Mission: Mackinac Bridge Walk...Over the Water

 Finally, I reached a little emergency pull out section where I  could get a better look at the bridge itself. It was a bit crowded as I patiently waited my turn while others got there photos taken as well.

Still smiling!

 I thought it would be kind of neat to have a photo of me actually walking, so I handed my (new) camera to a stranger behind me.....NOT smart! When I turned around I was totally panic stricken to find that a massive crowd of people had filled in the gap! After what seemed like an eternity, I found my camera (and the lady). Sometimes, I'm not the brightest crayon in the box. I made a mental note not to do that ever again.

After about 45 minutes or so, the crowd started to space out a little further, now it was still VERY crowded, but at least you had a little elbow room and could stop periodically without getting run over. I thought this might be a good time to go to the center of the bridge and walk on the grating and peer down into the Straits of Mackinac below.

All of a sudden, the cables next to be started to make an unusual high pitched "humming" noise. I stopped and looked and thought was the heck is that? So, I continued walking forward and suddenly out of nowhere, I got vertigo really bad, light headed, nauseous  and thought I was going to pass out for a moment! With nothing to steady me, I stopped and realized everyone in front of me was either stopped, or were weaving back and forth like drunken sailors. Ahhh, the bridge had been caught by a gust and was swaying to the left. THAT would explain the noise and the vertigo. So, I calmly focused my eyes on the near tower until the sensation passed. I'm certainly glad I hadn't eaten breakfast! That was very odd! It happened once again when I was near the center of the bridge, but for a shorter interval of time.

No, it wasn't scary walking on the grate, and no I didn't think I was going to fall into the Lake. I was concerned though that if my toe of my shoe was to catch in one of these 1x1 inch "holes" that I would be sent flying and end up kissing the bridge, sort of like kissing the Blarney Stone or the Stanley Cup but on accident. Not that I would want to "kiss" any of the above, eewwww germs.  

Here I am walking the grate headed toward the first tower.

Interesting Mackinac Bridge Facts:

The bridge opened to traffic November 1, 1957 after nearly 3 & 1/2 years of construction. At that time it was the longest suspension bridge in the world. Today, it ranks 3rd, behind the Akasji Kaikyo in Japan, and the Great Belt in Denmark. It's 5 miles or 26,372 feet long. 8,614 feet of that bridge is actually "suspended" by cables from 2 towers that are 3,800 feet apart. The bridge deck is 200 feet above water to allow for ships about 150 feet in height to pass underneath. The towers rise 552 feet above the water and are accessible by stairs or elevator (inside the tower itself).

There are 42,000 miles, YES MILES, of wire in the main cables
that weigh 16,000 tons. Each cable (way up at the top) is 24 & 1/2
inches thick! Each wire is only 0.196 inch thick, but each cable contains 12,580  wires! I'm not sure how many wires made up this vertical piece, but it was about as big as a silver dollar maybe. There are also 4,851,700 steel rivets and 1,016,600 steel bolts that hold the Mighty Mac together as well. For more facts go to www.Mackinacbridge.org