Cyclist Valhalla Northern Michigan Day 34 - July 6, 2002  Back   |   Next

Matt taking off from Nancy's driveway near Horton Bay while the gang sings, "He's off to see the Wizard..."! Today I leave for Mackinac Island. I take M-119, a one-lane highway that winds along the cliffs and coastline of northwestern Michigan. It is like riding through a tunnel of pines. At noon I arrive in Petoskey and, as I peddle over the hill, the bells of St. Francis Xavier Church toll "Ode to Joy." Petoskey, Michigan and St. Francis Xavier Church Harbor Springs    The Inn at Stonecliff By 1:00 pm I pass through Harbor Springs and by 5:00 I am peddling past gawking tourists and dodging dung heaps on Mackinac Island. I spend the next two hours riding around the island. The road that rings the island is an eight-mile loop. This is the Valhalla of cyclists. There are no cars. Travel is by horse or bike. The currency is in fudge. And everybody lives in a Victorian mansion. After I calm down I notice that my left ankle is sore and a little swollen. I decide to get a room at the Inn at Stonecliffe where I can ice my ankle and freshen up for Mass the next day. Victorian Summer Cottages on Mackinac Island