• Labor Day-What'sUP September 5 - 09:13 pm

On Labor Day, this is the place to be. Well, not this exact spot, but on the Mackinac Bridge, photographed here by Shelley Trowbridge on a recent vacation to the U.P. Today is the only day of the year that pedestrians are able to walk on the bridge and having done so a few years back, I can tell you what an awe inspiring walk it is. Another unparalleled experience, is learning to skip stones in one of the Great Lakes, this one being Lake Michigan. Like this little girl in Shelley's shot, you need to use total concentration and when that stone finally makes several jumps in the water, you've succeeded!

120 - I'd estimate that's the number of trips I've made over the bridge over the last 30 years. Anyone top that?

Jeff; Do you have some kind of work which takes you across on a scheduled basis, or do you just like to visit once every three months?

It's my guess that Jeff is an educator.

happy labor day everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!

RD in Iowa, What a beautful night shot of the bridge!!!!!!!!!

RD in Iowa, What a beautiful night shot of the bridge!!!!!!!!!

Good Morning & Happy Labor Day everyone! Last time I crossed the Mackinaw Bridge was 1985 coming back from a relatives wedding. Quite a bridge!

Our Big Mac is certainly more beautiful than the Golden Gate. I heard that on the anniversary of that bridge walkers started from both ends. The resulting load caused the bridge to actually sag several feet. CA could have learned from MI on how to do it. I think every Yooper and Troll should take the Labor Day Walk at least once in their life. It is one of the most democratic, populist experiences in the world. There is a Cedar River Walk north of Menominee which runs a close second, I hear.

Or would that be twice a year, with one over, and one return each time, for four trips total?

I ain't countin but if Jeff is including over and back, I probably run a close second. One year I crossed eight times.

One year, I know I had to have crossed the Mighty Mac at least 20 times.

Most Tech Toots from the Detroit area cross at least eight times per year and since most take five years to finish, as least us slow ones, we hit 40 before counting subsequent vacations. Now I cross with a better view but no rubber on the pavement.

Minimum of 7 trips north each year then back for the last ten, is that 70 crossings or 140? Five times so far this year. At least three times a year round trip for the previous 20 years - to cross-country ski, summer vacation and visit the family in the Marquette area. One year I crossed under it 42 times on the freighter Cason J. Callaway. So that's either 130 or 260 over and 40 under. There have to be commuters that make those numbers pale by comparison.

Between 1991-2004 I crossed about 8 to 10 times a year.

Though I worked in Grand Rapids and managed W. MI, Traverse City and Indiana, I also had Houghton, Marquette, and Escanaba.

I always looked forward to meeting my employees as it was like a mini vacation every time I headed up!!!

Though I no longer work where I did, I still have some great friends from my years of working in the UP

What a treat to see my pictures posted today! I don't think I could top the many trips made by serveral of you in a year's time. I usually only get up there once a year, but it is thoroughly enjoyable when I do get there! Happy Labor Day to everyone!

As a relocated Yooper and a boatnerd I make the trips to Marquette, Escanaba and the Soo quite a few times a year now that I have retired.

well, I live in St. Ignace and work in Cheboygan that makes 20 trips each month for 26 years. That's 6240 trips just going back and forth to work not counting movies, shopping and visiting. It's still beautiful and we walked it this morning.(again)

How many trips have we made over "THE BRIDGE'?
Never enough to satisfy me. I love the pictures, just wish I were there.

Just a side note...the Ironworkers museum that had artifacts from the bridge building burned this past week in Mackinaw City..All items in this personal owned museum were lost.

Well, here's the reason for so many trips. My family lives in Bergland. We moved to the LP when I was in 3rd grade and had to go to visit relatives every Christmas, at least once in fall, once in spring, and twice in summer. That was from ages 8-18. Then I went to NMU and had to come home to visit girlfriend (now wife) quite often ! I'd guess 7-8 times per year during college. Then after graduation I still travel to visit relatives, vacation, etc. So my estimate is 120 - and, personally, I think its low. And whoever said I'm an educator, you are correct, but it doesnt have anything to do with Mac Bridge crossings !

If you're quick, you can see a past 24 view of the bridge this Labor Day, & watch folks set off on their walk. Here's the link:

http://home.freeway.net/web/webcam?webcam=Mackinaw

Cheers

Janice, I am jealous. I have always wanted to live up in St. Ignace! We will be up there in 12 days. I can hardly wait.

Hello from Mishawaka IN. Great pictures today. I love the color of the water.

Looks like it was pretty busy this morning between 7 and 8:

While sailing aboard the SS NORTH AMERICAN, SS HENRY R. PLATT Jr., and the SS EDWARD L. RYERSON, I have probably been under the bridge more than over it. But, it is the gateway to home UP here.

Ken, I probably have flown over it more than I have driven it. When our family moved to Eagle River in 1988, we had just sold our software company to a corporation in Baltimore. They asked me to work at their offices for 90 days to help with the transition. Every other week I would fly to Baltimore. Then they asked me to work with some additional projects. Before we hardly realized it, three months turned into three years, flying every other week from Houghton to Baltimore, then Baltimore to Houghton. I used to love looking down on the bridge as we flew over Lake Michigan.

Finally, with some management changes out east, they gave me a choice: move to Baltimore or early retirement. Although a new house and executive salary were tempting, it was no contest. Volunteer work in the Keweenaw with non-profit organizations was enough to keep us busy. Eventually one of those organizations (Still Waters) asked me to come on full time.

Houghton County has a nice airport, but I don't miss all that flying. And I prefer to cross the bridge the old fashioned way.

Wow Charlie...you're amazing. Now if that isn't love for da UP, I don't know what is ;)

Did you know that we in Cincinnati have what the natives refer to as the "Big Mac" bridge? It consists of two golden arches that takes I-471 across the Ohio River. (I'm not making this up!)

I love that bridge. I crossed it on my way to the
UP this past weekend (8th time this summer),
but returned to Toronto via the Soo because
my husband wanted to avoid the Bridge Walk.
I wanted to join the walk, but my husband has
never forgiven me for having him paged on an
intercom when I was not able to spot him in
the crowd in Mackinac City when I made the
walk a few years back. That trip he refused to
talk to me all the way to Port Huron.
Sigh...

Kosk,
On the bright side, I bet it was a nice quiet trip to Port Huron, eh. Silence can be golden. :-)
So did you get your daughter all settled in, in da UP?

Sur5er,

Her rental house deal fell through, so she's
pretty morose, but stil DELIGHTED to be in the
UP.

Thanks for asking