Reflections: Check one off the bucket list

Ed Hungness

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Ed Hungness

October 2, 2011

By ED HUNGNESS Local columnist The Record Eagle Wed Feb 22, 2012, 03:35 PM EST

Unless you have been living in a cave in a remote corner of Tanzania since 2007, you probably either saw the movie or a television commercial for the popular comedy-drama, "The Bucket List," starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman. It is about two terminally ill hospital roommates who decide to fulfill their wish lists of things to do before each, "kicks the bucket."

I would imagine that each of us has some sort of bucket list. It might not be written down, but deep in the corner of our minds it is there, hanging around hoping to be fulfilled before we pass on.

On Labor Day I checked off one of the items on my bucket list.

At 3:30 a.m. the wretched alarm woke me from a night of restless sleep. Whenever I have to set the alarm for an uncivilized time between 2 and 5 a.m., I don't sleep well and frequently wake to brightly illuminated numerals of the clock radio. My wife had set the coffeepot on auto-timer and as I staggered into the kitchen I was confident a cup of java would jolt me awake.

At 4:30 a.m. my neighbor Jim and I were in the Jeep, watching for deer as we headed north. We were joining approximately 35,000 other hardy souls who were participating in the 54th Annual Mackinac Bridge Walk. The bridge walk had been on my bucket list since I first heard of it 10 years ago, and I decided that this would be the year to do it.

Two hours later we were in Mackinaw City, following the directions of flashlight-waving volunteers who directed us to a parking lot. As the sun peeked above the horizon, we followed the crowd of pedestrians to the school bus staging area. After plunking down $5 we secured our tickets and boarded the bus for the shuttle ride to the north end of the bridge. The plan was to ride over and walk back ... all five miles of it.

We got off the bus and the first thing we saw was a double row of porta-potties almost as long as the Mackinac Bridge. Here's a tip to future bridge walkers: There are no potties on the bridge. I suggest you use one before stepping off on your big adventure.

After lightening up, we walked to the starting point at the foot of the bridge. A friendly volunteer with a microphone greeted us and wished us well. The first tall tower that supports the structure looked like it was as far away as the Rocky Mountains. All of those ants on the bridge before us were people!

Surrounded by the multitudes all with the same goal, we began our walk to get to the other side of the Straits of Mackinac. Jim and I became absorbed in conversation as we walked. We took pictures of the bridge structure and visited with other walkers. Before we knew it, we were at the halfway point.

I was extremely pleased with the security and organization of the event. United States Army Reserve personnel were positioned every 50 feet to keep walkers from getting too close to the edge of the bridge and to protect them from traffic. Helicopters kept an eye on the situation from above.

Below the bridge in the choppy waters, patrol boats guarded against any situation that might require their attention. At both ends of the bridge, Michigan State troopers provided security and controlled approaching traffic. I never felt safer in my life.

While on our walk, we saw a variety of hikers. Young and old alike all had the same objective. Some had done the walk many times. Others, like us, were first timers.

Most impressive were a few determined people who faced this challenge using walkers, crutches, or wheelchairs. We all had the same goal -- to cross the finish line on the other side of the bridge. If you've never tried it, you might want to consider adding it to your bucket list for next year.

Ed Hungness and his wife became full-time residents of Fife Lake in 2005 after Ed's retirement. He can be reached at edhungness@yahoo.com or by mail at P.O. Box 57, Fife Lake, MI 49633.