Bike Bois Blanc

Breeze across the Straits of Mackinac and tool around a secluded island filled with local secrets and a kicked-back spirit.

Mar 4, 2008 Emily Betz Tyra

Elly Johnson

Start your island day on the mainland, at Cheboygan's State Street Coffee Company (211 W. State St., 231-597-9575) for a cappuccino and croissant. Buy a bag of roasted cashews for the ferry trip to Bois Blanc Island, a quiet Lake Huron hideaway only 8 miles away. The Plaunt family has run their Plaunt Transportation passenger ferries out of Cheboygan for more than 75 years (412 Water St., 888-PLAUNTS, bbiferry.com). Take your car across if you wish - reservations required - or book passage for your bike. There are no rentals in Cheboygan or on the island, but Rivertown Cycle (202 1/2 East State St., Cheboygan, 231-627-1699) can hook you up with advice, a bike mirror and sundries.

On the 40-minute trip over, set your sights on the freighters plying the Straits, and a glorious view of the Mackinac Bridge.

Debark and set out: The winding dirt shore road that circles the secluded 12-by-6-mile island is a flat and easy bet for biking. The speed limit on the island is 25 miles per hour everywhere - a blessing for bikers - but still watch for cars wending around the bends.

Three miles east of the ferry docks, find Bob-Lo Tavern (231-634-7100) for chef-owner Barb Schlund's spicy dill pickle spears and a Bob-Lo Burger, topped with shredded slow-cooked ham. Before an island treat of fried ice cream anointed in Kahlua, sneak in a round of shuffleboard on the vintage board in the bar.

Another mile east, take a dip at the beach between Rosie Point and Snake Island. Locals named it Snow Beach, as it's one of the only sandy - not rocky - shores on the island. Dry out in the sun before circling back the way you came past the island woods filled with chicory, ferns, Queen Anne's lace and black-eyed Susans. End up at Hawk's Landing (231-634-7375), a restaurant, gas station and general store within sight of the ferry docks. Pick up some Bois Blanc paraphernalia and a piece of homemade carrot cake, then head to your ferry home. Most days the last ferry from the island leaves at 5 p.m. - and the Plaunt family runs a tight ship.

Emily Betz Tyra is associate editor of Traverse, Northern Michigan's Magazine.
etyra@traversemagazine.com

This article was first published in June 2007, and was updated for the web February 2008.

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