It's summertime! Warm weather, late sunsets, long weekends, and, of course, surf music. Surf music isn't your schtick? Ah well, I can't help myself. When the vacation weekends are looming, Dick Dale's tune "Let's Go Trippin'" comes flooding into my mind, and shortly thereafter through my car speakers. July 4th was upon us and all the usual activities were cancelled or restricted, so, it was time for me to fly. I checked with my cousin in Nashville, but I struck out there because they too were going on a trip. Then my dad mentioned another far-flung destination...with an airport!

I think I mentioned living in Indiana or Michigan most of my life in a previous article, so of course I was well aware of Mackinac Island; pronounced Mack-in-gnaw (not Mack-in-knack, though that is fun to say). It's an island north of the big oven mitt, and it's known for horse-drawn carriages, good fudge, grand hotels, and old money. One hotel, the well-known Grand Hotel of Mackinac Island, was built by train and steamship magnates as an island getaway for their customers. In recent years many pilots, at least in the Midwest, see it as an ideal flying vacation spot. And since it's over 250nm from one of my local tarmac haunts, it was also the perfect place to point the propeller to comply with 14 CFR 61.129(a)(4)(i), the long cross country for my commercial rating.

Once I confirmed that the island and most of the businesses on it were open after the lifting of Michigan's stay at home order, the planning commenced. Here at home the forecast looked to be in the 90's all day for July 4th. But a quick look at the briefing from Leidos and I realized that if I went up to 9,500 MSL to save fuel, I might actually have to use the heater... +10C, only +50F! The bonus of heading north, is that even with the sunny July forecast, the daytime high was forecast to be ten degrees cooler on the ground at KMCD than it was at home. The day started out with a beautiful sunrise, an easy, early morning drive, and a long conversation with the line techs at KSMD. Nothing was the matter, though, we were just having fun talking about planes, plans, and the intended trip; just an all-around good, lazy holiday morning.

The trip north took me over a good deal of familiar ground. One of the regular LZ's that I passed over is Ionia Michigan's Y70 airfield. Home to the School of Missionary Aviation Technology, the airport is usually quite busy with student pilots. Ionia is also where I once took tailwheel training, landing on the sod 18-36 runway and breaking right on each takeoff to avoid the military Blackhawk at the opposite end of the runway. The Army National Guard were practicing rappelling from a chopper for emergency insertions and evacuations. They got a show from me, while I avoided the big blender like the plague. Though they were never higher than a fifty foot obstacle, I wasn't taking any chances...a departure obstacle doesn't typically have spinning blades on top.

Island hopping makes you a planner. Mackinac Island may only be a short distance from the mainland, but you don't want any stressors hanging over your head when you head over open water. Thus, a stop at Pellston airport for fuel and a bathroom break before heading on toward my island destination. Pellston could be the biggest little airport this side of Canada. With passenger services, a gaggle of business jets, long crossing runways, and plentiful services, Pellston has a lot going for it. Of course, with no tower or radar, and a quaint general aviation FBO, the Raymond L. Thompson Aero Center, there is also a small-town airfield feel to this aerodrome of the north.

Refreshed and refueled I was back airborne and a few short minutes afterwards I touched down on Mackinac Island's airstrip. Day trippers park in the grass, because there isn't enough bitumen for all of the planes that come here. There are plenty of friendly folks here the minute you climb out of the plane and even beforehand in the surrounding airspace. The passengers from the airplane that landed in front of me helped push my aircraft back to make more room for those taxiing past. One of the pilots out picnicking with his family under their Skyhawk wing came over and got in a conversation about photography with me. Being a photographer himself, he gave me the rare image of myself. Photographers can rarely be seen in photos since we're typically on the other side of the camera.

The modus operandi for traversing the island utilizes a mere two horsepower. Literally, the power of two horses gets you where you need to be, whether by horse carriage taxi, horse carriage tour cart, or horse carriage private charter, you're going by horse unless you pedal on a bike or patter on foot. The only motorized transport I saw was an ambulance which brought someone to the airport to be ferried to the mainland by a Pilatus medical flight service. It is nice to know that if your life depends on it, nostalgia can be set aside to get you the care needed on or off the island.

If you can't make it to the island via aircraft, two ferry operators can bring you this way. Pellston is actually a good place to stop off if the weather keeps you on the mainland. From there you can head to either the Shepler's or Star Line docks and still complete your trip. Take your pick, if the fog keeps you at bay, Pellston has shuttles and taxis that are all willing to drive to the ferry docks to help you complete your vacation plans. And along the way, you might get to see some sights that you'll miss from the air.

And of course, regardless of how you get here or get around once you are here, there is plenty to do and see on Mackinac Island. From the tourist shops of the Main Street shopping district, to the aptly named Fort Mackinac (that turtle got his name on everything), you will not want for something to keep you interested and occupied. And if you just want a stroll, there are paths and parks everywhere, including the Marquette Park, named for Rev. Jacques "Père" Marquette, the missionary and explorer whose greatest expedition started at the Straits of Mackinac in 1673.

If you are in search of good food and memorabilia, then Main Street is a good place to start. This is also where you go to board the return ferry to the mainland. In the age of COVID, the horse driven transportation takes longer to get to you, so you might visit this street to pick up a rental bicycle. Pedaling the island is hard work, thanks to the terrain you face, but the convenience of forging your own path and the plentiful bicycle vendors make it a very viable option.

If you do go by carriage, you'll want to allow extra time. The companies are required to seat families and individuals in separate compartments on the carriages, so it may be over an hour before one will come for you after you call them. But all in all, Mackinac Island is a great place to visit and a fun place to stay if you have the opportunity. And since long cross country flights are ideal training grounds, you might consider Mackinac as a destination, whether you're working on that next rating or certificate, or planning to test out a new aircraft you purchased from someone on Barnstormers.com.