Crossing the Mighty Mac

[juggler]

On our vacation we went to Mackinaw City, Mi. To get there we crossed the Mighty Mac. This bridge is impressive. To get all the details on the bridge visit it's web site [/url]http://www.mackinacbridge.org/. It is 5 miles long and is the third longest suspension bridge in the world and the longest suspension bridge in the western hemisphere.

 

 

First trip across, the video run time is 6:05 minutes. This is how long it took us to cross the bridge doing the speed limit of 45mph.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpaaFCTYZOY]YouTube - Crossing the Mackinac Bridge[/ame]

[juggler]

On our return trip we crossed the bridge again. This time they had the outside lanes closed for maintenance. This meant I had to drive the inside lanes which are all metal grate for the entire length of the suspension span. That distance is 1.6 miles. So for 1.6 miles I rode with bike wiggling under me. The front wanted to one way and the back wanted to go the other way. All while pulling a trailer. At the middle of the span the outside lane opens again, but the lip between the asphalt and the grate was so large that I didn't want to try to change lanes. Then they closed the outside lane again and all the traffic had to merge back onto the grate again. Fun! One courteous Michigan drive had to pull out from behind me and pass me then cut me off to get back into my lane. Nice!

 

This video is just of the grate portion of the ride. Run time 3:36 minutes.

 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBjEs5h6dK8]YouTube - Mackinac Bridge the Hard Way[/ame]

[dr_bar]

I crossed the "MAC" last summer, I was suitably impressed...

[Jus Monkeyin Around]

While on the bridge did you look down to see any ships going under,I do when I cross. where did you guys go in the U.P. hopefully you went to the soo locks its only 1 hour north of there. Dave

[juggler]

While on the bridge did you look down to see any ships going under,I do when I cross. where did you guys go in the U.P. hopefully you went to the soo locks its only 1 hour north of there. Dave

 

 

No ships at the time, but we did see them going under from shore during our stay in Mackinaw City.

 

We visited White Fish Point and the Tahquamenon Falls.

[eagleeye]

Cool videos Juggler. I'd say that you've got this video thing down pat.

Where do you have the camera mounted. real smooth videos.

 

Steve

[dr_bar]

I crossed the bridge and grabbed a room in St. Ignace, then took #2 west to Shelby MT, then north into Alberta. Just a portion of my cross continent tour last year.

[juggler]

Cool videos Juggler. I'd say that you've got this video thing down pat.

Where do you have the camera mounted. real smooth videos.

 

Steve

 

It sits securely strapped to my right master cylinder cover. It shoots just to the right of the vent on my Clearview windshield. Every now and then a bug will splat in view of the camera. Yuk. I also have plenty of footage with rain on the windshield.

[sarges46]

We crossed that dang thing this summer going to Kitchener....it was windy as all get out and scared the poop out of me. So bad that on the return trip I considered going through Chicago!

 

The trip back was much much better..almost no wind and yes....we got to drive the grate as well...pulling the camper.

 

But it was cool coming back.

[BradT]

Been cross it many times in the car but never on the Bike. Not sure what I would do if Rhonda was on her bike as I doubt she would want to ride on the grate. I am not kidding she wouldn't.

 

I would have to walk back and get her bike. Or get a ride with someone.

 

Brad

[juggler]

Been cross it many times in the car but never on the Bike. Not sure what I would do if Rhonda was on her bike as I doubt she would want to ride on the grate. I am not kidding she wouldn't.

 

I would have to walk back and get her bike. Or get a ride with someone.

 

Brad

 

It really was not that hard to ride the grate. I used visualization to help me. I kept visualizing myself as a block of cheese and the grate and a cheese grater. Then I visualized myself if I hit the cheese grater. That thought was all I needed to keep me upright. Real easy.

 

Actually my wife (Tigeress) has total faith in my riding skills. One of us has to right?

 

One thing for sure. I used BOTH hands on the grips at ALL times.

Edited October 8, 2008 by juggler

[juggler]

We crossed that dang thing this summer going to Kitchener....it was windy as all get out and scared the poop out of me. So bad that on the return trip I considered going through Chicago!

 

The trip back was much much better..almost no wind and yes....we got to drive the grate as well...pulling the camper.

 

But it was cool coming back.

 

I had plenty of wind also. Most days we were up there there were high wind warnings for the bridge. Also, I used to live in the south burbs of Chicago. I know those highways inside and out. Given the choice I'll cross the bridge everyday instead of driving in Chicago traffic.

[BradT]

Actually my wife (Tigeress) has total faith in my riding skills. One of has to right?

 

One thing for sure. I used BOTH hands on the grips at ALL times.

 

HAHA on the cheese grater. I think Rhonda has the trust in me but I was refering to her riding her own across the bridge. WE have wanted to ride the bikes to visist the family in the Sault and talked about it many times as we cross the bridge. It is not the bridge but those grates.

 

Brad

[IH Truck Guy]

We crossed that dang thing this summer going to Kitchener....it was windy as all get out and scared the poop out of me. So bad that on the return trip I considered going through Chicago!

 

The trip back was much much better..almost no wind and yes....we got to drive the grate as well...pulling the camper.

 

But it was cool coming back.

 

Hi Rick,you got the pucker factor on the way to Kitchener and Shari got it on the way back......:rotfl::rotfl:

 

All kidding aside,I would much rather fight the wind on the bridge,rather then deal with Chicago,unless it was the middle of the night..My favorite time to go thru.

[sarges46]

Well...I've driven through Chicago twice...no three times..once was in a car. And you know what its like.....so ya gotta know then....that I had the worst experiance crossing that bridge to even think of going there again!

 

I would do it again though....got to get over the fear! I was almost sick with it the night before we did the second crossing coming home. But...gees...it was for nothing....riding the grate brought back memories of the Lions Gate bridge in Vancouver.

The second time was fun....I even looked down and through the grate.

 

BTW Will.....great video...sorry to steal your thread with my own worries!