Trip to Michigan UP

[john grinsel]

Once a year I take a car trip---this time to Ironwood Mich---to look at some property, thinking I could live there.  Well the weather scared me away----snow started to line the roads near Dayton Ohio, on return there was snow in the fields as far south as Bloomington IL----not real scooter weather----bad snow storm in the UP. Car, Mitsuibishi Mirage 2018 handled it well--to me heater/defroster/wipers/power windows such a luxury, about 48 MPG for the trip/reg.  Tried a tank of super, actually mileage dropped.

Mirage is tire sensitive....same tires as original Honda Insight---made for easy rolling, but not for handling.  Under certain conditions, car needs as many steering corrections as early swing axle VW Beetle.

Road condition----really in poor shape in many places---like driving in third world  country and worse than East Germany right after the wall fell----One way to pay for more road repair, one dollar surcharge on every gallon of gas.....not much of problem with scooters.  Should be done..  I lost one hubcap on hard bump. I miss the smooth roads of western Europe/Japan and yes even Korea. Our roads are built to a lower standard.

Weather severe snow storm in the UP, follow up snow plows and then the road salt---really dirties windows. Temps as low -15F in Duluth, terrible winds for most of trip---Duluth had Sushi with Andy Goldfine of Aerostich.

Conclusion: I am too old to live in cold conditions again.  So no house in Ironwood---maybe will look at Beloxi MS---   Many year ago I could have made this trip with my Harley Sidecar outfit or my BMW Steib S-350 combo-----right now I enjoyed the car heater.

[Kansas kymco]

Beautiful place up North although I have never made it to the UP of Michigan.  Are there any seasonal RV parks? This might be an option instead of having a home base there. Then have your home base in a warm climate.  I keep a seasonal spot at a RV park in Ely MN that I go up during the summer.  The drive to town is about 7 miles so I take a couple of scooters to get lunch or a quick run to the store.  This is a lot cheaper option then actually owning property. I write one check a year and trash, electric, water, sewer and taxes are all included.  If you have a cabin you spend a lot of time on maintenance.  Just a thought.

The North Shore on Lake Superior is a nice drive as well although very busy during the summer. During the summer  the hot weather of the shore  the lake acts like a natural  A/C for a mile or so inland keeping the temperature very pleasant. 

The older I get I don't enjoy extreme heat or cold and try to avoid it.

[john grinsel]

I lived in my RV for 4 years----US made do not work in north in winter---everything freezes up!!  Canadian market RV's are made for cold and heat water and dump tanks among other things.  For me RV park is WalMart parking lot.

UP, everything just about shut down in winter....maybe some ski areas have RV spaces in their parking lot in Mich. I stayed on SunValley parking lot in Idaho during ski season with no trouble.

[Kansas kymco]

I lived in my RV for 4 years----US made do not work in north in winter---everything freezes up!!  Canadian market RV's are made for cold and heat water and dump tanks among other things.  For me RV park is WalMart parking lot.

UP, everything just about shut down in winter....maybe some ski areas have RV spaces in their parking lot in Mich. I stayed on SunValley parking lot in Idaho during ski season with no trouble.

I would not want to be in the North during the winter just summer and head South for winter.