Pacific Northwest to upstate NY - upper peninsula or around the bottom of the lake?

I'm planning my first acorss the country trip from Seattle WA to
Rochester NY in a single engine Grumman. I have already figured out a
way to cross the Rockies (the northern route). Now the question is
which route to navigate through the summer storms in the midwest.

I'm instrument current, but I have no apppetite flying IFR near any
convective activities (neither in VFR). It seems during the last few
weeks there's always a line of storm sweeping across the mid-west on a
daily basis. I'll gladly accept a day or two weather delays during my
trip.

Would the route over the Michagan upper/lower peninsula, then acorss a
small stretch of Canada (Detroit area to Buffalo) gives me a better
chance of steering clear of the most intensive weather? Apart from
inflight concerns, I also want to avoid hail when my plane is on the
ground during my overnight stop.

I don't have XM weather on my GPS. It's very hard to justify in
Pacific NW weather where we hardly have any convective IMC throughout
the year.

Thanks!