Wrights On A Mission

Sanford, Michigan to Crystal Falls, Michigan!

One of the greatest blessings of this journey has been the people we meet along the way. This morning, we had to say goodbye to our new friend and Bunk-A-Biker host, Cheri Mason, and her son. We are continually amazed at how quickly strangers become friends on the road. The Bunk-A-Biker community is an incredible network of hospitality, and we are always grateful for the kindness shown to traveling motorcyclists.
After packing our bikes and sharing a prayer with our host, we pointed our motorcycles north toward the Mackinac Bridge. Before long, we stopped for breakfast at The Farmer’s Table, where we met a local biker named Dale. Spotting the CMA patch on Melvin’s vest, he struck up a conversation and eagerly suggested we take the scenic M-119 route along Lake Michigan.
Now, we knew this detour would add several hours to an already long riding day, but how could we resist?
And we’re glad we didn’t.
The ride along M-119 was absolutely stunning. Twisting roads hugged the shoreline, offering breathtaking views of Lake Michigan and beautiful homes tucked among the trees. Later, a couple we met at a gas station suggested continuing through the forest preserve toward the sand dunes. We followed their advice and found ourselves standing among some incredible scenery. Of course, we had to stop and capture drone footage before turning back toward Mackinaw.
Crossing the Mackinac Bridge was another highlight of the day. The bridge itself is impressive, but the views stretching across Lake Michigan were simply unforgettable.
Once across the bridge, we stopped for fuel and met two riders from the Chicago area vacationing on their Kawasaki and Honda adventure bikes. It’s amazing how quickly conversations start when motorcycles are involved. Complete strangers become friends within minutes simply because of a shared passion for riding.
From there, we headed west on Route 2 along the northern shoreline of Lake Michigan. The route offered one beautiful overlook after another, and we found ourselves stopping often to capture video and drone footage. Eventually, however, reality set in—we were now several hours behind schedule and still had many miles ahead of us.
As the day wore on, our stops became fewer and farther between. During one fuel stop, we met Charles, a truck driver from Canada hauling liquid smoke. We spent a few minutes swapping stories about life on the road, his experiences in Canada, and our adventure to Alaska. Before leaving, we gave him a Bible and wished him a Happy Father’s Day.
Back on the road, fatigue began to set in. The miles seemed longer, and Crystal Falls felt farther away with every turn of the wheel. Then came the weather.
For the final hour of our ride, we battled heavy rain and strong winds. The temperature dropped into the low 60s, and I found myself cold, wet, and tired. More than once I considered stopping to add another layer, but I was determined to reach camp before dark and get the tent set up.
Finally, about 15 miles from our destination, we stopped one last time for fuel. I pulled on my REV’IT! mid-layer jacket and heavier gauntlet gloves. The extra warmth felt like pure relief.
By the time we rolled into the campground, the rain had thankfully stopped. Melvin quickly set up the tent while I prepared another simple campsite dinner of chicken and rice on the JetBoil.
The evening settled into a familiar routine—charging electronics, backing up footage, uploading videos, and writing about the day’s adventures. As midnight approached, I finally finished my work and crawled into the tent.
Tomorrow would bring another long day on the road, more miles to cover, and undoubtedly more people to meet. As I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but wonder what new adventures God had waiting for us just beyond the next bend in the road.
Miles traveled, friendships made, and memories created—Day 3 was one for the books.