First tour - Algoma Loop | GTAMotorcycle.com

First tour - Algoma Loop

Burworf

Member
So I am planning my first ever real motorcycle trip and I thought I would post my plan up here to get some feedback and maybe find somebody to join me.
About me
This is my second year riding after not riding for about 15 years. I am riding a Honda Shadow Aero, I hate riding the slab and I am generally in no hurry to get somewhere so I will not me riding to 140km/h just to get to my destination then sit around. I have no long distance motorcycle experience but lots of long distance driving under my belt. If I end up going this alone I will likely stay in motels but I am not opposed to camping some or all of the way. I will be booking a place to stay every night which I normally wouldn’t do so as to give myself more freedom but I am going in summer tourist season and would want to not find a spot when I was done but I may change my mind and just wing it also.
I am currently contemplating leaving Sunday Aug 3[SUP]rd[/SUP] but I can still change my holiday days so if somebody wants to join me we can work it out.
The plan so far
Cambridge – Manitoulin Island – Sault Ste. Marie – Wawa – Chapleau – Manitoulin – Home
Day 1 – Cambridge – Manitoulin (356 km – about 6 hours 59 mins) includes 2 hours ferry time
Leave around lunch time on Sunday and arrive in time for the last ferry to the island. Find a place to stay on Manitoulin fir the night.
Day 2 – Manitoulin – Sault Ste. Marie (317 km – about 4 hours 21 mins)
Head out to the Sault maybe explore the island a little first.
Day 3 – Sault – Wawa – Chapleau (367 km – about 4 hours 48 mins)
Head out stop in Wawa and check things out then continue to chapleau for the night.
Day 4 – Chapleau to Manitoulin or maybe somewhere in between. (431 km – about 6 hours 6 mins)
Leave Chapleau and head back toward manitoulin in anticipation of crossing the ferry the next am
Day 5 – Manitoulin to Home (356 km – about 6 hours 59 mins) includes 2 hours ferry time
This gets me home on Thursday and I don’t actually have to return to work till the following Tuesday so that gives me my built in rain / found something to do / side trip time.
Map

Thanks
Burworf
 
You could consider coming home via the Mackinac bridge and over the BlueWater at Sarnia

369.jpg


Takes away the need for timing the ferry and the ride through Michigan is far less traffic and you should likely be with the wind coming home - bit of a break. You will need your passports tho.
You will find accommodation easier and cheaper as well as fuel cost less - you don't need to slab either - you can wander.

Other than that - seems fine....you could catch some of the nicer roads heading up to the ferry by looking at Shane's map at the top of this forum.
http://shanekingsley.com/Two Wheeling/ontario_bikeroads.jpg

look at the entire post tho - there is good info for you

Welcome to the forum.

I'd tend to book Manitoulin that first night.
 
Never thought of that for the way back but that would be a good plan. I wasn't really thinking of follow the route on the map as I want to wander that is just the route Google took me definitely needs some tweaking.
 
From Sault Ste Marie, there is a nice road #556 that leads to Searchmont Resort. It's about 30k long and a good out n back for you since you are in the area - after that it becomes a windy gravel road for 80km called Ranger Lake Road.
Looks like a good trip!
 
Yeah - we all miss that aspect and the bridge alone is worth the ride.
If you like to wander and have a smart phone TomTom has a terrific app and it has Winding Roads option that will simply take you on the most winding roads.

The app is "okay" and works without a cell connection ( including voice Nav ) but the Winding Roads trick is unique and really worth while for those like me who like to poke around.
It can be set to avoid dirt.
$50 and worth it.
http://www.tomtom.com/en_au/product...om-navigation-for-iphone-ipad/navigation-app/

One time purchase for all of North America and you download the maps/states so you never need to use data while navigating. It's available in iOS or Android
There are some free offline maps as well but TomTom is a treat with that Winding Roads feature.

I run it into earphones and have music playing then it cuts in when needed - or you can handlebar mount your phone or do both as I have. Most use a RAM mount but that arm band works fine if you have a spot to put it and can be switched side to side and taken off in a heart beat.

ScreenShot2013-08-19atAug19201311530PM_zpsa2358273.jpg
 
+1 on Macdocs suggestion of the Big Mac. The deck of the bridge is partly steel mesh and it's neat to see the water down below. If you take that route consider following 23 south thru Michigan. It's scenic and you pass a number of old light houses that you can tour including going up and out onto the catwalk (not like the Ontario nanny state where you view things from behind a chain link fence). This includes the oldest active light house on the great lakes - or so they say.

Also back in Ontario consider 129 from the shore of Georgian Bay up to Chapleau. This is a great ride. Nice sweepers and great changes in elevation.

Lastly not sure if you're camping or moteling but we've rough camped in that area and it's free.
 
OK new map and plan coming back through Michigan.

New Map

One question I have is about the leg up hwy 129 from blind river toward chapleau. I know there is not much in here do i need to be concerned with fuel ? and just how desolate is it if I do end up going alone.
 
You can always hit some of the few interesting roads north of Cambridge ( See Shane's maps ) on day trips but I would tend to go west after crossing the border coming south and cruise along the sought shore of Superior -( head towards Round Island Point )



Then take 123 down to the Mackinak bridge and you could even continue along 23 on the coast instead of 75 all the way to Saginaw which is seriously boring.

i'm thinking I may do that in opposite direction with the kid when I get home .....but later in the spring still gonna be chilly now - my blood is thinned from tropical days. :D

Can't help you on fuel but our rule of thumb for off major areas ( especially Pennsylvania on a Sunday ) is to fill up everytime you are near 1/2 empty and see a fuel station.
A smartphone app with fuel stops marked and no need for a data connection will help as well.

Like Northern Ontario ( and maybe worse ) - away from the major routes can be sparse and erratic.
There are small fuel containers.
You should also know how far you can stretch the bike - they will often go farther than you think but you don't want to push it in a National Forest which 123 runs through.

The same goes for the more remote roads up near Chapleau.
Be conservative.

If you are doing slab at high speed figure only 60% of your normal distance out of a tank but then slab has fuel stops.

I'll be back from Alaska ( by van ) the week before you leave so might be interested but I don't camp.
It's a decent time of year to do it. Will keep an eye out.
That kind of loop has been on my bucket list for a while.

BTW - as a shakedown since you have not been riding for a while ( I was the same )...you might tag along on a Pennsylvania weekend Friday to Sunday just to stretch your horizons a bit.
Fine roads there.
 
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yeah i need to get a trial run in at some point. I have been keeping my eye open for something that would work.

If you are interested in tagging along i am not stuck on camping my original plan was to motel it.
 
sure keep me posted.

I suspect I'll do a PA run pretty shortly after getting home next week.
Are you restricted to weekends?


PA is good practice and fab riding.
 
There is a fuel stop almost at the corner of the 129 and the 556 in Aubrey Falls. I can't remember if it is on the 129 or on the 556 or another street. By the way, the 129 runs between Thessalon and Chapleau. If you are coming along the TransCanada from Blind River, then make sure to take the 129 from it's start in Thessalon, since the southern most section is the best. Here's a bit of info on the road: http://www.thekingshighway.ca/Highway129.htm
OK new map and plan coming back through Michigan.

New Map

One question I have is about the leg up hwy 129 from blind river toward chapleau. I know there is not much in here do i need to be concerned with fuel ? and just how desolate is it if I do end up going alone.
 
I will be doing the Algoma loop in early June as well. But my plan is alittle different. I will be leaving from Listowel area and heading around Georgian Bay to finally end up in Batchawana Bay for the first night. Second day will be from there to Wawa, then to Hawk Junction for lunch at the Big Bear, then down hwy 129 to finish the day. Third day will be heading home across the island to the ferry.
A lot of riding, but I'm looking forward to it.
 
Hwy 129 was rated the best road in Ontario last year. I forget which magazine or website I read this on but I've heard it is incredbile. A must do if in the area!
 
Bump.

If i wanted to enjoy Tobermory and Manatoulin Island a bit before hitting the loop, approximately how many days would I need?

Thinking Tobermory-Manatoulin on the way there, Sudbury-400 on the way back.
 
Bump.

If i wanted to enjoy Tobermory and Manatoulin Island a bit before hitting the loop, approximately how many days would I need?

Thinking Tobermory-Manatoulin on the way there, Sudbury-400 on the way back.

wow this post is years old. seems to me marathon miles with "the loop". what are you looking for? isolated free camping? fishing? bars and girls? just ride and go where you want as you go. leave the gadgets at home. people plan every move and time frame. loaded with a bunch of mindless gadgets telling them where to go, what to do, and where to stop!?? riding near non stop. passing everything. better to wander and stop often. go swimming -twice a day. ditto for ice cream or pie. you could spend a week just exploring the island, elliot lake & the scenic deer trail route (~ 100km), blind river (food bars and the dock), sault (bars food and the bush plane museum and the agawa canyon train tour-must do the train) riding the 129 to chapleau is a drone if you aren't exploring cart trails and lakes along the way. i would just ride to aubrey falls for a day/night. less mileage and more time off the bike = a better experience, and august is a beautiful time to be in the bush, the flies are down and the lakes warm enough to swim.

or maybe im just being sentimental, i lived in algoma district for more than a decade....
 
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wow this post is years old. seems to me marathon miles with "the loop". what are you looking for? isolated free camping? fishing? bars and girls? just ride and go where you want as you go. leave the gadgets at home. people plan every move and time frame. loaded with a bunch of mindless gadgets telling them where to go, what to do, and where to stop!?? riding near non stop. passing everything. better to wander and stop often. go swimming -twice a day. ditto for ice cream or pie. you could spend a week just exploring the island, elliot lake & the scenic deer trail (~ 100km), blind river (food bars and the dock), sault (bars food and the bush plane museum and the agawa canyon train tour-must do the train) riding the 129 to chapleau is a drone if you aren't exploring cart trails and lakes along the way. i would just ride to aubrey falls for a day/night. less mileage and more time off the bike = a better experience and august is a beautiful time to be in the bush, the flies are down and the lakes warm enough to swim.

or maybe im just being sentimental...i lived in algoma district for more than a decade....

You got the right idea. One could spend a lot of time in that area. I'm guilty of blowing thru, pounding out the mileage for some prize that never materializes.
 
Thanks all. The idea is definitely to explore the area and not just ride for the sake of riding.

Apart from Aubrey Falls, what other stops would you recommend along the 129 or the 101?
 

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