Heading home.

Well, it had to come, and it has, the last day of my vacation. It's time to drive from Detroit, to Toronto and home. I want to do the Lake Eire, Lakeshore drive, so it's goodbye Detroit, I will be back again. I do the usual 3's and pack all my stuff and just in case you were wondering, this is where I stayed while in Detroit.

Clarion Hotel Detroit Metro Airport


My rate was $54 a night, It was clean and came with a fridge and microwave. It's a airport motel, so bring earplugs. People are coming and going at all hours, and it is on one of the airport runways approach/ takeoff strips. The biggest surprise though, was the Wi-fi in my room, it was excellent, and that can always be a hit or miss at any motel. This is a dated property, and my guess is, that was a Holiday Inn in the 60's. There's no elevator, so ask for a 1st floor room.

This morning it's cold outside, as in long johns and thermals kind of cold. 41 degrees by the bike thermometer. First time on the whole trip I've had to wear them.  I'm sure glad I looked over the bike last night when it was warm!  The traffic at 7am in and around Detroit wasn't too bad, and the traffic back up started just after the exit for the Ambassador Bridge, lucky me, though, no tunnel for me this time. I know they have a gas station at the bridge from my last visit, so I decide to try it. Not a big mistake, but it was a pain. Cash in, no problem, but then I have to enter my Plate #, postal code, etc, all to buy $10 worth of gas. Next time, I'll use a regular gas station before the bridge. The biggest problem with using the Ambassador bridge, is all the trucks. They end up in the car lane and you get delayed by them. When you make it to the car only Customs booths, they are empty. Anyway it wasn't a big delay, and I was on the downward side of the bridge. So I could coast/roll down in neutral, when we did move. I got a nice customs official, she still asked all the questions, but in a nice way. It does make a difference.  I'm back in Canada and time to stop for a coffee, and I see a Starbucks.

The stop isn't just about the coffee, I've got to change my SIM card back to Bell mobile, and plan my route for the day. I did plan a weekender away to Detroit to finish the Henry Ford Museum for this summer. Well, it looks like I got it out of the way early. No problem, as it bumps up going away to Cleveland, OH for a weekender instead. The plan is to finish off the Lake Erie shore. So, that is the way I must go home. After a lovely coffee, I must get back on the bike and head over to the river. Too soon though, comes my last view of America, those twin stacks from Fermi II nuclear plant. Then I'm heading east on the shore of Lake Erie. For anyone riding Lake Eire, the lovey police of Amherstburg have speed traps going into and leaving the town limits. Be warned.

Going trough Leamington, ON, I could not help think of the infamous "Pelee Island" Run. Legendary, from drinking on the pier waiting for the ferry,  to drinking the ferry dry.  Playing light sabers with the docking spot lights in the middle of the lake, to singing "The Love Boat" while drunk. We even named the crew, we had Julie the cruise director, Isaac the bartender, and of course we got to meet "Captain Stubing".

It just got better from there. Fights with the locals at the bar, Bruce missing a turn and ending up driving into the lake and some rebar, he ended up getting airlifted to the mainland. I can still remember someone fishing his scoot out by shouting " I've found it, got it by the exhaust". The wake up call at the campsite, by the OPP, telling us were on the first ferry, Sunday morning,and it wasn't a suggestion. O, and we were banned from the island. Good times ;-)). I think all has been forgotten on Pelee island. Hopefully.

The biggest problem with the "Waterfront trail" is its not really a motorcycle ride. So I do make a few wrong turns. I've got the time, so no problem.

Since I'll be passing "Third wheel trailers" (where my trailer was made) in St Thomas,  I decide to drop in for a few things. I'll pick up a new stand (bent in Boston on Lammyjammy), the hitch has loosened up a bit (side to side) , but nothing a vice clamp can't fix, and hopefully a licence plate copy for the trailer.

Third Wheel trailers


When I arrive, there's a guy up from Michigan picking up his trailer, and getting a trailer hitch installed. A 2013 RT1200, if I remember right. Wow, the problems they had making this hitch work, they spent hours working on it. They even had to make a new mounting plate and weld that  back on to the hitch. Juan really goes that extra mile. For me, no charge for the stand, plus he's working on a retractable one, which can be retro fitted. Juan is the kind of guy who likes to see problems, so he can improve his product. He orders up a licence plate sticker, it's just easier to show you it in a pic.

Old Plate, New Plate sticker, and it's reflected as well.

As you can see, it suits the trailer and bike nicely. Is it legal? Well, no one who has done it, has had problems yet with the Law.  But everyone keeps the old plate in the trailer just in case. Well, time to be off from third wheel trailers. From here I head north, to the 401 and home. As I've done the other parts of the Lake Eire, Lakeshore ride at other times, I can hit the highway. I was just missing the part from Windsor to St Thomas.

Now I'm on the 401, around London and head east, I see a service stop ahead, and decide to stop for a coffee, and something to eat, plus to gas up. I'm in Woodstock, ON, and it's 4:30pm. There's no point on hurrying, as getting to Toronto for rush hour is just stupid and can be rather frustrating. So I have a long lunch and coffee, and strike up a great conversation with a Harley guy coming back from Arizona. He lives there in the winter, comes back here in the Summer. Well it's 6pm, so I better be off, I'll get in the Toronto area around 7pm and miss most of the rush hour traffic. Since it's been a long trip I decide on the 407. Expensive, but saves me a lot of hassle. Which it did. Even coming down the 404 I missed most of the backup. Down the DVP, off at Eglinton and I'm home.

I just unload the light and important stuff, relax and off to catch up on some tv.


Daily mileage - 335 miles or 539 km

Trip total 2835 miles or 4562 km


My next trip is hopefully PVSC

I finally get around to visiting the Motown Museum.

Well, the cold front has moved through, and it's a lot cooler. It's about 50° outside this morning, with a high in the upper 60°'s. Cloudy, but no rain in sight for the next few days. I've stayed the extra day to hit the Motown museum. Wow, I'm doing my usual drive down to Starbucks on I-94, and it's cold. I'm glad up upgraded to my jeans and polizie sweater.

After a nice coffee and breakfast sandwich, It's time to head into Detroit, and the Motown Museum. One of the things that I'm liking about Detroit, is that traffic isn't too bad, and it never seems that it takes too long to get anywhere. 10 minutes later I arrive at the museum.

One of the pics I downloaded, they had it hanging in the studio.

It's a great tour, and it's a lot bigger than you think it is. Easily an hour tour. But like the Ford Plant tour, no pictures. You're just have to go and see it for yourselves.

Time to do some shopping for supplies and for home. I'm really surprised to find one of my favorite soups.

I tried it once because the "soupman" is the basis for Seinfeld's "Soup Nazi". After you try it, you realize the soup is really good. So for the past couple of years I've stocked up on it when in Buffalo, NY. The last couple of times it hasn't been in stock. 4 container's later, I'm happy.


Time to head back to the motel and relax and watch some tv. My vacation is almost over. Since it's going to be cold tomorrow morning, I'm trying to get ahead of things and pack most of my clothes on the bike. Also I want to go over the bike and check the tire pressures. They are all a wee bit low. I forgot that I needed to replace the 12 volt plug on the air pump. It's easily done in less than 5 minutes. I bought all the parts in Vegas, I just didn't get around to replacing it. 20 minutes later the bike is ready to go.

I'll get an early start tomorrow, first to miss traffic in Detroit and at the border. Plus I want to do the Lake Eire ride. I've done most of it, just not the part around Windsor, ON.

Daily mileage 47 miles - 75 km

Total trip mileage 2500 miles - 4023 km

Another day, another part of Detroit.

So today I'm back to the Henry Ford museum. To do the F-150 truck plant tour, and see Greenfeld village. The first was closed for retooling when I was last here, and thunderstorms stopped me going to the village. First though, is a stop at Starbucks for a coffee. Are you wondering on how the instant Starbucks is standing up? It doesn't really taste like the Pikes Place I buy at the store, but it's still miles ahead of the motel coffee. So its a keeper. Then I head over to the Henry Ford museum and the Rouge plant tour.

The tour was great. The only problem is

that you can't take any pictures :-). To see

a working plant putting together the F-150

was cool. For some pics hit the link below.

Rouge Factory tour

So back to the Henry Ford museum, and the Springfield village. Henry Ford built the village to save a lot of old, historical buildings. 

Being Ford, you have lots of early vehicles driving around. Want a ride in a model T? No problem.

That's right, the Heinz empire started right here.

The village has buildings from the 1600's up to the 1930's. Lot's of live recreation's. Lot's of walking. So if your going to come to the Henry Ford Museum, do it in the following order. 1. Factory Tour, to beat the crowds. 

2. The Henry Ford Museum. 3. Greenfeld village. On a nice day, you can knock all three off, but if you can't, do the first two.

Since I've got some time, I'll head up to "Hard Core Pawn". It's up on 8 mile. South of 8 mile is dodgy, north of 8 mile is nice. So you get customers from both sides of the tracks (or mile). 

I had a good look around, there were a few things that did interest me. But in the end I walked out empty. Though that Rolex Submariner really interested me. None of the " Stars" were about, but its a nice shop and I visit again. I know what your asking, there were no fights or arguments happening when I was there.

Hardcore Pawn

I head back to the motel. Since the weather is going to hold for the next couple of days, I decide to stay one more day. The Motown museum is closed Sundays and Mondays, so everything is coming together. Well I go online to check out the rates and they've gone up. I head down to the front desk and see what they can do. No problem, as they give me the same rate and extend me one more day. Now to catch up on two days of blogs.

Daily mileage  54 miles - 128 km

Total mileage  2453 miles - 3935 km

Detroit, Detroit, and Detroit.

I'd just to like to thank the previous guest for locking the in room safe. Before calling the front desk, I'd thought I would try a few of the easy codes. One of the one's that I tried is 1234. Guess what, it popped open. Funny, but still annoying. So now I have a few days to relax and not drive somewhere, so, a vacation from a vacation ;-). With it being Sunday, The Henry Ford Museum is closed,  as well as, Hard Core Pawn. No problem, as I'll head over to the east side of Detroit. Lucky for me its "flower day" at the Eastern Market. It's a big thing down here.

 Finding parking wasn't easy, bit I got lucky.

Some of Detroit's finest, but where's RoboCop?

Must be good, a long line.

1000's of people, all having a good time, and a good mix of shops. I'll be picking up some kafta kebobs when I get home.

I've never seen a lottery truck before.

What says Detroit better than Bert's, those ribs looked really good. Same again, a really long line.

Just a nice view of Detroit from the market.
I also got a nice Americano. After looking around, its off to the Heidelburg project. This is where they took a block of abandoned houses and made a art project out of them. Unfortunately, some of the scummier members of society think it's fun to burn these homes down.

Is Detroit as bad as everyone says, probably. You see the urban decay, but its not everywhere. It is strange to see buildings just abandoned and decaying. From big office buildings, motels, stores, just about everything you can think of has been abandoned.

Now on to Grosse Pointe. There's just something about that shot of when John Cusack is driving into Grosse Pointe that always wanted to do, that same drive. If you have money, Grosse Pointe is where you live around Detroit. The really big houses/mansion's are on Lakeshore, which is what Jefferson ave turns in to.

Not quite the sunny day drive, like in the movie.

There's many of these lovely homes, one after another. Time for a coffee and into Grosse Pointe farms. A nice little small town feel. Even though the movie was filmed in California, you can see its pretty close to Grosse Pointe.

I decided to head back to the Eastern Market to grab some lunch, that great lobster Mac & Cheese. But the backup into the market started on the off ramp of I-94. So sorry, no Mac & Cheese for me :-(.


So, I'm off down the road to Ford's first plant. The next pic explains the history.

Urban decay, a huge abandoned plant.

These cars were all hand built at one station and took about 10 hours to assemble. Even early model T's were done this way at this plant.

Total loss oil lubrication. Which means once past the crank the oil went on the road. Must had been fun riding a early motorcycle down the street.

Early stators for the ignition system. All windings were done by female hands.

Lots of early ford history that I didn't know.

A really nice early Mustang.

After assembly, they drove around a test track, and if they kept running, they where loaded on the train for shipping.

A good day and I got most of the East Detroit places I wanted to see.


Today's mileage  80 miles - 128 km

Total mileage 2399 miles - 3849 km