Ebike unfriendly jurisdictions

Hwy89

10 kW
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Mar 3, 2013
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Northern Arizona
I went online yesterday to purchase a loading pass for the ferry to Mackinac island in Northern Michigan. It is a car free tourist trap where you can walk, bicycle or take a horse drawn taxi to get around. Fortunately I took the time to read the rules about ebikes. First, the rider must be disabled and be able to show proof of such. Second the bike must be a class 1 and have a sticker affixed stating as much. If you don’t have the sticker you can take it to the police station and request an inspection.
Needless to say, I passed, not my kind of island.
 
No ebikes allowed on Mackinac island unless you're disabled? I think I'll just stay home and tour the place by couch.
 
We went there in the 90's with the kids. I was in my 40's and pretty bored. Nothing to do but walk thru tourist shops and watch them make candy. There's plenty of pkaces to ride bikes along both sides of Lake Michigan and away from the Island.A good time, but crowded is Fall Color season.
 
There's nothing wrong with a place that decides to keep motor vehicles at bay. How weak-willed do you have to be to want a motor vehicle on an island that's only four square miles anyway?

It seems to me that they understand where the appeal of their destination lies.
 
"Somewhere in Time" - the attraction of the Mac is, dunno, nostalgia? all the horse poop around the island? with a disabled parent, that island is a no go for me.

FYI: when it freezes over in winter, you can drive or snowmobile over :)
 
Michigan resident here. Re: disabled parent, we were there (Mackinaw Island) with my mother, who wasn't getting around too well, so we went for a ride on a horse drawn carriage that I would encourage anyone with a similar situation consider. We've done that again a couple of times now. Don't bother if the idea of horses or horse poop bother you. If you can get past that we had a great time! Color change is pretty awesome, but spring time lilac bloom pretty impressive as well!

I enjoyed the kite shop in Mackinaw City as well....

As far as e-bikes, the heck with the island. Try the Mackinaw City area.
 
Four square miles? I didn’t realize the Island was that small. I’ve taken an ebike to Catalina twice and on a tour of the San Juan Islands and figured I’d do the same on Mackinac, oh well 😔
I did ride around Mackinaw city and about 20 miles down the trail along Lake Huron, very nice and no crowds.today I rode around the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and a few miles on the lakeshore road. They need a bike lane.
 
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