July 31 Day 61 Mackinac Island Rest Day
Beautiful ferry ride over to the island. No motorized traffic is permitted on the island - one walks or bicycles or uses horse-drawn transportation. One good part of this is that no one is afraid of cars. One bad part is, no one is afraid of cars. Cars provide discipline for bicyclists and pedestrians. Without cars, pedestrians and bicyclists stop suddenly in the middle of the street or make unexpected u-turns. It's terrifying to bicycle in the chaos! On a hot day, the smell of horse is pretty potent.
Most of the island is a state park. A highway follows the eight-mile perimeter of the island. I wonder if it is the only state highway with no cars. Lovely views across Lake Huron. There's an old fort above the harbor. Costumed re-enactors demonstrate life at the fort. The fort is impressive. Its cannon commands the harbor. Unfortunately, there is a design defect. Another hilltop overlooks the fort. The one time the fort was the scene of a possible battle, during the War of 1812, the British dragged two cannon by night to the top of the overlooking hill. The next morning, the American garrison surrendered the fort without a shot.