Final Thoughts

It was a good trip.  The weather, overall, was good.  Yep, we had a good shower on the first day.  And yes, it got pretty cool at one point during the week.  But neither were really bad; they made riding a bike uncomfortable, as motorcycle riding seems to often be.  Riders will understand that there are very few really good days for riding in a year.  Most days are a bit too hot, too cold, too wet, or too much wind.  We ride anyway and endure the incomfortableness.  But the really good days are few and far apart.  We had one really great day of riding weather on this trip.

The bikes performed very well.  I rode almost 2,700 miles in the 9 days of my trip.  My bike got an average of about 48 miles per gallon of fuel, at an average of about $3.75 per gallon.  Gary's bike, geared differently, and new, got about 46 miles per gallon.  Mine used no engine oil, which is normal for my bike.  The only problem at all was the two times my engine quit on the way home.  Otherwise they were flawless.

While each day had some highlight, I think I enjoyed the trip over to Mackinac Island the most.  It's a very beautiful place, with lots of pretty dwellings and a water background.  I don't particularly want to go back, but it was worth the time and efforts to go there.

The races were good, and I really liked the facilities there.  Convenient toilets, convenient food, and bleachers made this track very unique.  I'm not as fond of the overall layout of the track itself, but the amenities are very good.  I'd like to go back sometime.

I was disappointed that we did not get to ride Hwy 119 in Michigan.  I rode it two years ago, and it's an incredibly beautiful road.  It would not have been nearly as nice under cloudy skies, and going there increased to a certainty that we'd spend the rest of the day riding in the rain.  It was the right decision not to go, but I was looking forward to riding it again.

I did get my boots and hands in the waters of Lakes Huron, Superior, and Michigan.  I've done Lake Erie before, but have never gotten wet with Lake Ontario water.  So, sometime there will be a trip there to expose myself to its waters.  The Great Lakes are awesome--they really look just like an ocean.

Gary got his 49th state, when we rolled into Michigan.  The only remaining state for both of us is Hawaii.  I think he'll go there sometime, primarily to ride a bike there.  I have little interest in going to Hawaii, so I doubt that I'll ever get that 50th state.  That's okay--I've ridden in more states than most people and I'm happy with that.

So, this closes out this ride.  It was a good one, and now I'll start thinking about the next one, which will be to the BMW MOA International rally in Missouri and the Unrally sponsored by the BMWST.com forum in Colorado.  I'll blog it, so be on the lookout for it in about 4 weeks.

Until then, ride safe!