(A correction from my last post: Instead of the Mackinaw Bridge, it is actually the Mackinac Bridge over the Straits of Mackinac. Once again the Internet access is poor here. I write all of my posts off-line with the hopes of being able to post at a later date or time.)
Today, instead of taking the campground shuttle over to the passenger ferry we decided to take the MDX. Originally we were going to take the dogs but Abby was in a real snit this morning. We could have taken just Nutmeg, but lately she has been slipping her collar. Plus we wouldn't be able to tour Fort Mackinac or go in any other building. So we went without them. Arriving at the ferry, we noticed that people were taking their bicycles with them. So George asked the ferry rep if the scooters were allowed on Mackinac Island. She wasn't sure so she asked the manager. The consensus was that it was okay. So with that said, it cost us $18. to ferry the scooters round-trip. The ferries are all hydro jet propelled which are fast. They also have a rooster tail of water that shoots from the stern of the boat. When we arrived to the island we picked up the scooters and walked them out to the street. As we were getting ready to ride them down the street a guy driving a wagon yelled that the scooters were illegal on the island. So George asked a police officer and he said they were okay. We bought carriage tour tickets and then rode our scooters up to the location to pick up the carriage. Parking the scooters across the street in the designated bike parking area along the curb. The place is CRAZY with hundreds of noodle-heads on bicycles. There are Police Assistants plus Police on Bikes patrolling the streets trying to control the craziness. We got on our carriage which turned out to be a wagon with rubber tires. Every cart, wagon or carriage was horse drawn. No horseless carriages are on the island at all. Everyone depends on horses like in the olden days. We saw bread delivered via a flat bed wagon. They use Belgian Draft horses to pull the wagons in a range of colors from palomino to dappled-grays. The wagon or carriage tours gives a lay of the land. When we got back to downtown, neither of us could remember where we had parked the scooters. After searching for them up and down the street three times, we came to the conclusion that they were missing. We thought we had parked them across the street from where the wagon loaded. So we went and told one of the Police assistants (PA) and she told us that they were impounded and were at the Police station, as they were illegal to have on the island. Actually we were relieved that the police had them. The PA walked us up to talk to the head officer on duty and he explained about the fact that there were no motor driven vehicles on the island and even motor assisted bikes needed a special permit to be allowed. Which in reality wasn't totally true since those handicapped carts that people ride are allowed, and are motorized. The police told us they would keep our scooters until we were ready to leave the island. We then stayed around the Police department area as we knew we needed to go back to get the scooters when we were ready to leave. George had asked where a good place to eat middle of the line was and The Seabisciut was suggested. We had lunch and I looked in several of the shops that didn't sell fudge. The downtown area as something in the realm of 20 fudge shops that specialize in just fudge. Some have 10, 20, 30 or 40 flavors of just fudge. I bought myself a Polartec type jacket with Mackinac Island embroidered on it. Then we went back to the police station where our scooters were locked up. George was escorted out of town on his scooter. I had to walk mine to the pier and when I arrived George and the police escort who also happened to be the officer who told George in the first place that the scooters were okay were waiting for me. We walked our scooters to the ferry location and when the boat arrived, they were placed on board. It was chilly riding back so I was glad that I had purchased the jacket. When we arrived back on the mainland George was able to get his money back for the transportation of the scooters. When we were leaving the dock area on Mackinaw, I counted 10 fudge shops.
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