By Shelby Stewart
Staff Writer
For many motorists crossing the five-mile span of the Mackinc Bridge 155-feet above the water is an exciting 10 minute ride.
But creeping along on a half century old farm tractor built for plowing fields not massive suspension bridges—the trek becomes rather memorable.
Such was the ride on Sept. 11, for Brandon Firefighter Carrie Pollard who made that slow trip across the Mackinac Bridge on a 1953 John Deere 50 tractor.
“Driving across the bridge in a car is a lot different than being on a tractor,” she said. “It was one of those experiences I won’t ever forget.”
The event was the 14th annual Antique Tractor Crossing, which was started by Owosso Tractor Parts. To cross the bridge, you have to have an antique tractor, and it has to run at least 10 mph. And for Pollard, the event has always been a family affair.
“My dad, Dennis Floyed, is part of the Yester Years Tractor Club, a group of men in the surrounding areas and they all own antique tractors,” she said. “We participated in the first one, and back then it was just a single rider on the tractor that could cross the bridge. But there were so many people that wanted to be buddy riders, and the Bridge Authority approved it.

So you have to build a seat or have a seat that fits two people. My grandmother, who passed in 2019, she used to be my dad’s buddy rider. And she was the very first buddy rider to cross the Mackinac Bridge. The last year she crossed was in 2017, and she would have been 89 the last time she crossed.”
This was the first year Pollard was a buddy rider with her dad, also a Brandon resident. Last year, the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Normally the event is planned for Friday, but because last year it would have fallen on Sept. 11, it was decided they would hold it on Sept. 11 this year and honor first responders, veterans and active military for the 20 year anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“At 8:30 they asked to have first responders, veterans, active military stand around the flag pole,” said Pollard. “The VFW and the national guard did the national anthem and a moment of silence for 9/11. Then they lowered the flag to half-staff.”
After the ceremony, Pollard and her dad got to join over 1,300 other tractors that were participating in crossing the bridge from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, followed by a tractor show in St. Ignace. This year there were participants from all over the nation, and the number of participants was record-breaking for the event.
“We crossed the bridge with the thin blue and red line, because I’m a firefighter and the blue for Oakland County Sheriff’s Office, I thought it was important to have those connected,” said Pollard. “I was the first new buddy rider my dad has had. My brother crossed this year for his first time ever on his own tractor.”
Pollard said it was emotional for her family because they hadn’t participated since her grandmother passed away.
“It was exciting, I was a little nervous,” she said. “I’m thinking ‘how did my grandma do this in her 80s?’it was like she had no fear.”
Pollard said it was also the first year for her four-year-old son to be a spectator, and the first time her daughter would be able to watch and remember the tractor crossing.
The bridge was also not closed to traffic, so cars were driving by on the grate side while the tractors were on the pavement.
“They don’t shut the bridge down, so the cars were on the grate right next to you,” she said. “So you have cars honking, semis going by you, waving. So it was exciting to see how the people interacted with the tractors. They’re moving, and we’re going at this little turtle pace.”
Next year, her dad plans to have her sister as a buddy rider, and they will rotate riding with their dad every year.
“It was very emotional because we hadn’t been up there since Grandma passed away, and I felt like she was right there next to me,” said Pollard. “It is a huge event. And St. Ignace, they welcome us. They enjoy having them (the tractors) and to see all the people that come out, the residents that live there too. It was a completely different experience than a parade down here.”