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ST. IGNACE, MICHIGAN THE FIRST IN NATION TO CONFIRM POST-COVID RIDE & RALLY

Written By:

John Arens

Who would have thought off-roading to be the safe recreational option? With everything from car shows to the Moab Rally on the Rocks UTV event canceled or indefinitely delayed this year, one town is going ahead with a planned ride and rally, albeit with strong consideration for safety of those attending. St. Ignace, Michigan has committed to holding their Trek the Mighty Mac event this September, making them the nations first to commit to a post-covid off-road event.

SAFETY ON THE TRAILS

With practically every type of entertainment shut down, the one form of outdoor activity that was allowed to continue, at least in Michigan, was off-road trail riding. Trail riding was correctly identified as a largely solitary or small group activity, with negligible risk for virus spread. You stand a better chance of suffering a tick bite on the wooded trails than contracting a virus.

GATEWAY TO THE TRAILS

St. Ignace is the gateway to Michigan's vast and pristine Upper Peninsula. To get there virtually every visitor crosses one of the worlds most spectacular spans, the five mile long Mackinaw Bridge. The Mighty Mac, as it has come to be known, gracefully sails over the beautiful, blue waters of the Straits of Mackinaw far below. Crossing the bridge in any vehicle is always exciting, and reaching St Ignace never fails to fill us with a sense of adventure, and that we’ve somehow reached a better, more relaxing place. Ordinarily the bridge is only open to vehicle traffic, but special events have been created to allow for crossings of historical cars, tractors, and even off-road vehicles. It’s a treat to wheel your ATV, Side x Side, or Dirt Bike onto the interstate and point it north over the bridge. The TREK the MIGHTY MAC event was formed especially for off-road enthusiasts to do exactly that.

BRIDGE TREK 2020

The Trek the Mighty Mac event is open to pretty much any adult sized ATV, UTV, Side x Side, 3-Wheeler, and off-road motorcycle. Details of the event are:

Even Date: September 25 – 27. This date should perfectly coincide with slightly cooler temps for excellent riding, and the explosion of color as the trees reach their maximum color.
More than just a bridge crossing. Crossing the bridge doesn’t mean the end of the ride. The route winds through town, with a parade down main street, and then to the Little Bear East Arena.
A lunch and party is included! Upon reaching the Little Bear East Arena, participants are provided a tasty lunch, with entertainment.
Win a new Honda 700! Saturday at 1pm one very lucky ticket holder is going to win a 2020 Honda Pioneer Deluxe 700-4 seat Side by Side. There will only be 700 tickets to be sold, and price will be $20 each. Proceeds help support the event.
Registration Times and Fees. Registration cost is $40 per driver, with $25 for a passenger, and $12 for kids 10 and younger. Registration closes September 16^th at 5pm. Registration fees include: Mackinac Bridge Fare, Lunch, Shuttle, Busing, Entertainment, Free Drink Ticket for Friday Night Meet-N-Greet, Decal, and Pit Parking.
Plenty of places to stay and play! St. Ignace knows how to host large groups. There are many places to stay with plenty of parking, virtually all will have a stunning lake view, and immediate trail access. Unless you own a cabin on the edge of town, it doesn’t get any easier than this.
Places to shop and explore. There are many great shops to check out for every member of the family. Stephanie loves the Gold Mine which makes beautiful, locally crafted jewelry, but the kids will love Indian Village, and there is a good sized local casino as well! St. Ignace is also a historical town, with museums and points of interest, and even a British fort on nearby Mackinaw Island.
Excellent Eats! Main street hosts many places to eat, whether you want a full meal, or something quick. We can never pass the Driftwood Restaurant & Pub. (The white fish basket can’t be beat!!) Check out the tasty pizza we tried last time at B.C. Pizza also!
Fantastic riding begins in town. St. Ignace truly is the gateway to the trails, and the trail begins right in town at the Little Bay East Arena where the Trek ride ends. From there you can ride all the way to Wisconsin or the shores of Lake Superior. Just plan on several days to do it!

SEE YOU THERE!

Lets face it, this year we all could use an event to look forward to. We’re thrilled the St. Ignace Visitors Bureau is leading not only off-road enthusiasts, and in no small part, the entire country by getting us one step closer to normalcy. The 6th Annual Trek The Mighty Mac event promises to be better than ever, and we can’t wait to be there for every bit of it. We’ll see you there!

Trek the Mighty Mac Event Info www.stignace.com/event/trek-the-mighty-mac

ph: 906-643-6950 toll free: 800-338-6660

Registration https://visitorsbureau.regfox.com/trek-the-mac-2020

St. Ignace Visitors Bureau www.stignace.com

ph: 906-643-6950 toll free: 800-338-6660