Calendar Trek the Mighty Mac [Sep 28, 2018] (Saint Ignace, MI)

[Remington]

@Remington im sold on the idea.
Sounds like somthing i should do once at least.
Not this year but soon.

I guarantee you won’t regret you did

 

[Admin]

 

[DaddyDubbs]

If it's a thrill you're looking for, go across it in the winter.

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Yup, done that, even more fun in those conditions at night

If it's a thrill you're looking for, go across it in the winter.

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It's even more fun in those conditions at night - My longest day:
Left my folks house in Jackson, MI on Dec 31, 1977 at 05:00 heading back to MTU and planned to ski Schuss Mt. before heading back to school.
At some point during the day skiing, I met up with my cousins who invited me back to the chalet for dinner with my Aunt & Uncle, well hell ya I accepted.
After dinner I was invited to a New Years Eve Party in Acme. Since I was the only person there that didn't have a date I decided to hit the road about 19:30, after all, bars in Michigan were open until 04:00 on NYE and I figured i could make it back to Houghton before 03:00.
WRONG.
Got into one Heck of a snowstorm. Good thing I had Conti Contacts on all 4 corners of the Porsche 924, great car in the snow.
Got to the US-2 truck stop about 01:30 for a coffee refill, then back on the road.
Pulled in to Sambo's (pre PC restaurant) in Marquette at 07:00 for breakfast and more much needed coffee.
Back on the road about an hour later.
The last 100 miles from Marquette to Houghton took another 4 hours due to blizzard conditions.
Pulled into our trailer in Huron Town (just south of Houghton) at 12:15
When I walked in, my room mate told me my eyes looked like two peas in a snow field.
A total of 7 hours skiing and 19-1/2 hours drive time, made for my longest day.
BTW my Porsche never let me down, not on that trip or any other, this trip just took longer than anticipated.

Front view with Marchal lights - Amplilux 55/100W headlamps (closed) 2x 100W Fog,outboard and 2x 100W driving, inboard - Like noon at midnight on the Seney Stretch.

Ski rack in position, ready for snow

A friend of mine and the 924 somewhere in the Keweenaw Peninsula

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Oh shat yes! Hahaha, go under it on a snowmobile that was fun too!

Never made the crossing on a sled, I’ll bet that would be exciting with the pressure ridges

 

[906UP]

I cross the bridge every couple weeks, sometimes several times a week depending on work schedule, most of the time it's "just another highway".....every once in a while mother nature reminds me of how nasty the weather in the Straights can be.....it's an eerie feeling when you can see the big cables moving ahead of you due to the wind.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

I cross the bridge every couple weeks, sometimes several times a week depending on work schedule, most of the time it's "just another highway".....every once in a while mother nature reminds me of how nasty the weather in the Straights can be.....it's an eerie feeling when you can see the big cables moving ahead of you due to the wind.

I don’t know how many other bridges in this great country have a driver assistance program set up to drive people across a bridge that can’t do it themselves, but the Mac is at least one.

 

[BigOL3]

If it's a thrill you're looking for, go across it in the winter.

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Yeah, now I can see how that would be exciting !!!!!

 

[BigOL3]

I don’t know how many other bridges in this great country have a driver assistance program set up to drive people across a bridge that can’t do it themselves, but the Mac is at least one.

On a regular basis, they escort across the 26 mi. Ponchatrain Causeway in inclement weather, sometimes it is shut down completely.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

On a regular basis, they escort across the 26 mi. Ponchatrain Causeway in inclement weather, sometimes it is shut down completely.

On the Mac - driver assistance is not an escort, they actually drive your vehicle over the bridge for you - all bridge personel have their CDL so they can drive a motorcycle, car or semi over the bridge all free of charge.
News for the Nervous: Mackinac Bridge Driver’s Assistance Program

 

[Remington]

On the Mac - driver assistance is not an escort, they actually drive your vehicle over the bridge for you - all bridge personel have their CDL so they can drive a motorcycle, car or semi over the bridge all free of charge.
News for the Nervous: Mackinac Bridge Driver’s Assistance Program

It’s pretty impressive at all the things that happen at the Mac. The Mackinaw bridge authority is great job and career for an individual. The Mac has so many neat things they do that even Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe did a whole 1 hr episode about the vast dirty and dangerous jobs on the Mac.

 

[luckymike]

been across it many times over the years but riding my 750 honda was preety un-nerving.the wind and those steel grates that felt like they were grabbing your tires was a little too much.didn't help that the girl friend on back was petrified of bridges.

 

[Deleted member 3748]

Good thing I had Conti Contacts on all 4 corners of the Porsche 924, great car in the snow.

I never would have thought a Porsche 924 would be a great car in the snow. And that was before traction control and ABS.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

It’s pretty impressive at all the things that happen at the Mac. The Mackinaw bridge authority is great job and career for an individual. The Mac has so many neat things they do that even Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe did a whole 1 hr episode about the vast dirty and dangerous jobs on the Mac.

Thanks for sharing, great video. For those not familiar with suspension bridges, Mike shares a fun fact between 13:30 and 14:33.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

I never would have thought a Porsche 924 would be a great car in the snow. And that was before traction control and ABS.

Almost perfectly balanced car 53/47 F/R. Only issue is high centering. They always plowed Bridge St. before the side streets in Hurontown. If I wasn't able to run the stop sign it would usually high center - No problem, put it in first, right hand on steering wheel, left hand on A-pillar and walk it out to cleared road and jump back in.

 

[Deleted member 3748]

[calendar]17[/calendar]

 

[trigger]

I've never seen snow accumulate so fast as in the UP.

About eight of us took a snowmobile ride from The Soo over to Taq Falls. It was snowing when we went into the restaurant and was a blizzard when we came out, foot of snow on everything and building fast. Shortly after starting the ride back we took a vote whether to ride the roads, which would risk a $115 ticket, or taking the trails which would take forever in those conditions. We voted for the road, too much snow for anything other than a sled to be on anyway. At some point during the trip back there was so much snow that we were riding over the guard rails.

Btw, you're doing 80 mph behind another sled, can't see anything other than a small red dot in front of you. When you lose sight of that dot you grab a handful of throttle to find it again.

Back when I had more balls than brains.

 

[DaddyDubbs]

[calendar]17[/calendar]

If you are referring to the first page RSVP attending the ride, already done - 4 of us in 2 machines. My friend has a Polaris, but I won’t hold that against him. If additional RSVP is required, let me know.

 

[Hondasxs]

If you are referring to the first page RSVP attending the ride, already done - 4 of us in 2 machines. My friend has a Polaris, but I won’t hold that against him. If additional RSVP is required, let me know.

Sweet..
Na, its mostly only so everyone knows who will be there and who not to look for.

Me, i want be there but soulds like a cool ride ill add to my list.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Sweet..
Na, its mostly only so everyone knows who will be there and who not to look for.

Me, i want be there but soulds like a cool ride ill add to my list.

Sent from my HTC6545LVW using Tapatalk

Right, when I saw @PistonHonda post about it on page 1, I thought gotta do it. You can take the old man out of Michigan, but you can’t take Michigan out of the old man. Such an awesome bridge, what an experience. Get it on your calendar, Heck we’re traveling about 1200 miles to do it, hope to see you there

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Right, when I saw @PistonHonda post about it on page 1, I thought gotta do it. You can take the old man out of Michigan, but you can’t take Michigan out of the old man. Such an awesome bridge, what an experience. Get it on your calendar, Heck we’re traveling about 1200 miles to do it, hope to see you there

Oh, BTW @Hondasxs if you can make it from experience living in both the UP and LP in late September, bring clothing for 80 degrees as well as 30 degrees and somewhere in between, I’ve seen both extremes at the Straights. Semper Paratis (always prepared).

 

[DaddyDubbs]

Oh, BTW @Hondasxs if you can make it from experience living in both the UP and LP in late September, bring clothing for 80 degrees as well as 30 degrees and somewhere in between, I’ve seen both extremes at the Straights. Semper Paratis (always prepared).

Oh, BTW @Hondasxs if you can make it from experience living in both the UP and LP in late September, bring clothing for 80 degrees as well as 30 degrees and somewhere in between, I’ve seen both extremes at the Straights. Semper Paratis (always prepared).

*Semper Paratus. Darn auto correct