Hello Everyone! September is upon us but you wouldn’t know it here in Wisconsin. It’s been hot and humid in the Badger State this week, but it does look like it’s supposed to be cooling down in the near future. The days are certainly getting shorter which wasn’t helped by the time change between Michigan and Wisconsin. I have had such a great summer, but I’m a huge fan of fall and am really looking forward to cooler temperatures and, of course, the changing leaves. To begin this week, I’m sending prayers and positivity to all of my friends around the country who are facing down storms and wildfires this week. As some of you know, I spent two years of my life helping re-open the public school system in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and it was hard to watch Hurricane Ida making its way towards the Big Easy on the 16th Anniversary of that storm. Of course, as I’ve pointed out to a lot of people this week, Katrina only did minor damage to the city, it was when the levies broke that the real problems began. Thankfully it looks like New Orleans has survived this storm relatively intact and I’m grateful for that. Hoping all of my friends and readers in the region are safe and sound. I also have a lot of friends in the Greater Lake Tahoe region on the California/Nevada border and many of them have evacuated as the fires get closer and closer. You’re all in my thoughts as well. With all of that going on, Wisconsin is a pretty good place to be right now, and I’m grateful for that. Also this week, for those of you who followed my D.C. Chronicles through the pandemic, my mother is watching Mason as he transitions between schools and is enjoying playing big trucks with him in his new house. As for me, I’ve been out exploring Door County and Central Wisconsin this week, so let me tell you what I’ve been up to.
When I left you last week I was in Sturgeon Bay and headed off into Door County which is the peninsula that looks like Wisconsin’s thumb jutting out into Lake Michigan. That day I headed up to a beach just south of Egg Harbor for a swim in Green Bay and then stopped off for a quick beer or two at One Barrel Brewery in town. Afterwards I headed on to Fish Creek which is where I spent that night. After watching the sun go down, I stopped into the Bayside Tavern for a fish sandwich and a beer and ended up meeting a nice lady who was really interested in lighthouses. We ended up talking about lighthouses and travel for a couple of hours which I really enjoyed and it was nice to have some company.
Thursday morning I was up bright and early as I had a lot I wanted to accomplish with the day. After a nice breakfast at FIKA bakery, I gassed up, bought my Wisconsin fishing license and my annual State Park Pass and headed off into Peninsula State Park. Peninsula was Wisconsin’s first state park and one of its best known and most visited. I stopped off at the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse and the Eagle Tower, which was just that – a tower built to observe the local eagles from above the tree line but also provided great views out over the water and the park. I was very impressed that they had built probably a quarter-mile ramp up to the tower to make it ADA accessible and there was someone there in a wheelchair and another person with physical challenges who were both using the ramp while I was there. From there I went to the beach in the park where I did a quick oil change in the parking lot and then went for a swim to cool off. I used to take my van in to a Jiffy-Lube or whatever to get it done, but those places never do all the things they say they’re going to do and it’s often way more expensive than it should be. I change the oil myself in about 20 minutes for about $20, it was just a matter of thinking through some small logistics while I’m traveling. Anyways, with my oil changed and myself clean and refreshed it was time to move on up the coast. I stopped for a quick wander around the cute little town of Ephraim and then headed on to Sister Bay. My mom called and told me her email had been hacked, so I had to pull up in the library there for a while and try and deal with that. Then I stopped in for a pizza at the wildly overhyped Wild Tomato. It was a fine pizza, but by no means was it a great pizza.
From there I made a beeline to the tip of the peninsula where I caught the ferry out to Washington Island. It was a nice 30 minute ferry ride and Shadow Catcher came along with me, which was awesome. This passage took us through the crossing known as Death’s Door (from which Door County takes its name). Legend tells of warring Winnebago and Potawatomie Indians who sent war parties out in canoes to attack each other across the passage. The lake became fierce and killed both groups. When the Indians later told French trappers this story, they called it Porte des Morts or “Death’s Door”. When we got to Washington Island we headed off to explore with what daylight we had left. I started at Jens Jacobson’s Cabin out on Little Lake, which was built by one of the island’s early settlers who built several cabins for tourists out there as well. Then I went on to Schoolhouse Beach which was nestled in a beautiful and well protected harbor on the northwest side of the island. The rocks there are perfectly smooth and unique and the water was really quite nice for a swim. From there I headed across the island to check out the marina and small maritime museum, which was closed but had a lot of boats and other cool artifacts in the yard. Then I went down for a quick drink on the south side of the island (it’s not a big place) before going to the main drag for a nice whitefish dinner at K.K. Fiske’s. I was hoping to try one of their famous “lawyers” (another name for burbot fish or mudshark), but was told it’s more prevalent in the colder months. Then I went next door to Nielson’s Hall to join the Bitters Club. Apparently during Prohibition, the proprietor got his pharmacy license and sold 90 proof Angostura bitters as a “stomach ache medicine”. The locals apparently developed a taste for it and now still drink it straight and Nielson’s has become the number one consumer of Angostura Bitters in the world. To join the club, you need to do a shot of straight bitters which really isn’t bad. It tastes a lot like Fernet-Branca or any other herbal schnapps (or like Jägermeister minus most of the sugar). There was a lot of history on the walls of the pub and I enjoyed reading and wandering.
We got some rain overnight and I headed back to Schoolhouse Beach in the morning where I read and watched some TV in my van while I waited for it to pass. I met a nice couple there who commented on my D.C. plates and then pointed out they had the same on their car. It turned out they live in the Petworth neighborhood of the city. I pointed out that we were on Washington Island in Door County, so it made sense we would meet in Washington D.C. I stopped in to the local art and nature museum where the lady volunteering was originally from Church Point, Louisiana. She was surprised I’d heard of Church Point (it’s in the heart of Cajun Country) and we chatted about Louisiana for probably at least half an hour. Then I went to see the beautiful Stavkirke church, a 30 year old reproduction of a much earlier Norwegian church. There were dragons on the outside and a small model ship on the inside and they explained that it harked back to the time when Christianity was replacing paganism in Norway so you had some elements of both in the construction. It was very cool to see and I especially liked the winding path to it which had old nautical items and plaques with biblical verses to stop and think about. While I was there I got a call from my mom that I hadn’t quite routed out the hacker, so I went to the library, which I was very grateful was open, and worked to sort that out. Then I went down and explored the south side of the island a little more before hopping on the ferry back across Death’s Door. It was getting late so I headed back to Sister Bay where I stopped for the night and enjoyed some wonderful live music at the outdoor beer garden at Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant.
The next morning I was up early and back at Al Johnson’s for breakfast. I had the Swedish meatballs and the Swedish pancakes with lingonberry jam and they were both really quite good. My food came out very quickly and the service was the best I’ve had in a very long time. Finally a place that lived up to the hype. Sadly there were no goats on the sod roof when I was there as apparently there used to be. From there I headed off across the peninsula to the Lake Michigan side and got there right when Cana Island Lighthouse was opening for the day. The 1869 Cana Island Light is the most photographed lighthouse in Wisconsin and it is a really nice one to visit. It does, in fact, sit on an island and they offer a hayride-style tractor ride across the passage to get there. There was a whole group of Mennonite women who rode across with me and they were a lot of fun and seemed to be really enjoying themselves. The lighthouse was built of poor quality Milwaukee yellow bricks which weathered very quickly so early on it was encased in steel and painted white. It really is quite something to see. From there I made my way west and south and stopped at a few other little towns along the way, finally ending up in Whitefish Dunes State Park for a swim before returning to Sturgeon Bay. That evening I went to a fish boil at Waterfront Mary’s which was an awesome experience. A fish boil is to Door County what a Luau is in Hawaii or a Crawfish Boil is in Louisiana – a communal meal prepared for a large group made of simple, local ingredients. Potatoes, carrots and onions go in the pot and then the fish goes in last. They used cod in their boil which wasn’t the traditional whitefish, but worked much better in my opinion. It was excellent and I really enjoyed the whole experience, especially with the location right there on the river. From there I went out to a barn dance just outside of town at Idyllwild Farms which I had seen advertised on the side of the road. The barn dance benefitted the Stock Horses of Wisconsin. When I got out to the farm I got sent out to park into a wet, muddy grass field and all I could think about was the multiple times Shadow Catcher has gotten stuck in the mud in similar situations. My anxiety at the thought wouldn’t let me enjoy myself so finally I went out and scouted out a spot on drier, firmer ground and eased her, ever so gently, out of the field and back onto more solid ground. Knowing I was going to get out without a tow-rope, I went back in and had a great time. There was a live band and cheap beer and a lot of good people watching. These were definitely some rural farmer-type folks in probably a fairly tightly knit community, but they were welcoming to an outsider and I felt right at home. It was quite a day.
Sunday I needed to make some tracks, but I wanted to catch my breath a little bit too and take it easy after a very busy week. I stopped by the Door County Maritime Museum in the morning, but just to talk lighthouses with the staff there for a few minutes. Then I headed on back to Green Bay where I got a solid two hour workout in and a much needed and appreciated hot shower and a shave. I went back to the Hmong restaurant downtown, PhoComa, which I had enjoyed so much on my last stop in Green Bay, and had a great bowl of pho. I really enjoyed it and then headed on to Appleton for the night. I wandered around downtown Appleton for a while when I got there and didn’t find much to like about it. There were a bunch of loud, crappy cars and motorcycles cruising up and down College Avenue (the main drag), but there was really nobody out there to impress but me and I was definitely not impressed. I went to the grocery store to pick up some things and grabbed some delicious looking shrimp which turned out to be frozen solid when I opened them up. I considered just moving on at that point, but the sunset was beautiful and I found a comfortable place to park for the night so I stayed.
Monday morning I hit the gym and then went to the Appleton Historical Museum which was housed in the beautiful old Norman Revival Style Masonic Temple. This museum was incredibly well done which made me happy I had stayed. There was an interactive and informative exhibit on Harry Houdini (born Ehrich Weiss) who had spent a few years in Appleton as a child and often referred to it as his hometown (he was actually born in Budapest). Appropriately in the basement there was also a small yet informative section on Appleton’s most famous native son, Joe McCarthy. The main level had a great exhibit of the Fox Valley’s historic artifacts “From A-Z”. At first glance, this exhibit looked like it was for kids, but the descriptions were succinct and informative and I really enjoyed it. This museum also had a fascinating exhibit on the history of race relations and African-Americans in the Fox Valley. It was honest and well-researched and countered an oft-told narrative that Black people have always been welcome in the Midwest, especially after the Civil War. There were photos of Klan rallies at the stadium in town and they showed that at one point there were zero Black people left in Appleton. I know this exhibit was placed in response to the recent discussions we’ve been having in this country about race, but it was a great addition to the collection and I hope it stays right there. I enjoyed this museum and got out right around lunchtime. As I mentioned a few weeks ago, this part of Wisconsin has a decent sized Hmong population which immigrated here after the Vietnam War (I assume because of the Catholic connection of German and Irish families in Wisconsin), so I stopped in at the wonderful Appleton Asian Market for a delicious Ban Mi sandwich and a steamed pork bun. They were great and with lunch in my belly I headed on to Stevens Point. The Point got its start in the 1840s as a lumber town on the Wisconsin River and now is home to one of the University of Wisconsin’s main campuses. It’s a nice enough little town and I enjoyed a stroll around the small downtown area as the day winded down. As the sun set, I headed out to District 1 Brewery for a beer and a chance to catch up on some work before calling it a day.
On Tuesday I got up and headed straight down here to the Wisconsin Dells with the hope of doing some boat tours that morning. The weather was supposed to be clear, but ended up being cloudy and overcast most of the day so I tucked into the library and did a fair bit of catching up on my photos. The clouds finally blew out in the late afternoon and I went to check out the Lower Dells on a DUCK Tour. I’m sure many of you have seen DUCKs before – they are World War II army amphibious vehicles which are now used to give tours in several places around the country, but the very first place to use them was the Wisconsin Dells. I’ve never been on a DUCK Tour before, so it seemed like the right time and place to give it a whirl, especially since they are almost 80 year-old vehicles at this point. In addition, I had booked tickets for the Upper Dells boat tour so I got my DUCK tour ticket for half-price. It was a good experience and I enjoyed it, but it will probably be my last DUCK tour as well. The tour was what it was, we drove around and then went into the water and the evening turned out to be beautiful, but trucks are trucks and boats are boats and this was not a good combination of the two (I feel very differently about seaplanes though). The driver didn’t help matters as he used his best used car-salesman/auctioneer voice which bothers me to no end on a tour and I don’t know who started that or why but it doesn’t make anything better. He also told a series of really bad jokes which I guess is part of the shtick of the tour, but I personally would rather hear history or interesting stories or really anything other than one bad joke after another. The scenery was good though and it was a reasonable way to spend an hour. Afterwards, I grabbed a quick dinner at the Sand Bar and then made my way out to the Ho-Chunk Casino for the night.
Today I was also up early so I could get back to town and get on the first boat tour of the Upper Dells of the day. This tour is the reason people go to the Dells and has been in operation since 1857. It was really well done with a smooth ride and an incredibly informative guide who told a joke here and there but didn’t overdo it. It was a perfect morning to be out, too, with clear blue skies and big puffy clouds. We saw five bald eagles on the ride as well. The Cambrian or “Potsdam” sandstone found in the Dells is only found in four places in the world and nowhere in such a large deposit, and it’s the stone formations that have been bringing people to The Dells since before the Civil War. We got off the boat to explore Witch’s Gulch, a really cool and tight slot canyon, and again at Stand Rock which has some of the more memorable formations in the park. And as they have since I was last here as a kid, they still have a dog jump across the six foot gap between the formations. It was a great trip all around and is not to be missed if you make it up this way. The rest is just gravy.
When I’m done with this post, I’m going to head twenty minutes down the road to Devil’s Lake State Park, which should also have some beautiful scenery, and then on to Baraboo. Baraboo was the one-time home of the Ringling Brothers Circus from its founding in 1884 until it was combined with the Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1908. There’s a museum there which tells the history of this fabled circus and has some wonderfully restored circus cars as well. I was there 8 years ago, but want to go back and check it out again while I’m here. From there I’d like to visit Mount Horeb on my way back to Madison, where I’m going to catch the Penn State-Wisconsin game this Saturday. There are a few more things I want to see in the greater Madison area before I head towards the southwest corner of the state and the Mississippi River. I hope to be on or near the river by the time I write next week’s This Week, but we’ll see how that goes. I hope you’ve all had an enjoyable summer and are looking forward to fall as much as I am. I drove past some pumpkin patches this week and they put a big smile on my face. Have a great week out there, wherever you are, and thanks, as always, for reading.
-Mike