Good old days

This article originally posted in The Weekend Australian

A voyage through the Great Lakes reveals evidence aplenty of America’s fondness for preserving and celebrating vestiges of its past.

A long time ago, a strange, noisy contraption appeared on Mackinac Island, a tranquil haven of woodland in straits between two of the Great Lakes in the US. The year was 1898, and it was the islanders’ first encounter with the nascent automobile. It scared the horses that drew their carriages, so they banned it.

“Horseless carriages” are still barred from the small island, along with chain stores, which means it’s blissfully free of the infernal combustion engine and fast-food joints. Tourists love it.

I discover this heaven for cyclists and horse lovers on a cruise from Chicago to New York, via four of the five Great Lakes and the Erie Canal. The 2530km cruise is a voyage through time and space, with evidence aplenty of America’s fondness for preserving and celebrating vestiges of its history.

Continue reading “The Good Old Days…

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