MI Fall Color Tour 2010....

[wildswing]

T minus 35 days and counting!

Sorry for the separate posts. I just can't manage posting all this info in one reply. Happy reading!

The locals got together to start ironing out details. Here's the latest info with some teaser links and pics. I have saved Google Earth placemarks for each location. If you would like copies, just drop me a PM or email with your email address. I'll send you all my links.

TIP: Before you cross the border, you're going to want to stop for fuel in the Michigan Sault.

Directions from International Bridge to Super 8...

MAPQUEST LINK >>>> http://www.mapquest.com/mq/10-kSKQGKoG

• After coming through Canada Customs drive straight out (as opposed to the exit on the right).
• Turn right on to Huron St immediately after getting off bridge property.
• Drive through the traffic lights. The oncoming traffic lane will end at the corner. Huron St will veer to the left and become two lane, one way Bay St. The casino will be to your left. You'll want to eventually get over into the left lane. You're tuning left in 0.6 miles.
• Go straight through 2 traffic lights (Gore St/St Mary's River Drive & Dennis St intersections). Bay St veers slightly right as you go through the first lights at Gore (left) & St Marys (right).
• Turn left at the 3rd set of lights at Bruce St. At that corner, there's a big new arena, The Essar Center, on the left, a big stone building and shopping mall behind it to your right and a Days Inn across the street on the left.
• Take Bruce St northeast all the way up the hill to the end of the road. You'll go though 3 lights, cross railway tracks, through another set of lights, up a hill, veer right, through another set of lights, then a little left and finally come to traffic lights at a T intersection with Pim St. You'll be facing a Nissan dealership. Turn left (north) on Pim St.
• Pim St becomes Great Northern Road at the next intersection (just past Blockbuster, Burger King on the far left, Canadian Tire on the far right). Go straight through northbound.
• The Super 8 is on the right, about 3/4 of a mile straight ahead just before the Dairy Queen. The Super 8's sign is somewhat hidden by a tree. You'll see the DQ sign before the Super 8 sign.

We've left Friday completely open other than dinner reservations. Sault Ste Marie has a large Italian community, so we're going Italian. We'll be taking you to Giovanni's Italian Restaurant. It's an excellent restaurant with a private back room.

http://giovannisrestaurant.ca/giovannis

Timing will depend on your ETA. We'll give you some time to freshen up and take a load off before heading out for dinner. What's after dinner is up to you. We'll play it by ear since you've been on the road most of the day.

Here's where all this is happening...

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Our first stop is only 30 minutes away at Chippawa Falls, which for you trivia buffs is very close to the midpoint of the the 4860 mile long trans Canada highway.

http://transcanadahighway.com/genera...adahighway.htm
http://transcanadahighway.com/Ontari...asp?segment=22

There's a very short trail (few minutes) that folks can walk up to the falls, or they can be seen from walking bridge along the highway...

http://www.start.ca/users/mharris/wa...ewa-falls.html
http://www.google.ca/images?um=1&hl=...=&oq=&gs_rfai=

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From the falls, we only have 10 minutes before we reach Batchawana Bay and the Voyageur's Lodge and cookhouse. This will be our lunch stop on the way back, but figure maybe a northbound stop here would give you a nice view of the bay.

http://www.voyageurslodge.com/

We will then continue northbound along the rugged Lake Superior shoreline. There will be far more places to see from the car than there are to stop, so be ready with that camera. Almost every curve and crest along the shore provides a new WOW moment.

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Our next stop is just a short 5 minute drive away. Agawa Indian Crafts & The Canadian Carver is a great place to stretch you legs and get some fuel and maybe even pick up a few souvenirs. Not to worry, if you see something you like but don't want to lug it around for the whole trip, we'll stop here for fuel on the southbound leg of the trip later in the day.

http://www.pancakebay.com/
http://www.boldts.net/album/CanadianCarver.shtml
http://www.worldofstock.com/closeups/TAE3011.php

Back on the road, this next stretch will be the longest of the tour, as we drive about 35 minutes to Montreal River harbor and make a fuel stop at the Northgate Service Center just before crossing the Montreal River Bridge and passing Montreal River Harbour. This is the northernmost fuel stop. Our turnaround point is about 25 minutes north, making for a round trip of a little under an hour from this fuel stop.

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We now begin our journey southbound back to Sault Ste Marie, stopping at many of the spots we passed where you said "Hey why didn't we stop back there?" We're now on the west side of the highway so making these stops during the southbound leg is much easier.

Lake Superior Provincial Park Visitor's Center & Agawa Bay Campground is only 12 minutes south. The visitor's center has an amazing display area describing the big lake and there's also a nice place to sit and rest.

http://www.lakesuperiorpark.ca/index...visitor-center



Next we have another WOW moment as we get to see the southbound view from the Montreal River hill. Your ears might pop again.



15 minutes after leaving the visitor's center, we can once again stop at the Northgate Service Center at Montreal River for fuel. Once on the road again, we stop just 10 minutes later at the Alona Bay Lookout. Sorry, my panoramic pic taken from the back of my truck does not do the view justice.