Mackinac Must Haves: Organization

When you live on Mackinac Island you've got to be organized. For instance, a few Fridays ago I left the island after work to spend the weekend with some friends. I wanted to leave on a 3:00 boat, so going back "up the hill*" to get my stuff wasn't an option. I needed to be packed and ready to go before I left the house for work at 6:00 am Friday morning, so Thursday night was all about getting ready.

I packed up four bags of returnable soda cans ($31.10 for the vacation fund,) two big duffels of donations for Goodwill and my bag of clothes for the weekend. I also got out the tubs we use for bringing groceries home.

Friday morning I set everything out in the front yard. That way the dray could pick it up while I was at school and deliver it to the dock. When I got off the ferry Friday afternoon, everything was safe and sound, waiting for me. You might notice the bags are labeled "Star Mac City" - to make sure they got onto the right cart after they were dropped off at the dock

* I live "up the hill" which means to get to my house from town it's a pretty significant up hill bike ride or walk. I'm not sure what the incline is on the hill, but it's fairly steep. The hill definitely makes you think about organizing your day so your day so you don't have to go up more than necessary.

Mackinac Must Have: Rain Gear

photo via

Summer in Northern Michigan means occasional rain. It's just a fact of life. Some days it might be a quick passing thunderstorm, but other days we have all day soaking rains; either way being prepared is important. In fact, this time of year, we pretty much never leave the house without stuffing our rain gear into a backpack first.

With no cars on Mackinac, we're often  out in the elements. Umbrellas are nice when you're walking,  but not very practical while riding a bike. For the kids I love LL Bean rain gear. Both kids wear it in the spring and well into the fall with a fleece underneath. (I took that picture just a day or two ago - yes, it was so chilly that we needed mittens in June!)

photo via

So, if you happen to be coming to Mackinac Island this summer, take my advice and throw your raincoat  (or an umbrella) into your bag. It's true, you may not need it, but if you hit the island on one of the wetter days, you'll be glad you have it. Especially if you happen to be riding a rental bike around the island and are three miles from town...

Mackinac Must Haves

Year-round life on Mackinac Island differs from mainland life in many ways, the main difference being the Island's ban on motorized vehicles. I know many people are fascinated about what year-round life is like here so I thought, over the next little while, I would show you a few of the things that I can't imagine living without. OK, that's a bit strong. Perhaps it would be better to say the things I don't want to live without; the things that just make Mackinac Island life a little easier.

With that said, this is my list. I didn't conduct a scientific poll, and there are lots island residents who have lived quite happily not owning a single item on my list, but for me, they're a "must have." It's kind of like disposable diapers and sippy cups. Millions of mothers raised countless children without them, I'm just thankful I didn't have to...

Mackinac Must Haves: Creepers

The snow, the ice, sadly it's all pretty much gone. In fact, I walked to and from work every day last week. It's a bummer because, at this time of year, we all feel like we should still be riding our snowmobiles. Walking is challenging because even though there isn't enough snow to ride the roads are still pretty icy. In fact there are some people who continue to ride just for safety. It is a lot easier to buy a new set of wear rods (metal bars to prevent wear to the bottom of the ski) for a snowmobile than it is to deal with a broken ankle. Which actually happened last week - one of my student's moms slipped and did break her ankle!

Since I've been walking, I'm glad I have these:

They slip on over your boots or shoes to give you some traction on the ice.

They're not perfect and you still have to be careful, but I don't know what I'd do without them. In fact, my YakTrax are definitely in the top ten on my "Mackinac Must Haves" list. I prefer the kind that have a velcro strap to help them stay on. I upgraded to these because when I wore my old pair, without the strap, one of them kept falling off.

They're calling for snow tonight. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I'll be back on that snowmobile in the morning...