MACKINAC BRIDGE -- The state's history of agriculture met one of the nation's largest engineering feats Friday.

Antique tractor owners from across the state, and even out of state, fired up their engines and made the five mile journey across the Mackinac Bridge.

Right in the midst of harvesting season, on a day that could be perfect to be out in the field, these tractors have a better place to be, and that’s lined up and chugging along.  Old-time agriculture meets “modern marvel.”  it's the fourth year old tractors have been allowed to putz across the Mackinac Bridge span from Mackinaw City to St. Ignace, and the first year St. Helen resident Sandy Johnson and her friends have made the trip to watch Sandy’s husband cross.

“If your husband wasn't doing this, you wouldn't be up here today?" I asked her.

"Not at all!" Sandy responded.

“She loves it, you know, she was probably more excited about it than I was, and so were the women with her," her husband Jim responded.

Jim was just one of the 872 men and women who fired up the old machine to cross.

"It’s a big opportunity, because you can drive across it with a car, but everyone can't drive across it with a tractor!" said Cheboygan resident Ed Socolovitch, who is a former Grand Marshall of the parade and has crossed the bridge with his tractor all four years.

There are some guidelines for tractors that cross the bridge, like they have to go at least 10 miles per hour.  But some drivers say that's way too fast.

Lorraine Thenen is the oldest woman who crossed today.  Last year, she did it, and was awarded a blue ribbon for being the oldest.  She's now 84 year's old.

"Having the award, she said, "I’ve got to go across the bridge this year, because if I don't, everyone's going to wonder if I died or not!" laughed Lorraine’s daughter Kathy.

Lorraine crossed with her four sons and other family members.

“It was part of my bucket list, the other one, I don't know if I’ll get to do it, and that's to parasail," laughed Jim Johnson.

But Jim, like the rest of the antique tractor drivers, say there's nothing like soaring high above the Straits of Mackinac.