What is the proper way to pronounce the word “Mackinac”?
The French Pronounced it “aw” but spelled it “ac”. The British heard it pronounced “aw” so they spelled it that way. Whichever way it is spelled, it is always pronounced “aw”.
Lasagna, 45 minute drive north & a quick 20-minute power nap after finishing marathon #33 – and I’m boarding an early afternoon ferry to Michigan’s Mackinaw Island. Berthed downtown on Main Street, bought a carriage tour ticket & hopped aboard within 5 minutes of arriving on the island. BAM – awesome timing (next tour not for 2 hours).
Traffic on Mackinac Island is limited to bicycles & horse-drawn carriages – automobiles prohibited…pretty cool, huh?
Targeted a visit to Mackinaw & its Grand Hotel because of a sappy 80’s movie starring Jane Seymour & Christopher Reeve, “Somewhere in Time”. Re-watched the movie last week online before marathoning in Michigan.
Don’t think the love story itself drew me in – it was the ability to go back in time & live another era. What would life have been like if I were placed in the early to mid- 1800’s in the American West? Hmm.
Mackinaw’s Carriage Tour hit all island highlights. Started downtown, rode past residences built in the 1910s & ‘20s, the Governor’s ‘Summer Residence’, and – the Grand Hotel.
Built in 1887, the Grand Hotel still looks much like it did a century ago. There are newer hotels with modern facilities on the island – but give me history & creaky wood planks any day. Nothing rivals the Grand Hotel’s long wrap-around wood porch, overlooking the Straits of Mackinac (Lake Huron). Spectacular.
Tour resumed at the island’s working stable (Surrey Hills) where we switched carriages & travelled thru Mackinac Island State Park, stopping briefly at Arch Rock (rest break for the horses).
Tour concluded at Fort Mackinac, built by British troops during the Revolutionary War. I hopped off at Fort Mackinac & walked the trip remainder, down historic Market Street, past “Somewhere in Time” gift shop & multiple fudge stores.
Beautiful day.
Ferried returned, hotelled the night across from Old Mackinac Point Lighthouse.
Early 230am start for the trip home – 4 hour ride to Grand Rapids, 8am Denver flight.
“Come back to me” – Elise McKenna, ‘Somewhere in Time’
I’ll come back to Mackinaw & the Grand Hotel.
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- early afternoon ferry to scenic Mackinaw Island
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- Mackinac Bridge, Lake Michigan
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- bicycle or horse-drawn carriage — automobiles prohibited
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- carriage tour down Main, thru historic Downtown, to the Grand Hotel
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- Arch Rock, Mackinac Island State Park
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- Straits of Mackinac (Lake Huron)
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- British outpost, Fort Mackinac
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- lighthouse sunset (moon visible)
“Somewhere in Time”
…named after Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix, a French explorer who travelled the Great Lakes and was said to have stayed the night on Fisherman’s Island one night during a harsh storm.
Signed up for my Michigan marathon after scoring crazy cheap tickets on Southwest. Denver to Grand Rapids – direct flight, $110 roundtrip. A week out from race day, goggled directions from Grand Rapids to my shared hotel in Petoskey. 3 hours? Ugh…that’s an unexpected haul. 2 hours from the Canadian border, 45 minutes from Mackinac Island.
Ok, I can work with that. Marathon first, Mackinaw second 🙂
Quick sleeps, up early. Room shared with 2 other Maniacs: Andy from Houston & Todd from Missouri (thanks Stacy for connecting us). Todd drove 800 miles [from Missouri], picked up Andy in Indianapolis – made my 3 hour ride from Grand Rapids seem kinda small.
Secured parking downtown & watched the morning rise over Lake Michigan. Lotta colour – truly stunning.
Cool temps, gun start over the town’s historic drawbridge. Charlevoix is a small resort town – today’s course hugged the lakeshore. Fairly flat run – one steep incline coming outta town at mile 5.
Fav part of the run: treed section starting at mile 10, looped at 13, same return view thru mile 16 on this out-n-back course.
Ended in a sprint with another runner who failed to stop at the Finish, fell over a barrier & bloodied his face. Lotta excitement, over-achiever 🙁 Finisher’s medal – one of my favourite, adorned with a working drawbridge.
Congratulations!
K R HagaFinish Time: 04:16:57.0
No shower this day. Quick sink bath at a local pizza joint (post-race lasagna), then ferried over to Mackinac Island. Only bicycles & horse-drawn carriages on this island. FAAANNNTASTIC!
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- Good Morning Charlevoix!
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- lighthouse on Lake Michigan; picturesque one-bridge town (only 2 hours from Canada)
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- town’s scenic draw-bridge represented on today’s medal — pretty amazing location, pretty amazing day!
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- direct flight to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids — week out ’til race day, hadn’t noticed Charlevoix was 3+ hours away…ROAD TRIP!
Shower, change of clothes, quick turnaround from today’s marathon run. Booked a 3pm sailing excursion on Lake Champlain with Whistling Man Schooner – only a few blocks from my hotel, pier off College. Pretty cool idea, huh?
Boarded the “Friend Ship” on its maiden commercial weekend – new ship, opening weekend. Motored out of the harbor, popped the sails, kicked back & took in landscape – beautiful Burlington Bay/Lake Champlain (separates Vermont from New York state).
In 1823, the forty-six-mile-long Champlain Canal was completed, linking Lake Champlain to the Hudson River and the New York City market, and twenty years later, the twelve-mile-long Chambly Canal was constructed in Quebec, bypassing the Richelieu River rapids and allowing cheap Canadian lumber to flow from the St. Lawrence River to Lake Champlain. These two canals led to the growth of the port at Burlington, and by 1873, Burlington had become the third largest lumber port in the country.
Placid, rolling waves and GREEN – whole lotta green everywhere. Best post-marathon activity yet – laid on my back & soaked in the cool lake air. Docked three hours later & enjoyed post-marathon lasagna (it’s become tradition). FAAAANNNNTASTIC day!
Early morning flight on Memorial Day Monday. Arrived home in Colorado – plenty of time for an afternoon cook-out (unofficial kick-off to summer). Burgers, corn & grilled peaches & pineapple. YUM!
Happy Memorial Day 2015 🙂
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- Burlington Boathouse
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- Whistling Man Schooner’s “Friend Ship”
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- post-marathon sailing adventure
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- Burlington Breakwater North Light
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- best post-marathon activity yet – laid on my back & soaked in landscape
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- small airport, small plane — 6 hours later: Home, Sweet Home
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- grilled peaches & pineapple — unofficial kick-off to summer, YUM!
sailing on Lake Champlain
