Sunday, August 26, 2007
More from Minnesota - moved to the southeastern flooded area
Aug 26 Sun ... Took a Sunday drive into Iowa to the town of Decorah where we stopped at the local, you guessed it ‘Walmart’, to have them check out our new tires as the car was pulling to the left pretty bad. They balanced and rotated them & they are somewhat better now. Next stop was the tiny town of Burr Oak which is where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived. We saw the house that is said to be the only house they lived in that is on its original site. It is now a museum of course. Upon our return home we went to the pool. The Rv park is near empty as all the weekenders left today.
Aug 25 Sat ... While the rest of the country is very hot, and in some cases stormy, we are sunny and cool with a high temp expected in the mid-70’s. We needed groceries so we drove a short distance (roads through corn fields) to the small town of Spring Grove, MN, a town that sprung up in the 1850’s and was Minnesota’s first Norwegian settlement. After shopping at the local IGA store, we decided to explore some of the several junk, or as they’re called, antique shops in the downtown area. One of the stores was formally a three story hotel built in 1898 and today every room is filled with junk/antiques. This afternoon, Mike cleaned the tires of the mh while Dixie read. After dinner, we took a dusk walk up a hill to some tent sites.
Aug 24 Fri ...Move day! We are headed to the area in southeaster MN where there has been lots of flooding – we were advised by the park that some of there sites are still OK!
After a long drive, 280 miles is long for us, we arrived at Hidden Bluffs “Resort” near the small town of Spring Grove, MN. While backing in to our site, the motorhome basically, got stuck in the mud in a low spot. Several neighbors came out to assist and after getting out the shovels to level the ground and putting down wood blocks, I was finally able to move the motorhome forward and then quickly backward into the site. This was the first time to be “stuck” in six years of motorhoming and 2 ½ years of fulltiming. The country side in this area is very beautiful....rolling lush green hills (you would think it was early Jun - what a difference rain makes). Did I mention corn fields?
Aug 23 Thurs … Rain is in the forecast again today. Looks like a laundry day.
Aug 22 Wed … For a welcome change, the weather today is warm and sunny. We decided to ride the bikes along the Soo Line Trail, a 114 mile bike/atv trail. We rode it from Wahkon, the town we’re near, to Isle, a small town about 7 miles away. It was an easy ride because the trail is paved and mostly level. In Isle, we browsed the local hardware store and had a smoothie at a coffee shop. We’re supposed to move tomorrow to Southern Minnesota; however, the park called and said we may not be able to come due to the flooding in the area. We have to call them on Friday morning before we depart.
Aug 21 Tue … We’re putting together a package for Brandon to send to Iraq so we drove to the small town of Isle to look for more items to include. Dixie made some cookies and and some party snacks. We also bought some jerky at a local meat market. We mailed the package from the Isle Post Office. Back home we did little other than read while Mike worked on things around the motorhome. Earlier, Dixie made some phone calls and online reservations for our upcoming stops in Texas in October, November and December.
Aug 20 Mon … We took a drive into Wahkon in order to visit the Post Office. The weather is still cool and wet so for the remainder of the day, we did things inside.
Aug 25 Sat ... While the rest of the country is very hot, and in some cases stormy, we are sunny and cool with a high temp expected in the mid-70’s. We needed groceries so we drove a short distance (roads through corn fields) to the small town of Spring Grove, MN, a town that sprung up in the 1850’s and was Minnesota’s first Norwegian settlement. After shopping at the local IGA store, we decided to explore some of the several junk, or as they’re called, antique shops in the downtown area. One of the stores was formally a three story hotel built in 1898 and today every room is filled with junk/antiques. This afternoon, Mike cleaned the tires of the mh while Dixie read. After dinner, we took a dusk walk up a hill to some tent sites.
Aug 24 Fri ...Move day! We are headed to the area in southeaster MN where there has been lots of flooding – we were advised by the park that some of there sites are still OK!
After a long drive, 280 miles is long for us, we arrived at Hidden Bluffs “Resort” near the small town of Spring Grove, MN. While backing in to our site, the motorhome basically, got stuck in the mud in a low spot. Several neighbors came out to assist and after getting out the shovels to level the ground and putting down wood blocks, I was finally able to move the motorhome forward and then quickly backward into the site. This was the first time to be “stuck” in six years of motorhoming and 2 ½ years of fulltiming. The country side in this area is very beautiful....rolling lush green hills (you would think it was early Jun - what a difference rain makes). Did I mention corn fields?
Aug 23 Thurs … Rain is in the forecast again today. Looks like a laundry day.
Aug 22 Wed … For a welcome change, the weather today is warm and sunny. We decided to ride the bikes along the Soo Line Trail, a 114 mile bike/atv trail. We rode it from Wahkon, the town we’re near, to Isle, a small town about 7 miles away. It was an easy ride because the trail is paved and mostly level. In Isle, we browsed the local hardware store and had a smoothie at a coffee shop. We’re supposed to move tomorrow to Southern Minnesota; however, the park called and said we may not be able to come due to the flooding in the area. We have to call them on Friday morning before we depart.
Aug 21 Tue … We’re putting together a package for Brandon to send to Iraq so we drove to the small town of Isle to look for more items to include. Dixie made some cookies and and some party snacks. We also bought some jerky at a local meat market. We mailed the package from the Isle Post Office. Back home we did little other than read while Mike worked on things around the motorhome. Earlier, Dixie made some phone calls and online reservations for our upcoming stops in Texas in October, November and December.
Aug 20 Mon … We took a drive into Wahkon in order to visit the Post Office. The weather is still cool and wet so for the remainder of the day, we did things inside.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
East, Central Minnesota!
Aug 19 Sun … Another cool wet day in central Minnesota. We were experiencing a bit of “cabin fever” so we decided to take a drive around part of the lake. We stopped at the Grand Casino near the town of Garrison on the west side of Mille Lacs lake. It’s a nice casino, as far as casinos go, so we went in and wandered around gawking. We sat down at a couple of nickel slot machines and quickly lost $4.00 of which $3.00 was Mike's. We had a complimentary coke and coffee and left after only about 30 minutes. Really big time gamblers we are. On the way home, we stopped at a meat market in Onamia and bought a few things including some beef and turkey jerky to send to Brandon in Iraq. When we told the sales lady this, she shrink wrapped it for us so it would stay fresh longer.
Aug 18 Sat … Today is cool (it’s 59 degrees at 12:30 p.m.) and rainy. We drove into the big town of Wahkon this morning to go the Post Office but they were closed. Believe it or not, there’s quite a bit going on this weekend because the town is celebrating their centennial.
Aug 17 Fri … The drive into the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove went well and we located the Camping World store easily. We exchanged our awning mat for another one; hopefully this one will not come apart as quickly as the last one did. We then found the Costco store that was just down the road a bit. Bought a few items (exchanged one) and bought gas at $2.68 a gallon which was .31 cents cheaper than any other station in the area. In the same area was an REI store where Mike had a gift certificate that Micheala had given him for Father’s Day. After wandering through the store awhile, he settled on a nice light weight jacket. Then it was off to Trader Joe’s. Luckily, we spotted it in a shopping center while we were leaving the Costco store. Around 3:30 p.m. we started home using what we thought would be a “short cut” to the freeway home. Well, since the I35 bridge collapse a couple of weeks ago, the traffic in this area has been very congested. However, we later heard a traffic report that our original plan was congested as well.
Back at the motorhome park, people who have trailers or park models here have arrived for the weekend. Our next door neighbors and friends were around their fire pit, which is real near our bedroom window, until almost 11:30 p.m.
Aug 16 Thurs … Once again we have gorgeous weather in central Minnesota. This morning is sunny in the mid 60’s and the daytime temps are not expected to go beyond 75. Eat your heart out Texas!! We went to the fitness center in the a.m. and then decided to shampoo the carpeting in the motorhome. In the afternoon, Mike washed and cleaned the car and Dixie did laundry and read by the pool. Tomorrow the plan is to drive into the Minneapolis area and visit a Camping World (we’re returning an awning mat). We also plan to shop at a Trader Joe’s in the area as well.
Aug 15 Wed … This afternoon we decided to once again, practice our golf game. The driving range on this 9 hole course was literally in a hay field. There we’re round bales on both sides of the “range”. The tee off location was between a grain silo and two very old and dilapidating barns; there was a 200 and a 250 yard marker off in the distance. It was a little pricy; $5.00 for a small bucket of balls. Dixie made up for it by going downrange and collecting all her topped balls and hitting‘em a second time.
Aug 14 Tue … The morning was cloudy and cool so we did things around home. Dixie worked with her new printer while I straightened up outside after the storm. In the afternoon, we drove around the area and visited a grocery store and a meat market in Onamia and the post office in Wahkon. Did I mention the fact that we are in the “boonies” of Minnesota?
Aug 13 Mon …It was time to hit the road again. We were sad to leave Lake Superior and the wonderful view. We left around 1045a and made a fuel stop (diesel is still $2.99) and a rest area lunch stop. We arrived at Great American Mille Lac Lake RV resort at 2p. It is located a mile west of the small town of Wahkon, MN. The park is virtually on the lake and is made up of mostly long term sites and park model homes. Obviously, being on a lake, it’s a fishing site where there are at least 50 boats in storage. I’m sure the weekend will be much more active. Tonight, we endured a strong thunderstorm that produced a lot of wind and rain. We thought about getting out of the motorhome and going to one of the buildings in the park but since the wind was coming from our back, we pulled the slideouts in and rode it out. It didn’t last long and we had no damage. The next morning while walking, we saw a large tree that had toppled onto a mobile home and there were many large tree branches down in the park and a motorhome had a broken windshield after being hit by a limb. We were fortunate to say the least. It was reported that we experienced winds in the area of 60 – 65 mph during the peak of the storm.
Aug 18 Sat … Today is cool (it’s 59 degrees at 12:30 p.m.) and rainy. We drove into the big town of Wahkon this morning to go the Post Office but they were closed. Believe it or not, there’s quite a bit going on this weekend because the town is celebrating their centennial.
Aug 17 Fri … The drive into the Minneapolis suburb of Maple Grove went well and we located the Camping World store easily. We exchanged our awning mat for another one; hopefully this one will not come apart as quickly as the last one did. We then found the Costco store that was just down the road a bit. Bought a few items (exchanged one) and bought gas at $2.68 a gallon which was .31 cents cheaper than any other station in the area. In the same area was an REI store where Mike had a gift certificate that Micheala had given him for Father’s Day. After wandering through the store awhile, he settled on a nice light weight jacket. Then it was off to Trader Joe’s. Luckily, we spotted it in a shopping center while we were leaving the Costco store. Around 3:30 p.m. we started home using what we thought would be a “short cut” to the freeway home. Well, since the I35 bridge collapse a couple of weeks ago, the traffic in this area has been very congested. However, we later heard a traffic report that our original plan was congested as well.
Back at the motorhome park, people who have trailers or park models here have arrived for the weekend. Our next door neighbors and friends were around their fire pit, which is real near our bedroom window, until almost 11:30 p.m.
Aug 16 Thurs … Once again we have gorgeous weather in central Minnesota. This morning is sunny in the mid 60’s and the daytime temps are not expected to go beyond 75. Eat your heart out Texas!! We went to the fitness center in the a.m. and then decided to shampoo the carpeting in the motorhome. In the afternoon, Mike washed and cleaned the car and Dixie did laundry and read by the pool. Tomorrow the plan is to drive into the Minneapolis area and visit a Camping World (we’re returning an awning mat). We also plan to shop at a Trader Joe’s in the area as well.
Aug 15 Wed … This afternoon we decided to once again, practice our golf game. The driving range on this 9 hole course was literally in a hay field. There we’re round bales on both sides of the “range”. The tee off location was between a grain silo and two very old and dilapidating barns; there was a 200 and a 250 yard marker off in the distance. It was a little pricy; $5.00 for a small bucket of balls. Dixie made up for it by going downrange and collecting all her topped balls and hitting‘em a second time.
Aug 14 Tue … The morning was cloudy and cool so we did things around home. Dixie worked with her new printer while I straightened up outside after the storm. In the afternoon, we drove around the area and visited a grocery store and a meat market in Onamia and the post office in Wahkon. Did I mention the fact that we are in the “boonies” of Minnesota?
Aug 13 Mon …It was time to hit the road again. We were sad to leave Lake Superior and the wonderful view. We left around 1045a and made a fuel stop (diesel is still $2.99) and a rest area lunch stop. We arrived at Great American Mille Lac Lake RV resort at 2p. It is located a mile west of the small town of Wahkon, MN. The park is virtually on the lake and is made up of mostly long term sites and park model homes. Obviously, being on a lake, it’s a fishing site where there are at least 50 boats in storage. I’m sure the weekend will be much more active. Tonight, we endured a strong thunderstorm that produced a lot of wind and rain. We thought about getting out of the motorhome and going to one of the buildings in the park but since the wind was coming from our back, we pulled the slideouts in and rode it out. It didn’t last long and we had no damage. The next morning while walking, we saw a large tree that had toppled onto a mobile home and there were many large tree branches down in the park and a motorhome had a broken windshield after being hit by a limb. We were fortunate to say the least. It was reported that we experienced winds in the area of 60 – 65 mph during the peak of the storm.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
More from Door County, WI and on to the "Great" Lake Superior in Duluth, MN
Aug 12 Sun … Today started by watching TV church. Later, we took a drive along the island we’re on to explore some of the beaches along the way. We had to go back to Walmart in Superior to return an item we purchased yesterday. Boy, do we make a lot of trips to Walmart. After lunch, we rode the bikes into Duluth and along the paved bike path up the North shore of Lake Superior. Again, the view was spectacular all along the way. When we got back into Duluth, we stopped at The Fitger Brewhouse for a microbrew and appetizer. The service and food was excellent. Dixie even filled out a comment card to compliment the food and waitress. This evening, we’re again listening to great blues music from the Bayfront Festifal Park across the channel. The last group of the 2007 Bluesfest this evening will be Booker T & the MG’s. It should be good! Tomorrow is a move day. We travel around 100 miles to Mille Lacs Lake which is south and a bit east of Duluth. We have really enjoyed our stay in Duluth and the RV park on the water.....(this is one of our most unique parks ever! ---- the view is just spectacular)
Aug 11 Sat … We drove to the town of Superior and visited the local Walmart. Later we drove to and climbed an observation tower overlooking the city of Duluth and the Superior Bay. This has to be one of the most scenic areas of the country we have visited to date. Later, back at the motorhome, we sat outside and listened to the Bluesfest music that was playing across the channel from us. Even though the temperature is a bit above normal (so we’re told) in the mid to upper 80’s, after sundown it was very pleasant.
Aug 10 Fri … We did something today that we haven’t done very often; we boarded a scenic train for a 28 mile ride north to the town of Two Harbors. We were a little disappointed because we thought the ride would be mostly along the coast, and some of it was. It was an outstanding day and what we did see was simply beautiful. While in Two Harbors, we visited the 3M museum. This company was started by five men in Two Harbors in 1905. Today it is in over 70 countries and employees over 70,000 people.
Aug 9 Thurs … Since our RV park is only about .75 miles from town, we walked it this morning. We crossed the famous Aerial Lift Bridge (as opposed to a draw bridge) along the way. This bridge, built in 1905, “lifts” when a ship or tall sail boat must enter the channel that goes out to Lake Superior. We were about a quarter of the way across when we heard the PA announcement to clear the bridge because it was going to rise at any moment. We started running to the other side and fortunately made it before we went up with the street. I’m sure they were watching us from the control room and waited for us to clear before taking it up. From what we understand, the bridge is raised 25 – 30 times a day for shipping traffic. After that experience, we boarded a trolley for a cruise of the city. We got off at the visitors center where we purchased tickets for a six hour Friday train ride to Two Harbors, MN.
Aug 8 Wed … We started this day early, at least for us, by cranking up at about 0700. I drove to a mechanic shop in Sturgeon Bay to have them install some valve extenders on the dual tires of the motorhome. After this was done, we were on the road by 9:00 o’clock with a destination of Rice Lake, WI, about 285 miles away. When we got there, around 4:30p.m., we went to the local Walmart for groceries. Since Duluth, MN was only 105 miles away and we were through shopping by 5:30, we called ahead to the rv park and determined we could check in a day early. We then decided to continue on and arrived in Duluth around 7:30p.m. We had driven almost 400 miles; a long day for Mike behind the wheel. The park is the Lake Head Boat Basin and it’s literally on a boat dock on Lake Superior and across the channel from downtown Duluth. The view is spectacular! We’ve seen several very large tanker type ships (some over 1,000 ft in length) come and go. From the fact sheet Dixie picked up, these ships load coal, grain, taconite and general cargo. They bring in general cargo and limestone.
Aug 7 Tue … This is a laundry day and motorhome prep day for our 283 mile travel day tomorrow.
Aug 6 Mon … Today we drove to Fish Creek where we went to the Peninsula State Park. We took our bikes along and rode about 10 miles along the trails in the park, much of which had a view of the beautiful waters of Green Bay. At one point, we stopped to visit the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, a “historical jewel” of Door County. For 139 years this light has guided vessels as they have navigated the Strawberry Channel. After leaving the park, we drove to Northport and Gills Rock, the Northern most points of the peninsula. We elected not to take the ferry ride to Washington Island which is also part of Door County, Wisconsin.
Later, we had hoped to have lunch at Al Johnsons Swedish Restaurant (where the goats graze on the roof) but the waiting time for seating was too much. So we headed for a place called Fred and Fuzzys. This is an outdoor eatery with a beautiful view of the water. The weather was perfect; sunny and about 76 degrees. That evening, we had planned to drive a short distance from our park to a county park on the water to view the sunset. However, these plans were nixed due to heavy cloud cover.
Aug 11 Sat … We drove to the town of Superior and visited the local Walmart. Later we drove to and climbed an observation tower overlooking the city of Duluth and the Superior Bay. This has to be one of the most scenic areas of the country we have visited to date. Later, back at the motorhome, we sat outside and listened to the Bluesfest music that was playing across the channel from us. Even though the temperature is a bit above normal (so we’re told) in the mid to upper 80’s, after sundown it was very pleasant.
Aug 10 Fri … We did something today that we haven’t done very often; we boarded a scenic train for a 28 mile ride north to the town of Two Harbors. We were a little disappointed because we thought the ride would be mostly along the coast, and some of it was. It was an outstanding day and what we did see was simply beautiful. While in Two Harbors, we visited the 3M museum. This company was started by five men in Two Harbors in 1905. Today it is in over 70 countries and employees over 70,000 people.
Aug 9 Thurs … Since our RV park is only about .75 miles from town, we walked it this morning. We crossed the famous Aerial Lift Bridge (as opposed to a draw bridge) along the way. This bridge, built in 1905, “lifts” when a ship or tall sail boat must enter the channel that goes out to Lake Superior. We were about a quarter of the way across when we heard the PA announcement to clear the bridge because it was going to rise at any moment. We started running to the other side and fortunately made it before we went up with the street. I’m sure they were watching us from the control room and waited for us to clear before taking it up. From what we understand, the bridge is raised 25 – 30 times a day for shipping traffic. After that experience, we boarded a trolley for a cruise of the city. We got off at the visitors center where we purchased tickets for a six hour Friday train ride to Two Harbors, MN.
Aug 8 Wed … We started this day early, at least for us, by cranking up at about 0700. I drove to a mechanic shop in Sturgeon Bay to have them install some valve extenders on the dual tires of the motorhome. After this was done, we were on the road by 9:00 o’clock with a destination of Rice Lake, WI, about 285 miles away. When we got there, around 4:30p.m., we went to the local Walmart for groceries. Since Duluth, MN was only 105 miles away and we were through shopping by 5:30, we called ahead to the rv park and determined we could check in a day early. We then decided to continue on and arrived in Duluth around 7:30p.m. We had driven almost 400 miles; a long day for Mike behind the wheel. The park is the Lake Head Boat Basin and it’s literally on a boat dock on Lake Superior and across the channel from downtown Duluth. The view is spectacular! We’ve seen several very large tanker type ships (some over 1,000 ft in length) come and go. From the fact sheet Dixie picked up, these ships load coal, grain, taconite and general cargo. They bring in general cargo and limestone.
Aug 7 Tue … This is a laundry day and motorhome prep day for our 283 mile travel day tomorrow.
Aug 6 Mon … Today we drove to Fish Creek where we went to the Peninsula State Park. We took our bikes along and rode about 10 miles along the trails in the park, much of which had a view of the beautiful waters of Green Bay. At one point, we stopped to visit the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse, a “historical jewel” of Door County. For 139 years this light has guided vessels as they have navigated the Strawberry Channel. After leaving the park, we drove to Northport and Gills Rock, the Northern most points of the peninsula. We elected not to take the ferry ride to Washington Island which is also part of Door County, Wisconsin.
Later, we had hoped to have lunch at Al Johnsons Swedish Restaurant (where the goats graze on the roof) but the waiting time for seating was too much. So we headed for a place called Fred and Fuzzys. This is an outdoor eatery with a beautiful view of the water. The weather was perfect; sunny and about 76 degrees. That evening, we had planned to drive a short distance from our park to a county park on the water to view the sunset. However, these plans were nixed due to heavy cloud cover.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
The Michigan U.P and the Door Peninsula, WI
Aug 5 Sun … We started our day by attending one of the many Lutheran churches in the area. From there we attended an in-water Boat Show in Sturgeon Bay. It’s a very overcast, drizzling day so we will most likely stay close to home for the remainder of the day.
Aug 4 Sat … We drove around the upper part of Door County today seeing the towns of Bailey’s Harbor, Ephraim, Sister Bay and Jacksonport. There were many folks out and about today because of the beautiful weather (temps around 78 and sunny) and some festival/craft shows going on. From a distance, we watched a sailing regatta group as they returned to port. In Sister Bay, saw goats grazing on the top of the AL Johnsons Swedish Restaurant. Needless to say, they draw quite a crowd. In Jacksonport we went to a "fish boil" where the fish is cooked outdoors in a large pot over a wood flame. When the fish was just about done, the "Boil Master" throws kerosene on the flame and causes the water cooking the fish to boil over. The fatty fish oil is boiled off and the fish, and new potatoes and onions, is removed and served. It was topped off with fresh Door County cherry pie. The meal was simply delicious.
Aug 3 Fri … Today we moved to the Harbor Village RV park in Carlsville, about a 24 mile drive north. After setting up, we drove to Fish Creek and stopped at a place where you could sample flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars (a very busy place). Later, we visited the Door Peninsula Winery and went on a short tour of their wine making facility. We then sampled (of course) several of the many wines they brew, many which are fruit varieties. After that we had a glass in adjoining wine bar.
Aug 2 Thurs … We had lunch in Sturgeon Bay at a park with a beautiful view of the bay water. We then drove to the Coast Guard station where we saw two lighthouses. Our last stop was Renards Cheese where we sampled some and bought some famous Wisconsin cheese.
Aug 1 Wed … We packed a lunch today and drove to the Potawatomi State park near the town of Sturgeon Bay. We hiked about 3 miles over steep slopes and rugged limestone cliffs along the shoreline of Sturgeon Bay. We climbed a 75 foot observation tower that rises above the forest giving a awesome panoramic view of the area. To have lunch, we decided to drive a short distance to Cave Point county park across the peninsula on the rocky bank of Lake Michigan. After lunch, we walked along the waters edge and then took our hiking boots off and cooled our feet in the 74 degree water. We then drove a short distance to the Whitefish Dunes, another state park a few miles away. Although this park is said to have the best beach in Wisconsin, we decided not to stay because of the extreme heat of the day. While driving back into Sturgeon Bay, we stopped at a dairy farm and watched cows being milked. They’re milked 2 to 3 times a day and produce up to 10 gallons of milk per cow. Truly amazing!! Of course, we had to have some of their ice cream they were serving in the store.
Jul 31 Tue … Went to the casino for breakfast and got on the road at 10am. Today we drove about 140 miles to the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin. We made a stop at the Wisconsin Visitors Center in Marinette and arrived at Quietwoods South campground in Brussels at 2p. It is HOT (90’s) so we spent the afternoon inside. We will be at this park until Friday when we will move a little further up into Door County near Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Jul 30 Mon … We hit the road around 830a. When we got to the Mackinac Bridge there was a high wind warning for trucks and RV’s so we were slowed down to 20 mph. This one high and long bridge! We then turned onto highway 2 where the first 50 miles followed Lake Michigan. We stopped for lunch near the water. We arrived at the Chip-In Island Casino around 2p where we stopped for the night in their rv park. In the evening we went to a Talent Show for country singer’s that was being held in the showroom. This was the finalist show which was sponsored by a local radio station. We watched 17 performers that were narrowed down to 5. Those 5 sang another song and the top 3 were selected. It was like American Idol on a “Country Music night”. The talent was all good and we enjoyed it very much. After the show we had to put a little money in the ‘machines’…luckily Mike made what Dixie lost!
Aug 4 Sat … We drove around the upper part of Door County today seeing the towns of Bailey’s Harbor, Ephraim, Sister Bay and Jacksonport. There were many folks out and about today because of the beautiful weather (temps around 78 and sunny) and some festival/craft shows going on. From a distance, we watched a sailing regatta group as they returned to port. In Sister Bay, saw goats grazing on the top of the AL Johnsons Swedish Restaurant. Needless to say, they draw quite a crowd. In Jacksonport we went to a "fish boil" where the fish is cooked outdoors in a large pot over a wood flame. When the fish was just about done, the "Boil Master" throws kerosene on the flame and causes the water cooking the fish to boil over. The fatty fish oil is boiled off and the fish, and new potatoes and onions, is removed and served. It was topped off with fresh Door County cherry pie. The meal was simply delicious.
Aug 3 Fri … Today we moved to the Harbor Village RV park in Carlsville, about a 24 mile drive north. After setting up, we drove to Fish Creek and stopped at a place where you could sample flavored olive oils and balsamic vinegars (a very busy place). Later, we visited the Door Peninsula Winery and went on a short tour of their wine making facility. We then sampled (of course) several of the many wines they brew, many which are fruit varieties. After that we had a glass in adjoining wine bar.
Aug 2 Thurs … We had lunch in Sturgeon Bay at a park with a beautiful view of the bay water. We then drove to the Coast Guard station where we saw two lighthouses. Our last stop was Renards Cheese where we sampled some and bought some famous Wisconsin cheese.
Aug 1 Wed … We packed a lunch today and drove to the Potawatomi State park near the town of Sturgeon Bay. We hiked about 3 miles over steep slopes and rugged limestone cliffs along the shoreline of Sturgeon Bay. We climbed a 75 foot observation tower that rises above the forest giving a awesome panoramic view of the area. To have lunch, we decided to drive a short distance to Cave Point county park across the peninsula on the rocky bank of Lake Michigan. After lunch, we walked along the waters edge and then took our hiking boots off and cooled our feet in the 74 degree water. We then drove a short distance to the Whitefish Dunes, another state park a few miles away. Although this park is said to have the best beach in Wisconsin, we decided not to stay because of the extreme heat of the day. While driving back into Sturgeon Bay, we stopped at a dairy farm and watched cows being milked. They’re milked 2 to 3 times a day and produce up to 10 gallons of milk per cow. Truly amazing!! Of course, we had to have some of their ice cream they were serving in the store.
Jul 31 Tue … Went to the casino for breakfast and got on the road at 10am. Today we drove about 140 miles to the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin. We made a stop at the Wisconsin Visitors Center in Marinette and arrived at Quietwoods South campground in Brussels at 2p. It is HOT (90’s) so we spent the afternoon inside. We will be at this park until Friday when we will move a little further up into Door County near Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Jul 30 Mon … We hit the road around 830a. When we got to the Mackinac Bridge there was a high wind warning for trucks and RV’s so we were slowed down to 20 mph. This one high and long bridge! We then turned onto highway 2 where the first 50 miles followed Lake Michigan. We stopped for lunch near the water. We arrived at the Chip-In Island Casino around 2p where we stopped for the night in their rv park. In the evening we went to a Talent Show for country singer’s that was being held in the showroom. This was the finalist show which was sponsored by a local radio station. We watched 17 performers that were narrowed down to 5. Those 5 sang another song and the top 3 were selected. It was like American Idol on a “Country Music night”. The talent was all good and we enjoyed it very much. After the show we had to put a little money in the ‘machines’…luckily Mike made what Dixie lost!
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