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Day 88-89. Lay days in Mackinac Island due to weather. August 17-18


We extended our stay at Mackinac Island due to rain and high winds.  The rain began early in the morning and is supposed to rain most of the day.  We were lucky to get our spot   The harbor is filled!  

Well the rain lasted til about 1:00 and we headed out with Marshall and Diana for lunch.  After that we took off on our bikes to explore more of the island.

 Scenes as we biked along the eastern shore of the island to Arch Rock.





We road on to Arch Rock and climbed 207 stairs to see the wall of sea stack that has a hole from erosion for many years ago.  The stack is about 70 feet tall and just off the rocky beach.  Was quite a sight!!






Next we headed back to town and stopped at the oldest church in Michigan - Mission Church

We biked up one bluff and then another,  although I must admit I walked my bike up part of the bluff.  Bill was able to get up with no walking.  Along the bluff ledge we stopped at Sugar Rock, the tallest sea stack on the island at 85 feet, 


Next we headed to Point Lookout which commands a great view of the north and east side of the island and the Straits of Mackinac.  Point Lookout required us to walk up another 135 stairs!!






We continued along the bluff to Fort Holmes, a reconstructed version of the fort built by the British which occupies the highest point on the island. And of course we had more stairs - 150 of them.  We sure got our cardiovascular exercise in today!



Our last stop of interest was a sea cave which thankfully we did not have a climb to.  The sea cave is a sea stack that has been worn away by very old seas leaving a cave like  system in the rocks.  This one was 30 feet tall.


Here is shot of what the bluff road looks like along the bluff bike ride.


Having come up hill to see most of these sights, we now had to ride down all the way back into town and to the boat.  Had to be careful to brake enough to not get going too fast.  The last  hill actually had a sign that read - "Dangerous hill, walk your bike down the hill" because you were back near town and had to deal with other bikes and horse carriages and pedestrians.

Having used up all our calories on biking and climbing, we decided to buy some fudge from one of the many fudge shops on Main Street.  So many different flavors to pick from!  Needless to say we had fudge for dessert.

Will sleep well tonight, stuffed with fudge and well exercised!


Day 89.   Lay day in Mackinac, waiting for the winds and seas to die down

Our last day in Mackinac will be a quiet one.  Will walk among the shops on Main Street and the smaller cottages close by.  Luckily the cruise ship left so will be less crowded. And of course we will get some ice cream!!

On our way we pass by the park that runs in front of Fort Mackinac. 




We did enjoy watching all the people and hose carriages go by.  Even saw the freight company deliver bales of hay to the stables via horse and wagon.  A passing horse almost got a snack in as the hay wagon went by.  Unfortunately, the video would no load.  Sorry.

Most of the shops were of the normal souvenir variety with some local artist shops thrown in.  The rest of the shops hawked fudge and candy and ice cream.  We found a few things we could use as presents.




Will have dinner early so we can take in the free Shakespeare in the Park "Julius Caesar" - the one hour version.  

Have to hit the sack early as we need to get an early start tomorrow to travel while the wind is less. 





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