Michigan Xj people...... who is up for a cruise?

So if there is one thing that i could love more than riding my xj, it would be riding my xj with a pack of xjs. I would love to get a big xj ride together for all the Michigan people and whoever else would want to come. It would be awesome if we could do it during the summer. Maybe in June or July to avoid some of the more wet weather. If anyone is interested, post in this thread any cruising ideas or possible meeting places for a group ride.

 

We can invade Canada.

Everybody needs to be sure they have at least an "enhanced drivers license" (if they don't already have a passport) and we can meet up in the Port Huron area, and ride to...

PORT DOVER, Ontario. A "PD13" (Friday the 13th in Port Dover) will occur on August 13 this year. For the uninitiated, any Friday the 13th is BIKE DAY in Port Dover. This isn't any sort of official event, it is a long standing tradition and draws thousands when it falls during peak riding season.

 

bigfitz
the last one was good at Dover. Even the cops never thought there will be so many bikes. But the Aug 13th one, will be huge.
It would be nice to see more xjs at that meet.

 

Im interested.....

 

Is there a typical route that you guys usually take when you drop over? i think that would be pretty neat to have a bunch of whistling Yammies cruising along, sweet sounds fer shur ;D

 

I need an excuse for a good long ride so I'm in.

I won't bother you yet with details since it's still a
long way away-just keep us updated on your progress
from time to time.

Oh yeah....lets invade the northeners :lol:

 

That sounds like good fun. I am definately in. Lets try to get as many of us as we can to go to this meet.

 

P.S.- What is an enhanced drivers liscense? Is it a cycle endorsement because i have one of those.

 

Enhanced license is that you can go through customs by land in north america

 

Do i just go to the secretary of state to do that? Or is there some kind of test? How much does it cost? I have never heard of an enhanced liscense.

 

I'm very interested and have wanted to do this for awhile.

that pd13 sounds fun... I'll have to get a passport.


some other ideas include riding to the copper country in the UP.

theres another xj member up there that I've talked to before.

who knows, maybe we could camp out at my fraternity at Tech.

Cheeseburger in Caseville is fun.

I do want to go on a long ride.... i've probably only went on a 100 mile round trip, tops.

we gotta keep this thread alive and the idea in mind.

 

Ok. I just went online at the secretary of state and figured out what you need. Here is the link for the enhanced drivers license requirements.

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/S ... 5188_7.pdf

It costs $45 for first timers and 38 to renew. It also says that the enhanced license is good for 4 yrs.

I know that i am only about an hour, hour and a half tops away from you schooter and i go on distance rides frequently. Road the thumb twice from bay city all the way back around to M-46. I think it took me atleast 5 hours but i dont quite remember. I have also taken M-46 east to the water a couple of times. Next season i am going to ride M-46 to lake michigan. I am pretty much up for anything as long as i have the time open and i know about it in advance.

Also, if you are interested in going along with us make sure to go apply for a passport now if you do not have one. Unless you pay for rushed delivery which is expensive, it takes quite a while to recieve your passport.

 

Well guys I know im not from Michigan but I will be coming from Montreal so I will meet you bunch of xj guys there

 

i want in...

its 132 miles from sarnia...

it would be about 55 miles longer than my longest ride last year...

here is a mapquest of the route...

route to Port Dover

 

I'll look into getting an enhanced license spring break, thats when i'll switch over my title and put the finishing touches on the Seca and make sure she runs fine

 

I am interested. I'll probably have to quit my job... but that's OK. I've got a passport so half the battle is taken care of. Keep me posted.

 

That route looks pretty simplistic. I like it. Lets keep spreading the word about this thing guys. Like i said, it would be really cool to cruise in a group with you guys.

 

If I'm not working, I'm in. I'd love to ride with you guys! Of course I'm coming from east of Pt. Dover, so I'll have to meet everyone there and THEN cruise

 

well your welcome to come. Lets get so many XJ's that Port Dover breaks off and sinks in the lake. lol

 

haha, the high frequency tone produced by the shafties will trigger an earthquake

 

heres the PD13 site... they've got a facebook...

http://www.pd13.com/

 

You go through the Secretary of State.

There is no test but they do require additional documents like your birth certificate, SS card, etc.

It costs $45 (in Michigan) and takes about 3 weeks.

It is used as a "Passport Lite" in that it will allow land and water travel to and from Canada or Mexico (only.)

Next step is a "Nexus Card." It allows land water AND AIR travel to and from Canada or Mexico. More like a Passport, but still North America only.

Or get a full blown passport.

The bottom line is you can't cross from Michigan to Canada or back with just a smile and a wave anymore.

 

i dont know how i missed the other posts on Port Dover but i did somehow...

im getting REALLY geeked up. with the weather all crappy ive been pretty much in a hibernation mode but im really interested in this ride. i might have a couple of other non-xj riders going with me/us but theyre all cool...

 

me too, I mite take some friends.... the ones I'd take ride a ninja 500, and GASP, a SPORTSTER

but I know this is kinda supposed to have an "xj" mentality, I'll only ask them if the number of riders is low

 

Its ok to invite firends without xj's guys. First and foremost it would be just awesome to have a huge froup of people. I invited my buddies and their rides are a sportster, 2 GSX-R 100's, and a 1980 something Kawasaki 1100. Like i said, lets get as many people as we can. I dont want us to look like stuck up harley jerks by not letting non-xjers ride with us.

 

I thought half of Michigan was down here in Orange beach. You guys missed the boat!

 

This is the only PD13 for this year. Plus it's the 50th consecutive PD13 Ride. IT's going to be massssssive!!! Guestimation of 40k - 50k bikes will be roaring through. The last summer ride had around 30k riders. the streets were filled with bodies and constant stream of bikes, it's something you have to experience and don't want to miss =). Look forward to seeing/meeting up with the some XJriders this time around.

Keep'n an eye on this thread =)

 

I can't imagine the freakin' hassle trying to get a herd of yahoo XJ riders into Canada. The last time I crossed into Canada was at Niagra Falls. We were in our 36' motorhome. I was 42 years old at the time as was my wife. Our 2 kids, 10 and 12 years old were in the bedroom watching movies. Nice clean cut family group. I was calm and polite and answered every question truthfully. The a$$hole border guide dude wasted nearly 45 minutes trying to get me to leave my guns(of which I had none with me - Duh!!!) at the border so I could pick the up when I crossed back into the States. He advised, cajoled, got nasty and even threatened to toss the contents of the motorhome unless I turned my guns over to them. It got to the point where I nearly told him he could stuff his freakin maple leaf country and I'd just stay in the U.S. and spend my all green money at home.

Now, think of trying to get 10 or 20 or 30 long haired US motorcycle gang members (XJ riders) across the border!!!! If I was there I would probably shoot my mouth off after about 5 hours and would be filing posts to this forum from my Canadian prison cell!

BTW, this was way before 9/11.

Nope! Not for me! I think the Caribbean would be a nice cruise destination. Especially this time of year.

 

I was planning on crossing at Marine City-Sombra Ont. There is a largely overlooked ferry boat there, and the most casual crossing I've ever experienced. Groups of bikes have never been a problem, even as recently as two years ago.

Besides, I haven't had shoulder length hair since 1977. And what's left now is grey.

 

+1 Wamaxim!
I was pulled over yesterday because I turned into the right
hand lane after a left turn. Didn't mind the warning but
there was THREE of them! THREE!
Bastered need to know where I was going-where I'd been,
how long I lived at my house....all none of his damn business
at leasted as far as our constitution reads!
I don't think I'll give the canadians a reason to do the same.
BTW. I was all for going north untill yesterday.

 

Look guys we can go on forever about customs and I could say the same stories about me crossing into the USA.......

 

It's not that bad to cross. When the border guards are bored, they just ask all kinds of questions. Once when I went at night and nobody else in the line up, he wanted to know my whole life story. But as soon as there was another car behind me, he told me to go.

Anyway, there is going to be a big Motorcycle show this weekend in Toronto.

here is their web page.

http://www.supershowevents.com/super/index.html

Might see some of you guys there. It's on Friday,Saturday and Sunday.

I'm going Saturday afternoon.

 

i never even thought about taking the ferry across...

ive done that a few times in my life (wifey 1 was from Marine City (China Township actually) her family owned the Cheese House on Marine City Hwy)...

if i recall though, isnt the river road from Sombra to Sarnia about the SHISTIEST roadway in the world? i never liked it years ago but maybe theyve repaved since 94...

and then you have the reservation you have to be careful about running through. better hope who ever is leading the pack has an accurate speedo...

still, that would be a cool route to take...

 

Niagra Falls crossing has Always ALWAYS been a SOB to cross. No matter which way your going. Crossing at Port Huron has been Great past couple years. Got stuck a few times crossing in to states, but routine check up.. no biggie. Ferry crossing sounds great.. haven't done that in years!... At the past PD13's I've heard of guys crossing in packs with no issues. Basically they know your coming for one thing.. PD13 and head back home.

 

Well I will leave Montreal Quebec on the Thursday evening get some riding and sleep over night when I reach the halfway mark. I will be meeting you guys in Port Dover. Its a +- 700km ride. Its a done deal

Fab

 

They did repave it.

But who goes back up to Sarnia? That would be completely unnecessary if we're backroading it East by SE to Port Dover.

I've been over many many many times on the Norton; used to take the coast route-- Port Stanley, Port Burwell, Port Rowan, Turkey Point and then Port Dover. What a route, on the way to the CVMG Rally at Welland.
Started taking the ferry back then, when they were still building Bluewater #2. Got spoiled by NEVER having to wait (except for maybe the next ferry, a whole 12 minutes max) and have been crossing there ever since.
In June '02 when I went over on the ferry, there was me on my Norton and one guy, on foot, with a handcart stacked with Labatt's from the duty-free shop. That was at about 8:00 on a Friday morning. Me and some guy on a beer run -er- walk. We had a nice conversation about the spring weather.

My brand new NOS 150mph unit is dead nuts on at 60mph verified by GPS.

 

we it wouldnt be a straight shot across to london and down huh...

mapquest doesnt route it that way but whatever...

 

F* Mapquest and Google Maps (Google doesn't even "see" all the Port towns.) That stretch of coast (you drop down from St. Thomas through Aylmer and down to the coast) is absolutely charming. The cliffs along the lake average 40-50 feet, and each little Port town is nestled in its inlet; some with still surviving perch fishing fleets.

The road is a narrow, often unmarked two-lane blacktop that snakes along the edge of the coast and doubles back on itself; runs out and has to be re-joined; and is the complete polar opposite of an hour on the expressway.

You really feel like you're in a different land, a step back in time.

I am probably going to get reservations at a little B&B in Port Stanley for Friday night so I can relax and use up the weekend wandering back.

 

I'm in, sounds like a great ride!

 

i was thinking SOMETHING along the same lines. by the time we go the water route, it will be a looooonnggggg day over, there and back...

 

Great minds think alike. The bed and breakfast idea sounds like a winner

 

Well ok there is a bunch of interest by many but who will be the Ring leader on this. So we can all know whats going on.

 

I think that we should try to establish a convenient place for everyone to meet who is willing to. Or maybe a couple of different places. For example, I would be willing to meet up with anyone in Port Huron or something like that. It would be nice to cross with someone though because i have never crossed by myself. I dont have a problem trying to organize it but it might be better if someone who has crossed the border does it.

 

dfknoll, ill ride to your place or something...

 

Dfknoll not a biggie to cross over. Well thats if you have no criminal record. I dont understand why people are so bothered to cross into Canada. I cross to the USA many times a year and have no problems to go or come back.

 

Im going and if we all go we need a place to meet has any one been befor and make a sujustion on a meeting place. im in toronto and dont want to miss it if theres a xj get together even beter.

 

That would be cool schooter. Although it would be easier to meet up in town. How about in like frankenmuth? That way its just 10 mins to I-75 and then we can get on 69 from there and head straight to Port Huron.

Its not that im making a big deal about crossing to Canada. I am sure that it wont be a problem either way, but i would rather be prepared.

 

Crossing in and out of Canada is no big deal; as long as you have a Passport, Nexus card or Enhanced Driver's License (US citizens.)

 

ya, my friend got a DUI, after that he went to the port huron crossing like 10 times and made it in, then he went through North Dakota and they have nothing better to do so they pulled him over and ran his history and stopped him, as long as you have a license, no criminal record, and smile, its easy

 

okie dokie artichokies!!!!!!!!!!!!!