Upper Peninsula Adventure Trail (UPAT - 1250 miles) - Page 13

OldSilverFox · 11-12-2010, 05:36 PM

Thanks Cannonshot for all the work and effort. Have already loaded the GPS files into my GPS for a trip in the spring. My mind is ready to go but still have some planning to do so the rest of me catches up. I think that this time of year makes the weather too unpredictable for a pleasant trip.

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSilverFox

Thanks Cannonshot for all the work and effort. Have already loaded the GPS files into my GPS for a trip in the spring. My mind is ready to go but still have some planning to do so the rest of me catches up. I think that this time of year makes the weather too unpredictable for a pleasant trip.

Wow you work fast!

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 06:54 PM

Next stop, the ghost town of Mansfield and the site of the Mansfield Mine Disaster.

Iron ore was discovered here so they ran a rail spur up from Crystal Falls and got a mine going. The mine was going well. They were down about 425 feet and had six side shafts. I think 125 miners were employed here.

One of the side shafts ran under this river. The top level was only 35 feet below the river. On September 28, 1893, the shaft caved in under the river and the river flooded the mine. The cave in caused a downdraft that blew out candles and lanterns in the mine. The miners made a break for it but got caught in a torrent of water pouring into the mine.

Five made it out by scrambling up ladders. Twenty seven died. A look at the names gives some hints as to immigrant miners.

Eventually they re-routed the river and got back in business. The mine closed in 1913 and logging and farming took over. The mine eventually got down to 1517 feet and produced 1.5 million tons of ore that was shipped by rail to Escanaba on Lake Michigan.

This ghost town once had 2 stores, a boardinghouse, a school, a church, and three saloons.

As if they didn't have enough trouble, a year after the cave-in a devastating forest fire came through that burned up the stuff on the east bank including some mining works.

The church, on the unburned west bank, has since been restored and is a great building.

Some cabins left to rot.

This homestead has been reasonably maintained and all of the buildings seem to be in great shape.

I am surprised that televison antenna lasted that long though.

A nearby hydro project. Still valuable today.

Note the use of the tainter gates. These were invented in Wisconsin in the logging days and are now used world-wide.

Dormant rail cars are stashed all over up here on unused tracks. Shipping is obviously way down.

You can run 32 (a trail that runs on forest roads) all the way to Gwinn (well, sort of).

Working forest.

Bears hunters drug this road to erase tracks so they could detect fresh tracks later on.

My eyes hurt.

I scouted this again, hoping it had improved since I came through last time.

It hadn't. I turned around and scouted a new route. It turned out to be a great one.

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 07:01 PM

The primary route takes in some of the single track on the Bass Lake Motorcycle Trail.

I have you enter the trail at an interesting section.

If you manage the rocky climbs and descents the first half mile, you will be good to go after that.

After the Bass Lake run, you ride back into Gwinn and you are back to the start! And you will probably want to ride it all over again.

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OldSilverFox

Cannonshot
Thanks for the continued update of pictures and maps. Your work and details make a trip to the UP much more interesting and feasable. I'm going to try and put together a trip for next year,
Thanks again for your effort.

Thanks John! I know you will love this ride. Looking forward to some of the photos you take.

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyNH

Thanks CS!

I will check them out tomorrow... waiting for the next installment here though....

Pat in NH

Thanks Pat. Glad you enjoyed the report and hope you get the enjoy the ride next season. Sounds like you will have plenty of company out there.

Cannonshot · 11-12-2010, 07:15 PM

Well that pretty much wraps up the ride report as far as presenting the ride.

Looking forward to any questions or requests for information that will help people to get out and make this trip.

I know this isn't a CannonTrek, but in CannonTrek fashion I'll send a UPAT oval ride sticker to people who make this ride (while they last anyway). They will look kind of like this but will say "UPAT". Just post up about your experience on the ride and I'll make it happen.

Again, tracks are available for download here:
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=636810

I have three GPX files:

-One contains all tracks and go-arounds so you can customize your own combination of primary and go-arounds.

-One is a ready to load file for the primary route.

-One is a ready to load file with the big bike go-arounds already integrated into the tracks.

Hope this information inspires a lot of people to make this trip. The UP is beautiful and a great place to ride!

(Now that all that is taken care of, I think I'll go hunting and fishing for a week.)

RockyNH · 11-12-2010, 09:13 PM

Thank you so much for the totally enjoyable ride report! The detail, history, photo's, all just superb!

I appreciate your time and efforts.....

Pat in NH

WOXOF · 11-12-2010, 09:33 PM

Great Report Cannonshot.
Hope to get back to the UP soon so I can checkout all these cool places.

Cannonshot · 11-13-2010, 04:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyNH

Thank you so much for the totally enjoyable ride report! The detail, history, photo's, all just superb!

I appreciate your time and efforts.....

Pat in NH

Thanks Pat! Glad you enjoyed it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by WOXOF

Great Report Cannonshot.
Hope to get back to the UP soon so I can checkout all these cool places.

Thanks! Hope you get a chance to get back there soon.

beeper · 11-13-2010, 06:20 AM

Great stuff Cannonshot, thanks for all your hard work!!

I hope to make it up there next year.

sailwa66 · 11-13-2010, 06:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RockyNH

Thank you so much for the totally enjoyable ride report! The detail, history, photo's, all just superb!

I appreciate your time and efforts.....

Pat in NH

What he said.

Awesome job.

Can't wait... and now: 5 months of winter

matkal · 11-13-2010, 06:46 AM

Excellent! Thank you!

Klay · 11-13-2010, 08:54 AM

Thanks for the great wrote-up. Can't wait to get back to the UP.

Double J · 11-13-2010, 10:07 AM

Great job, Cannon!

I've got the tracks loaded to mapsource and planning to make this happen in 2011. Thank you!

11-12-2010, 05:36 PM	#181
OldSilverFox Let's Go! Joined: Jul 2010 Location: Southern Ontario CAN Oddometer: 300	GPS Files Thanks Cannonshot for all the work and effort. Have already loaded the GPS files into my GPS for a trip in the spring. My mind is ready to go but still have some planning to do so the rest of me catches up. I think that this time of year makes the weather too unpredictable for a pleasant trip.

11-12-2010, 06:54 PM	#183
Cannonshot ^OP Having a Nice Time Joined: Jul 2005 Location: SE Wisconsin Oddometer: 13,942	Crystal to Gwinn - Part I Next stop, the ghost town of Mansfield and the site of the Mansfield Mine Disaster. Iron ore was discovered here so they ran a rail spur up from Crystal Falls and got a mine going. The mine was going well. They were down about 425 feet and had six side shafts. I think 125 miners were employed here. One of the side shafts ran under this river. The top level was only 35 feet below the river. On September 28, 1893, the shaft caved in under the river and the river flooded the mine. The cave in caused a downdraft that blew out candles and lanterns in the mine. The miners made a break for it but got caught in a torrent of water pouring into the mine. Five made it out by scrambling up ladders. Twenty seven died. A look at the names gives some hints as to immigrant miners. Eventually they re-routed the river and got back in business. The mine closed in 1913 and logging and farming took over. The mine eventually got down to 1517 feet and produced 1.5 million tons of ore that was shipped by rail to Escanaba on Lake Michigan. This ghost town once had 2 stores, a boardinghouse, a school, a church, and three saloons. As if they didn't have enough trouble, a year after the cave-in a devastating forest fire came through that burned up the stuff on the east bank including some mining works. The church, on the unburned west bank, has since been restored and is a great building. Some cabins left to rot. This homestead has been reasonably maintained and all of the buildings seem to be in great shape. I am surprised that televison antenna lasted that long though. A nearby hydro project. Still valuable today. Note the use of the tainter gates. These were invented in Wisconsin in the logging days and are now used world-wide. Dormant rail cars are stashed all over up here on unused tracks. Shipping is obviously way down. You can run 32 (a trail that runs on forest roads) all the way to Gwinn (well, sort of). Working forest. Bears hunters drug this road to erase tracks so they could detect fresh tracks later on. My eyes hurt. I scouted this again, hoping it had improved since I came through last time. It hadn't. I turned around and scouted a new route. It turned out to be a great one.

11-12-2010, 07:01 PM	#184
Cannonshot ^OP Having a Nice Time Joined: Jul 2005 Location: SE Wisconsin Oddometer: 13,942	Crystal to Gwinn - Part II The primary route takes in some of the single track on the Bass Lake Motorcycle Trail. I have you enter the trail at an interesting section. If you manage the rocky climbs and descents the first half mile, you will be good to go after that. After the Bass Lake run, you ride back into Gwinn and you are back to the start! And you will probably want to ride it all over again.

11-12-2010, 07:15 PM	#187
Cannonshot ^OP Having a Nice Time Joined: Jul 2005 Location: SE Wisconsin Oddometer: 13,942	That's a wrap. Well that pretty much wraps up the ride report as far as presenting the ride. Looking forward to any questions or requests for information that will help people to get out and make this trip. I know this isn't a CannonTrek, but in CannonTrek fashion I'll send a UPAT oval ride sticker to people who make this ride (while they last anyway). They will look kind of like this but will say "UPAT". Just post up about your experience on the ride and I'll make it happen. Again, tracks are available for download here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=636810 I have three GPX files: -One contains all tracks and go-arounds so you can customize your own combination of primary and go-arounds. -One is a ready to load file for the primary route. -One is a ready to load file with the big bike go-arounds already integrated into the tracks. Hope this information inspires a lot of people to make this trip. The UP is beautiful and a great place to ride! (Now that all that is taken care of, I think I'll go hunting and fishing for a week.)

11-12-2010, 09:13 PM	#188
RockyNH Older Than Dirt! Joined: Apr 2008 Location: Southern NH Oddometer: 1,057	Thank you so much for the totally enjoyable ride report! The detail, history, photo's, all just superb! I appreciate your time and efforts..... Pat in NH __________________ RockyNH Dualsport Corespondant for SideStandUp.com Radio Show 02 1800 Gold Wing - "Wing" 05 Ural Gear Up "Herbie" 07 F650GS - "Grasshopper" - Totaled July 2010 05 DR 650 - (?????) Purchased August 2010 Trip Report 2009 Trans Lab Highway Trip Report 2010 James Bay & North Road Quebec

11-12-2010, 09:33 PM	#189
WOXOF Just wander'n Joined: Mar 2008 Location: SFO, CA Oddometer: 701	Great Report Cannonshot. Hope to get back to the UP soon so I can checkout all these cool places. __________________ Not All Who Wander Are Lost Make stupid catchphrases your favorite! -- LitteWan The Journey of a thousand miles begins with a flat tire IBA #33096

11-13-2010, 06:20 AM	#191
beeper Badger tickler Joined: Sep 2009 Location: Wisconsin Oddometer: 672	Great stuff Cannonshot, thanks for all your hard work!! I hope to make it up there next year. __________________ '12 F800GS '00 Bandit 1200 '74 Honda CL360

11-13-2010, 06:46 AM	#193
matkal Assault Commuter Joined: Jul 2005 Location: MI's Thumb :) Oddometer: 1,387	Excellent! Thank you! __________________ '00 R1150GS, Yella Helmet laws suck. They interfere with natural selection. ATGATT 35:12-14 "And Atgatt courted Motgatt, and took her for a wife. And lo, he compromised with Atgmott, and verily she conceived, and did bear a son, Notgatt. And Notgatt roamed naked, and did bequeath his skin to the roads. And he was a wild ass and an outcast, and was hated through all the land. And his forehead was branded, and he did be come a sign and a warning to all the people."

11-13-2010, 08:54 AM	#194
Klay plainsman Joined: Nov 2005 Location: out in the great wide open Oddometer: 89,066	Thanks for the great wrote-up. Can't wait to get back to the UP. __________________ _______

11-13-2010, 10:07 AM	#195
Double J Adventurer Joined: Aug 2009 Location: Eastern Iowa, Quad Cities Oddometer: 20	Great job, Cannon! I've got the tracks loaded to mapsource and planning to make this happen in 2011. Thank you!

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