Drier Humor
She has done it again, and again and again.
Dagmar “Walker” Brown of Cass City was among the approximate 30,000 people to do the 58th annual walk across the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day.
At age 93, Brown completed her 56th walk across the five-mile long bridge. She mailed the Tuscola County Advertiser a post card with a picture of the Mackinac Bridge about her “making trek number 56 across the beautiful bridge.”
Dagmar Brown of Cass City completed her 56th walk across the Mackinac Bridge on Labor Day.
Ever since I’ve been a journalist she has stopped in to tell me about her adventure of walking over the fifth-longest suspension bridge. In latter years, she would either mail a postcard or a letter about her accomplishment. Normally she would include some information about the trip and the time it took her to walk the five miles, which was at a jaunty pace.
As this year’s bridge walk approached, I wondered if my favorite walker would be able to participate, much less, complete the walk. The weather wasn’t the greatest. It was cold and rainy.
When I heard that the number of walkers was down by almost 10,000 compared to other years, I wondered if Ms. Brown was among those who were discouraged from participating.
Doing the walk in bad weather is not for the faint of heart. A suspension bridge is designed to move to accommodate wind, change in temperature and weight. It is possible that the deck at center span could move as much as 35 feet (east or west) due to high winds. The deck would not swing or sway, but rather move slowly in one direction based on the force and direction of the wind. After the wind subsides, the weight of the vehicles crossing would slowly move it back into center position. Even still …
As the days went by, I was sure her milestone of 56 continuous walks had come to an end. Just when I had given up waiting for word from her, a postcard was delivered showing various photos of the Mighty Mac from Ms. Brown. It was almost like getting a Christmas gift!
Ms. Brown has met each governor since the event was started by then Governor G. Mennen “Soapy” Williams in the late 1950s.
She is one amazing lady. I’m proud to know her and honored we are friends. All I can think to say to her is the expression from the 1970s, “Just keep on truckin.’”
Mary Drier is a staff writer for the Tuscola County Advertiser. She can be reached at drier@tcadvertiser.com.
