The annual Mackinac Bridge Walk takes place every year on Labor Day.
This year's walk is the 50th. The Annual Labor Day Mackinac Bridge Walk on Michigan in Pictures notes that the first walk on Labor Day, 1958 drew just 68 walkers - we're guessing there's a few more in the picture to the right from MDOT's Mackinac Bridge Walk gallery.
Can't make the walk? How about the Virtual Mackinac Bridge Walk in South Lyon? It's a 5 mile walk in support of the "Getting Michigan Moving" campaign from MichiganFitness.org. As you may or may not know, Michigan is one of the most inactive (and plumpest) states.
One man who's bucking that trend of inactivity is 88 year-old Clayton Klein , who will walk from Paradise to Hell. According to the Freep, he plans to cross the bridge with the walkers and:
He averages 20 miles a day on his 400-mile trip, taking to the road from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
"I walk 5 or 6 miles, find a place to sit down for four or five minutes and go another 5 or 6 miles," he said. "I find a place to get ice cream, and I just keep going."
He hopes that folks will join him on his walk (if you arrive in Hell in his company you get a free ice cream cone!) and says that "If I were younger, I probably would have a goal. My goal now is to stay healthy and keep walking."
Clayton Klein, you are officially my new hero.
Photo courtesy Michigan DOT.
6 Comments
Hi I heard that the bridge walk this year has been cancled,
is this true or not?
thanx for your help Glenn
There's nothing about it on the Mackinac Bridge's website and I have to think it would be plastered all over or they'd be dealing with thousands of angry tourists come Monday morning!
Glenn,
Just for "kicks" I called the Chamber of commerace in Saint Ign. and in Macinac City and the walk is still on in fact they said this will be the largest ever because of it being the 50th Birthday of the Mighty Mac. I will see you there making my 10th walk across.
Great Michigan site! Clayton Klein is my hero too! He discovered me when I was a fledging writer and he was a publisher of books. Helped me get my first book "The Wishing Years" published—stories about growing up in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Thanks to him I now have a second book out soon, "A Tree Grows in Trout Creek." Come visit me for more info! Clayton Klein is a man among men!
I'm looking for pictures of the first mackinac bridge walk in 1958 and 1959 - My friend is 90 years old and she walked the first walk so I'd love to find pictures for her to look at
I would guess that the Mackinac Bridge Authority would be the place to contact. I don't see any on their site but they do have a gallery from the opening celebration!
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