During the government shutdown, when Tom and I were trying to fill our days, we bought an annual pass for Jekyll Island.  We knew from previous visits that we enjoy the island, especially the bike trail.  So we hoped we would get our money’s worth in buying the annual pass.

It costs $6 per day to get onto Jekyll Island.  Not a large amount, but the fee pays for paving the bike trail, maintaining and improving parks, and for other island amenities.  It also helps preserve the conservation land on Jekyll Island.  We are happy to pay the fee.

We decided to get the annual pass for two reasons.  First, we hoped to get to the island at least ten times, which would make the annual pass cost effective.  Second, if we have the pass we don’t have to dig for $6 every time we get to the island.  An added benefit, which we didn’t consider when buying the pass, is that the gate works automatically if you have the pass.  You can skip all the people in line who are trying to figure out how to pay and drive right through.  When we pass all those other cars we always feel like saying “neener, neener, neener!”

We have been going over to Jekyll about once a week to ride the bike trail.  When it is just Tom and I, we ride a big loop around most of the island.  The two times we went with my parents, we rode on the north end of the island from Driftwood Beach to the Pier.  In general, the bike trail is away from traffic and very scenic.  Which makes it nicer to ride than the bike trail on St. Simons.

The first time we did the big loop this year we encountered a part of the bike trail that was washed out.  The bridge was missing over the marsh outlet by Driftwood Beach.  Not a problem at low tide, but the second time we rode the loop it was not low tide.  Tom ended up carrying me, and then the bike, across the river.  St. Simons has a slower pace of repairs for their bike trails, so we thought it might be a while before the bridge was fixed.  But, thanks to money from the parking passes, the bridge was fixed by our third visit to the trail.  Over the next few months they will also be repaving a section of the trail close to the new bridge.

We love visiting Jekyll Island and are glad we bought the annual pass.  Even if we don’t go ten times, we know the money is being put to good use.