On the shortest day of 2007, Friday, December 21, new member, Brad Cunningham (on 1000 cc V-Strom), and "old timer," Rob Croese (on 1150 GS), took off from GR at 7:30 a.m and temperature of around 30 degrees F. After one fuel stop in Cadillac and some hot chocolate, we made it to the big and breezy bridge by 11:00 a.m.

In St. Ignace, Brad introduced me to Bentley's, a traditional café that serves "pasties" of about 1 kilo each. Eat that with some gravy and you are ready for the return trip south. After the usual remarks of "you guys are nuts" at the Mackinac toll booth we high-tail it home, as slight precipitation is coming, and it is still not over 32 degrees.

After some cycle-dirtying drizzle and a pit stop in Lake City on M-55, we pull into GR at 4:00 pm, after a 530-mile day and almost 40 degrees. This was an exhilarating and uneventful trip, which is precisely the way we like it on a cool day!

Cruisen'