Hal Borland, a former writer for The New York Times, once said, “To know - after absence - the familiar street and road and village and house is to know again the satisfaction of home.”  My readers are well aware that I have two homes - one at the lake, with ties to my southern roots, my family, my friends, and 61 years of history.  Then there is my heart’s home – this island. 

Returning here on Thursday afternoon once again filled the space in my heart reserved only for this village and these people.  Winter Festival is basically a community celebration.  In a place cut off from the mainland during the winter – unless you fly in and out – this small community of residents pauses for a weekend and celebrates what makes them special – their children, their bond with each other, their home on this island. 

This afternoon when we arrived at Turtle Park, I felt as if I was being welcomed home by family.  So many people who I had last seen at the end of October called out a “welcome back!”  They asked “Where’s Ted?”  They hugged me.  They chatted.  They made me feel that making the effort to travel to Michigan from Georgia for a four day visit was very special to them.  I wanted to tell them all that there was no effort involved – I had simply come to my heart’s home.

We have once again been outside all day.  It was two degrees when we awoke this morning, but luckily the winds have been calm.  We put on layer after layer (at last count we three girls had managed to pull on and zip up seven layers above our waists and three below).  We wore snow boots, wool socks, toe warmers stuck to the bottom of our socks, and hand warmers inside our gloves.  We were warm, but we also looked like inflated robots.  If we had tipped over, there is no way we could have ever gotten up without help.

Here’s our day in photographs – with captions.

Ice in the marina has broken into large pieces.

We left The Cottage Inn around noon. I kept hoping for a snowmobile ride, but Jill insisted we walk. I'm so glad we did.

At the foot of Fort Hill, Jill was already snapping photos. I think, between the two of us, we took more than 400 pictures today.

The trees are beautiful, standing against the white snow.

Dawn - trying to hide behind a tree. In seven layers of clothes!? I don't think so!

A fork in the road - but they both end at Turtle Park.

Pointing out the path Ted and I take through the woods to our condo.

Marge and Rich (and Joe Cocker) caught up with us toward the end of our hike. They were going to the Winter Festival also.

The Winter Festival was in full swing when we arrived.

One of the many activities was sledding - a favorite with the kids.

There was also snow golf . . . .

Human sled dog races - where the "sled dog" was blindfolded and had to mush around a marked route to shouted instructions from the person (or persons) on the sled . . .

Face painting for the children . . .

Broom hockey - a children's match and an "over the hill" match . . .

And then there's Bowling with a Frozen Chicken, the only game in which I participated. You are given a frozen solid, hard as a rock chicken, wrapped in cellophane. You have to hurl it toward the bowling pins at least a thousand feet away. I did not win or place. In fact, I never touched even one of those darn pins. By the way, the prize for the winner of that game was the frozen chicken.

The totem pole at Turtle Park is crowned by - what else - a turtle!

Me with Penny - one of Andrew and Nicole's sweet dogs.

Mike, who has been filming all weekend, talking with Karen from The St. Ignace News.

Jack, with his wife, owns the Cannonball Restaurant at British Landing. They were grilling hotdogs and brats for the crowd.

Chloe gets in a little sledding, making it all the way down the hill without a crash.

The crowd seemed to continue growing throughout the afternoon, tapering off around 3:30 p.m.

Dawn and I watched some of the games from the bleachers, which were facing the sun. A beautiful day!

 

An island friend's little girl - Madison.

Cute Miss Madison again.

We took a break from the festival, and walked over to Trillium Heights, a subdivision behind the Village.

We went by and visited for a moment with Don and his wife. Don and Ted work together at the Visitor's Center on the island during the summer.

 

Jill went back to the Festival, while Dawn and I started back downtown.

When Jill started back to town, she walked by the Fort Cemetary. Always a quiet, peaceful setting, today it was a study in beautiful tranquility.

White birch trees, white snow.

Dawn and I walked to town down Cadotte Avenue, past our condo. I will probably return tomorrow and go inside.

The last "to do" item on our agenda today was to find a patch of perfect snow and make a snow Angel. Dawn did it first . . .

. . . and then it was my turn. So funny! Getting ourselves up out of that snow was a sight to behold!

We were very happy to see The Cottage Inn late this afternoon. We had been gone from noon until almost 6 p.m.

Jill, bless her heart, ran to the Mustang and picked up a “pizza to go” for supper.  She left to help Leanne with some details for  the second day of the Winter Festival.  Dawn and I ate pizza, watched a movie (while I should have been blogging), and now, once again, everyone is sleeping as I finish writing.

It has been another wonderful day on the island – we could not have asked for better weather.  We have been plenty cold, but the winds have been calm, and the days have been so beautiful.  Tomorrow we have more Winter Festival activities.  There is a brunch planned at the school with pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, cinnamon rolls & fresh fruit. Oh, yum!  Dawn and I are helping run a silent auction table, and there will be bake sales, a cookie contest, turtle races, and the selection of photographs for the 2010 “Seasons of Mackinac” calendar.  The Superbowl is tomorrow night, with parties planned at both the Mustang and Patrick Sinclair’s Irish Pub.  A very busy day!

I will not be blogging Sunday or Monday nights.  With the activities of the day, the Superbowl, packing to leave on Monday morning, and spending Monday night in Atlanta (after a late arrival on Delta Monday evening) I won’t be writing the final chapter of our winter adventure until I return home.  You can read all about it right here on Wednesday morning.

Thanks so much for all your wonderful comments.  Some have made me laugh out loud and some have brought tears to my eyes – all have touched my heart. Have a wonderful week – see you Wednesday morning.  God bless.

When I talked to Ted this morning, it was a cold, rainy day at the lake.  It was cold here also, but the snow was white, the sun was shining (for a minute anyway), and we were determined to stay outside as much as possible to enjoy every minute. 

Friday was an “extra” day for us.  The Winter Festival activities don’t start until Saturday at noon, so Jill, Dawn, Mike and I spent the day roaming around downtown taking photos.  Mike was officially “on business” for this trip, shooting video for The Cottage Inn and background footage for his ever increasing video achives on the island. 

If you read this blog last summer, you know that Ted and I stayed at the Chippewa Hotel every year we came to Mackinac until we bought our condo.  We love the Chip!  Now I have another place I can personally recommend – The Cottage Inn, a bed & breakfast on Market Street.   The rooms are all beautiful and decorated in different styles.  We are staying in the Victorian Turret Room, which has a queen bed, a sofa sleeper,  flat screen TV, private bath, and pillow-top mattresses. Marge and Rich Lind are the innkeepers, and as soon as you walk in the door you become their most important guest. 

Dawn and I wore our pj’s downstairs for breakfast this morning and found a breakfast casserole, fruit and yogurt, assorted breakfast breads, cereals, hard-boiled eggs, coffee and four different juices.  Everything was delicious!

A great way to start a day on Mackinac Island - good food and good friends!

Here’s the rest of the day in photographs – with captions.  Pictures tell the story so well when you are on the island.

The first stop of the day was our 11 a.m. appearance on the web cam. So many people watched and sent comments - or called! Mary, one of my readers, sent this photo she had "captured" off her computer screen.

And here we all are waving to the camera. That's Dawn, Mike, Jill, and Joan (an island resident).

Main Street on a winter day. We were so excited to see this much white stuff. Everyone keeps saying, "We're so sorry there's not a lot of snow." And Dawn and I kept saying, "But, to us, this IS a lot of snow!"

Jill, Dawn and I standing in front of The Cottage Inn.

Around noon everyday, the island residents arrive at the post office to pick up their mail.

 

The Geary House is located across the street from The Cottage Inn. Mike and his family will be renting it this summer. It is available for rental through the Mackinac Island State Park - monthly rentals only.

We walked down Market Street to the water, stopping in front of this beautiful cottage - still decorated for Christmas.

As soon as we walked across the street to the boardwalk, away from the shelter of the houses, the wind hit us full force. Suddenly, it was much colder. Round Island Lighthouse stands a lonely watch over water half-frozen in the Straits.

There is a lot of ice at the edge of the lake. We spent quite some time trying to talk Dawn into taking the "plunge", but she kept saying, "Maybe later."

We stopped in at the library to check out some artwork by Tim Leeper and other local artists.

 

Dawn spent some time back in the Used Books sections, where paperbacks are $1, and most hardcover books are $2.

 

Can you believe all three have cellphones attached to their ears!

 

I kept saying these were snow clouds, but I guess the clouds weren't listening.

Dawn - all bundled up to roam around in the snow.

 

A bundled -up Jill with her camera.

Rich, who with his wife Marge are the innkeepers at The Cottage Inn, looks out the door as we head out again into the snow.

As we left, Marge and the Cottage Inn mascot, Joe Cocker, were coming back from a walk.

Mike - filming snowmobiles.

Walking down toward the Mission district, where the traffic is less, there was even more snow on the road. The path on the right is kept clear for walkers.

 

Leanne had promised us a sleigh ride, and when we arrived at the 4-H barn, she was harnessing Blaze, a small Haflinger.

Jill put Gingersnap into the barn, so she wouldn't get upset seeing Blaze leave.

Blaze is harnessed and hitched almost exactly the same as the big Belgian horses who pull the taxis in the summer.

One horse plus one sleigh equals a sleigh ride!

While Blaze was being hitched to the sleigh, we were visited by Max, Major and Lily - three Shetland Sheepdogs from up the road.

Blaze and Lily have a little mutual admiration society going on.

Dawn, Leanne, and I leaving the stable.

Riding behind Blaze

Leanne and Jill arriving back at The Cottage Inn.

Liz, from The Quilted Turtle blog - who teaches on the island - was going out to dinner with us. She offered to take me on a snowmobile ride, but first had to help me get my hood on straight. I think I heard her say something along the lines of, "You Southern girls don't know how to dress for cold weather." But we're trying, Liz!

Liz drove me up to the Mission District, then went into a house to get something. When she came back outside, she said, "Do you want to drive?" Are you kidding me!!! She let me drive from in front of St. Anne's back to The Cottage Inn. Oh my gosh! I loved it!

We headed for the Mustang for dinner - Jill, Mike and I walking - Dawn getting a ride from Liz.

Dinner at the Mustang.

Another fabulous day on the island.  Tomorrow, the Winter Festival begins.  As I finish writing tonight, I am sitting by a window in our room, and outside I can hear the wind whistling around the corner of the inn.  A cold front is coming in tonight from Canada, and tomorrow night the forecast low is 7 degrees – and that’s without the wind chill factored in.  We might not have tons of snow, but I think tomorrow we will get plenty of COLD!  See you then!

Jill snapped this beautiful photo while she was out in the sleigh this afternoon.

For as long as Ted and I have been traveling to Mackinac Island (10 years), I have dreamed of coming here during the winter.  Today that dream came true, and all I can say is “WOW”! 

Dawn and I were up at 5 a.m. this morning, downstairs at the Drury having breakfast by six, and on the shuttle to the airport at 7 a.m.  We left our checked bags curbside, and went straight to the security check in for our carry-on bags.  We had worn several layers this morning AND our snow boots (knowing that when we landed at Flint, it was going to be cold).  We had to take off the boots before we could go through security, and after passing through without setting off any lights and whistles, we sat down to put our boots back on.  Before we could get them laced up, we got to witness up close and personal our Homeland Security forces in full attack.  

A guy who had already passed through security started shouting obscenities into his cell phone.  A security guard approached him, and he began to shout at the security guard.  At that time, the security guard (who was about 6′6″ tall and weighed maybe 300 lbs.) grabbed shouting man and slammed him into a wall – I mean that literally.  Shouting man kept shouting.  Several more security people arrived and helped first security man haul shouting man over to a drug dog who had arrived on the scene.  The drug dog sniffed shouting man, and then the security guards took shouting man out of the airport in handcuffs to jail.  Shouting man missed his plane. 

We were actually on board our Delta flight, with doors closed, 10 minutes earlier than the announced time.  Then we waited on the runway for about 30 jets to take off before us – so we were still 30 minutes late leaving. 

Dawn - waiting for takeoff.

  

Mike - talking to wife Jeanine.

We had a great flight, and soon we were looking down at a landscape filled with snow and frozen ponds and lakes. 

The Michigan landscape

By 10:45 we were on the ground, 15 minutes early!  We deplaned, walked into the terminal of the Flint airport, and there was JILL and her parents, who had brought her to the airport.  So good to see Jill!

Jill - welcoming Dawn and Mike.

Me, with Jill's Dad and Mom - Ken and Joanne

The four adventurers!

The lady at the rental car desk took one look at us and our luggage and upgraded Mike to a huge Ford Expedition. 

  

 

We stopped in Gaylord and had lunch at the Sugar Bowl.  Wonderful food.  Across the street from the restaurant was a fountain that had frozen.  We all wanted our pictures taken in front of it. 

Can you see that fountain behind us? It is frozen solid - so are we!

On the way to the St. Ignace airport for our flight to the island , we pulled into a parking lot near the water.  Ice had stacked up into huge piles of  “blue ice”, the unique color caused by the sun’s rays deeply penetrating the ice.

Blue ice.

Dawn - standing in front of the blue ice.

We crossed the Mackinac Bridge from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, entering Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.   Parts of the Straits were frozen, but there was still a large area of open water.  Locals are beginning to think there will probably not be an ice bridge this year.

 

The airport at St. Ignace is small, but nice.  They even have a resident Golden Retriever, who made me miss Bear even more than I already did.  Several folks were waiting to fly across to the island, but since we had the largest group, we were allowed to board first.  Our luggage took up the majority of the back of the plane.  Mike and another man sat in the two back seats, Dawn and I took the middle, and Jill sat up front with Paul, the pilot.  There was no waiting while someone made announcements about seat belts and safety procedures.  Before Dawn and I had even found our seatbelts, we were in the air.  I’ve only flown in one small plane before, and it is so unlike being on a commercial jet.  Because the flight is so short, you don’t gain very much altitude at all.  Inside the small interior of the plane, you truly get the sense of flying.  You can reach out and touch your pilot, talk to him, watch him at the controls, and feel every air pocket.

Looking over Jill's shoulder.

Dawn - snapping photos out the window.

There doesn't even look like there IS a window next to me - just looks like an open door.

The Mackinac Island runway.

We had called ahead, and George was waiting with the taxi.  It was cold, but the island is just as beautiful covered in snow as I always dreamed it would be.  There is a lot more of the white stuff than I thought there would be with so little snowfall this winter. George carried us to the Cottage Inn, we checked in, then went to the Village Inn for dinner.  As I write this, Dawn and Jill are sleeping.  It has been a long day, so I’ll say goodnight now.  More tomorrow, and don’t forget to watch us Friday morning at 11 a.m. at http://www.mackinaclive.com. Once on that site, click on “Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau” to go to the camera where we will be.  See you there!

George - patiently waiting for us with the taxi.

Dixie Chicks in the snow!

Heading down Cadotte Avenue toward town.

 

“All our bags are packed, we’re ready to go . . . . . “

I talked to Ted about half-way to Atlanta, and he told me that Bear was lying out at the corner of our yard, staring down the road, waiting for me to come back.  I said I really didn’t believe that because I leave the house all the time.  “But,” Ted said, “you put your suitcases in the car this time.  Bear knew something was different.”  Awwww . . . . . daddy will take care of you, Bear!

Dawn and I arrived in Atlanta this afternoon early enough to avoid the gridlock of traffic and late enough to get into our room without a wait.  Neither of us has ever stayed at a Drury Inn & Suites, but from what we’ve seen so far, we are impressed!  We locked the car in secure parking, where it will stay for six nights free of charge.  Our room is very nice, with a huge flat screen TV.  We’ve already been downstairs for free popcorn and soft drinks.

We are right across the street from the airport, and tomorrow morning we will jump on the hotel shuttle and be dropped off at the Delta terminal.  We’ve already checked-in online, printed our boarding passes, and checked our baggage online.  Amazing!  Tomorrow morning all we have to do at the airport is give our checked suitcase to a skyhop curbside and go straight to security with our carry-on luggage.  Hopefully, by the time we get to our gate, Mike will be there also. 

Another perk at Drury that just began Feb. 1 is hot food and drinks free from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.  We went down to the lobby around 6 p.m., where they served  hot dogs with chili, baked potatoes with cheese sauce, salad, and nachos. You also get a card good for three free drinks – wine, beer, AND mixed drinks!  We were pretty impressed, as were about 30 other folks staying here!  Tomorrow, before we leave, we will take advantage of the free breakfast! 

The staff has also been extremely helpful, courteous, and nice.  We’ll be back, Drury!

Our flight is Delta 5225 leaving at 9 a.m. Thursday morning, arriving in Flint around 11 a.m.  From there, a 3-4 hour drive to St. Ignace, a 5- minute flight to the island, and a 20-minute taxi ride to the Cottage Inn.  A busy day!

Don’t forget!  Dawn, Jill, Mike and I will be standing in front of the Tourism Bureau webcam at 11 a.m. on Friday (Feb. 5) morning to wave to everyone back home.  If you want to tune in, please be watching http://www.mackinaclive.com a little before 11 a.m. that day.  Once you are on that site, click on the “Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau” link to go to that camera.  “See” you there, and see you back here online Friday morning.

God bless.

It is Monday!  Tomorrow is Tuesday.  Then it’s Wednesday, and Dawn and I will be on our way to Atlanta to spend the night.  We will jump a jet at 9 a.m. Thursday morning with Mike Forrester and fly northward to the great frozen Straits.  The weather cooperated and dumped some snow on Mackinac Island last week – not much, but some.  Then today (Sunday), the skies opened, the lake effect snow machine roared into gear, and the island received about 2″ (at last report) of new snow.  With highs forecast in the 20’s and low’s in the single digits while we are there, I think all the snowgear we bought is going to come in handy.

Getting all that snowgear into our luggage is presenting a little problem.  Snowboots are BIG, quilted winter coats are BIG.  We’re thinking about getting one of those vacuum packing bags and sucking the air out of everything so we can squeeze it all in.  Mike is beginning to worry more and more about where everything will go in the SUV.  I’m sure he will pack like a guy (sparingly), but he will also have video equipment.  Should be interesting when we land in Flint, meet up with Jill in the airport there, and we all go outside to “load up”.  My camera will be recording every minute.

Tim Leeper Update

(For anyone just finding this blog, this section is a weekly (sometimes semi-weekly) update on the bicycle ride across the United States by Mackinac Island resident, Tim Leeper.  Tim is riding in memory of his wife, Patty, who lost her battle to breast cancer eight years ago – and to raise money for breast cancer research.  To start at the beginning of Tim’s ride and come forward to today, simply go to the 1/11/2010 Weekly Update and read forward).

          January 27:  Tim rode along US 10 for the first 40 miles, saying it was noisy.  At Kent he turned south/southwest along 118 and headed to Fort Davis, his stopping place for the night.  94 1/2 miles, a 3,000 foot climb – he was 8 1/2 hours in the saddle today.  Once he made the turn at Kent, there was another headwind, but it was sunny and beautiful.  Tim said this was his most breathtaking and spiritual ride of the trip so far – countryside so pristine, no homes, no cars, nature just as God created it. He was able to ride down the center of the road, calling family and friends as he went. He also did a radio interview for Marfa Public Radio from the side of the road (working on getting the link). Thank you, Marfa Public Radio, for accommodating Tim on his journey.  Another bad hotel story. Tim called from Kent to get a room at the Hotel Limpia in Fort Davis. The innkeeper said they were running a special on suites, $100; regular rooms were either $99 or $115. When he arrived, she said no suites were available, he needed to take a regular room. Tim walked around and saw all the suites were empty!  When Tim called her on it, she immediately backed down and gave him the room for the same price, the old bait and switch Tim called it. So he left there and found another room for $60 at the Stone Village Tourist Camp.

          January 28:  Today Tim road 56 miles through wind, rain and fog, ending up in Marathon, TX. There was some downhill, a lot of flat, and plenty of road. The clouds rolling in over the mountains were breathtaking; Tim stopped to take a lot of photos and is hoping at least some of them turn out.  His interview will be aired in February.  Will post the details later.

          January 29:  Tim arrived in Sanderson, TX.  He left Marathon in 29 degree weather and strong winds at his back. He put all his cold weather gear into play today, using his foot warmers, four layers top and bottom, and three layers on his head under his helmet. He got photos of snow in the desert and ice on the cacti, saw three deer and four turkeys, all in close proximity.  Tim met a couple biking from San Antonio to Los Angeles along his same route. Their names are Patty and Dick (Patty was Tim’s wife’s name and Dick was his father and father-in-law’s name), both 55, recently retired, she as a school teacher, he an electrician.  Their daughter was joining them in Silver City to ride with them for a week. So now we’ll get to see some photos of Tim on the bike during his trip.

        January 30:  Tim was on the road by 7:30 Saturday morning, knowing he had at least 90 miles to go, but wanting to make the 120 miles to Del Rio. At 6:00 p.m., he was sitting on a pallet behind the auto shop having a beer and deciding where he was going to spend the night. He got to Comstock, felt good, knew he had trained for this and pushed on. The road was rough aggregate and tough on his body.  The sun was shining, the wind was mostly at his back, and he rode through 45 miles of open plains. He did leave his safety vest behind, so he’ll be looking to replace that. He has started a new map, from Del Rio to Navasota. Tim said he had traveled 1,568 mile so far; another 300 would put him at the halfway point.  He feels he is right on schedule where he wants to be.  After today, he’ll be playing it by ear each day. The towns will get closer together, and he’ll have more choices on where to stop – so he won’t really plan day to day. He thought on Sunday he might clean his drive train – he found some great cloth napkins on the side of the road to use.  He did say, while he was on the road a low flying plane dipped its wing at him.

There was a new, quaint little shop on the island last summer – Little Luxuries of Mackinac Island.  Owned and operated by Nicole Smith, it was a routine stop for me while downtown.  Nicole also does a blog on the island, mainly about her shop, but also about living on the island, which she does all year.  I loved a couple of photos she posted last week while she had her dogs, Penny and Charlie, out with her on a cross-country ski adventure.  I couldn’t believe how much more snow there appeared to be up on the trails than there was downtown (this was before the two snow events I described above).  She gave me permission to use the photos, and I wanted to share them with you. 

You can check at Nicole’s blog at http://www.littleluxuriesofmackinac.blogspot.com.  There is also a link there to her shop website.  Nicole was on the way to New York for a buying trip when I spoke with her this week.  Can’t wait to see all the new goodies this summer!

Behind the fort - from the road leading down to the Scout Barracks.

 I logged onto the live webcam on top of the Chippewa Hotel this morning, and snapped this picture of the sun coming up over the frozen Straits.  It is still hard for me to believe that we will be there on Friday morning, good Lord willing, to watch the sunrise.

My plan, at least right now, is to post again to this site on Wednesday, February 3.  That is the night Dawn and I will be in Atlanta, before we fly out on Thursday morning.  I will have it online before midnight on Wednesday.  Then I hope to have something new online each morning of our trip.  So beginning Thursday morning (Feb. 4), you should be able to follow us on our journey every day until we are home on Tuesday (Feb. 9).  I have to figure out if I can post the same information to BOTH blogs at the same time – this one AND the one from Lake Blackshear.  If not, I will let you know WHERE you can read about our adventures each day.

Please keep us in your prayers for safe travels over the next seven days.  Our Delta flight 5225 to Flint, MI leaves at 9 a.m.on Thursday morning and lands at 11:05 a.m.  Then we will load into an SUV (I hope it’s big-very big) and make the 3+ hour trip north to St. Ignace.  We have a charter flight booked to the island from St. Ignace at 6 p.m., but we hope to be able to cancel that, if we can make the last regular flight over at 3:45 p.m.  George and his taxi will be waiting for us at the airport on the island (I can’t wait to see George!), and he will get us downtown to the Cottage Inn.

See you back here late Wednesday night (or early Thursday morning) from Atlanta.  God bless.

P.S.  Almost forgot.  Dawn, Jill and I are planning to be standing in front of the Tourism Bureau webcam at 11 a.m. on Friday (Feb. 5) morning to wave to everyone back home.  If you want to tune in, please be watching http://www.mackinaclive.com a little before 11 a.m. that day.  Once you are on that site, click on the “Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau” link to go to that camera.  “See” you there!

P.P.S.  Thanks, Jill, for the header! 

 

FRIDAY NIGHT BASKETBALL ON MACKINAC ISLAND – JANUARY 29, 2010 – HEAR IT LIVE!!!

Chris West (Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau) & Dave Johnson are set to Broadcast LIVE the Mackinac Island Lakers Basketball Game TONIGHT (Friday, January 29) @ 6 pm.  After the game, there is a Homecoming Dance at the Village Inn, and Chris and Dave are DJing the dance.  Maybe they’ll stay on the air!  www.radiomackinac.org.

Tim Leeper Update (January 26, 2010)

          January 25:  Tim had a good day on Monday.  Fairly flat terrain and then a 1,000 to 1,500 climb. There was a stretch of 10 to 20 miles where the road narrowed, and there was a lot of Monday morning traffic, glass on the road, and no shoulder.  One more flat (makes number 17). Tim was able to pick pecans without getting off his bike as they were hanging over the road - obviously a big money crop there in New Mexico and Texas. There is a possibility he’ll be on the radio again this week at a radion station in Marfa, TX. Fort Hancock, TX for the night.

          January 26:  Tim is inVan Horn, TX.  Tuesday was another good day, sunny, a slight head wind, and the roads were car free. He was on Route 10 for about 15 miles. Tim said he saw the prettiest sunset of his trip so far, just about as beautiful as those in northern Michigan. He did get his 18th flat tire, just as he was getting into town – thought maybe he would make a whole day without one.  Tim said the desk clerk was very helpful and nice, and they have a computer he can access!  He’s going to check out the posts and his facebook page. Early to bed as tomorrow is a rough day, 91 miles and a 3,000 foot climb.

For five days this coming week there is a 50% or more chance of snow on Mackinac Island.  That’s a very good thing, because right now what little snow is left is slowly being turned into slush by rain.  Come on snow!  We are hoping for a winter wonderland when we arrive on February 4th! 

We have the schedule of events for the winter festival, and I have posted it below.  There is still time to make reservations on the island and join us for a few days of fun.  Rooms are available at Bogan Street Inn, the Cottage Inn, and Pontiac Lodge.  This week highs are supposed to be in the teens, and lows will hover in the single digits.  No word yet for the next week – when we will arrive – but it’s beginning to look like we might actually get to wear all that cold weather gear we bought!

WINTER FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

Saturday, February 6, 2010
Great Turtle Park (walk, ski or take a horse-drawn taxi to the middle of the Island)
12:00 p.m. –  Warming Fire
Concession Stand (grilled hot dogs, brats, chili and s’mores)
Sledding Contest and Kids Games
12:00 p.m. –  Snow Golf
12:30 p.m. –  Ski Races, Snow Bowling, Snowmobile Parade
1:00 p.m. –  Snowshoe Event/Obstacle Course
2:00 p.m. – Broom Hockey
7:00 p.m. – Children’s Party at Johnson Hall
8:00 p.m. – Teen Bash at Great Turtle Park

Sunday, February 7, 2010
10:00 a.m. – Winter Festival Brunch with pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, potatoes, biscuits & gravy, cinnamon rolls & fresh fruit.  School Gym, $8 – Adults $4 – Kids
All Day: School Bake Sale, Cookie Contest, and Silent Auction Fundraiser
All Day: Photo contest for 2012 “Seasons of Mackinac” calendar
12:30 p.m. – Poker Run
1:00 p.m. – Kids Carnival, Cupcake Walk and Kids Auction.  Archery Contest, Foil Game, and Snow Volleyball
2:00 p.m. – Bingo
3:00 p.m. – Raffle Drawing & Announcements

There was a wonderful article in The St. Ignace News about the winter work done by horses on Mackinac Island.  It was written by Karen Gould.  Here are some key points she made:

• There are 12 horses working on the island this winter.  They are all strong, calm, and good-natured.  They have the ability to pull heavy loads uphill in ice and snow, and they hardly notice the snowmobiles or the snowplow.
• These are mostly Belgians and Percheron crossbred working horses.  They transport people and deliver mail, groceries, building materials, and supplies to the more than 300 year-round Island residents and the handful of businesses that remain open.  The only time they are taken off-duty is in severe weather, especially during hail.
• The “best of the best” horses on the Island are the dray horses.  They must be able to stand in one spot while the dray is unloaded, while ignoring snowmobiles.
• The horses wear special shoes to give them more traction in ice and snow.  The steel shoe has metal spikes to grip the road.  The shoes are changed about every five weeks.
• The Mackinac Island Service Company tests horses all year to determine which would work best during the winter.  Usually they keep the same horses year after year.  If a horse is young when he proves himself to be a good winter horse, he may work on the island 15 or more years.
• The horses’ day begins at 5:30 a.m. when George Wellington arrives at the barn and gives them fresh hay, grain, and water.  The dray drivers arrive at the barn around 7 a.m. to groom their team.  In the winter they are brushed, cleaned, and then harnessed. 
• Even if packages or building material arrives that needs to be delivered far from town, everything is delivered by dray.  It would be much easier to just throw everything on a snowmobile, but the island tries to remain true to itself.  Snowmobiles are supposed to be for personal use only.
• Around noon on the freight dock, the horses are given oats, grain, and water for lunch.
• After the last freight is unloaded and delivered, the horses head up Cadotte Ave. and back to the barn in Harrisonville.  Their harnesses are removed and they are brought to their stalls, where they are fed grain, oats, and water.

 Tim Leeper Update

          January 21:  Tim spent the night in Hillsboro, NM, after leaving Silver City in the snow.  At one point he had to walk his bike six miles because the snow was so deep.  When he arrived in Hillsboro, everything was closed.  He went to a local B&B, and the owner refused to rent him a room, saying she was going to town and didn’t want anybody there.  She told him there was a cinderblock bathroom down the road, he could sleep there for the night.  Tim then went to the post office, where he met a lady named Mary.  Mary called the people who owned the local motel, and they opened it up and gave him a room, even bringing him food and drink because everything else was closed.

          January 22:  Tim arrived in Hatch, NM, after a day of riding in rain, hail and wind so strong it pushed him backwards if he stopped.  Even though he was traveling downhill, he had to keep pedaling the entire time.

          January 23:  Tim made good time to Las Cruces, so decided to go on to Anthony.  The winds were around 20 mph, gusting to 40 or 50.  The sun was shining, the mountains were snow covered and beautiful, and he passed acre after acre of pecan groves.  Going the extra miles to Anthony will give him a short 50-mile trip to El Paso on Sunday.  A friend has arranged for Tim to use his La Quinta points for his room in El Paso.

          January 24:  Tim made the short ride to El Paso, and got the day off to rest, recoup and watch the football playoffs.  He took a photo at the Texas border.

Mike Forrester sent me a couple of YouTube videos of our transportation to the Island from St. Ignace.  These are really neat, with some great scenery.  One is taking off from St. Ignace, and the other landing on the Island.  We both think these were taken this year, probably very recently.

Takeoff: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWno8gBVuBs

Landing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iBMivpGQpc

 And one more video – this one is the new Pure Michigan Mackinac Island ad.  Beautiful, but whoever posted it the first time misspelled Mackinac (it’s with a “c”, not a “w”)  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrUNEfmUSS4

That’s all for today’s update.  I’m posting a few more pics of the Island as it was in December.  These are all Jill’s pictures, as is the one in the header and the one with the horse story.  Will continue to post updates from Tim, so check back every few days.  See you next Sunday, good Lord willing.  God bless. 

 

 

 

 

I love the hat this guy has on. Wonder where he got it!

 

 

Diane and Bonnie, at the bottom of Cadotte Avenue.

Jill - I hope she has runners on those tires.

 

French Lane in the snow.

Header:  Abandoned bikes sit outside the Mackinac Island Visitors Center.  Photograph compliments of Jill Sawatzki.

 

January 20, 2010 Update on Tim Leeper’s ride across the U.S.

          January 19:  Tim left Clifton at 7:30 this morning, pushing to get to Silver City, NM. It was raining at the start, but by 2 p.m. his time the sun was shining and the rain was about 7 hours behind him. Nonetheless, it was a grueling day for him, climbing 6,400 feet. Four hours later, he just made Silver City, after an 11 hour day on the road.  There is snow in Silver City, and the weather looks pretty nasty for the rest of the week. Tomorrow there is a chance he’ll be on a local radio/television show called the Morning Show Live. They’ve been notified he’s coming through, and he’ll call them tomorrow morning and see if they can get him on the air. Tim sounded really tired after a long, tough day.

 

          January 20:  Tim was interviewed this morning on the Morning Show Live in Silver City NM.  It looks like he will be there at least one more day because of the snow.  Good chance for him to get a little rest.  To listen to Tim’s interview, go to www.bike4breastcancer.org, click on Pink Ribbon Rides, then click on Meet Tim Leeper. The interview link is there.

 Do you remember back in September when I was running all over the island trying to find Mike Rowe of the Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs?  And then I did find him at the airport as he was leaving?  Well, almost five months later now, the Discovery Channel will air the episodes filmed during his visit to the island and to the Soo.  On the January 26 episode, Mike visits the Soo Locks in the UP; on February 9, Mike chats with two of his biggest fans on the Grand Hotel’s front lawn, and on February 23, Mike and his crew have fun with some very dirty jobs on Mackinac Island at Horn’s Bar, Mission Point Resort, the Grand Hotel, and 7th Heaven Salon.  You don’t want to miss any of these shows! 

• According to Jeannette Doud’s Mackinac Island column in The St. Ignace News, “more than 30 people gathered at Ft. Holmes New Year’s Eve at midnight to watch the new year come in and to view the beautiful blue moon”.  The next day temperatures dipped to 10 degrees below zero.  She also reported that “Pontiac Lodge, Bogan Lane Inn, Cottage Inn, Mission Point Resort, and many other rental units were filled for the long weekend”.  According to Jeannette, the proceeds of the Christmas Bazaar were divided among Ste. Anne’s, Mackinac Island Bible Church, Trinity Church, Little Stone Church, and the Mackinac Island Medical Center.  Each received $8,000!
• Patrick Sinclair’s Irish Pub will be hosting a Super Bowl Street Party on February 7.  That just happens to be when Dawn, Jill, Mike and I will be there for Winter Festival.  You know how excited I am about anything to do with football:), but if that’s where everyone else in town will be that night, we’ll all be there too!
• I reported last week on Tim Leeper’s ride across the U.S. in memory of his wife, Patty.  Tim is using the ride to raise money for breat cancer research, and I updated last week’s report several times during the week.  To read Tim’s story, and his travel update through Wednesday, Jan.13, go to http://bree1972.wordpress.com/2010/01/10/weekly-update-01112010/.  Here are the updates I’ve received since Wednesday:

Tim, at the beginning of his trip - Pacific Ocean in California

January 14:  Tim arrived in Surprise, AZ and spent the night with a good friend, Tracy Kinane, a school teacher.  It was a 50-mile trip from Wickenberg – a short day with the wind at his back.  

 January 15:  Tim had another good day on the bike, with above average temperatures and lots of sunshine.  He was in Apache Junction, AZ for the night.  

 January 16:  Tim climbed a total of 4,600 feet today in a little over six hours, ending in Globe AZ, elevation 3,400.  He was tired.  The roads were narrow and became even more so the higher he climbed, and as he jockeyed  for position with vehicular traffic.  The weather is still good and the views are amazing.  He was shaking when he stopped.  Coming back from dinner in Apache Junction last night he had a flat, which he fixed this morning, and then had another flat not long after starting off. 

          January 17:  Tim awoke to a flat tire again this morning (Sunday), and about six miles out had another one.  He needed to ride 80 miles today to the next town with a motel – Thatcher, AZ – but he had the wind at his back and made good time.  The temp was 31 when he started out, ending up at 63 by the time he got to his destination.  He went through some poor areas and was chased by three dogs outside one town.  They surrounded his bike and stayed with him for a mile.  Monday will be a busy day.  He has a 2,000 ft. climb, a 1,500 foot drop, then another 3,000 climb to his next destination.  There is bad weather coming from the west, and he may be stuck there for a few days as they are predicting 5 ” of rain and 5 feet of snow in the mountains.   

 

On the road with Tim - somewhere in the mountains of California.

  This summer during the Festival of the Horse, I was on a tour of the West Bluff stables, led of Marta Olson.  Marta’s father was once the Director of the Mackinac Island Historic Parks, and she has posted some wonderful photographs of the island in the 60’s.  I asked her permission to use a few, and she graciously said yes.  The photos below are used with written permission – copyright Eugene T. Petersen & Marta Olson.  Thanks so much, Marta, for sharing. 

The Chippewa Hotel on fire - in the 1960's.

Main Street in the 1960's. This was obviously not on a crowded summer day. Looks like Premium Saltines and Ritz Crackers were popular even back then (Doud's window).

The Iroqious Hotel as it stood in the 60's. There was only a lonely stretch of beach leading to it at that time. So stately and so beautiful.

In 1960, people gather to watch as Queen Elizabeth's yacht passes through the Straits.

And finally, yes, there is a merry little crew from Georgia traveling to the island for the Winter Festival Feb. 6-7.  For that whole story, please click for the Lake Blackshear Blog post, Two Dixie Chicks Go Blizzard Shopping:   http://bree1976.wordpress.com/2010/01/12/two-dixie-chicks-go-blizzard-shopping-01122010/.

 

 

The way things are looking right now we might need our sandals instead of our snow boots, but with 18 days before we leave, we all are praying for more snow on the island and/or at least some pretty cold temperatures.  I know that islanders are wishing for that also, as the formation of the ice bridge depends on the cold.  Until it forms, islanders are isolated except for a plane ride in or out.

 

 

I will post more of Tim’s ride to this weekly update as I receive them, so please check back during the week.

 

 

God bless.  

  

01/13/2010:  Updates on Tim Leeper’s ride across the United States 

          Jan. 12:  Tim spent the night in Salome, AZ.  Along the way, he met a gentlemen from northern California who had ridden from Washington to Maine, then down to Florida.  He was heading home to California on the same southern tier route Tim is on, having left home originally in June.  Tim is collecting al types of souvenirs on his ride and is attaching and displaying them on his bicycle.  When Tim got to Salome, the hotel clerk asked him if he had seen the family five on ONE BICYCLE, who had left Kentucky, rode to Florida, and were now on the southern tier route, making their way to Alaska.  They had a two-year trip planned.       

          Jan. 13:  With the wind at his back for the first time since he started his trip, Tim had a very pleasant day on the road, ending at Wickenburg, AZ.  While the mornings have been cool, the days have been in the mid-70’s, with lots of sunshine.  He did experience his third flat tire since the beginning of the trip, from a 5″ nail.  Wickenburg is the first real town he’s been in since the beginning of his trip, population around 5,000.  He was going out for dinner and to walk through their downtown area.  He sees he’s heading for some worsening weather conditions – cooler – and hopes to avoid the rain they are forecasting.   

01/12/2010:  Updates on Tim Leeper’s ride across the United States (see below for more details):  

          Jan.  10:  Tim rode from Brawley, CA to Palo Verde, CA, which entailed a 1,200 climb plus some “rolling” hills. He was warned that between the two towns there were no services, so he needed to carry and food supplies with him.          

          Jan. 11:  Tim continued his ride through the desert, crossing into Arizona and spending the night in Quartzite, a mining town. Phone service is sketchy at best – his cell worked at one end of his hotel room, but not the other (and it wasn’t a very big room). The towns are very small with not much to offer in the way of eateries. 

 Header:  Compliments of Jill Sawatzki.

 Hello, hello, hello!  SO good to be back in Georgia!  We had the wonderful holiday in Arkansas and New Orleans. We got to play in the SNOW with our grandchildren, eat shrimp po’boys with Cathie and Charlie, and put over 2,000 miles on the new truck (I don’t care if I sit in that truck seat again for quite a while)!     

• I promised to give you all the details from our friends’ holiday on the island over New Year’s.  Laurie, Matt, and their three daughters Kelly, Megan, and Dana arrived on Dec. 27, along with their sled dogs Miika and Demon.  Below is their story – in Laurie’s words: 

“We arrived on the island December 27th – one day later than planned. The island is snow-covered and looks like a winter wonderland. In town it is snowmobile city!  So unusual to see horses replaced by snowmobiles everywhere.  During the winter George meets the boats each day with the taxi. The girls and I took the taxi with George, while Matt walked the dogs up the hill. As we waited with George for another couple to make their way to the taxi, I looked around at all the snowmobiles, and was amazed our horses were not spooked as they stood there at the dock as the snowmobiles whizzed right by them.    We have kept busy since we arrived.  Every day Matt and I have gone cross country skiing. Since we don’t have a snowmobile, two friends of our girls who live year-round on the island, come and get the girls and take them over to their house. The girls have discovered they love snowmobiling and are studying for their test to be certified.  Even Dana can get a permit to drive since she is twelve.  We are now in the market for a used snowmobile.   When not skiing or snowmobiling, we have been mushing the dogs over in the State Park. Yesterday we ran the dogs from Skull Cave to Arch Rock and back. Today we will go mushing again and skiing. Matt and I are going to the Stang for the Surf and Turf New Year’s dinner. “   

Below are some photos from Laurie of their time on the island:        

Laurie - cross country skiing in front of the condos.

       

Looking through Arch Rock. Ice can be seen forming at the lake's edge.

Demon and Miika - out on the deck after a day pulling the sled over the snow-covered trails of the island.

Happy girls, happy dogs. Have you ever seen whiter, cleaner snow?

• Last week the Mackinac Island Fire Department was called upon to help fight a fire in St. Ignace.  The fire started in an apartment above a store, and at least two people were inside when the fire started.  One man escaped on his own, but firefighters had to rescue a woman, who was transported to the hospital and is ok.  The Mackinac Island firefighters were part of five area fire departments who responded to the scene.  

An island firefighter from the first crew sent to St. Ignace returns on the ferry.

The second crew sent to St. Ignace from the island returns via plane.

• Arnold Ferry Lines ran the last ferry to the island on Thursday, January 7.  It was the heavy ice build-up in the St. Ignace harbor that caused the shutdown, not ice in the island harbor.  With ferry service stopped, and the ice bridge still weeks away (if it forms), the island is now truly shut off from the mainland, except for the daily service by Great Lakes Air.  My island friend Liz posted these great shots of the island-hopping airplane on her blog http://quiltedturtle.blogspot.com.  The photos were taken in October, which explains why no snow is visible.

      

Liz reports that the plane holds a pilot, five passengers and their baggage.

Round-trip fare from St. Ignace to the island is $50. Kids and pets fly free if they sit in your lap. Liz said that when the plane is carrying mail or UPS freight, some or all of the seats are removed (well, they leave the pilot's seat). Freight cost is $2.50 per box or tub.

Over the pilot's shoulder is Mackinac Island. Below on the left is the St. Ignace Marina. The flight is about five minutes in duration.

• If you’ve ever visited Mackinac Island and took a photograph you think is a winner, you have three more weeks to enter it in the Mackinac Island Recreation Department (MIRD) calendar contest.  Entries must be received by February 1, 2010.  The entry fee is $2.00 per photo.  Entries must be submitted horizontal only, 8 x 10 (include the negative/slide/CD).  Judging will be at the Winter Festival Feb. 6/7 for the 2012 calendar. 

Tim Leeper is a gentlemen Ted and I met on Mackinac Island last summer.  He and his daughter Arial attend the Little Stone Church, and it is there we met them.  Tim is a widower, who lost his wife Patty 8 years ago to breast cancer.  Her cancer was discovered while she was pregnant with Arial, and she fought for 11 years before losing her battle.  One of the goals Tim and Patty set was a bike ride across the United States the year Arial would go off to college.  Tim is an avid cyclist, and they were either going to ride in tandem or Patty would back Tim up for his ride by following him in a van.  Arial received a scholarship this year from the Little Stone Church, and is presently a freshman at a college in Michigan.     

On January 7, Tim dipped the back tire of his bicycle in the Pacific Ocean and embarked on the 3,200 mile ride he and Patty had planned to do together.  Tim has raised $5,000 already by selling his personal art.  He is also seeking sponsorship by the mile for his ride.  Proceeds will go to breast cancer awareness in Charlevoix/Emmet Counties in Michigan.  He is riding solo and is carrying 38 lbs.of gear with him on the bike.        

 

 

Tim Leeper, with some of his art work.

I plan to post Tim’s weekly progress here.  He thinks the ride will take at least six weeks. He is taking a southern route, and on the last day of his ride he will place his front wheel in the Atlantic Ocean at St. Augustine, FL.  Here’s his progress for the first few days of his trip:     

          Jan. 7:  Back wheel in Pacific Ocean in San Diego, CA.  His first leg consisted of climbing 2,000 feet through mountains.  He spent the night in Alpine, CA     

          Jan. 8:  Another 2,000 ft. climb through five mountain peaks.  Has met many great folks along the way already, including a bike shop crew who got his bike ready for the climbs.  Spent night in Jacumba, CA.     

          Jan. 9:  Tim left in 30 degree weather and rode to Brawley, with the wind in his face all day.  He had a 3,000 foot drop over ten miles along I-8, with his hands working the brakes the entire 10 miles.  He is averaging 60-70 miles a day, knowing these first legs will be slower because of the mountains.     

          Jan. 10:  Planning to travel only 70 miles on Sunday and stay the night in Palo Verde, CA.    

• It’s official – On February 4, Dawn (a friend from the lake), Mike Forrester (a friend from Atlanta who also blogs on Mackinac Island), and I will board a flight from Atlanta to Flint, Michigan.  Jill will meet us at the airport in Flint, and from there we will drive to St. Ignace and catch the commuter plane (see above pic) to the island.  I’ll write more about our upcoming trip next week.  But, suffice it to say, we are EXCITED beyond words!

Please check back in a few days for more updates from Tim Leeper.  God bless.    

Hello Bree’s Mackinac Island Blog friends!

It seems I’ve been away from posting to this blog forever, but I just wanted to post this header photo to give a little glimpse of things to come on Monday, January 11.  Our friends, Matt and Laurie Heikkila - from Ohio – spent the New Year’s holiday on the island.  They own a condo in our complex (they are actually our upstairs neighbors), and have three beautiful daughters.  They also have Demon and Miika, two awesome sled dogs who actually got to do what they were bred for during their winter holiday – mush!  Lots more pictures and lots of island news coming on Monday, so don’t forget to tune in.  There will also be more information on the planned Winter Festival trip for Dawn, Jill, Mike, and myself the first weekend in February. We are SO excited! 

See you Monday, and God bless!

Miika and Demon, dreaming of pulling their sled through the snow-covered trails on Mackinac Island.

 

Header:  Thanks to Liz at http://quiltedturtle.blogspot.com for this photograph she took in February 0f 2008 of a man crossing the Ice Bridge on a bike.

Hello from Arkansas! 

I don’t have a Mackinac Island Update for you today, but I promise there will be a great one next Monday, Jan. 11.  We have friends who have been on the island over New Year’s, and they sent great pictures I’ll be sharing with you next week.

If you want to catch up on what our family has been doing over the holidays, you can go to http://bree1976.wordpress.com.  We are in Arkansas right now, in the middle of a snow event that has kept us here longer than we expected.  We were supposed to be in New Orleans tonight, and we hope to be able to leave for there Monday morning.  That remains to be seen.

See you on Jan. 11 with new island pictures and plans for our visit to the island for Winter Festival.  God bless.