lac Supérieur on our Derrières: Fudgies

We had a day off the bikes, Bob and I. The five of us went over to Mackinac (sounds "makinawww"; apparently, it is something to do with the French language). We jumped on a boat early in the morning (10:30 am) and were whisked across the bay to the island, with a detour to take us under the Mackinac Suspension Bridge. (If you are watching the Spot tracking link, it will look like we are out in the middle of the lake. In fact, we are, which was the detour to the bridge.) The bridge is currently the fifth longest suspension bridge in the world and longest in the western hemisphere at over 8 km in total length. There was a "bridge walk" today with over 45,000 participants and 1300 tractors crossing the bridge and back again.

Mackinac Island is a popular tourist destination not just because of the scenery, period architecture or dozens of shops selling fudge but because there are no cars on the island. All the transportation is by horse and carriage, horseback, bicycle or walking. In the winter time when the year-round resident population is about 600, snow mobiles are allowed. For a period in the winter, snow mobiles can make it to the mainland. Even deliveries are done by horse and cart, though there is apparently some emergency vehicles on the island and I did see one truck belonging to the state out there on a roadway construction sight.

There are many old homes (over 100 years) that have been refurbished into cottage businesses or remain as homes as well as a summer residence for the governor of Michigan, a stately hotel called the Grand Hotel and about 8 of the 10 square kilometres on the island designated as parkland. As well, there is a main street that would make Banff blush, though there is not a huge variety to the shopping. It is mostly fudge and candy shops. We did a horse carriage tour of the island and the guide mentioned that there were 16 fudge stores; what I realized he must have meant was fudge companies because standing on one corner in town I could see 10 fudge shops at once. There were many more in town and others on other parts of the island.

The place was teeming with tourists on our day but I am sure it was modest compared to a sunny, summer day. Every store was trying to clear out their inventory for the end of season and prices were slashed, if you wanted to sort through the racks for your size.

We did the aforementioned tour of the island in a horse drawn carriage, which was several rows of bench seating under a canopy being pulled by two heavy horses initially and then three on the next leg. In this arrangement, two heavy horses pulling a wagon with about 16 passengers pulled the cart up the initial slope, where we were deposited at a shopping sight to wait for the next, larger wagon (holding 32) to take us on the next leg of the journey.

Both legs of the carriage ride were guided by the horse handler - young people not in university at this stage, as those people have all left the island. Our first guide was finishing her season that day; the second stage was a young man who had his lines down cold. Both of these kids were cute, and had their lines and jokes ready like a well worn coat. They both delivered their presentation in the kind of deadpan manner that lets you know they know how to work the crowd, have a little fun, maybe at the crowd's expense and ask for a tip at the end. It was fun for us, too.

It turns out that locals (which would include "summer locals") refer to the tourists as "fudgies" based on their appetite for the local fudge.

Mackinac Bridge, from the boat ride to the island.

One of our first views when we arrived at Mackinac; later, we saw much fancier carriages for the Grand Hotel, and taxis.

The main street on Mackinac Island. Shopping is primarily along this street with a modest amount elsewhere, being primarily services-type business.

An archway formed by the flood of tears of the daughter of an ancient Ojibwe Chief when he marooned her on the island for not wanting to marry the brave he had chosen for her.