For Labor Day weekend Dan and I have been planning on going up to Mackinaw City with my family since last year. My family goes up every year to camp, enjoy the city, and walk the Mackinaw bridge on Labor Day. Last year we got rained out from going to the bridge and also used the time to pack up all my things still at my parents house. Sadly with college starting the same weekend as Labor Day I haven't been able to come up for the last 13 years! The closer we got the more excited I became, Mackinaw is one of the few places in Michigan that feels like home, and I can say even after being gone for as long as I was I still knew my way around :)
We got in late and were welcomed by my parents and an Aunt and Uncle who had stayed up to greet us by the campfire. After chatting for a little bit we got ready for bed as we planned on having breakfast with everyone (cousins, Aunt and Uncle, and parents) in the morning before going to Mackinac Island. It was fun seeing my cousins and having some good pancakes :) Then we drove into the city and down to the pier to head out to the Island.
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| Getting ready to head out to the Island |
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| Going under the bridge |
Before going to the Island our boat took us under the Mackinaw bridge, which is pretty amazing to see so close. Once we got to the Island we had the option to rent bikes, take a horse drawn carriage, or walk. We choose to walk and headed to the Fort. We got to wander through buildings and see demonstrations of guns and the cannon. They of course didn't use a cannon ball, but did shoot off a tinfoil wrapped package of 3 oz of gun powder.
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| The harbor...the Fort is at the top of the hill |
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| Main Street |
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| On the beach, the bridge behind us |
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| At the fort, Cannon Fire Demonstration |
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| Loading the Cannon |
After finishing up at the Fort we walked through another street in town to head towards the Grand Hotel. Once we were there we saw they had a huge party going on in part of the grounds and we didn't tour the hotel because there were other things we wanted to see.
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| Post Office |
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| The Grand Hotel |
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| Party with live band |
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| So many pretty flowers! |
After seeing the hotel we walked back into town and had some lunch. We then plotted our next move, wanting to see one of the rock formations on the Island. We decided to rent bikes but when we got there on a whim choose a tandem bike...this was not a good idea. The bike was really difficult to maneuver and we both felt unsafe the entire time we tried to ride it. We worked together well, but that doesn't make people look up and move out of your way on a path or mean you won't get almost run down by horses (there are no cars on the Island).
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| Dan with the bike |
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| Rock formation |
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| Picture at look out point |
After making it back safely to the bike rental place we discovered why we were having so many issues. Dan's seat hadn't been fully screwed back on tight from when they adjusted it and our back tire was flat! Our words of advice...don't pick a tandem bike! Next we walked down to the art museum and enjoyed some "culture" before heading back to the docks to head off the Island.
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| Birds want to learn to ride too |
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| Light House |
Once back in the City we met up with my family at the pizza place we always go to on Saturday night. After we got done eating we went upstairs to see the museum they have from when the bridge was built. They also show a movie about the making of the bridge.
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| My parents |
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| Dan and me ready to eat! |
After leaving the pizza place we went to get some homemade fudge! Our next stop was back to the trailer to relax for a little while before heading out to get pictures of the bridge at night. We even drove into the Upper Peninsula so Dan could drive over the bridge. After getting some pictures we headed back to the campsite to enjoy time around the campfire with the family.
