Mackinac Island Honor Scouts Training Manual PART VI: Transportation Information TRANSPORTATION INFO 1
TRANSPORTATION INFORMATION Bus Each year, we charter a passenger motor coach to transport most of our unit to Mackinaw City. As we generally take a unit of 60 members, not everyone can ride on the bus both to and from Mackinac. In past years, we have had to ask parents to provide private transportation for some girls. To be fair to everyone, we try to see that every girl rides the bus at least one way if she wishes. Please fill out the transportation survey, which is included in your forms packet and return it to the Activities Supervisor by the due date listed. There are generally three pick-up and drop-off points on our route to and from Mackinac. We leave very early in the morning, usually at about 6:30am! Our bus makes several stops to pick up girls and then a stop for lunch all before boarding our ferry. Pick-up times are not set as ferry schedules change and pick-up sites vary from year to year. For pick up and drop off sites, please see the transportation survey included in your forms packet. For girls who live farther north than Reed City, it is faster and more convenient to drive up to Mackinaw City on your own. Private Transportation Since we can only take people on the bus, we have to ask parents to drive some girls up in private transportation. Even if your parents cannot drive you up, they may give you permission to ride in someone else s car. If you are riding up in private transportation, you must meet us at the docks in Mackinaw City. NO EXCEPTIONS! If you are riding home in private transportation, you must be picked up on the docks in Mackinaw City after we leave the Island. There will be NO EXCEPTIONS! Trailer MIHS has its own trailer to carry the bikes and extra gear. It does not carry personal gear, so please don t ask to take anything extra and put it on the trailer. (The Bugler may put her trumpet on the trailer if she wishes.) We ask for a volunteer to pull the trailer to and from Mackinaw City. The trailer will be in storage after the season so please make arrangements to pick up your bike if it is coming home on the trailer. Bikes We allow scouts to bring their bikes with them to the island if they wish. Unfortunately, we can transport a fixed number of bikes to the Island in our trailer while the rest of the bikes must be brought to Mackinaw City by private transportation. Having your bike transported on the trailer is on a first come first serve basis the sooner you get your paperwork completed and turned in, the better chance you have. If you would like to take your bike and we are unable to fit it on the trailer we will do our best to make other arrangements to transport your bike but this is not always possible. We do realize that your bikes are valuable items and we take the utmost care for their protection and security. We do ask the girls to share their bikes with other girls in the Unit since only a few girls can bring their bikes up to the Island. Permission slips must be signed by a parent for any girl that wishes to ride a bike. Also, each girl who rides a bike must have her own helmet. TRANSPORTATION INFO 2
Bikes must be in good working order and have a chain with a combination lock. (No padlocks with keys as keys are easily lost.) Our Transportation/Activity Supervisor will double-lock all the bikes at night and unlock them in the morning. (Bikes are kept in a bike rack next to the Barracks, lighted at night with a spotlight.) Any valuable accessories or equipment that can be easily removed should be left at home. Removable bike bags may be used, but we recommend that girls bring them into the Barracks when the bike is not in use. Bikes going to the island on the trailer will have to be brought to the July training to be loaded on the trailer. If you will not be attending the July training you must make arrangements with the Activity Supervisor in advance to drop off your bike. Once on the Island, each girl will be responsible for walking her bike up to the Barracks, and also walking it down to the dock when we leave the Island. Gear Each girl is allowed two bags for her gear. It is important that girls realize that we cannot allow more than that because of limited space under the bunks upstairs in the Barracks and the drays that carry our stuff from the docks to the Barracks are very expensive! One bag should be a duffel bag (no larger than 30x15x15) with clothing and personal items while the other bag should be a stuff bag (no larger than 30x15x30) with bedding, towels, and a pillow. Once on the island the Scouts will find that they don t wear many regular clothes as they are in and out of their uniforms multiple times per day and therefore do not need to pack a different outfit for every day of the week. The duffle bag should also be soft-sided with no runners, knobs, or wheels. The Scouts are responsible for loading and unloading the bus, loading and unloading the drays, and getting their gear to the upstairs of the Barracks. Getting banged by luggage wheels can hurt, and bruises and scrapes don t match our uniform! A helpful hint is to line the inside of both of your bags with a large garbage bag to protect your belongings incase of rain. Scouts may also bring a small carry-on with her for the bus with a book or head set. Her lunch, uniform jacket and poncho must also be in the carry-on. The girls are responsible for carrying their own carry-on from the docks to the Barracks so be careful how much you pack in it. When we reach the docks in Mackinaw City, the girls unload the bus and put all the bags onto carts to go over to the Island. Once on the Island, the bags are loaded onto horse-drawn drays to be carried up to the Barracks. When our gear reaches the Barracks, the girls unload all the bags and then pass them, end-over-end, up the back stairs into the top dormitory area of the Barracks. TRANSPORTATION INFO 3
BIKING RULES AND INFORMATION 1. The Transportation/Activity Supervisor must have a signed permission form from parents for any Unit Member to participate in biking activities on the Island. She has the authority to determine if a borrowed bike is appropriate for the girl who wishes to borrow it. (Each girl who brings a bike to the Island must have turned in a form whereby she agrees to share her bike with an authorized person.) She also has the authority to deny biking privileges to anyone who does not observe the safety rules. 2. Permission to borrow a bike must be granted by the owner herself - no exceptions. Make certain that the bike you borrow is the right size for you and that you have the ability to operate any gears and hand brakes. Check with the bike owner if you need instructions - don t ride a bike unless you know how it works. 3. Every girl who wishes to ride a bike, whether she brings her own bike or not, must wear a helmet. You may not borrow a helmet. There is no exception to this rule. 4. All safety rules must be observed at all times and all biking must be done with a buddy or in a group. 5. All bikes must be in good working condition with the tires properly inflated. They must have a bike lock and are to be locked after each use in their designated spots on the bike rack behind the barracks. The Transportation/Activity Supervisor will double lock the bikes after evening free time and undo the double locks in the morning. Make sure your individual lock numbers are on record with her. 6. For safety s sake, WALK your bike on Grand Hotel Hill, Mission Hill, Fort Holmes Hill, Turkey Hill, and any other posted area. These hills are too steep for riding. Don t take chances - broken bones and scrapes don t match our uniforms! Always observe any posted safety signs regarding bikes. 7. You are not allowed to bike in the downtown Village area. You must be in uniform to be downtown. However, you may pass through when biking around the Island, but you may not stop anywhere! 8. Do not lean or lock you bikes to the wooden rail fence around the barracks. When not in use, all bikes should be in the bike rack. 9. Bikes should not be ridden on the gravel or lawn around the barracks. Walk your bike to the road. 10. Bike bags and removable accessories or gear are the responsibility of the owner. Remove and store them with your personal gear when not riding your bike or leave them at home. 11. You may ride your bikes all the way around the Island. Take a map with you and follow it closely. 12. While biking, keep to the right. Be brake ready at all times. Know and use hand signals. Do not ride double - it s the law. 13. Bikes can frighten horses. Do not ride too close and do not shout when near them. Always give them a wide berth. 14. Pedestrians always have the right of way. Be courteous at all times. ENJOY BIKING AT MACKINAC - THE SAFE WAY TRANSPORTATION INFO 4
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