Day 20 - August 18, 2017 - Tawas, MI to Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (Home)
Day 20 - Friday, August 18, 2017 - Tawas, MI to Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON (Home)
Distance: 632km, Time: 9:00hrs
Sunny with some clouds, Hot 27c to 20c
Got a reasonably early start at 6:30 and headed for the local McDonald's in Tawas which is fast and predictable. Need an additional SD card for the camera so a stop in Walmart was in order. This is one of the 24 hour stores, so at 7am there is no one in the store and limited staff as well.
Today will be the push for home, from Tawas to the Border is about 3 1/2 hours and 290km. Lots of construction around Flint, MI on the I-475 which is the East side ring road. Quick stop at a local liquor store for some wine which I can't buy in Canada, but this place has a very limited supply of anything quality, except for beer.
Boarder is not busy for Canada bound vehicles and the Blue Water Bridge was twinned about 15 years ago, so that helps, no questions at the Border other than time in US and value of goods - no questions on Sturgis or motorcycle vests, one minute later I am on my way and back in the True North Strong and Free.
Now if you were going into the US at this crossing a very different story, the line stretched over the bridge from the US Customs area into Canada to Chatham Street Exit from Hwy#402 - a distance of 3.4km (2.1miles), the border wait time web site called for a 6hour wait time !!!! I have in all my years of crossing back in forth wonder why the US takes 5x the amount of time to clear people/cars, anyway not my concern I am going the other way.
A quick lunch stop at Tim Horton's at Wyoming Road Exit 25 on the 402 and I am off.
Of course there is a construction delay where the 402 merges on a bridge over and onto the 401 Highway just on the outskirts of London, single lane traffic. Once pasted all of that then onto the 3 lanes of traffic on the 401 with endless transport trucks, but I will be off soon in 51km to Hwy403 with less truck traffic but first a stop at the ONROUTE gas station on the 401 and this will be my last gas before home which is now 146km and under 2 hours away.
I make it to the QEW at Stoney Creek, and this time no back-ups - so it is 4:15 this traffic should be stopped, anyway, clear sailing to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Home at 5:45pm, tired hot but glad to be back safe and sound. I will deploy my two grandchildren on Saturday to clean and polish the motorcycle, there are lots of bugs on the bike, most came from Saskatchewan.
This will end a once in a lifetime motorcycle journey, not my last I will point out but a trip that was a solo journey (not counting Frank and Gordon my two Beaver companions). A number of my riding buddies can't believe that I did this trip solo, not scary (at least not for me), but you have to be 150% all the time - no room for error on a motorcycle to begin with but when on your own just a bit more cautious. I will point out that I did not drop my bike on this trip, good thing too fully loaded with me on it - 1,240lbs, weighed on a scale in Ashland, WI Truck Stop.
Would I do another solo trip again - yes, IF I could not find someone to go with me, my trips scare people because of the number of days I am on the road and of course the costs go up with the number of days.
Here are some stats from the journey:
Distance: 9,806km (I was trying for 10,000+) or 6,092.5 miles
Trip Costs in Canadian$:
Lodging: $1,995
Food: $570
Gas: $280
Bike Service: $443
Not including souvenirs and any meals that were paid for in cash.
Total: $3,289
Distance: 632km, Time: 9:00hrs
Sunny with some clouds, Hot 27c to 20c
Got a reasonably early start at 6:30 and headed for the local McDonald's in Tawas which is fast and predictable. Need an additional SD card for the camera so a stop in Walmart was in order. This is one of the 24 hour stores, so at 7am there is no one in the store and limited staff as well.
Today will be the push for home, from Tawas to the Border is about 3 1/2 hours and 290km. Lots of construction around Flint, MI on the I-475 which is the East side ring road. Quick stop at a local liquor store for some wine which I can't buy in Canada, but this place has a very limited supply of anything quality, except for beer.
Boarder is not busy for Canada bound vehicles and the Blue Water Bridge was twinned about 15 years ago, so that helps, no questions at the Border other than time in US and value of goods - no questions on Sturgis or motorcycle vests, one minute later I am on my way and back in the True North Strong and Free.
Now if you were going into the US at this crossing a very different story, the line stretched over the bridge from the US Customs area into Canada to Chatham Street Exit from Hwy#402 - a distance of 3.4km (2.1miles), the border wait time web site called for a 6hour wait time !!!! I have in all my years of crossing back in forth wonder why the US takes 5x the amount of time to clear people/cars, anyway not my concern I am going the other way.
A quick lunch stop at Tim Horton's at Wyoming Road Exit 25 on the 402 and I am off.
Of course there is a construction delay where the 402 merges on a bridge over and onto the 401 Highway just on the outskirts of London, single lane traffic. Once pasted all of that then onto the 3 lanes of traffic on the 401 with endless transport trucks, but I will be off soon in 51km to Hwy403 with less truck traffic but first a stop at the ONROUTE gas station on the 401 and this will be my last gas before home which is now 146km and under 2 hours away.
I make it to the QEW at Stoney Creek, and this time no back-ups - so it is 4:15 this traffic should be stopped, anyway, clear sailing to Niagara-on-the-Lake. Home at 5:45pm, tired hot but glad to be back safe and sound. I will deploy my two grandchildren on Saturday to clean and polish the motorcycle, there are lots of bugs on the bike, most came from Saskatchewan.
This will end a once in a lifetime motorcycle journey, not my last I will point out but a trip that was a solo journey (not counting Frank and Gordon my two Beaver companions). A number of my riding buddies can't believe that I did this trip solo, not scary (at least not for me), but you have to be 150% all the time - no room for error on a motorcycle to begin with but when on your own just a bit more cautious. I will point out that I did not drop my bike on this trip, good thing too fully loaded with me on it - 1,240lbs, weighed on a scale in Ashland, WI Truck Stop.
Would I do another solo trip again - yes, IF I could not find someone to go with me, my trips scare people because of the number of days I am on the road and of course the costs go up with the number of days.
Here are some stats from the journey:
Distance: 9,806km (I was trying for 10,000+) or 6,092.5 miles
Trip Costs in Canadian$:
Lodging: $1,995
Food: $570
Gas: $280
Bike Service: $443
Not including souvenirs and any meals that were paid for in cash.
Total: $3,289
 |
| My patch on my Motorcycle Vest |
Comments
Post a Comment