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Gold Wing Touring Association
Local Rides During Gold Rush |
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As an association, we are fortunate to have Gold Rush held again this year in an area that offers some spectacular riding opportunities. The northern part of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula truly offers some very nice riding, generally free from heavy traffic when outside of the larger cities. The northern Michigan area is no exception. When you get to Gold Rush, we will have a variety of rides laid out for participants to take. The rides will begin and end at the Boyne Mountain Resort. There will be shorter loops, like taking a ride around Lake Charlevoix or longer rides like going to Mackinaw City and back. Many of the area roads have lots of curves that take you through open fields and dense forests. There is only one 4 lane limited access interstate highway in the area, that being I-75 the north and south route through northern Michigan and that will not be one of the scenic roads that our ride routes will use.
Some ride ideas are listed below. The first five rides listed below have instructions setup for the ride that can be printed from a .pdf document by clicking on the link associated with the ride. These rides will be in your member packet when you get to Gold Rush.
Mapped out rides
Go north on US-131 to Petoskey. Continue straight on US-31 going north where US-131 ends. Follow US-31 around Little Traverse Bay through the historic Bay View area then past the strip mall business districts to M-119. Make a left onto M-119 and continue north to Harbor Springs. Continue to follow M-119 north of Harbor Springs. The road will get narrow as you enter the Tunnel of Trees and there are no center line markings, just edge marks. Ride safe. There are lots of curves and there is no shoulder on M-119 through this stretch of road. There are beautiful big homes along the way and occasionally you will have glimpses of Lake Michigan on your left. You will go through a wide spot in the road called Good Hart. Continue north on M-119 to Cross Village. M-119 will end in Cross Village, but continue straight on North Lake Shore Drive. At the stop sign, Lake Shore Drive will go to the left and Sturgeon Bay Trail will go to the right. You need to go left and stay on Lake Shore Drive which will parallel you long side of Lake Michigan. Lake Shore Drive makes a 90 degree right turn and becomes Lakeview Drive and you will start driving away from the lake. Following the curves this will turn into Gill Road. At Cecil Bay Road, make a left (there will be a road sign to Wilderness State Park) and this road is also known as C-81. When the road ends at Wilderness Park Drive turn right and stay on C-81 paralleling Lake Michigan again. Make a 90 degree right and stay with Wilderness Park Drive (still C-81). In less than a mile, Wilderness Park Drive (still C-81) will turn left, so be sure not to miss that turn. Continue to West Central Ave (still C-81) and go right onto West Central Ave into Mackinaw City. Continue through downtown Mackinaw City to Huron Street and turn right heading south. At US-23 turn left and head south towards Cheboygan. In Cheboygan make a right turn onto M-27 (Main Street). Continue straight out of town on M-27 south to I-75 where M-27 will end. Continue straight ahead on Straits Hwy (Old US-27) into Indian River. After going through town the road will turn into M-68 at the stoplight. Continue going straight (west on M-68) and about a mile down there is a second stoplight. Continue straight on Old US-27 (do not make the right turn onto M-68). Continue south through Wolverine and just north of Vanderbuilt is C-48. Make a right turn here and head west to Boyne Falls. When you get to US-131, make a left and head back to Boyne Mountain. Around 145 miles.
Follow county road C-48 thru East Jordan thru Ellsworth to Atwood. On a good day you can see Lake Michigan in the distance as you roll through the hills toward Atwood after leaving Ellsworth. Turn left and go south on US-31 to Eastport and then left on M-88 and go south (lots of curves) for about 26 miles to Mancelona. Turn left and go north on US-131/M-66. Turn left on M-66 and go north towards Charlevoix. Turn right on county road C-620 and go to Alba. Continue across US-131 on the Alba Hwy to M-32. Turn left on M-32 and head west towards Elmira to US-131. Turn right on US-131 and return to Boyne Falls. Around 95 miles.
Wolverine, Petoskey, Boyne City
Go north on US-131 a short distance to C-48 east toward Vanderbuilt. When you get to Old US-27, turn left and go north to Wolverine. In Wolverine turn left on Main St (C-58) and head towards Petoskey (lots of curves). The view as you come into Petoskey of Little Traverse Bay and Lake Michigan is beautiful. You will come through downtown Petoskey (about 6 blocks). At the stoplight after going through downtown, veer to the left and get on US-31 south. At the junction of US-31 and US-131, continue straight on US-131 to M-75. Turn right on M-75 and ride along Walloon Lake into Boyne City. Continue through Boyne City and then head back to Boyne Falls on M-75. Around 65 miles.
Lake Charlevoix Ride with the car ferry
Boyne Falls to Boyne City on M-75 to Lake St then turn left on Lake Street, then right on Main Street, then turn left on Front Street , which will turn into Lake Shore Drive. Continue following Lake Shore Drive which turns into Ferry Road. These roads all parallel the south shore of Lake Charlevoix. At Ironton there is no bridge across the south arm of Lake Charlevoix so you will drive your motorcycle onto the ferry boat for a 5 minute ride across the lake (motorcycle fare is $3.25 or motorcycle and trailer fare is $6.50). Follow the road up the hill after you get off the ferry to M-66. Turn right and go north on M-66 to Charlevoix. Turn right on to US-31. Follow US-31 thru Charlevoix to county road C-56 then turn right following it back around the north side of Lake Charlevoix to Boyne City. Turn left on M-75 and return to Boyne Falls. Around 45 miles.
East Jordan, Bellaire, Central Lake, East Jordan
Go south on US-131 to M-32 (lots of curves) and turn right and head towards East Jordan going all the way through town to M-66. Turn left on M-66 and head south towards Mancelona. At county road C-620 turn right and head towards Bellaire. Left on Derenzy Rd then right on Cayuga St into Bellaire. Cayuga will turn into M-88 that is followed through town to Central Lake. Go right on Old State Rd to Kidder Rd (towards East Jordan) and follow Kidder Rd to the stop sign. Make a left (you will still be on Kidder Rd—there is no road sign here) and follow it back to M-66. At M-66 go left back towards East Jordan, continuing to the stop light at C-48/M-32. Go right on C-48/M-32. Continue past the M-32 junction going straight on C-48. At the C-48/C-73 junction, go straight through on C-73 taking you back to M-75. Go right on M-75 back to Boyne Falls. Around 80 miles.
Unmapped out rides
The rides listed below have not been officially mapped out with mileages for Gold Rush. Feel free to explore on your own.
The Breezeway Ride plus Torch Lake
Follow county road C-48 thru East Jordan thru Ellsworth to Atwood. On a good day you can see Lake Michigan in the distance as you roll through the hills toward Atwood after leaving Ellsworth. Turn left and go south on US-31 to Eastport and then turn left and go south on M-88. Don’t go very far, maybe a mile to East Torch Lake Drive. Turn right and follow this road thru Clam River, Alden, Rapid City and Barker Creek back down to M-72. Many sections of East Torch Lake Drive are 45 MPH but it is a very nice ride with glimpses of Torch Lake and gentle curves. Turn left and take M-72 east back to Kalkaska, then left on US-131 go north back to Boyne Falls. Around 110 miles.
Boyne Falls, Vanderbuilt, Gaylord, East Jordan
Go north on US-131 a short distance to C-48 then turn right and go east toward Vanderbuilt. Turn right and take Old US-27 south into Gaylord. Turn left getting on M-32 following it west out of Gaylord thru Elmira to US-131. Turn right on US-131 (US-131 and M-32) will run together for about a mile. Turn left on M-32 (lots of curves) and continue west to East Jordan. In East Jordan, turn right at county road C-48 and head east back to Boyne Falls. Around 70 miles. |