Labor Day-Walking the Mackinac Bridge-I'm back and I walked the Bridge.

[OhMari]

Anyone else?
7:00 a.m. EST 9-6-10

I have been wanting to do this.
5 miles.
It takes me 1 hour and 20 minutes to walk 5 miles on a treadmill. I'm guessing with so many people, it could take longer.

 

[jksgrammy]

You gotta love crowds to do this - unbelievable amt. of people. Also, (though I've never done the bridge walk) I had friends who did and they advised that once you got to the other side, they had to wait almost 3 hours to get a bus ride back to their car on the starting side. This was a few years back they did it, so not sure if that's improved or not.

Maybe others can chime in and add more info on this.

 

[Buckalew11]

I want to go there someday!

Have fun! I wish I was doing a race this weekend.

 

[KatieA]

I would love to do that also. I will be interested to hear about your experience. Please remember to post and let us know how everything goes.

 

[yoopermom]

Will you wave as you drive past my house?

I don't know what day you're driving up, but know that the traffic on 2 will be *horrendous* even with the occasional passing lanes (for some reason, nonyoopers seem to think it's the autobahn). People in cars will go flying past the campers/big trucks and forget that a deer can jump out at any minute.

And, yes, it's on my list for 2011, I'd LOVE to do it, please take lots of notes and pix so we can all feel like we're there! It's like WDW, just don't be a rush to get anywhere...

Have a great time!
Terri

 

[DisMN]

I want to go there someday!

Have fun! I wish I was doing a race this weekend.

Would LOVE to do it with you!

A couple of questions for the OP though....can you walk the bridge on a normal day or is it open for walking just for this walkathon?

And........having driven over it many times and knowing what I know about the bridge, the winds, the uh.......cars blown over the edge..how freaky is it to walk across? I mean I might get the serious heebie jeebies walking it.

 

[yoopermom]

It's the only day of the year that it's open to foot traffic (except for the brave road workers who are out there every day).

Terri

 

[DisMN]

It's the only day of the year that it's open to foot traffic (except for the brave road workers who are out there every day).

Terri

And brave they are!! Thanks for the info.

 

[OhMari]

I would love to do that also. I will be interested to hear about your experience. Please remember to post and let us know how everything goes.

Will do.

Will you wave as you drive past my house?

I don't know what day you're driving up, but know that the traffic on 2 will be *horrendous* even with the occasional passing lanes (for some reason, nonyoopers seem to think it's the autobahn). People in cars will go flying past the campers/big trucks and forget that a deer can jump out at any minute.

And, yes, it's on my list for 2011, I'd LOVE to do it, please take lots of notes and pix so we can all feel like we're there! It's like WDW, just don't be a rush to get anywhere...

Have a great time!
Terri

We have done the ride numerous times to the UP. I had 2 kids graduate from NMU. We take Highway 41, to M35 to 2. We are leaving Saturday morning. We are staying 2 nites at St. Ignace. Walk on Labor Day. Wait around most of the day and then go up to Soo (sp?) St. Marie and do the all day Train Ride. Then we are driving down to Niagra Falls and home by the following weekend.

Would LOVE to do it with you!

A couple of questions for the OP though....can you walk the bridge on a normal day or is it open for walking just for this walkathon?

And........having driven over it many times and knowing what I know about the bridge, the winds, the uh.......cars blown over the edge..how freaky is it to walk across? I mean I might get the serious heebie jeebies walking it.

Only one car has ever gone over the side of the bridge. I guess it was a very small compact car, too. You can only walk the bridge on Labor Day. And it starts at 7:00 a.m. EST, the latest you can start is 9:00 a.m.

 

[Ciciwoowoo]

We are signed up to walk the bridge in 2011... My parents did it so not sure if you actually have to sign up or they just reserved the camping spot at the campground there!

Am looking forward to hearing the details...would love to know what to expect!

 

[OhMari]

We are signed up to walk the bridge in 2011... My parents did it so not sure if you actually have to sign up or they just reserved the camping spot at the campground there!

Am looking forward to hearing the details...would love to know what to expect!

For some reason the campground sites go really fast. I think because of Labor Day weekend. You could still get rooms at some of the brand name hotels, but the mom and pops were had no-vacany signs.

I have pictures coming up. Just downloading.

 

[OhMari]

Mackinac Bridge Walk Weekend.



We had ressies for Days Inn in St. Ignace for Sat. & Sun. evening.
We got to St. Ignance around 3:00 p.m.
checked in,
took showers and found a little resturant with great Mexican Food.
Sunday we went over to Mackinac Island.

I was really concerned about the weather. All weekend the weather reports kept changing.
I barely packed any warm clothes.
It was really stupid of me, but I was so used
to 80's and 90's, I never thought summer would
just end so suddenly and drop 20 degrees.
The weather channel kept saying,
unseasonable weather in the UP.
20 degrees cooler than the average temps.

For the walk, luckily I packed warm capri sweatpants and I wore
layers of t-shirts and I bought a bright orange Michigan sweatshirt.

On the day of the walk,
we didn't know where to park.
We didn't know if it would it still take place if it was to windy?
But, leave it to my dh, to start asking questions.
He tries to find out of the way "smoking areas", so he
don't disturb anyone. And he becomes Mr. socialable.
He won't talk to anyone, any other time, but give him a smoke,
a few minutes, and he becomes a regular "Cathy Chatty".

Labor, I woke up at 6:30 a.m. and wetted down my hair.
The girls woke up and got ready, and my dh was up last.
I refused to eat or drink, because I didn't want to have to go
to the bathroom. No metro's on the bridge.

The governor of Michigan and a few joggers lead the race,
which started at 7:00 a.m. EST.

We parked at the welcome center of St. Ignance, which over looks the bridge.

Busses were running and bringing people over from Mackinac City, to St. Ignance where the walk started.

The National Guard was stopping traffic on I75, and they would allow groups of people to cross. The walk was along the Eastern Side of the bridge. And we had 2 lanes of fun. One lane was concrete, and about a mile in, the other lane had grates and you could see Lake Michigan/Lake Huron. Under the bridge, it is called "The Straits of Mackinaw."
The National Guard was also on the bridge.
They were there for your safety-they all had walkie-talkies.
Some of them were making funny comments, or giving encouraging words.


Me and the girls went to the bathroom, one last time.

We finally got to the starting point of the base of the bridge.
My dh set his watch timer and it was 8:15 a.m.

Me and dd-walking backwards

The sun finally broke through.

Me and my dd's.

My dh did do the walk too.

He was the one taking pictues with his camera phone. My camera batteries died about 1 mile in. I can't find my chord to download pictures.

When we crossed the finish line, my dh turned off the timer and he said we walked the bridge in one hour and 18 minutes. We needed to board a bus to get back to St. Ignace. $5.00 a person. And we had to walk another mile through town.

Many groups were selling t-shirts, hats, badges etc. along with the regular stores.

I saw the local fire-stations, taking down signs from their food stand. They completely sold out of brats, hamburgers and hotdogs by 9:45 a.m. They also have "public restrooms" on the outside of the fire house, which I thought was pretty cool. A Dairy Queen, is right next to the Firehouse. My dh wanted to see what Mackinac City looked like, so we paid the fare to cross the bridge $3.50-each way for "free blizzards" at Dairy Queen.

The walk was not as strenous as I thought it would maybe be. I think it helped, that I work-out at the YMCA. I swam laps all summer and do a weight lifting class 2-3 times a week, but some other classes. We did pass others, and others passed us. But no one was ever rude. We saw people sit and take rests, off to the side. We saw people walking the bridge barefoot, people getting pushed in wheel chairs, a few strollers, even though they are not allowed, I saw aone jogger and 2 Elvis's. "Elvis has crossed the bridge."

Would I do it again. Probably not. I don't like going to high tourist area's on a major holiday. It was my birthday Labor Day and for many, many years I kept saying, I wanted to walk the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day. Last year, when I saw that my birthday would be on Labor Day, I knew I wanted to do something fun and exciting, besides just going out to eat. I also never read my horoscope, and my horoscope said, "You will accomplish a goal, you set many years ago."
"How scary is that!"

 

[yoopermom]

Thanks for the great report! I'm definitely going to do it next year. I think that when you get used to WDW sized crowds, this doesn't seem so bad. And I should have warned you about our weather, it's always dicey! I sat out at DS's football game last night in winter coat, long underwear, jeans, boots, hat, and mittens! We have friends who come up frequently from downstate (Trolls: under the bridge-ers), and they often get stopped and not allowed to cross when the winds are high, or they have to wait to be escorted. Until you've been across it, it's hard to believe how long/windy/amazing it is!

Thanks again for sharing!
Terri

 

[mom2kazkids]

Good for you OhMari. I drove over the bridge last summer and never want to do that again. I had a panic attack about 1/3 of the way over. It was horrible. My mom said something to me and I told her to shut up. When we paid our toll at the end I told the attendent that I hoped to never do that again and her told me to come back on Labor Day to walk it. NOT!

 

[OhMari]

Thanks for the great report! I'm definitely going to do it next year. I think that when you get used to WDW sized crowds, this doesn't seem so bad. And I should have warned you about our weather, it's always dicey! I sat out at DS's football game last night in winter coat, long underwear, jeans, boots, hat, and mittens! We have friends who come up frequently from downstate (Trolls: under the bridge-ers), and they often get stopped and not allowed to cross when the winds are high, or they have to wait to be escorted. Until you've been across it, it's hard to believe how long/windy/amazing it is!

Thanks again for sharing!

Trolls-
To bad you didn't do it this year, we could of had a DIS meet.
My girls went back to Wisconsin after the race and me and my dh went up to Saulte St. Marie Monday afternoon and did the train ride on Tuesday. We came back around 6:30 and it was very windy. They had the flashers going and they were stopping all traffic and we were advised that it was very windy, but you could still cross. Otherwise, if you didn't want to attempt the cross, they offered a person to drive our vehicle for us. Semi's were being escorted across the bridge. I saw a motor-cycle going the other way. That person was nuts. I never get to scared, but I was scared in my VW Jetta.

 

[OhMari]

Good for you OhMari. I drove over the bridge last summer and never want to do that again. I had a panic attack about 1/3 of the way over. It was horrible. My mom said something to me and I told her to shut up. When we paid our toll at the end I told the attendent that I hoped to never do that again and her told me to come back on Labor Day to walk it. NOT!

See the post above. I almost had one on the following day, crossing over by car. I think when you drive-it just takes forever. I had one small one, near the end of the bridge when I walked. I thought I had to go to the bathroom, and I started panicking. I made my everyone start talking about something and I forgot about it.

 

[JerseyJanice]

This is the second thread I've read about the Mackinac Bridge here in a few days. Fascinating! Makes me want to visit Michigan see it myself.

Thanks for sharing your story and pictures, OhMari!

 

[wld]

we were on the island and too lazy to get up and walk. Of course you could start walking until 11 am. The ferry will take you to st ignace and then they will transport you to the start line. then walk over to the ferry dock and get your car. Or stay another day on the island like us. It's usually cheaper to stay on the island for the whole weekend because they don't jack up the rates like they do in Mackinaw City for Sunday. But then you do have to pay the ferry rate.

Anyway we did walk it about 5 years ago. Stayed in Mackinaw City, took the bus across and then just walked back. People had told us it was the most efficient way to do it.

What's interesting is the way the bridge sways, it's kind of like being intoxicated I would imagine (non drinker here). You lift your foot, swing it forward and well, it comes down in a different place than you expected. Also as it gets later in the morning they change it from 2 walkinglanes to one.

Also for you nervous bridge drivers you can request for a bridge employee to drive your car over for you. It is a free service.

Another parent of a NMU grad here so made many trips both for her and on vacation!!

 

[wld]

oh and the car that went over the bridge was a yugo. some kind of Korean made car. My dad has driven across when the wind was so bad you had to drive beside a semi and the waves were crashing over the approaches.

come see our bridge. Us Michiganders love it....and the area on both ends is beautiful too.

 

[lisajl]

My DH and I have this on our bucket list. Thanks so much for posting this and the photos. I have always wondered what it would be like!

Lisa
On my way to the island end of the month.