Road trip through Michigan Ghost Towns
The article “This Haunting Road Trip Through Michigan Ghost Towns Is One You Won’t Forget” describes a place in Michigan that I plan to visit on the Northern States Tour. Much of the Upper Peninsula was home to copper mines, where entire towns were built from the ground up during the 19th century. By the turn of the 20th century, many of these communities fell into … Continue reading Road trip through Michigan Ghost Towns
Video: The Madness of Michael Dunlop
The Madness of Michael Dunlop – Isle of Man TT contains stunning footage of Michael Dunlop while running in the Isle of Man TT in 2012. Continue reading Video: The Madness of Michael Dunlop
Map of BMW Dealers in the US & Canada
Given the Northern States Tour is over 10,000 miles, and the service interval for the R1200RT is 6,000 miles, I will need at least one service while I travel, but probably two. Although all of these are already programmed into my GPS unit, this interactive map is super useful for planning purposes. As my departure date gets closer, I’ll determine where I will likely be … Continue reading Map of BMW Dealers in the US & Canada
Heritage as an art piece
Click on the image to see additional Iron & Air Magazine photos of this inspired custom build. According to the Facebook post, BMW has cleared the parking lot with this home run custom. The BMW R 5 Hommage. Built around an original 500 cc Two-cylinder engine, the remaining R 5 Hommage “took shape in the Noren brothers’ workshop based on sketches by the BMW Motorrad Design Team.” … Continue reading Heritage as an art piece
The Northern States Tour
I have completed the tentative route for the entire Northern States Tour. If I get to ride this tour this year, it will likely be during August and September. I’m very excited for the possibility. The purpose of this stage of planning is two-fold; to get a relatively accurate calculation of how long the total trip will take; and, to start selecting roads that I want to … Continue reading The Northern States Tour
Inspiration – Part of Trip Planning
I came across this video while researching routes for my Northern States Tour. It is a video taken by another rider, Kevin Bray, while traveling Virginia’s Hwy 16 between Marion and Tazewell. Freeways and interstates are useful for moving through a congested city efficiently, and I will use them at times during this trip. But it is two-lane roads cutting through scenic landscapes that I … Continue reading Inspiration – Part of Trip Planning
Northern States Tour – The Northern Leg
I have outlined one half of my Northern States Tour. Stats: Total distance – 5,005 miles Travel time – 3 weeks Number of US States – 11 Number of Canadian Provinces – 7 I have broken out preliminary daily segments below. The segments are written as if I’m traveling easterly on this leg but that may change. The links open google maps to show the day’s tentative route … Continue reading Northern States Tour – The Northern Leg