Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: NRA Convention

Photos.

We learned Thursday that attendees and protesters were arriving for the NRA Personal Protection Expo. Many of them were at our hotel, since the Hilton is adjacent to the Wisconsin Center. Police presence was immediately felt, both outside and around the Center. I felt intrigued ... and alarmed.

Turns out the NRA people were friendly and courteous. Lots of smokers. As a confirmed anti-NRA, anti-gun, anti-everything associated with any kind of firearm or other weapon, I felt uneasy at best. However, curiosity got the better of me and I enjoyed watching the peaceful interaction among conventioneers, protesters and law enforcement.

A few out-of-towners were up when I went down to the Lobby to pick up a couple of Starbucks breakfast sandwiches this morning. No one was willing to make eye contact so I decided to mind my own business.

Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: Harley Museum

Photos.

I've been drawn to the world famous Harley Museum for a long time -- not quite a bucket list item, but close.

Gas tanks over the years

Harley Davidson Museum, Milwaukee

The Harley faithful were there in full force, most in Harley regalia, some on their bikes. The museum felt like the stop at St. Peter's Basilica on a visit to Rome. Finally, home! The exhibits are well laid pit and cover both history and popular interest. The interactive technical displays are particularly helpful to both the educated (Bob) and the ignorant (me). I had no idea that Harley racing was, and perhaps is yet, such a big deal. The Race of Gentlemen, a seasonal exhibit, is also very interesting but my brain was already on information overload by the time we got to it, so my appreciation was limited.

The video on Harley's more recent history and near tumble into bankruptcy in the 1980s is very well done. As always, I was amazed by Harley's ability to market its main product and accessories. It's a great stop, especially for anyone interested in American automotive and motorcycle history.

Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: Milwaukee bus tour

Photos.

The first (and, in this case, probably only) time we visit a city, we often take a bus tour to give us the "lay of the land" and a decent overview of the area. I had read good reviews of  this one so we gave it a shot. As instructed, we met under the famous clock at Milwaukee City Hall Friday morning at 10:00 a.m.

Several tour members were already waiting when we arrived about ten minutes early, including Pastor John, a clergyman from a suburban church who had lived in the city for about 15 years, a couple from Menomonie, a young woman from Tomah, and a professor from Long Island who drove in for the day from Chicago, where she was attending a conference. Another five people arriving late on the train joined the tour about 15 minutes later.

Black Cat Alley

Our tour guide, Mike (the one in the reviews) arrived promptly a few minutes before ten and we immediately visited City Hall. The building is beautiful and I would have liked to stay a little longer han we did.

Milwaukee Museum of Art

Our stops were frequent and fairly interesting,  I particularly liked Black Cat Alley and the Milwaukee Art Museum, a stunning space built with dynamic "wings" that move several times a day. The views of Lake Michigan were lovely on this sunny morning. I enjoyed the drive along public parkland that extends all along the shore within the city limits, with free parking everywhere.

Our tour ended at the Lakefront Brewery. Bob thought that spending the last hour of the tour at a brewery was "killing time", but I enjoyed it. I had two small glasses of the East Side Bavarian dark lager. Delicious: rich but not too heavy. Bob had a glass of beer with a "grapefruit" flavor that he didn't particularly like.

After the tour, we picked up a sandwich lunch (one chicken, one steak) at a Vietnamese restaurant that seems to have taken over a Subway space. The chicken was great and the steak is yet to be enjoyed, as we brought it home with us today.

Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: Hilton and Capital Grille

Photos.

Capital Grille is a block from the Hilton

By the time we checked into the Hilton in the late afternoon, we were both feeling a little punchy. Front desk and concierge staff were well intentioned but not particularly helpful, advising us that parking across the street is cheaper than the adjacent hotel ramp.

Unless $35 is now less than $25, the answer was wrong, so we dilly dallied with parking until deciding on the ramp -- very convenient and accessible to the hotel via the second floor.

We're staying on a Groupon ($254 for two nights in a king room). As usual, I opted for the highest room possible, despite Bob's fears about evacuation in case of an emergency. We're on the 21st floor, with a great east view of the city and Lake Michigan in the distance.

Bar at Capital Grille

We had appetizers (clam chowder, sirloin tip sliders, parmesan truffle fries, fresh bread) and drinks (scotch for Bob, cabernet sauvignon for me) at the Capital Grille, a restaurant familiar to us because of a gift card from son Chris several years ago. Great ambience and delicious food.

We were very tired and went to bed early, enjoying the view as the sun set behind us. Darkness fell quickly.

Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: S.S. Badger

Photos.

By the time we woke up (too early!) on Thursday morning, my disappointment over missing the Lake Express from Muskegon to Milwaukee had faded and I was looking forward to crossing Lake Michigan on the old (1953!) S.S. Badger. I remember being bored on our last trip in the other direction, but that was a life ago -- maybe 2005 -- and I was more critical then, as I broiled in the hot sun on the deck with nothing to read and nothing to do.

S.S. Badger is old ... but good

The morning was coolish so we both wore long pants and a jacket. We boarded the ship shortly after 8:00 a.m., an hour early as instructed, and almost immediately began to wander to various locations around the ship.

Driving off the S.S. Badger

We lost our spots inside, where people were already gathering for Bingo not scheduled to begin for at least 90 minutes. We sat in the bar for awhile, but it was too early for a drink, especially since walking on the ship wasn't all that easy. It wasn't like crossing the Bay of Fundy in a snowstorm (extremely challenging) -- more similar to walking in a moving motorhome (manageable, with experience).

By the time the sun came out, we were sitting in the stern of the ship looking at Michigan in the distance. A fellow Minnesotan carrying a Vikings blanket stopped to talk to us. She was a professional driver (limousines, private cars etc.) who had driven all the way from St. Paul the night before and crossed to Michigan during the night to pick up her 14-year-old niece for the weekend.

"Aunt Kimmy" is a gregarious person with a good sense of humor. She was Prince's preferred driver during the last five years of his life and confessed that she cried every day in the first year after his death. His phone number is still in her cell phone.

The best part of the trip for Bob was watching S.S. Badger crew drive vehicles on and off the ship. They did so very efficiently, running back and forth between the ship and the parking lot, backing up large vehicles easily, without the need for any kind of adjustment. Three semis were already in the ship by the time we arrived, but we did see them drive out.

We waited about 15 minutes for our vehicle. I43 was under construction so the 80-mile drive to Milwaukee was a little longer than anticipated.

Lake Michigan Road Trip 2017: Traverse City

Photos.

We had planned to stay longer in Traverse City but the promise of the guidebooks wasn't fulfilled as we drove on the town's downtown, a typical unplanned and overcrowded area full of cheap stores. Eating lunch at McDonald's, we pretty much decided to move on.

Old Mission Lighthouse

Stopping at the visitor center changed our minds a little. The office is staffed by helpful volunteers, one of whom convinced Bob to visit the area's wine country. We drove north on Hwy 37, surrounded by prosperous vineyards and beautiful views of Lake Michigan. We stopped at the Old Mission lighthouse, very windy on this late summer afternoon. Time enough for a few photos, but the little lighthouse was full of tourists so I didn't even go in.

Wine tasting at the Château Chantal

On the way back, we turned into the Chateau Chantal Winery. The location overlooking the valley reminded us a of the Napa Valley, where we visited several wineries many years ago. I was a little surprised to see a charge for tasting, but that really is the way to go. No slurpers at the bar, testing every damn wine in the place. Instead, we paid $5 for a taste of three wines (in our case, a pinot noir, a Riesling and a rosé), which we drank on the patio. We were given one of the three glasses to keep as a souvenir. Other tasting options provided the opportunity for full glasses of wine, but we preferred a taste, especially knowing we had an afternoon's drive ahead of us.

Onward, on 2-way Hwy 37, then Hwy 31, to Ludington. Our decision to cross Lake Michigan on the Lake Express at Muskegon was thwarted when I couldn't get a reservation on the 10:15 a.m. crossing. We abruptly turned off Hwy 31 (a nice 4-lane between Ludington and Muskegon) and called the S.S. Badger, where we got a reservation for Thursday morning. My disappointment lifted when we checked into a new Comfort Inn less than ten minutes from the Ludington dock.

We were dead tired by this time and happy to stop for the day.

Michigan Road Trip 2017: Mackinac Island

 Photos.


After a rainy night, the sky was cloudy this morning and though we got a little precipitation, we decided to go ahead with our plan to spend most of the day on Mackinac Island. The crossing on the Star Line's Radisson was a little rough. In fact, we were told that if we sat on the top deck we would get wet, so we stayed down below.

Menu at the Carriage House

We walked around downtown for most of our visit and didn't go all the way up the hill to the Grand Hotel. We had lunch at our old favorite Carriage House restaurant in the Iroquois Hotel. The tomato basil soup was delicious, as was our shared turkey club.

We wore jackets for about half the day, and I carried them for the other half. We took a late afternoon ferry back and the crossing was as rough as any boat ride I remember. Once we seemed to be airborne and I wondered fleetingly how difficult it would be to help the small crew get lifejackets on the passengers. The waves splashed at the windows and I was really glad to be inside.

Transportation

This evening we had our little cocktail hour but weren't hungry for dinner. Instead, we went out for ice cream and bought of the famous mackinac fudge to bring home. After our treat, we sat in the park near the bridge and watched the waves crash on the shore. I could feel winter in the wind.

Michigan Road Trip 2017: eclipse of the sun.

Mackinaw Bridge

Photos.

We were even more out of the total eclipse path that we would have been in the Twin Cities, but I was still looking forward to the day as we drove on Hwy 2 to the Mackinaw Bridge. The morning mist on Lake Michigan was still enveloping the bridge when we arrived at Bridge View Park around 11:00 a.m.

We checked into the Hamilton Beach Select Beachfront around noon but since our room wouldn't be ready for another hour, we had a beer and Wisconsin cheese curds at the Dixie Saloon. I was looking forward to being well settled in our room for the eclipse, as broadcast on by NASA. I think the sky make have changed a little, but not much. I tried a trick I read about to photograph the sun, a kind of selfie but I seem to be a little dim and I didn't get much. During the afternoon, I felt a little envious of the enraptured eclipse viewers on TV.

This very big heron is elegant and bossy

A few kids were swimming in the lake but I felt reluctant to dip into these "unknown waters" with five different species of lamprey, which Bob assured me were mostly a product of my imagination. Instead, I opted for a swim in the large hotel pool, full of light from the large doors and windows to the outside. I really hate to admit that I prefer a pool to natural water, but I really do.

We  had a light supper (soup for Bob, chili and side salad for me) at the Historic Depot Restaurant in the Mackinaw Crossings complex. Just the right choice in this interesting space, where a little train circled the restaurant on a track high on the wall. Our server revealed far too much information about herself and by the time we left the restaurant, I was mortified for her. After dinner, we sat in the little commons area listening to the two-man band (actually, a man and a woman). Pretty good, with a recorded back-up and percussion, heavy on James Taylor.

Soon after we got back to our room, the sky was punctuated with bolts of lightening and the sound of thunder rolled across the water.

Michigan Road Trip 2017: pleasant late summer drive

St Paul, Minnesota to Manistique, Michigan

Photos.

We were on the road before eight Sunday morning, The day was warm -- and later hot -- but overcast for most of our ride, so we never had to drive into the bright sun as we so often do on our road trips. Not much road construction either, and the ride was uneventful.

Outdoor arrangements are lush and in full bloom

The day may have been uneventful, but not without enjoyment. We rolled through Wisconsin farm country, with rich cornfields on either side of us, so high that I had trouble with my drive-by red barn photos. We missed the Michigan state line, but the countryside changed gradually from farmland to northern forest, much like the beautiful landscape where I grew up in Temiscaming, Québec.

The lighthouse across from our hotel

We have been this way several times in the past, and had the usual discussion about the route to Lake Michigan. The GPS wanted us to take Hwy 64 (grey two-way highway on the paper map) but Bob had previously decided on Hwy 8 (red two-way highway on the paper map, somewhat farther north and more circuitous). The legend identified "red" as a primary route so I preferred to defy the GPS rather than argue with my husband. When we'd made our decision, I remembered that on our last trip we'd gone with the GPS route and ended up in Marinette. It was a fairly straight hop east, followed by a quick drive north to Escanaba. No matter.

After some time on the road, we started looking for a good rest stop. The best I could find on the paper map around Wausau was a red square, indicating a county facility. The GPS was less optimistic, with rest stops marked 70 miles to our north (roughly the direction headed) and 71 miles south. Not useful, under the circumstances. We decided to stop at a "wayside rest" nested in the pines off the side of the road. At one time, I would have declined to use the facilities, but after at least four hours of travel, I was in no position to be fussy. In fact, the location was quite nice and we decided we might as well have lunch. I really enjoyed the Jimmy John's tuna sandwich provided by future daughter-in-law Melissa.

We decided to go on to Manistique rather than stay in Escanaba. We arrived in later afternoon and checked into the Comfort Inn across from the lighthouse, just in time for cocktail hour. Clean and basic in a great location. Dinner (grilled cod) at Big Boy Restaurant next door would have been surprisingly good, except that part of mine wasn't cooked through, thereby rendering it disgusting.

We went to bed early and work up to mist on this day of the total eclipse.

LaCrosse 2017

Summer 2017 photos.

On the wall at Grandad Park

The last time we were in LaCrosse two years ago, and I wasn't feeling well, so it was great to be visiting in good health.

We left St. Paul in late morning in the Corvette. The drive along Highway 61 was lovely on this perfect summer day. We stopped at Roschen Park in Lake City for a rest and watched the boat traffic on Lake Pepin. The lake was dotted with sailboats and the launch was busy.

We arrived in LaCrosse around two and checked into Courtyard by Marriott beside the bridge. Our room has a lovely river view and we had an "ice cold beer" from our cooler as we watched the boat traffic on this warm Sunday afternoon. We drove up the bluff to Grandad Park and I was amazed to actually hear big, healthy looking bees buzzing in the wildflowers. The view from the overlook is amazing: vast expanses of water and green stands of trees, rich farmland in the distance, a golf course immediately below us.

At Buena Vista Park

We had an early dinner at Piggy's because our favorite Waterfront Restaurant is closed for dinner on Sunday. The coconut chicken appetizers were delicious. Bob enjoyed his filet mignon but, as always, compared it to his Chianti Grill gold standard. I ordered a bowl of beef vegetable soup (large, delicious potion) and a wedge side salad. Unfortunately, I was full by the time I finished the soup and the salad is sitting in our little hotel fridge. The smells -- onion, gorgonzola, fresh garlic -- that were so seductive in the restaurant seem disgusting this morning, and I'm afraid our limited cooler space won't be used for yesterday's error.

View from the edge of the cliff at Buena Vista Park

We saw a large barge on Sunday evening -- 15 units and a big pusher -- and went to bed shortly after ten. I am not usually a good sleeper but I was exhausted and I got a great night's rest. The weather was cloudy on Monday morning but the mist lifted as we left our hotel for the ride home on the Wisconsin side of the river.

We couldn't pass up a stop at Nelson for ice cream cones, Wisconsin cheese and summer sausage. We enjoyed a snack of meat and cheese in Prescott at our usual spot near the train bridge. When we arrived home in the early afternoon, the sun was beating down on the parched grass. Later on, as the sun began its descent in the southwest, Bob turned on the sprinklers. Finally, after sunset, the 96F heat faded as welcome rains fell.

Memorial Day 2017

Mitchell's birthday

Memorial weekend photos.

A few months ago, Mitchell Hennessey asked his Uncle Chris how he wanted to celebrate their birthdays, which fall a day apart around Memorial Day weekend. They decided it would be fun to re-establish the old Hennessey tradition of a family getaway.

Chris found two cabins that would work for the members of our extended family who wanted to participate in the weekend trip, both on Bone Lake, Wisconsin. The first offered a luxury lakehome, and the second invited guests to vacation in style. There were sixteen of us, including two teenagers and  four kids aged five through eight, so we wanted to have enough beds and age appropriate activities for everyone, and both cabins delivered on their online promises. Chris divided us up between the cabins, keeping all the little kids together with him and his fiancee Melissa, and Melissa's mom and stepdad Kristin and Greg. The rest of us were together in the very large "luxury lakehome".

On the DeClers' pontoon

Cory and Peter, friends of Mitchell's dad, John, provided us with a pontoon to use over the weekend. We enjoyed a pizza dinner at Wilkins on Friday evening, the only bar/restaurant on the lake. It was a crowded, fun spot where people of all ages were just having a good time.

We returned to our cabin after dinner and celebrated Mitch's fourteenth birthday. He had a "donut cake" -- looked like a birthday cake but tasted like a doughnut. Unusual but good. The space was great for entertaining: we had at least 25 people in the large downstairs living space, where there was seating for everyone and plenty of counter and table space.

We spent much of the next day on and around the lake. Cory and Peter invited everyone for potluck on Saturday, where my favorite dish was deviled eggs made by Peter's mom, Connie. On Sunday, Bob and I went to Mass at St. Dominic's in Frederic, followed by a lake breakfast at the Northwoods Bakery. The food was great but service was slow, and by the time we ate it was time for lunch.

Sonia and Jim came up from the Cities on Sunday, an iffy day weather-wise but once again we enjoyed Cory and Peter's hospitality and shelter from occasional thunderstorms. We left for home on Monday morning. Memorial Day itself was a little chilly -- more typical for this time of year.

A perfect holiday weekend.

Manhattan Beach 2015: Traveling Art Pub

 

During the break: backgrounds are done

I've  been intrigued by online offers for a session of painting with a glass of wine, thinking that I really should "do this" and uncover my hidden painterly talents. The chance came unexpectedly when I saw a Traveling Art Pub promotional poster in the breakfast room. I signed up for the Thursday evening event and tried  to sell Bob the idea of taking the class, an offer he adamantly refused.

I had been led to believe we would spend a lovely evening on the lawn painting. I imagined a Trout Lake sunset and myself in the picture, working happily on a modest but competent little piece of art. I skipped over to the Red Room where we had played Bingo the night before.

The woman in the center had the best painting -- different from everyone else

The room was set up with dozens of easels on long tables. Each workstation was equipped with an apron on the chair and a palette of five colors (black, brown, yellow, blue, white) of acrylic paint on a Styrofoam plate, two brushes (small and large), and a mason jar of water. A few women seemed to be handling registration and money collection, as well as maintaining some kind of order. It really wasn't clear who was in charge.

About fifty women ranging in age from mid-twenties to older than me milled about, holding glasses of discounted wine and beer. A few had appetizers and small meals at their workstations. A couple of waiters took orders and delivered the food and beverages. It all felt very chaotic to me, a little bit like a child's theme party right before the birthday kid's mom loses control.

My masterpiece before I messed it up

Finally we began. I was doing great as long as we stuck with backgrounds. I was so good at blending colors, deviating a little from instructions shouted at the other end of the room. I like to add a  personal touch to my creations, and there were so many students that the teachers didn't care about one uncooperative budding artist. They did care when I went to the paint table to get more yellow paint. The pump was defective and big yellow splats squirted into the air before squiggly stripes of paint landed on the carpet. Oh oh. Time to get back to my canvas.

The responsible parties cleaned up the mess and  the evening wore on. Bob dropped in to check my progress and I promised him a canvas for his garage. Noise increased with alcohol levels and I missed the relative quiet of Bingo Night, when even the unruly were silent during number calling. I got a little more sloppy when we started using the small brush to paint dandelion stems with black paint. I figured I would correct my rough edges with a Sharpie later.

Unsigned Dandelions in the dusk by CAT


By eight o'clock I had really had enough and decided that I needed a glass of wine to help me finish this thing. The wine helped all right. I got even sloppier and splashed a little too much white pain on the dandelion fuzz flying in the air. Attempts at correction diminished the quality of the finished product and created a kind of dark aura around the dandelions blowing in the wind.

As my fellow artists gathered on the lawn for a group picture (I was not the only "no-show"), I returned to our room with my wine and dripping painting to see the last of the setting sun. A non-conformist to the end. While I wouldn't really recommend this particular experience, I think similar events might have a little more structure in a comfortable venue. Add a couple of congenial companions and you've got a winner!

Manhattan Beach 2015: Bingo Night

Bingo Night Ladies

The cold weather persisted through yesterday - rain on and off all day. We decided to check out the effects of the Brainerd area July 12 storm, still very evident at Cragun's on Gull Lake. Proximity to  Bar Harbor, established in 1938 like my own BH, called for lunch and a couple of drinks (margarita for Bob, with a huge ice cube; Gull Dam Scotch Ale for me, a nice medium dark beer). Late in the afternoon, I went out for a walk. I seriously wondered if I should have brought gloves and my face was numb from the cold by the time I returned around 5:00 o'clock news time.

One of the lodge employees was watching TV in the breakfast room. She engaged me in conversation and, as my face thawed, I realized my nose was running, so I was eager to get back to our room, but not before listening to a pitch about Wednesday evening bingo with $5 hamburgers. Bob was not enthusiastic, so we bypassed the bingo room and stopped in the bar area, where huge, expensive items on the menu -- for much bigger appetites than ours -- persuaded him to try a little Bingo, sponsored by the Northern Lakes Lightning Youth Hockey Association.

The "Red Room" was full of players of all ages from neighboring cottages in the area, as well as guests at the resort. We filled a couple of spots at a table in front of the large windows facing the outdoors. Turns out we really hit our own jackpot with Mike, his wife, brother Dave and two blonde children, a pretty older middle-school girl and a cute nine-year-old boy.

Mike is a commodities trader with Cargill who recently returned to the US to live after 9 years at Cargill Worldwide in Geneva, Switzerland. We spent a very enjoyable couple of hours with that welcoming family, laughing and talking like old friends. Dave won $13 on the very first pot but our table was unlucky for the rest of the evening, except in the fun department.

The Bingo ladies, all three of them a "certain age", ran the show, selling cards before each game, calling numbers and verifying winners' claims. Each "card" is actually a strip of three torn from a pad. A flyer explains the games played (vertical, horizontal, diagonal, four corners, "kite", full card), and I actually remembered how to play from long ago grade school days. I easily played two strips of three cards each and Bob had no trouble at all. The dauber, a colored marker, made number tracking easy.

We each had one of the good burgers, along with a beer (Bob) and wine (me), all the while enjoying the back and forth banter. We got a dinner tip for later in the week from Mike and his wife, who were heading  to Norway Ridge on a night, while the kids spent the rest of the evening at their cottage with their adored uncle.

By now, dark had fallen and we were looking forward to the promise of a sunny Thursday. Bingo Night was a great success.

Manhattan Beach 2015: Trout Lake in the Rain

Manhattan Beach on a cloudy afternoon

This summer has been spectacular so far, so beautiful that summer vacations have been the "best yet" for anyone who spent time at any of our lovely Minnesota lakes. However, we've been busy with projects around the house and just haven't taken the time for a few days at "the lake".

Bob called Manhattan Beach Lodge on Sunday and got a reservation for a few days this week. We should have checked the weather -- as we always do, but the endless good weather made us careless and we forged ahead without a second thought.

Today, we drove through mostly light rain to get here, and since a downpour seemed imminent we didn't even launch the boat today. Fortunately, we got to be outside for part of the afternoon and enjoyed our little cocktail hour in our room, watching the light rain through the window looking out at Trout Lake. Then we had a breakfast supper at Pine Peaks in downtown Cross. It wasn't very good but I was in no mood for bar food and drink.

I think it will rain all day tomorrow so we're planning our day around non-water activities, a new thing for us. I'm really OK with the rain, as I can always find entertainment as long as I have something to read. I am a little disappointed with the resort, which seemed so upscale years ago when we first started coming here for a drink or an appetizer, when we were campers at the Corps of Engineers campground.

Members of a rather scruffy family have spent most of the afternoon in the lobby not far from our room drinking beer and eating various snacks. They go outside to smoke and talk to hotel guests entering and leaving the building, occasionally returning to their chips and salsa in a large Tupperware container, plunked on a lobby coffee table. The venue has something of a bar room feel, just a little tacky.

Meanwhile, the Twins beating the Yankees 4-1in New York but the bases are loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning, and a good outcome seems unlikely. Ah, but the view is priceless and the water is clear and clean only a few feet from our room. The weather will clear by Thursday and we'll enjoy a fantastic sunset after a day on the lake. Life is pretty good.

Click for more stories about Crow Wing County and Manhattan Beach. Summer photos here.

Spring in Prescott

Southern section of St Croix River Byway

The St Croix Scenic Byway stretches all the way from Askov to the Great River Road near Prescott, at the confluence of the Mississippi and St Croix rivers. I like to look beyond the railroad bridge there, where the rivers meet and the St Croix disappears into the muddy Mississippi.

When I first moved to Minnesota nearly 32 years ago, teenagers from the Twin Cities would head across the border to Wisconsin to party in Prescott. Bars still line the main street just up the hill from the river, and we've certainly been to a few of those establishments for a beer on a Sunday afternoon. On most days, though, we simply make a stop beside the public dock and watch the people and their boats.



Railroad bridge at Prescott

On Friday, Prescott seemed like a good destination, less than 30 minutes door-to-door. We took off in the Corvette, happily soaking in the sun and enjoying unseasonably warm mid-April temperatures in the mid-seventies. Boaters and fishermen were on the river, but the heavy summer boat traffic is still weeks away.

St Joseph Church, Prescott

I had half hoped to see late migrating birds but I suppose most of the waterfowl have already flown north for their summer nesting places. A few bald eagles glided above the tree line, too far away for photos or decent viewing. A kid -- late teens or early twenties -- stopped to talk to Bob and pointed us in the direction of a peregrine falcon nest high in a tower of the railroad bridge. The falcons weren't in evidence, but I'm looking forward to sightings later in the spring.

The trees were "greening up" along our route and a few early cherry trees competed with the magnolias, now in full bloom. It was another perfect day.

La Crosse Wisconsin: October 15-16

Woodchuck in the park on the La Crosse riverfront

 La Crosse Wisconsin was the destination for our last 2014 Corvette overnight. Perfect midwestern fall weather graced our sunny ride along the Mississippi River.  After some debate, we chose the Minnesota side of the river for the outbound trip and returned home through Wisconsin.


View from Grandad Park, La Crosse

We went right to the river after arriving in La Crosse. People were walking along the shore, and a couple of little woodchucks foraged in the park. Our Holiday Inn hotel room wasn't ready when we checked in, so we had a drink at the bar where the bartender suggested we visit Grandad Park for a great view. Spectacular is more like it: the Mississippi River and vistas that include Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, though I -- geographically challenged -- wasn't sure which was which.

We weren't really hungry enough for our dinner at the Freight House: sirloin steak for Bob, prime rib for me; salad bar and baked potato for each of us. The evening was still warm when we left the restaurant.

After a swim the next morning, we waited a little for the heavy fog to lift and were surprised that the temperature was already about 60F. Bob took the roof off the Vette at Lake Pepin in front of the Pickle Factory, so we rode the rest of the way home in an "open" vehicle.

Sandhill crane: that's my story and I'm stickin' to it

My favorite stop was at Rieck's Park, where an observant birdwatcher claimed to have seen green winged teal, which I think I saw myself, though I couldn't be sure. I took few photos, including several of what may have been a sandhill crane in the marsh. Later, I learned sandhill cranes had been observed a few weeks earlier at Anderson Berry Farm in Isanti, 125 miles NW of Alma, so the speculation seemed reasonable.

By the time we walked in the door in late afternoon, it was summer on the deck and we opened the windows to let in the day's heat.

Perfect Fall Day

A little slice of Minnesota and Wisconsin

We stored the boat on Saturday. This is usually a quick "allez-retour" because we usually take the Corvette at the same time. However, the weather has been so lovely this fall that we decided to keep the little Vette for another week and do a little day trip after dropping off the boat.

Kanabec County farmland (I think)

Isanti is a kind of gateway to the north, so we had a few choices for the day's ride. We settled on St. Croix State Park, where we once spent many weekends in the long ago motorhome days of the nineties.

The drive to Hinckley on Highways 47 and 23 was unfamiliar to us, rolling in Kanabec county past colorful trees and farmland. Cattle grazed in apparent contentment as temperatures rose rapidly to the fifties. We reached St. Croix State Park before noon. The air was filled with the scent of pine, dried leaves and sensory memories of camping days.

St. Croix State Park landscape

We walked along the still familiar St. Croix River bluff trail and rode over to the old swimming beach, where I could still, in my mind's eye, see kids playing and a little fawn lying quietly beside the water on the other side. A couple of cyclists were resting on an empty bench.

We reluctantly left the park and crossed to the Wisconsin side of the St. Croix. By now we were getting hungry and happy to stop at the Pour House in Siren for a BLT lunch. Traffic was much heavier as we rode into the sun began its evening descent in the west.

I closed my eyes for a few minutes and enjoyed the delicious luxury of sleeping in the car as Bob drove toward home. The gloriously perfect fall day was total gift.

Michigan Junket: Beating Stormy Weather



Planter on the deck at Lac La Belle Lodge

Pics We congratulated ourselves this morning when the early fog burned off and the sun shone brightly on the lake. It was almost hot by the time we left the Marquette Hampton, but the sky was soon overcast and the wind began to blow. Didn't feel it at all in the Corvette, though. Soon rain was falling and I was happy that there wasn't too much traffic on the road.

I think I would have been happy to head home to Minnesota by the time we reached Houghton, but Bob was eager to show me Lac Labelle and Copper Harbor, where he snowmobiled for so many years. On we pressed. I wished that I hadn't forgotten my umbrella in my car the day we left.

Even in the rain, the drive was beautiful, with leaves changing color along the route, as fall began to impose its presence on the land. When we stopped for lunch in the Bear Belly Bar & Grill at Lac La Belle Lodge . I had a great bowl of chili and Bob enjoyed his BLT. We both ordered a glass of local beer, both delicious.



Brockway Mountain

By the time we finished lunch, the sky had cleared and we were soon riding in full sunshine. We drove into, but didn't visit, For Wilkins, where the ranger steered us toward Brockway Mountain. We made our way along Hwy 26, south to Eagle River, where we turned away from Lake Superior. Views of Lake Superior were spectacular. A lone kayaker paddled silently as the waves lapped lightly on the sandy beach.

By this time, I was fading fast but Bob's stamina has been increasing with each day, and I was afraid that he still had a couple of hundred miles in him. Fortunately, he was ready to stop in Houghton. We made a nostalgic stop at the Ramada Inn in Hancock, an old snowmobile stop across the Portage River from Houghton. We were assailed by the mildew and decades of cigarette smoke locked in well used furnishings, and my heart sank, thinking that the lovely bridge and river view would trump a less scenic hotel down the road.

I needn't have worried. After a few minutes waiting for a front desk service rep, the oppressive odors and seedy appearance of the place did their job, and Bob decided he couldn't stay there. We made our way to the new Country Inn and Suites, where our king room still has a new hotel smell. No view or ambience, but clean comfort counts for something.

Michigan Junket: Pat's Bar & Grill

Pat's Bar & Grill

Pics We were a little hungry Wednesday evening, but not hungry enough to have a big meal. I persuaded Bob to stop at Pat's Bar & Grill, which looked like too much of a dive for his taste but, not surprisingly, seemed like my kind of bar.

The bar runs the length of the place and the kitchen is off to the side. One young girl was running the whole show: the bar, the kitchen, the pool tables, video gambling. Bob ordered a scotch & soda, and I a gin & tonic. The soda and tonic were both flat, and the drinks were served in small bar glasses that looked as though they should have a Coca Cola logo on them. Drink prices were taped to each bottle.

We ordered burgers and one order of fries, made from fresh potatoes. Delicious. Hot. Loaded with calories. I had a second g & t, which tasted better than the first. We left the server a good tip and complimented her ability to manage the bar with no apparent effort or stress.

A satisfying evening.

Michigan Junket: Scenic Route to Marquette

Bob & Cath on Lake Superior

Pics We left a little later Wednesday morning and were treated to another glorious day. The ride along the shore was beautiful, and the heat of the day simply intensified our enjoyment of the day. We stopped in the early afternoon for lunch, and decided that we would prefer to eat in one of the parks near Munising. A few minutes later, we were having our Subway sandwiches in the municipal park just outside the city.



View from Hampton Inn balcony

Along the way, I managed to break the GPS connector so we are now without a GPS. Minor panic, but no matter, I wanted a more updated GPS anyway. We stopped at the tourist information center outside Marquette and were both impressed with the knowledge and enthusiasm of the two employees who truly love their area.

The Hampton Inn is new and beautiful and pricey, but the view, location and free breakfast are well worth the premium price. We had hoped to see divers from the cliffs north of town, but we managed to miss any divers who might have been performing. The shores of the lake are beautiful here, and very characteristic of Lake Superior in general.

Michigan Junket: Mackinac Island Memories

Mackinac Island's downtown, less bustling in September

Pics When Bob and I were married in 1983, we had little money but lots of energy and creativity. Our honeymoon hotel was an old Nimrod camper, difficult to set up and cramped inside, but we had beautiful weather in the week before the Fourth of July and I remember thinking how much I love being outdoors. One of our stops was Mackinac Island.


Iroquois Hotel, where we had lunch at the Carriage House

Bob photographed the Mackinac Bridge with his old Canon as we drove across, and I imagined myself careening over the edge into Lake Michigan.  I don't remember where we camped; Bob says he thinks there was a campground in St. Ignace at the time so perhaps it was there. My only previous experience on a ferry was rocking and heaving across the Bay of Fundy in the winter, so I was pleasantly surprised by the short crossing to the Island.

The main street was just as crowded and bustling then as it was today, but we rented bicycles to ride around the island. I was extremely apprehensive, since my only previous bike experience as an adult had exacerbated my chronic knee pain. Bob raised the bike seat and I discovered the joy of riding a bike without stress on the knees. I was amazed that I could ride 8 miles so quickly; I think we went around twice.



The Grand Hotel

Seven years ago, we returned to Mackinac Island, camping once again in our little Palomino tent trailer. This time we had our own bikes and we simply unloaded and began our ride right off the ferry. Same Main Street crowding on a very hot summer day, but the crowds dissipated once we began the ride. No photos of that ride, though: my first digital camera stopped working at our fist stop and the ensuing near panic attack did put something of a damper on my enjoyment. It was my first realization that I sometimes miss the moment as I record it for the future. By this time, I was an experienced rider and amazed that a quarter of a century had left its marks, so many of them good ones.



State park is an oasis of calm on the island

On this visit, the crowds were more manageable because September had arrived and lines for the ferry weren't long. The delicious lunch and horse carriage ride, described in another post, were lovely and I didn't have to stand in line to buy fudge, the first time I've ever given into the temptation to do so.

Mackinac Island's natural beauty is breathtaking. Shoppers might enjoy the bustle of Main Street but others will prefer the magnificent views only a short distance from downtown. I haven't yet visited the Grand Hotel, as I find the fee to visit the porch, dress code after six and other rules too cumbersome for my taste. Next time, perhaps in lilac season.

Michigan Junket: Afternoon on Mackinac Island

We waited for the ferry at the dock near our hotel

Pics We crossed from the mainland to Mackninac Island on a newer ferry, a jet boat with a large rooster tail. The last time we were here seven years ago, there were only a few jet boats, but they now seem to make up most, if not all, of the Star Line's Mackinac Island fleet.



We crossed to the island on a ferry like this one

We were hungry by the time we got to the island, as it was nearly 2:00 p.m., so we stopped immediately at the Carriage House. The food (whitefish sandwich for Bob, BLT for me) and Fat Tire beer was excellent, and so was the service. We dined in the garden and were so relaxed and happy there that we even had dessert, the restaurant's daily special, a superb Michigan peach sundae.

After lunch, Bob booked us on a carriage ride, something he's been wanting to do since way before our last visit to the island. My objections were predictable though unfounded: I was afraid the horses might be maltreated and I didn't want to be a party to animal abuse.

I was happy to be wrong in my assessment of the island's horses. In fact, the horses seem healthy and  beautifully cared for. I loved the ride around the island, especially after we transferred carriages at the top of the hill and took a tour through Mackinac Island State Park.



All the horses on the island are owned by the same person and live in the same stable

The only bad surprise: we were dumped close to Fort Mackinac and told to find our way back down the steep hill to the village below.  A second option involved a wait of 30 minutes plus an additional 45 minutes to ride down to the Main Street, which wasn't really an option at all as we had about 30 minutes to catch the 5:30 ferry to the mainland.
Bob's soon to be replaced right knee wasn't up to the challenge, so he held on to me for part of the perilous walk down the path. Fortunately we arrived without incident, despite a fit of the giggles about half way into the treacherous descent.

I enjoyed the carriage ride much more than I had ever expected, but Bob found it a little long, though not as long as he would have it we'd waited for another carriage to take us down the hill.