We set off mid-morning by bike (Ann), electric-assisted bike (Terry) and electric scooter (me - John). We headed east along the Lake Huron shoreline past "motel alley" and then about 3 miles along a trail on an old railroad track. It was a beautiful day with clear skies and probably upper 60s at the start (picture at right). The park had an excellent local history part that focused on the development of the logging and lumber industry in the Mackinaw area. The other appeal was a zip line, which neither Ann nor I had ever done before.
The man who demonstrated and explained the sawmill was wonderful. Surely he had done the demonstration hundreds of times before, but he had an infectious enthusiasm about his presentation. Archaeologists had discovered the actual location of the original mill and the dam for the pond that fed water for the mill. Although they only have a sawmill today, they did find one of the two original grind stones for the grist mill. In reconstructing the sawmill, the inner beams are all new lumber. However, once the sawmill was reconstructed inside the basic beams, the wall, roof, etc. were all made from lumber cut using this saw.
We actually got to see about a one foot long cut. That short cut would have taken nearly 10 minutes by hand, but the mill did the cut in under one minute. Lumber from the original mill was used to construct all of the early buildings in Mackinaw City and on Mackinaw Island.
Terry and Ann are watching the demonstration. We got to see the log move forward and back, but the repositioning for the next cut looked like it was going to be by brute force.
The flutter (aka paddle) wheel that drove the saw seemed remarkably small, but the head (height) of the water was 10 feet, which was enough to really spin the wheel.
The whole demonstration started with the hand saw demonstration shown in the picture at the right. The log being sawed is shown here elevated on stilts. Usually this was done with the log being rolled over flat ground above a deep pit. The pit man (or 10 year old boy from the audience did all of the work. The saw cuts on the downward stroke and clears the blade of sawdust on the up stroke. The "pit" or "pit man" was down in the hot, sweaty pit with sawdust raining down on him. Talk about a hard job!
Obviously, the water driven saw was much faster and required no rest breaks, food, etc. This mill and its success formed the basis for the next 100 years or so of logging and lumber production in Michigan. Pretty cool!
Fortunately, it was then time for lunch. Even better was the fact that the Admiral had slaved in the galley for hours to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch...
Well, enough of this educational stuff. It is time for some FUN. It is time to get suited up for the canopy bridge and then the zip line. The picture at the right shows the group suited up with hard hats, safety belts and safety line with rollers going across the canopy bridge. The bridge was very stable, but you were walking on a 10 inch wide board, and it is best not to look down...
Everyone made it across the bridge so we went on a short hike up through the woods and across the stream. Kind of sounds like we should have ended up at Grandmother's house, but instead we arrived at the zip line. The picture at the right shows the Admiral about to rocket down the short ramp and out on the zip line. Whoop! I was next, and of course, I did the trip in style and grace... Well, I did go, and I did not panic.
The next picture shows Ann arriving at the bottom. I am pretty much convinced that is all a plot conceived by kids and designed to make adults look like total klutzes... If that is correct, then the plot was successful in my case.
Late in the afternoon we saw the Brig Niagara leaving Mackinaw Island and headed west under the Mackinaw Straits Bridge.
...and now for the grand finale. We went out to dinner, then Ann and Terry walked to an outdoor concert in the park next to the marina. The concert started at 8:00 pm, and it was a good thing that they were not too late since it ended promptly at 9:00 pm. Nice amphitheater, beautiful weather, but evidently they got to experience most of the concert. We just continue to be amazed at all of the wonderful events that we have experienced in the many towns that we have visited.
A long, diverse but very fun day!
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