Mackinac Island, June 14

Saturday, June 14, 2014

 We are now in Sault St. Marie, MICHIGAN.  After a light breakfast we head down to the lochs on the St. Mary's Falls Canal,  the Soo Lochs, which connect Lake Superior to Lake Huron.  We watch the Tecumseh come into the loch and and then drop 21 foot to exit the other end.  There have been lochs here since the early 1800's, but they were turned over and refurbished by the Army Corps of Engineers beginning in 1881.  They operate toll free and process about 11,000 vessels and 90 million tons of cargo a year.

It takes 2,342 miles of travel from Duluth (which they call the western most Atlantic seaport), through the the great lakes to the the Atlantic (skipping Lake Michigan).

We head south toward St. Ignace and Mackinac (pronounced Mackinaw) Island.  The land is flatter now with grassland, trees, some small farms.

At St. Ignace we get tickets for the ferry to the Island and have to purchase tickets for our bikes as

well.  On the way there, we detour for a look at the Mackinac Bridge.  4th longest bridge of its type and quite impressive.

We rode a ferry like this one

There are no motorized vehicles on the Island, so it is very busy with bicycles, horses, carriages  and people walking.  Lots of victorian architecture and, as a tourist destination, things are well kept.

 We look around a bit, then go to watch what is billed as a parade with horses and dogs, which is part of the Lilac Festival festivities going on this weekend.   Very short parade :).

We want to go to Arch Rock so have to climb the bluff to Fort Mackinac and take a bike trail.  Have to walk the bike up this steep hill - another cardio workout!  Once we are up on the bluff the trail is nice to the rock.

View from almost the top of the bluff

view from arch rock

We go down some stairs to the main loop around the island, an 8 mile route.  There are quite a few riders and occasional horse and carts or carriages, but no vehicles and the biking is easy.  Nice views of the water all around.

We park our bikes when we get back to town and walk the main street, stopping at a few shops and then have lunch at a place called the Pink Pony

where we catch some World Cup Soccer.  There are tons of fudge shops and chocolate shops.  The chocolate smell is so strong that it tends to satisfy my sweet tooth! Amazing.

There are alot of kits being flown and lots of lilacs, some of which are just beginning to bloom - everything seems late according to locals who continue to scratch their heads about this past winter. We head back to the mainland, past this pretty light.

The Star Line, which is the ferry line we took to the Island, has a fenced parking area off the main road and allows overnight parking so we decide to just sleep here.  We go to the Driftwood Sports Bar around the corner for a few beers, hot wings and the Italy vs England soccer match!  Greg has to ask them to change from a Tigers game, which they are a little reluctant to do at first, but there doesn't seem to be anyone watching it, so we get soccer on the main screen :)  Another group comes in later who are loud soccer fans.

The gates are locked at 10:00 so we are snug till they open again at 7:30 tomorrow.  Good quiet night.