ditch to pickup the rail-trail when I rode right up onto a half buried, downed fence post and proceeded to drop the bike. Whoa, not 20 feet off the highway and I'm picking up my loaded bike, what a start! I got up onto the rail-trail and first headed east, then west after sorting out some GPS issues and picked up the actual trail.


My first impasse;


I was heading north through Paradise and onward to Whitefish Point and the Shipwreck Museum. Drove into a light spitting rain.






Having visited the Museum on past trips through the Upper Peninsula, I took a couple of pics and headed back down the Point and in a westerly direction towards the Two Hearted River and the former Rainbow Resort which unfortunately burnt down in a forest fire this summer.




The trail to the Rainbow Lodge was very deep loose sand so, I bypassed the actual site and continued on to Grand Marais, Mi. for the night, staying at the Beach Park Motel.




It was a great first day, I flushed a coyote out, who I followed down some single track as he wouldn't leave the trail, suffered a bit of light rain but, really enjoyed the absolutely awesome trails of the Upper Peninsula.

UPAT - Day 2 273 km (164 miles)

The temperature was cool but, great riding weather. I wasn't in a rush so, I headed out of Grand Marais after a hearty breakfast. The trails, forest roads and some County paved roads were great.


I continued west on mostly un-maintained logging type roads & trails, seeing a number of deer tracks, bear scat and a lot of Grouse. I was driving through the Lake Superior State Forest, heading to the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore. I stopped at the Log Slide and Sable Du, a sand peninsula jutting out into Superior.


Forestry was an important component of the Yooper. Logs were hauled to the Lake's edge and slid down this 300 foot embankment. The pictures just don't do the drop justice.










Wonderful motorcycle roads in the area.


I continued onto Pictured Rock.






I rode to the Yukon & Alaska in 2006 and the one thing I didn't see were Bald Eagles. I was taking pictures of the shoreline when a fellow traveller points out the Bald Eagle in the tree!




A lot of water on the trails today. Ran into about 20 Mudders', mostly Jeeps. Side-by-Sides and a Hummer - this is God's Country for the outdoor recreational activist!


What I initially thought was Wild Turkeys turned out to be Cranes


Munsing Falls


More nice road


Stopped outside of Sawyer Air Force Base, the B-52 Bomber is absolutely huge. Check out my bike in the parking lot behind the bomber.









Made it to Marquette, Mi. for the night.

I love the photos and it would almost be worth the trip to me if i could catch some shots of a Eagle.

Thanks for the report John. It looks like something i need to add to my bucket listI

Ride safe!
I think the UP has some more to offer than the lower P that we road last week.

I've done Cannon's ride twice at the UP. A great place to ride, endless trail system. :!:

UPAT - Day 3 324 km (194 miles)

Started out of Marquette under-dressed, it was probably in the mid 40's fahrenheit. A fair about of hard packed sand roads that evolved into un-maintained seasonal roads.


Not alot of pictures today as the morning was cool but, the afternoon became very warm and I ended up on tighter trails. At one point in the early morning my mirror and glasses actually frosted over when I crested a high hill.




In the afternoon I ended up on single track with the trails very sandy. Thankfully, it had rained earlier making the sand somewhat firm. Met a very nice couple from Lansing, Michigan who were trailer camping and exploring different trails on their bikes each day.


Rolled into Houghton, Mi and got a room at the Country Inn & Suites.

UPAT - Day 4 233 km (140 miles)

Another cold start as I circumvented the Keweenaw Peninsula.


The Western side of the Upper Peninsula is where alot of logging and mining resources are, hence the trails went from sand to alot of rock. A lot of sharp rocks so, I slowed down as I didn't want to slice a tire open.






Ran into 3 guys from Ohio doing an modified UPAT, rode with them to Copper Harbour and got gas.






Beautiful beaches, just really cold water.

Looks like you had a great adventure.

Any update? On Advrider there was something about a ktm and trailer? You/bike alright?

Pausing to build suspense :lol: :lol: - just busy at work, will get back at it shortly.

Received some images from the Ohio fellows I met on the Keweenaw Peninsula below Copper Harbour.


The trail I had been following was closed and they happened by while I was looking to re-route. They were low on gas and were heading back to Copper Habour so, I tagged along with them.

Hey, John;

What brand of tank, saddle bag do you have there?

FYI for anyone else doing what I had been doing...if you wear your tool kit as a bum bag and get ejected off the bike, you will get a big, purple bruiser on your butt. I'm looking to switch to something the bike can carry instead.

Bruce

Hey John. I was wondering who that was riding around the neighborhood on a 690. Nice.

Great ride report.

http://www.aerostich.com/bags/seat-bags-and-tail-bags/saddlebags/aerostich-tank-panniers.html

Thanks Shawn.

UPAT - Day 5 - 344 km (206 miles)

After Keweenaw Peninsula I stayed the night in Houghton again to a bright, warmer sunny day.

Victoria Springs










Still a lot of mining






Company on the trail.


Triple trestle




A good reason not to drive on the rubber mats


Traffic jam.




As I pulled off the road into a gas station, the bike quick and wouldn't start as I rolled up to the pumps. Got fuel, paid and was on my way. Drove about 100 km after filling up and came out off the trail onto a County Road, shifted up through the gears, was going about 100 km per hour and the bike just dies, like I shut off the key or hit the kill switch.

Rolled to a stop and let it sit for 5 minutes as, I spoke to a County worker who was working on the opposite side of the road, started the bike up without issue and drove into Land of Lakes, Wisconsin. I put injector cleaner in the tank about every 5 fill ups so, I stopped at a NAPA store and purchased another bottle. Got a room in Land of Lakes, poured injector cleaner into the tank and filled up, taking the bike for a 50 km spin. The bike runs fine through the test run so, I grab some supper and head to bed.

UPAT Day 6 - 130 km (78 miles) by Bike - 370 km (222 miles)

I decided last night that with the remoteness of some of the trails, I would ride the roads for a day and see how things unfold. I skipped back into Michigan, up to Hwy # 2 heading east, as I come to a stoplight approaching Iron Mountain the bike quits again and won't start. I pushed it across the highway, pulled my helmet off and think about options. Turned the key on - heard the fuel pump prime up and she fires right up and runs fine again. Four hundred yards down the road is Iron Mountain Poweresports http://www.ironmtpowersports.com/default.asp and I pull in to inquire about the closest KTM Dealer.. I'm immediately greeted by the salesmen who directs me to the Service Dept. where I met Eric, a Servicewriter for the Dealership. I explain my problem and that I'm looking for the nearest KTM Dealer, Mike the Service Manager pipes up it's Zambon's in Marquette and they immediately phone and hand me the phone. Zambon's only works on off-road bikes and provides no suggestions. I tell Eric & Mike the outcome and Mike say's I know the owner of the KTM Dealer in Green Bay, Wi., and immediately phones that dealership and speaks to the service manager who advised they have never worked on a 690 but, offers to call KTM USA and inquire. They call back suggesting we check the electrical connections which Eric and I go out to the bike and give it a go. After checking all the plugs I turned the key on fire it up and it starts but flutters on & off. I decide my adventure is over head back into the dealership to look for a Penske or U-Haul dealer in the area. I call my wife and we decide to met in the Soo, Ontario tomorrow. I rent a one-way U-Haul to the Soo, Mi. buy straps and I'm on my way. I can't say enough good things about the people of Iron Mountain Powersports - a great crew of folks helping people in need! I attempted to find the owner of the Dealership who was out but, made a point of speaking to the General Manager to express my total appreciation of what their people did for me. A big Thank You goes out to them!

It's a bummer, but, a pretty good excuse to come back up here and ride the Yooper again!


Just like the farm dog, she likes to ride in the back of the truck now & again. Just not as often as a Harley - thank goodness!!! :-} :-}


Friday morning my wife makes the 8 hour drive to the Soo, arrives at 3:00 pm, we load the bike and are off to Peterborough by 3:30 pm. Arrive home at 11:15 pm, a long day.

Bad fuel pump? How many km's on the bike?

15,000 km. Apparently KTM has now admitted to the problem and are now having issues with their off-road fuel-injected bikes. Some guys are carrying a spare fuel pump on long trips, I saw a post on Advrider where I believe an Aussie added a separate fuel chamber to hold a second operating fuel pump, if the first one fails.

Ordered a CA Cycleworks pump from Rob Lang - he said they replaced about 10 pumped on Husaberg's that used the same pump. My intentions are to install the fuel filter outside of the tank, if possible. Alon in Toronto from AdvRider had the exact same symptoms and has already changed his over. He was very kind to provide detailed written instruction on re & re'ing the pump. If the Husky has the same pump, I may order a second pump and do it as well.

I've seen sub 15 min trail side husky pump removal and re-installations earlier this year....




Yamaha has also had issues on the 2008 wr250r's. Thy tend to kick the bucket at 17,000 miles or so.
09 and onward appear to be much better in terms of reliability/failures.

Mine is also being replaced... At 2,000km