Stormy Kromer Ride Recap — Motorcycle Touring the Michigan Upper Peninsula (UP)

Welcome to Episode 072 of the Best Motorcycle Roads Podcast — a full ride report from our 1,640-mile trip through the scenic, wild, and pasty-filled Upper Peninsula of Michigan. This isn’t your average motorcycle vlog. We’re talking route pivots, factory tours, small-town surprises, and the kind of food coma only five pasties in one day can deliver.

Ride Recap Highlights:

✅ How we used ChatGPT to dodge four days of rain by flipping our route direction last-minute

✅ Real talk on group hotel booking chaos (and how to avoid it)

✅ What makes Minocqua, Wisconsin worth a stop — ski shows, lakeside bars, and a one-pound ice cream cone

✅ The Stormy Kromer factory tour in Ironwood — led by the owner himself, Bob Jacquart

✅ Michigan’s most iconic motorcycle routes including M-119 (Tunnel of Trees)

✅ Pasty showdown: Joe’s vs. Ragus vs. Krupp’s vs. Roy’s vs. Iron Town — and the bakery that stole the show

✅ Glass-bottom boat tour over Great Lakes shipwrecks

✅ The story of the Edmund Fitzgerald at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum

✅ Taco Bell Cinnabon Balls, Lou Malnati’s pizza, and other guilty pleasures

Stormy Kromer Hat Giveaway:

We’re giving away a limited-edition Stormy Kromer trucker hat! To enter:

👉 Comment on this video or on our trip planning episode before Labor Day.

We’ll draw one name and send a free hat your way. No spam, no catch.

Rider Toolkit – Motorcycle Gear & Tips (Mentioned in Episode):

Looking to upgrade your road trip gear? Here’s what we brought or wish we had:

• Helmet & Jacket Cable Lock – Secure your lid and gear while parked https://amzn.to/3Idr39J
• Visor Cleaner Kit – Spray & microfiber to fight those UP-size bugs https://amzn.to/44i1dZJ
• Disposable Lens Wipes – Great backup cleaner for visors and windshields https://amzn.to/4kX2MU3
• Jump Battery – Small, reliable power source for dead batteries https://amzn.to/44EXo15
• Quick-Dry Base Layer Shirt – Washable on the go, dry by morning https://amzn.to/4lqdMJy
• Hidden Cash Tip – Always stash a $20 in your jacket
• Bohn Body Armor – Lightweight underlayer protection that stays put https://www.bohnarmor.com

Tool Bag Hack – Our idea: modular saddlebag organizers that clip together (patent pending... maybe 😉)

Featured Locations Along the Route:

Minocqua, WI – Thirsty Whale + Briqs ice cream

Ironwood, MI – Stormy Kromer + Joe’s and Ragus pasties

Houghton, MI – Roy’s Pasties & scenic river patio

Calumet, MI – Overnight base

Munising, MI – Glass-bottom boat tour of shipwrecks

Whitefish Point – Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum (Edmund Fitzgerald)

Mackinac Bridge – Don’t forget cash!

Cross Village to Good Hart, MI – M-119 Tunnel of Trees

Big Rapids, MI – Schuberg’s Bar & Grill + Taco Bell Cinnabon Ball drive-thru

Lou Malnati’s in Chicago – Deep dish, butter crust, perfection

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