The ferry to Mackinac Island left at 9 AM sharp and we were on it ready to explore the only place in the world that has a state highway (M185) for bicycles and horse drawn carriages only. No motorized vehicles are allowed on this island. It has been a law since the horseless carriage was first introduced back in the early 1900’s. The only one to make it onto the island scared the horses so badly that it was immediately banned. But first we rode under the suspension bridge connecting the Upper Peninsula to Lower Michigan. At 5 miles it was the longest bridge of its type in the world when it opened in 1957.
French soldiers first built Fort Michilimackinac in 1715, then the British took over in 1761 following the French and Indian War. 1796 was when Americans took control of the fort for the first time, the the British got it again during the War of 1812 but Americans got it back at the end of that war and have been here ever since. It started out closer to the water and made of wood but then it was moved up the hill and constructed on rock and expanded many times. We toured most of the buildings in the fort. This fort was the 2nd National Park in the US but later it was given to Michigan and designated a State Park, their first.
Since we had our bikes, we followed the crowd on Highway M185 that encompasses the island for an 8 mile loop. By the time we reached the west side of the island, the wind was so bad that we took off down the middle and up the hill. When we came back down we were in front of The Grand Hotel so we paid $20 to walk around inside. It is very plush, colorful, and elegant. The sunny afternoon called for a gin and tonic sipped while basking in the sun, rocking away for a short nap.
By the time we got back into the business district it was wall to wall people! We decided that it was time to go home and enjoy some quiet time, pay bills and finish the laundry.
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