Vintage Races, Road America (WI) June 12-14

Discussion in 'USA - North' started by Slothrop, May 27, 2009.

  1. Slothrop

    Slothrop New Member

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  2. crotch fire rocket

    crotch fire rocket New Member

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    where is this race? is it in wisconsin?
     
  3. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    I'll be there the week before for Superbike!
     
  4. Slothrop

    Slothrop New Member

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    Yes, Elkhart Lake, WI. Click on the link in the original post...
     
  5. Slothrop

    Slothrop New Member

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    ... ready to go:

    [​IMG]

    I'm heading out tomorrow morning, over the bridge and into the U.P. I'll do some camping for a few days and end up at the track for the races.
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2009
  6. Slothrop

    Slothrop New Member

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    trip report part one

    In Which Our Hero Takes A Mess Of Pictures En Route To Wisconsin

    Last Wednesday I headed for the Vintage Races at Road America, via the U.P. Here's the route I ended up taking:
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    I vowed that I would take some pictures, because usually I can't get myself to stop when I'm riding, except to pee and get gas. So I took 405 pictures on this trip. Here are a few of them.

    About to cross the Mackinac Bridge:
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    The bridge is really spectacular, especially on a bike, where you can look up at the gigantic support towers.

    In the U.P. looking back:
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    At Marquette there are these interesting old ship loading facilities:
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    I camped the first night at Big Bay, north of Marquette:
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    It was a bit rainy, but it cleared by morning and the fog rolled in:
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    There are endless empty winding roads in the U.P. A few times I was nearly tempted to exceed the posted speed limits:
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    I came back through Marquette, got slightly lost, and ended up at another one of these shipping facilities:
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    I spent the next day riding around, up to Houghton, then south.

    There are lots of little roadside parks up there, for rest stops:
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    This one had a little waterfall:
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    Glorious empty roads all over:
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    The second night I camped at Bewabic State Park, which was a really nice place. I had a nice private campsite:
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    Down by the lake there was this restroom:
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    Now you know what they mean when they say, "built like a brick shithouse."

    The Lake at the park was pretty:
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    And so were the roads into Wisconsin:
    [​IMG]

    Stay tuned for part two at the track.
     
  7. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    Great Pictures!! Nothing like the Great Northwoods! Post more, Please!!!

    Welcome to God's Country, but you already know that!
     
  8. Slothrop

    Slothrop New Member

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    Getting back online after a long haitus. I had a small crash, broke a rib and seriously uglified my fairings, but now spring is here and I'm so ready to get back out on the bike. Anyway here finally is...

    trip report part two

    at the track

    I got to Road America Friday afternoon and set up camp in the middle of a big curve on the track called the Carousel. Then I wandered into the paddock and looked at bikes.

    Lots of Moto Guzzis, this exposed-flywheel was one of the coolest:
    [​IMG]

    An old Honda raring to go:
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    This Buell was orange on one side:
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    ... and black on the other:
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    I got my USRDA of smoke:
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    Beautiful 30s Beemers, love that exposed driveshaft:
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    It was Wisconsin, so there were Harleys:
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    This fellow was still building his:
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    Great old BSA:
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    Fill 'er up with 110...:
    [​IMG]

    Got my picture taken, in my stylish "cars suck" T-shirt:
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    The sign on the pavement reads, "RACE TRAFFIC ONLY PEDESTRIANS BEWARE":
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    I went into the little town nearby for supplies. There was a bicycle race / art fair going on:
    [​IMG]

    It was Wisconsin, so there was cheese:
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    Meanwhile, people were racing:
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    Here is my little camp:
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    More bikes. Lovely old Norton:
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    Just like my Beemer, but red with a sidecar (and clean):
    [​IMG]

    This Vincent single was the coolest bike there, by a wide margin:
    [​IMG]

    Triumph bobber, cool in a ridiculous-but-minimalist kind of way:
    [​IMG]

    Utterly bizzarre three-wheeler. I tried to talk to the guy who built it but he was too drunk:
    [​IMG]

    Riding around the area, I saw a wind farm:
    [​IMG]

    The atmosphere at the track was like a giant playground, very relaxed:
    [​IMG]

    On the second day of racing, I took my bike out for a tour of the track. I was expecting them to give us a list of rules and warnings and so forth; but they just lined us up and opened the gate and out we all went. It was crazy but also a lot of fun.

    After watching yet more racing:
    [​IMG]

    I started for home on Sunday evening and blasted all the way back in one shot, just stopping for gas. Got home around midnight without taking any pictures, except for when I stopped near the bridge to clean the gnats off my visor:
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Maggot

    Maggot New Member

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    Nice post thanks!
     
  10. MrDen

    MrDen New Member

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    Great trip report and pics -- thanx for sharing. As a native of Michigan (Detroit), your pics made me homesick for a minute (just a minute, though).
     
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