PLEASE READ THIS EVENT PAGE AS THERE HAVE BEEN SOME CHANGES TO THE WAY THAT WE ARE HOLDING THIS EVENT IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP APPROPRIATE SOCIAL DISTANCING FOR OUR ATTENDEES. THERE WILL BE NO FORMAL GATHERING FOR THIS EVENT - COME AND GO AS YOU PLEASE.
Come join us on Mackinac Island for our 14th Annual (Delayed) Spring Fling!
- WHEN: Wednesday, September 2nd, 2020 (although you are quite welcome to arrive on Tuesday, September 1st, 2020)
- WHERE: Mackinac Island/Grand Hotel
- TIME: 09:00 am until 8:00 pm
- COST: $29.00 round trip ferry ticket (this is the regular price, but we have negotiated a reduction in the cost for attendees of this event). There is a $13.00 charge to take your bike to the island. Please be aware that there are parking fees at the ferry docks. Dinner on your own. Lodging fees on your own (but we have negotiated a special rate from the Grand).
Come join us on beautiful Mackinac Island for a late summer caching adventure! We will be hanging out in the lower level of the Grand Hotel (Museum Room) for three days (September 1st through the 3rd). Coffee, tea, and lemonade will be provided for attendees, along with a few other goodies to keep you energized! We will also be serving cupcakes on Wednesday afternoon so that you can enjoy some fresh baked goods.
Please feel free to wear your T-shirts and jeans during the day, but you must be dressed in your finest if you are in the Parlor area (or other public areas) of the Grand Hotel after 6:30 pm. This is due to the fact that we will be at the Grand during their prime season. There is no admission charge into the hotel for event attendees. Just make sure that you tell the employees at the door that you are entering to attend the geocaching event.
The Cyclops family has over 120 caches on the island, many of which have been placed in remote areas of the island where tourists would not normally go. It is advisable to bring your own bike, as the cache locations will take you traveling several miles around the perimeter and interior of the island. The ferry companies charge $13.00 per bicycle to bring your bike over to the island. There will be places on the island that offer bikes to rent, but I am unable to confirm the prices for these rentals. Dinner will be on your own. There are multiple restaurants on the island which will be open to serve you.
The two ferry lines (Shepler's and Star Line) will be running numerous ferries each day, leaving from both Mackinaw City and St. Ignace. Please check their respective schedules for times. Please be aware that there are parking fees at the ferry docks.
Most island stores will be open, as will the fudge shops. There are numerous restaurants on the island that will be open to serve lunch and dinner. Doud's grocery store (on Main Street) will also be open, and you may purchase drinks and snacks there. Please note - since we will be at the Grand during prime season, you may opt to have the buffet lunch or dinner at the hotel. Prices are listed on the Grand's website. If you decide to have dinner at the hotel, you will need to be dressed in your finest.
Each caching team will receive a special memento from the Cyclops family for attending this event. You will get this memento when you sign the event log. In addition, each attendee at this event will receive a ticket for a free prize. You will be given your ticket when you sign the event log (whichever day that is). In an attempt to avoid a large gathering of attendees, there will NOT be a formal raffle for those items. You may simply go into the group room anytime after getting your ticket, and pick out something that you would like. As is our usual tradition, every one in attendance will get a prize. We will also be holding a Chinese raffle for some larger prizes, and those tickets will be for sale all day Tuesday and Wednesday. That drawing will be held at 7:00 pm on Wednesday evening back in the group room. You do NOT need to be present to win (as you will have already put your name and phone number on your ticket), but you WILL need to be somewhere on the island so that we can get your prize to you. We will call you if you are a winner. As stated previously, we are trying to avoid a mass gathering of attendees on Wednesday evening. The proceeds from the sale of the raffle tickets will be used to help offset the costs of the event.
Be sure to check out the CITO event being held this weekend too. 10th Annual Mackinac Island Multi Task CITO
If you are unfamiliar with the island, it is highly recommended that you take a map with you prior to venturing out. Some of the interior roads can be quite difficult to navigate, so be careful if you have small children with you. The perimeter road, which is 8.2 miles in length and is fairly flat, offers several caches for those who prefer a less strenuous adventure. For your convenience and planning, you can view or print the PDF file for the Mackinac Island Map.
Also, for your convenience, I have created some non-geocache waypoints. These waypoints can be downloaded as a zipped GPX file here.
Click here for more information about this event. If you need specific details or information about this event, please feel free to e-mail me directly.
Additional Hints (