Colorado to Michigan (avoiding the great slab)

[vino]

Hellooo!
Have had my V7II Stone for a couple months and a couple thousand miles and am really having fun with it. In fact it's so much fun that I'm planning a good road trip from Fort Collins Colorado to Detroit Michigan to see family and friends. I would like to avoid the giant slab interstates and enjoy the scenery. I have 9 days off of work, so thinking 3 days travel to MI, 3 days enjoying Michigan, then 3 days back to Colorado. Got some new MO-TECH Legend Gear saddlebags that I have to say IMHO look really great on the Stone. Also, since I have a tendency of getting lost very frequently, I've got a Garmin 395lm gps unit on the way (should be here tomorrow). With all that said, and after researching some routes, I've decided to either take US-36 or US-6. In terms of miles and time they are very similar (+/- 50 miles). Even road construction looks to be about the same. Soooo, has anyone out there taken either of these routes? If so I'd love to hear any info about them, or any other suggestions. I have all my lightweight camping gear so would rather sleep in National Forests if possible, but if that's not possible that's fine too. Thanks!
Vino

[Muley]

Nice trip!  Wish I could go with you.

I don't know anything about Hwy. 36, but, if time permits I'd suggest a more northern route coming back.  Go across the Mackinac bridge to the UP and head up to Copper Harbor, come back down the point and then to Duluth, veer SW through Minnesota so you can see the beginnings of the Mississippi River (more like a creek up there), pretty country too, then start "stairstepping" down towards CO.

It's usually a good bit cooler up there this time of year.

Oh, if you go through Sioux Falls, SD on the way back, stop at Bob's Cafe on 12th and tell them I said hello

[bmc5733946]

I rode US36 and US24 last year and loved it.  I don't remember which I rode to Colorado or back, both were fine roads and what construction there was, was a brief slow down and one stop for a minute or so.  I would do this again anytime.  I moteled it because I rode long days.  I really don't think you can go wrong on US numbered two lane roads.

Brian

OP ck your PMs

[fotoguzzi]

400 miles of garage sales on 36
http://www.ushwy36.com/

I would want to pass through the Black Hills and Custer State Park.. instead

[kirb]

Going up and over might be a stretch for 3 days, but heading across WI on US 2, across M28 past Munising in the U.P., cut down to US2 along lake MI, down the west side of the lower would be a great trip.

Alternative: SW corner of WI is awesome for roads, make your way across to the high speed ferry in Milwaukee to Muskegon (where I live), take some two lanes to the D. The Chicago/Gary area is 'avoid by bike' if I can help it.
Find your way to Lanesboro, MN and follow the river on 16 to Lacrosse, WI. Follow the Mississippi south before you cut east on some awesome WI back country.

[vino]

Thanks everyone for the quick responses! Now I want to do them all! Been up to Copper Harbor about 25 years ago then up to Isle Royal for some backpacking. Great trip and awesome scenery up there but yeah probably won't have time to get that far (this time). Didn't even think about the Moto Guzzi rally going on in Michigan, that is a great idea and will definitely try and hit that up even if I'm a little early. Oh so many choices....right now I'm leaning on taking US-36 to Michigan, then will pick a different route back. I did the Black Hill back in 2011 going to Sturgis when I rode the Harley. It's funny, I liked the Street Bob, but riding my Stone is so much more fun! I probably will do a northern route back, haven't been to the UP in awhile and would like to see Minnesota again. Thanks again for all the advice, it gave me some new perspectives that I hadn't considered. Happy Ridin'!

[fotoguzzi]

+1 on the ferry crossing Lk Michigan.. it's a lot of fun.. the slow one (6 hrs?) does a midnight crossing and you can get a berth to sleep in..

a couple cool places to see in So MN are the Jeffer's petroglyphs and the Pipestone National Monument.

[rocker59]

Direct route is 1250 miles.  So, three 400+ mile days, each way.  Not that big a deal, but fun time will be limited en route.

US-34 is the obvious choice to get into Illinois.  Then, I'd drop down to Peoria and take US-24, to avoid Chicagoland.  That makes the route just over 1300 miles.

If you deviate much from that route, you'll be adding a lot more miles.

No national forests on this route.  Mostly farmland.

[Gliderjohn]

Highway 36 through Kansas is not spectacular by any stretch, but a very pleasant ride. Lot of rolling hills with some rock outcrops in places. Very rural. I have traveled it from Highway 81 on west to Oberlin during the garage sale weekend and can still ride for miles at times without seeing another vehicle. Try it, you'll like it!
GliderJohn