• If you currently own, previously owned or want to own an Avalanche, we welcome you to become a member today. Membership is FREE, register now!

Cruise Around Lake Michigan - July 30 - August 5, 2006

I can make the cruise if it was on...

  • Week of July 23rd.

    Votes: 2 22.2%
  • Week of July 30th.

    Votes: 3 33.3%
  • Week of August 6th.

    Votes: 2 22.2%
  • Week of August 13th

    Votes: 1 11.1%
  • Any of this dates

    Votes: 1 11.1%

  • Total voters
    9

NorthFace-of-NW-IN

SM 2003
Full Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2002
Messages
503
Location
N.W. Indiana
It's official!!!!!!!!

Cruise Around Lake Michigan

July 30 - August 5, 2006



Let's get this rolling so we can have a good turn out. :wave:

The way I see it right now, it will be a very informal Cruise/GTG. There will be a lot of driving (200 to 300 miles a day for 5 to 6 days) a lot of rest stops along the way (resting, sightseeing, shopping, eating, etc...) and a lot of fun (I hope).? :cool:

Every member would be responsible for their hotel accommodations, their meals and any other expense along the way. Since we most likely will have a schedule we'll follow we can try and get discount rates at the different stops along the way. Maybe some local members can try to get us discounts at different areas.

Once again it will be a very informal Cruise/GTG. Any one can show up at any time during the cruise, and joins us for as long as they would like to.

Local members familiar with the different areas can take charge of that part of the cruise if they like.

Any and all ideas/suggestions are welcomed? :welcome:

David
______________________________________________________________________________
I copied the list of interested parties from the other thread and this is what we have so far:

Attending

1.? ?NorthFace-no more
2.? ?Mdz66
3.? ?OldVMer
4.? ?GoldBowTie
5.? ?Jnspur - Blackchev



Maybe

1.? ?The Mongos
2.? ?NPLimited
3.? ?Irontrain
4.? ?MichiganSilver03?
5.? ?Joe2002

Let me know when to move you to the Attending List. :D



This is the preliminary route as it appears on the map.

Day 1(Sunday 7-30-06)
? ?Meet somewhere in N.W. Indiana
? ?Travel to Milwaukee, WI
? ?Continue on to Menominee, MI
? ?end day one
Day 2 (Monday)
? ? Drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
? ? Boat cruise
? ? end day 2
Day3 (Tuesday)
? ? Travel to Sault Ste. Marie (visit the locks)
? ? Tour the locks
? ? Travel to St. Ignace
? ? end day 3
Day 4 (Wednesday)
? ? Visit Mackinac Island
? ? Mackinac Bridge
? ? Travel to Traverse City
? ? end day 4
Day5 (Thursday)
? ? Travel to Manistee
? ? Travel to Silver Lake State Park
? ? Off-road adventure in the park sand dunes
? ? end day 5
Day 6 (Friday)? ?
? ? Travel to Holland, MI
? ? Travel through St. Joseph, MI
? ? Travel to Indiana Dunes
? ? end day 6
Day 7 (Saturday)
? ? Head back home.


Total Cruise takes 1023 miles Approx.

There will be no more than 6 hrs driving per day(first and last days). That leaves plenty of time for visiting some areas and refueling stops (trucks and members)

Personally I don't like big cities with lots of traffic, so I don't think we would spend much time in Chicago and Milwaukee, unless the locals can take us to some nice places to see.

Once again I am open to any and all suggestions and ideas.

__________________________________________________________
These are the reservations I made so far. Posting it here for members to look and see if they want to use the same hotels or not.

Check-in: Sun, Jul 30, 2006
Check-out: Mon, Jul 31, 2006
AmericInn Menominee
2330 10TH STREET
Menominee, MI 49858
Ph: 906-863-8368

Check-in: Mon, Jul 31, 2006
Check-out: Tue, Aug 1, 2006
Best Western Of Munising
M-28 EAST
MUNISING, MI 49895
Ph: 906-387-4864

Check-in: Tue, Aug 1, 2006
Check-out: Wed, Aug 2, 2006
Comfort Inn Beachside
927 N STATE ST
St Ignace, MI 49781
Ph: 906-643-7733

Check-in: Wed, Aug 2, 2006
Check-out: Thu, Aug 3, 2006
Quality Inn By the Bay
1492 US 31 N
Traverse City, MI 49686
Ph: 231-929-4423

Check-in: Thu, Aug 3, 2006
Check-out: Fri, Aug 4, 2006
Comfort Inn Hart
2248 COMFORT DRIVE
Hart, MI 49420
Ph: 231-873-3456

I am leaving Friday night open. I may stay around the Indiana Dunes, or I may decide to just go home that night.
________________________________________________________________________

Thank you.

David
 

Attachments

  • Around Lake Michigan3.JPG
    Around Lake Michigan3.JPG
    95.8 KB · Views: 116
I know Michigan has a lot of State Parks so we will be using our Av tent.  Have to find out  about Wisconsin.  I have a our area of responsiblity covered.  Anytime after June 1st works for us.
 
OK Everyone,

I updated the first post with some info. I did this yesterday but forgot to add a post to let everyone know I did it. :E: :E:

Let's try to keep this as the main thread for this Cruise/GTG. I will ask Jeremy to lock the other thread and add a link to this thread for everyone to be directed here.

Let's get this ball rolling. :D

Later,

David
 
When we did this cruise a few years back we too a little side trip up to Sault Sainte Marie and went through the Soo locks. We thought it was a highlite of the trip. I doubt that you can get your Avalanches on the tour but here is a link if you guys are interested:

http://www.soolocks.com/rates.phtml


Butch
 
Z66 BUTCH said:
When we did this cruise a few years back we too a little side trip up to Sault Sainte Marie and went through the Soo locks. We thought it was a highlite of the trip. I doubt that you can get your Avalanches on the tour but here is a link if you guys are interested:

http://www.soolocks.com/rates.phtml


Butch

Thanks Butch, we'll keep that in mind when we get closer to finalizing a schedule of activities.

David
 
Michigan DOT has a "CIRCLE TOUR ROUTE"  that goes along Northface's route.  I would do the linky thing but I ain't smart enough :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:michigandot.com might get you there
 
michigan.com wouldn't let me in.  :mad: :C:

Try this:
http://www.great-lakes.net/tourism/circletour/michigan/
 
That's pretty much what I did. I looked around to see what routes were available from different sources, and then just made my own map.

Now I need to know who is still wanting to do this.

We may still do it on our own if no one else is interested.

Later

David
 
Northface...Sounds like a great idea but we have to work. I would love to see a bunch of AV's going down the road. We live bout 1hr away from I-94 so the chance of seethis is small but....My wife's family has a house 30 miles from Traverse City on Torch Lake and they live in Stevensville. So we may be able to see this drive if it is planned when we are up the lake or at their house. Please keep us posted on your tour dates
 
Hammer said:
Northface...Sounds like a great idea but we have to work. I would love to see a bunch of AV's going down the road. We live bout 1hr away from I-94 so the chance of seethis is small but....My wife's family has a house 30 miles from Traverse City on Torch Lake and they live in Stevensville. So we may be able to see this drive if it is planned when we are up the lake or at their house. Please keep us posted on your tour dates

We have yet to decide when we are doing this. I am leaning towards the week of July 30th.

Did you check the thread for the GTG at my house on July 8th?? you may want to try and make this one so far we have 11 avs showing up.

Joe2002 you are also invited to my GTG.

Here is the link: http://www.chevyavalanchefanclub.com/cafcna/index.php/topic,58415.0.html

Later

David
 
Thanks for the invite Dave, But we will  be up in door county that whole week. I have a place up there.hopefully this lake cruise will work out.  Joe
 
NorthFace-no more said:
Now I need to know who is still wanting to do this.

We are still hoping to make this.  Need firm dates.  We have another commitment on July 29, but are open beginning July 30.

  --OldVMer
 
Looking like this GTG died on the drawing board.  :(

  --OldVMer
 
Yeah, that's what I was thinking too.? :(
I am still in if some definite plans are made this week.
Running out of time to make all the necessary arrangements.? :cautious:
 
I'm going up to the BBQ to get an answer.  :D

Well, that and some good food.

Oh yea, and a chance to talk trucks.  :B:

  --OldVMer
 
Okay, we talked about this trip at the BBQ today.  This GTG is on for July 30 thru August 6.  :B:  Or as much of the route as anyone cares to join the caravan for.

Here's the deal.  NorthFaceNoMore has been busy at work and unexpectedly remodeling the kitchen, so hasn't had the time to get into detailed planning that he would have liked to, but the gist of it is that the itinerary that has already been laid out is good enough to get us started, and now that we have definite dates, we need to find out how many of our AV family are going to join us. 

General idea is that we'll leave Sunday from northwest Indiana and pick up several trucks along the west side of Lake Michigan.  The plan is not to spend too much time on side trips until we get up to the UP area.  There we'll slow down, enjoy the sights at a more leisurely pace before heading down the east side of the lake.  Those of us coming from the east can split back off for home while the rest continue around the south end of the lake and home.

NFNM, put us on the attending list.  So, who else is in? 

  --OldVMer
 
We are in, pending vacation approval (which is usually not a problem) and finding a new kennel (the old guy retired) to keep the "kids."

Our hope is to spend just a little time in Chicago, so we would probably drive to Chicago on Saturday the 29th, spend the night and join up with the group on Sunday the 30th.

I like the plan of spending most of our "tourist time" in the U.P.

Should we start looking to find and book rooms somewhere in the U.P. for Sunday night and/or Monday night and/or Tuesday night?
 
1st question... how far north do we go sunday?  Menominee,  Escanaba or St Ignace    All 3 cities have plenty of hotels.    Menomionee to Escanaba is 1 hour, to St Ignace is 2 more total of 3 for me but much more for others.  I plan to do campgrounds as much as possible, east side of the lake has lots of State Parks.  St Ignace has one with views of the Mackinac Bridge.
 
OldVMer, GoldBowTie,

I will put ?your names on the attending list.

Let me know how long it takes to you guys to get to my place to give me an idea of how far we can get the first day. I will look at the route, but I am thinking that the will make it all the way up to MDZ66's place on the first day.

There are a couple of places that we have stayed at while visiting MDZ66 for the Pipeline evens. Maybe he can try to get us a discount rate again.

I will try to get a list of hotels and camgrounds that are close to each other and are nearby our estimated rest times.

Looking forward to this GTG.

Later,

David
 
Mdz66 said:
1st question... how far north do we go sunday? Menominee, Escanaba or St Ignace All 3 cities have plenty of hotels. Menomionee to Escanaba is 1 hour, to St Ignace is 2 more total of 3 for me but much more for others. I plan to do campgrounds as much as possible, east side of the lake has lots of State Parks. St Ignace has one with views of the Mackinac Bridge.

Matt,

As soon as I get an answer from OldVMer on his travel time to northwest IN, I will try to set the route for the first day. Don't want to make anyone travel too much.

A question for you Matt, How long to the locks from your house? that could determine the route and activities for the second day.

I think we can get this iron out by the end of the week.

Later,

David
 
it's 4 hrs 14 minutes Mapquest Menominee to Sault Sainte Marie (the locks)

I'll be working Tues-Fri nights that week  :(
 
Back
Top