2006 Mayday! Adventure Drive

Four hearty teams of adventurers left Superior, Wisconsin, on Saturday, April 29th, for a lap of Lake Superior. The 1100 mile mile trip is taken by thousands every year, but these adventurers chose to eschew modern comforts by driving elderly and arcane imports.

Kevin Clemens, writer for European Car magazine and organizer of the drive, was solo in his Citroen 2CV6 Club. Andy Lindberg and his wife Linda were in a similar car. Rich and Liz Stadther chose to rough it in a Morgan 4/4, while Tom Moerke would also be making the trip alone in his MG Midget.

The plan was to leave Barker's Island Inn in Superior at 8:00 am. The plan was quickly abandoned when the windshield wipers on Kevin's "Duck", in true French tradition, chose that moment to go on strike. With light rain and 40 degree temps, the wipers were pretty much a necessity. An application of rain repellant helped some, but the flat, nearly upright windshield on the 2CV did not allow the water to whiz into the wind like it does on more aerodynamic machinery. Fortunately the rain quit within the hour, so the wipers would not be needed for awhile.

The teams headed north on Wisconsin Highway 13 for the loop through Bayfield. By the time they hit the Bayfield town limits (population 600... in the winter months) they were ready for a rest room break, which became a coffee break and a photo op. The Stadthers were determined to take photos of their Morgan at any large statuary along the road. The first opportunity came just south of Bayfield at one of the apple markets.

Then it was on the road again, working slowly (as quickly as one could pedal a 2CV) toward their first night's lodging in Marquette. Other overnight stops included Wawa, Ontario (Sunday 4/30), and Thunder Bay (Monday 5/1) with the return to Duluth/Superior on midday Tuesday 5/2.

Epilogue - Kevin sent this note:

The trip went well. My 2cv started leaking oil around Wawa and I had to top it off regularly, but made it anyway. Check out www.wawa-news.com for a story about us in the local paper. The weather was warm and sunny until we got to Thunder Bay, and we drove down the North Shore in fog and drizzle, though it was nice in Duluth.

Andy's duck made it to Duluth, but 100 miles from St. Paul, the gas cap vent got clogged and caused a vacuum which collapsed his gas tank. We managed to blow it back out, but the pickup inside was bent and it wouldn't pull any gas. AAA took him home on a flatbead.

Photos © 2006 by Tim Winker or Randy Jokela