Nothing like planning a bike tour to get you pumped up, excited, and ready to hit the road. Although I don’t anticipate departing until mid to late June at the earliest, it’s a perfect time of year to start working out the logistics and researching the route.

Beginning at either Port Huron or Marine City, I anticipate taking 5 or 6 days on the Michigan side before entering Canada at Sault Ste. Marie, 3 days heading east along the northern shore before dropping down to Manitoulin Island, taking the ferry over to Tobermory, and then continuing along the eastern shore for 3 or 4 days arriving back in Sarnia.

There are two major bridge crossings (Mackinac and Blue Water) that don’t allow cyclists. Both state that the Bridge Authority will shuttle cyclists “at their convenience” but it seems best to have an alternative plan if needed. In Mackinaw it would normally be easy to simply take a couple of ferries via Mackinac Island but, depending on my departure, it could be July 4th weekend.  I suspect that Mackinac Island is not where I want to be on a holiday weekend. I’d much rather arrange transport across the bridge and work out my departure to get me into Canada before the holiday weekend.  As for the Blue Water Bridge, dropping down to Marine City and taking the Bluewater Ferry is certainly an option but I’m hoping to avoid the additional 40 miles along the St. Clair River if possible.

As for accommodations along the route, Michigan looks pretty good at this point. The section from St. Ignace up to Sault Ste. Marie and down to Manitoulin Island, however, looks rather sparse. It looks to be similar to the Upper Peninsula in Michigan with motels and other resources few and far between. Looks like there’s plenty of planning opportunities for those rainy and cold weekend in the next few months.