Great Lakes Rally bound

[Rondo]

Heading for the Great Lakes Rally in a couple of weeks and will be looking for a good CG just east of Chicago in Indiana or Michigan or up I-94 a bit on the way up to the Rally. We'll be in that area on Sunday the 26th. Any suggestions as route to take also? We figured possibly 94 to 196 but not sure from there. Any recommemdations aside from those routes? We're coming off of I-80 from the west. Also any suggestions for other CGs on the way up the lower peninsula to the Rally?

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

131 up west side of Michigan is nice, Sagautuck, Holland, Traverse City, Muskegon, Sand Dunes, Silver Lake, tons to do on the west coast.

Personally, I would avoid I94 around Chicago at all costs. My prefered routes is to drop down to Kankakee, then east into Indiana, up around Goshen and then jump into Michigan. To say I hate I 94 around Chicago is a HUGE understatement. My hate, my alternative!

[William H. Collier]

Carol, did you mean 131 or 31, we plan on going around Chicago, no choice, however we are going to do it on a Sunday Morning, in the past that has worked out very well. We have had very bad experiences at other times. Our plan is to go up 31 along the coast however as yet Linda has not told me where we are going to stop. Any suggestions would be appreciated.
Bill

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

I guess to look at a map!



OKKKKK, off I 80 take 31 North to what they call 196, if you really want to hug the coast line of western Michigan. That will take you via South Haven (oooo laa laa), and Holland.

North of Holland you get back on 31 and hit Grand Haven another oooo lahhh lahh), Musekgon, Ludington.

BETWEEN Muskegon and Ludington find Mears, near Silver Lake State Park, great dunes here, some fun hiking, great RailstoTrails Bike paths, NOTING, we have not been over there for a number of years, and things do change, but those Dunes won't!

You can follow 31 almost all the way to Mackinaw, passing Beulah, Traverse City (cherry capital of the world?? well, at least Michigan! )

Now onward, still on 31, hit Charlevoix (another oooooo laahhhhh lahhhhh), Petosky and a bit more to Mackinaw.

If you want to see our "Mountains" of Michigan, yea, I know, snicker, you could consider at Manistee taking a hard right through the Manistee National Forest, and head over to Cadillac.

And, maybe Dave can tell us if any of these roads are gonna give you fits towing, Al and I have not towed Tana over these roads, so, I am just telling you the nice drives and stops.

It has been SOOOO long since we have stayed over there, I cannot suggest campgrounds, EXCEPT, you can never go wrong in any of the state parks over there, Holland, Grand Haven (parked right on the beach, it is fab!!), Muskegon, Ludington (this one used to be hard to get smaller rigs in, have not gone there in YEARS, and I mean, like 20 years), Silver Lake near Hart and Mears. Now, most Michigan parks do not have water on the site, and many do not have 50 Amp service. You will need a state park sticker, and believe that out of state residents pay more (stupid idea, but, I don't set the rates)

go here for lots more info on Michigan State Parks.

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7...365---,00.html

and here for reservations:

http://www.midnrreservations.com/

I have not stayed in any private parks over there in many many years. Used to be one around Sagatuck we enjoyed. Not sure bout that any more either.

I am reluctant to mention private parks, since we rarely use them here in Michigan.

[adelmoll]

There is a great campground in Elkhart (Elkhart Campground) which is just a few miles from Keystone and right by tons of RV accessories. From there you can head north a couple of miles and be in Michigan. Traverse City was our very favorite and the little finger that has all the vineyards on it. Beautiful... The Michigan Sand Dunes are a must to see while in that area. Allow yourselves plent of time as the whole shore of Lake Michigan is beautiful..

Helen

PS... Just checked our blog Rondo and if you click on our journal and go to "The Beginning" and find posts from August 29th 2007 earlier and the next few days you will see why we love Michigan. The entry for the 29th has the pictures of the RESORT we indulged in while visiting the Traverse City area... Now you have to remember that we came from Minnesota over the top so this is our route on our way South to Goshen that year... OMG. Am I ever sorry that we can't make this rally. It is such beautiful country.

[Rondo]

Bill-- We plan on doing the same thing and going around Chicago on Sunday midday or so also! We will be leaving the Amana Colonies on Sunday morning and hope to be by Chicago by mid day on Sunday. Maybe we can hook up somewhere beyond!
Thanks Carol for the info. We'll be looking at the map and deciding what to do! You've given us some good info.
Helen-- Excellent log on your travels down to Indiana and the trip along the east coast of the lake. We'll be looking into your stops and our agenda also but we'll be going up opposite of the way you came down but should not make any difference.
Still looking for some of the locals to give us highway conditions on the shoreline route up to Mackinaw if we can get them. Don't want to be hitting a lot of construction detours and etc if possible.
Thanks to all so far and hope to meet some of you when we get up there and put faces with the names!

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

check out this web site:

http://www.michigan.gov/mdot/0,1607,7-151-9621_11008---,00.html

nothing that looks MAJOR on 131 or 31, at least right now, keep checking on it. a few temp lane closures.

I did NOT check further, that is my disclaimer and I am stickin to it!

if you click on the Construction search on Mi Drive, you can find closures scheduled for a lot of roads, and you can change the calendar too.

[dsprik]

131 through Mancelona will be bad. Re-surfacing and widening the entire road though town. Finish date is Oct.

[lwcdg]

Rondo if you come down thru Chicago and want to stay way South then you could camp in Kankakee State park great place. We've stayed there many times they have 3 different parks. If you stay on I80 into IN you can go to the In Dunes stay Park or the National Lakeshore Park if you want to go primitive (Lakeshore). Great places. National Lakeshore is an unknown jewel of the area.
Hope this helps
Chuck

[sailer]

Why not just go up through wis to the rally and skip chicago ,, follow the lake all the way , sailer