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Favorite Roads/Drives in West Michigan?


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I couldn't fight the urge on Saturday and took my motorcycle out in 25 degree weather. Cold, yes, but it got me excited for the upcoming riding season. Let's throw sustainability out the window for a few minutes and talk about some of the best roads in West Michigan to ride, either 2 wheels or 4. Surely I'm not the only one who takes the occasional pleasure in being propelled by petroleum.

A few of my favorites.

Leonard Street from downtown all they way out to Grand Haven -- A great alternative to get to the Lakeshore. Sweeping curves, light traffic, great country views.

SW "Industrial areas" -- Wealthy, Godfrey, Hall, etc -- Huge old buildings, little traffic. One of my favorite spots to ride around on a summer night.

Further north - M-22 from Manistee all the way up around the Leelanau Peninsula. Paradise.

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When heading up north, I love taking M-37. Once you get past Newaygo, it's a beautiful drive...especially when the snow blankets the trees. In town, I love Robinson Road, Reeds Lake Blvd, and that area NE-->NW of Reeds Lake. It's a short drive, but very visually stimulating.

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When I had a motorcycle I'd always take M-37 when heading north. Being parallel to US-131 and in a national forest pretty much guarantees there will be no traffic to speak of. And on a motorcycle I liked cruising in the 55-65 MPH range rather than freeway speeds. You get a little less wind and, for my motorcycle at least, a nicer sound coming from the tailpipes.

I also agree about taking Leonard west out of the city.

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This weekend I just found myself driving for the sake of driving. It was gorgeous on Sunday and living in Austin, I used to just go for drives just to enjoy the scenery. I wish this had been posted earlier because I found myself missing the Hill Country of Austin and all the roads I used to take. But now I know where to go next time the weather's beautiful. :D

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Is Baldwin the place that years ago (and maybe still) had a great ice cream shop that no one could pass by without stopping? In jr high & high school I had a friend whose folks had a cabin on the Little Manistee in Irons and I'm thinking we passed through Baldwin (and ate ice cream). It is so beautiful up there - I even appreciated the beauty in my teen years.
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By Car: M-22 ... all of it.

By Bike: Kal-Haven Trail from Kalamazoo->South Haven It's 2-3 hours of great riding with a beach as the payoff in the end. Plus you rarely see any cars at the crossings. It's almost perfectly placed away from any real traffic.

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Since it looks like many of you venture north, another amazing ride is Hwy 119 from Harbor Springs to Cross Village. It's a single lane that winds through the woods and the lakeshore for about 20 miles. It gives M-22 a run for its money. If it was longer than just 20 miles, it would probably beat it.

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Since it looks like many of you venture north, another amazing ride is Hwy 119 from Harbor Springs to Cross Village. It's a single lane that winds through the woods and the lakeshore for about 20 miles. It gives M-22 a run for its money. If it was longer than just 20 miles, it would probably beat it.
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