This state is so great that Biden is dropping by for a visit next week, although admittedly he is coming to stand in solidarity with the members of the auto union, but, still, I sure hope he has time to head north and enjoy the UP (upper peninsula).
I certainly enjoyed my time in the UP today, beginning with a stunning sunrise that greeted me this morning. Leaving the hotel, I went up the road to the park, and as I turned in, the driver of a truck waiting to pull out rolled down her window and said, you hafta stop, and I said I know, I hafta. It is amazing how quickly you pick up the local idiom, but she was right, the sunrise was not to be missed.
Once I got back on the road, I had clear skies for a few hours, then rode through pretty dense fog for about 10 km. Soon enough, though, I came back into sunshine and started seeing the many stores offering pasties, smoked fish, and fudge. I would be interested in seeing if those three items are included in Michigan’s state food guide, because honestly they were being sold everywhere. It is clearly a very popular stretch between Manistique and St, Ignace, and with good reason given how beautiful the shoreline is with its beautiful Sandy beaches. Even the small ma and pa motels still seem to be doing a thriving business, and I even saw a place offering housekeeping cabins, which looked so cheerful with pots of flowers and two of the classic motel chairs in front of each cabin.
I was tempted to stop and buy some fish, remembering the amazing smoked trout I bought in Pancake Bay, ON two years ago, almost to the day, but I was not sure how it would hold up in my pack for the day, so I refrained.
The last 30 km into St Ignace were particularly spectacular as the road runs right along the shore with dunes on either side of the road. I can only imagine what the traffic would be like at the height of summer. There were a few people on the beaches and enjoying the water, but I didn’t dip my toes in to see how warm it was.
I was eager to get to the Mackinaw Bridge as that was my unknown for the day, in terms of figuring out the process for securing a drive across the bridge. When I reached the turn off for the bridge, I called to get instructions, and she said just come to the office right at the toll booths, and we will take care of you. The only little hitch was that the office was on the far left side of six lanes, so it took a little fancy work on my part to get across the south bound lanes, then wait for a gap and cross the north bound lanes. Once I got to the office, I paid the $15 fee, and minutes later a staff member wheeled around in his truck, lifted my bike into the back as if it was weightless, and then drove me across the bridge. It was shrouded in fog, consequently limiting my views, but at the same time also creating such a cool effect as we rose to the highest point of the five mile bridge at some 200 feet. Of course he was super friendly, and when I asked if he ever had to drive people over who could not drive themselves (a call came over his walkie-talkie talkie for a driver assist as we were talking!), he said he had driven plenty of people over, some of whom were so afraid they had to sit in the back of his truck with their heads covered, while he talked them through it, or didn’t talk at all, depending on their wishes. I suggested he was a great therapist as well as an awesome driver, and when he dropped me off in Mackinaw City, he gave me some helpful directions to get downtown.
I was so elated to be over the bridge, that I was ready to get a swell room and play tourist, and boy what a touristy town this is. The downtown streets were lined with stores selling fudge (what’s with all the fudge?) and just about anything you could print the name Mackinaw City on: T-shirts, hoodies, flags, postcards, spoons. It was all there for the taking, but I wasn’t wooed by the shiny trinkets, and walked on until I hit the fudge and ice cream shop out of which wafted the smell of cooling chocolate fudge and warm waffle cones. I didn’t buckle at the knees or anything dramatic, but I did make a quick dash to the back of the store where there was no lineup for ice cream, and, as you can see below, I bought a ridiculously large cone, and then wandered slowly while ice cream dripped down my hand and onto my pants. I was a mess, despite grabbing three napkins to help mop myself up, but it was all quite glorious.
After checking out the dock where you can board a very fancy boat to ferry you to Mackinac Island, I hit my limit for playing tourist, and headed back to my room where I have again been upgraded to a jacuzzi room, but I confess I haven’t felt any inclination to soak in the tub. I just don’t think it’s my style.
Tomorrow, I will head along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan and aim for Traverse City. I’m looking forward to another great day in this lovely state.