The Motorcycle-Friendly Lake Superior Circle Tour

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Category: ON Great Canadian Day Rides

Published on Friday, 11 September 2009 04:02

Written by Mike Shusterman

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I am an avid motorcycle enthusiast and I ride a sport-touring style bike, and as such living in this beautiful region I am proud to say that I have rode the Lake Superior Circle tour on two wheels. It is a great opportunity to see the big Inland Sea from all angles and in two different countries. It truly is an amazing body of water. You certainly see more of the spectacular on two wheels.

The change is drastic from the north side of the Lake to the southern heavier populated U.S. side from what we are familiar with- the rugged wilds of the north shore, and the small communities hours apart to the bustling, more urbanized communities within a few miles of each other; the tourist rest-stops and accommodations of the south shore.

I was surprised at the number of bikers that frequent this Circle Tour. Some clubs like the U.S.-based Wolf’s Head Club make this an annual event. It is always refreshing to meet-up with fellow bikers, who are all starting to look the same age! They are always so friendly and willing to talk and share their findings, and of course talk at great length about the virtues of each other’s bike.

During these discussions, it is common to hear the riders talk about the Lake but also sometimes about what is lacking as far as a Tour. When you stop to think about it, how much do you really see advertised about the Lake Superior Circle Tour, except for the odd small green and white sign? There is so much more that could be done to promote this spectacular tourist opportunity. There is a brochure but it does not deal with motorcycles although the cover indicated this.

One thing that I have noticed is that it wouldn’t take much for some communities to put out the welcome mat a little more to entice these bikers to stop in your town. I know being involved with Nipigon over the years that they have made attempts at increasing awareness through the town’s unofficial Ambassador Levina Collins.

So I thought about this some more and wondered what would a motorcyclist appreciate from a community, or the region on their ride around the Lake?

For starters, it would be nice to see some information about this Lake they are circling. I still don’t get it that with such an important, significant and scenic body of water on our doorstep that we still do not promote its features on a big sign. Shouldn’t that be a great start, to have a sign every couple of hundred miles depicting what is significant about that particular stretch of Lake? It has a very interesting history, is world renowned, and historical from the First Nation’s perspective.  To read the rest of the article: http://netnewsledger.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=336:the-motorcycle-friendly-lake-superior-circle-tour&catid=41:outdoors-now&Itemid=103

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