After the Madison show we usually have to scramble to get to Ann Arbor in time for setup. This year the shows were a weekend apart and we had time to look into the ferry across Lake Michigan. We were too late for he early afternoon run so we had to take the midnight trip. Actually, the midnight trip sounded like more fun.
The trip takes about four hours. It's roughtly 64 miles at about 16 MPH (sorry, I don't do knots). It pulled out at about one AM and when we got to the other side it was just getting light.
The amazing thing about the Badger is that is one of the last coal burning steamships anywhere that's still carrying passengers. It's over 400 feet long and when it was built in the fifties it was made to carry locomotives across the lake along with cars. When it arrived, we were shocked at how huge it was.
When it pulled up to the dock the rear opened up and there was a load of semis, cars, trucks and motorcycles of all descriptions. It took fifteen minutes to offload all the passengers and vehicles. We boarded shortly after and went up to the upper rear deck to watch the vehicles get loaded. We had been required to park our van in the holding area and leave the window down with the keys in the ignition.
For someone who has never seen the loading process before. It's an amazing thing to watch. The ferry has its own drivers do the loading. Semis have to be backed on after the cars are loaded and it takes some precision driving to get this done. An exception was a fleet of four huge trucks rigged for hauling 85 boot girders. There were custom rigged so the wheels were attached directly to the girders and rigged to turn for steering. The specially trained drivers for these rigs did the loading themselves.
We had been up since about six that morning and were getting pretty tired by the time the ferry pulled out at midnight. After narrowly escaping injury during the stampede to the bar we explored the upper and lower decks, lounges, snack bars (most of which were closed for the midnight run) and the store, which sold stuff that must appealed to inhabitants of a plant I never heard of.
Sleeping was a challenge. The lounges have chairs that recline nicely, but also have blaring TV's that make it almost impossible to nod off. The one quiet lounge was located next to the exhaust stacks and was uncomfortably warm. A small handful of experienced passengers went up to the top deck. rolled out sleeping bags on the deck recliners right behind the bow wall and dropped right off.
Our final approach was enhanced by the combination of cool breeze and early morning light as dawn was breaking.
We headed for Ann Arbor where the nice man at the counter allowed us to check in just before noon., I don't remember much between then and the following morning. We plan to do this again some day and perhaps check out what it's like in the daytime. For more info on the Badger clock here.
You need to be a member of Art Fair Insiders to add comments!
Comments