So, anyway, we are good for another seven years before I have to do it
again... It'll take me that long to save up enough money for bike
tires and the 'then' landing fee...

Great post, Denny. Mary and I love Mackinac Island, and the Grand
Hotel, and the old Fort, and the great food and bars.

My kids love the horse-drawn atmosphere, but I agree -- horse poop is
a worse problem than global warming, and I thank God for Henry Ford
every time I leave the island.

The fudge shops, the t-shirts, the same, trashy souvenirs that you can
buy in Branson or the Dells -- ALL that crap should be pushed into the
bay, IMHO. The island has a quaint charm and atmosphere that simply
doesn't fit with those kinds of places -- but at LEAST they still
haven't allowed a single chain hotel or fast-food restaurant on the
island. To go an entire vacation without seeing a McDonalds or a
Holiday Inn Express is worth any expense.

Gotta get back up there soon. (Although, quite frankly, I'll take
Madeline Island or Washington Island over Mackinac, in terms of a
"getaway-from-it-all" vacation...)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"