Mackinac Island

Today we took the Ferry to Mackinac Island,
a place with no automobiles, just Bicycles and
horses. People talk about it as a "Must See"
for Bicyclists. So we Ponied Up
the required $64 for the
Ferry ride.
($7.50 for each Bike!)

Bikes hitching an expensive ride
from Mackinac City to
Mackinac Island.
(a 16Min ride)

The Grand Hotel, a Big Deal to some Folks.
Hotel Staff refused us access to
the mapped paved street past
the front of the place
unless we paid $15
EACH for the Privilege.
Something about the street (which is contiguous
with the entire Island Road System)
being actually "Private Property".
What a Tourist Trap.
The problem for Bidnessmen
is that "Private Property"
rights notwithstanding,
People can
of course
vote with their Pocketbooks.
Which we did and will.

That kind of stuff is the downside.
The upside is the lovely road which circles the Island,
closely following the shoreline of Lake Huron.
It is 8Mi around the Island but we
rode 14.5Mi total for the day.

Yup, nothing but Bikes and
horsedrawn carriages.
The Lake was Gorgeous.

The Great Lakes are, of course, Glacial
in origin.
The Great Continental Glacier was a
Mile high.
Hence the Lake was once much deeper.
About 4,000Yrs ago wave action
eroded this Arch.

Jan is pointing to Canada.
Did I say the view is Gorgeous?

For Lazy Folks the Horsedrawn "carriage"
seems the Thing here.

Cyclists beware the Manure and Urine.
The entire Island smells like Horse, of course.

The Big Horses are quite something here.
This Team was caught
Bringing Home the (Horse) Bacon.

For a place which should be a natural for Cyclists,
we found Mackinac Island to be
remarkably Bike unfriendly.
We were told on (3) occasions that we weren't allowed to be
where we were??? (no signs to the contrary).
Almost no Bike racks.
You are supposed to park in a 1.5Ft wide zone at
the edge of the street next to the curb.
Do Mountain Bikes have kickstands?
Hmm.