Rick's Travel Tales

2018 Exploring New England in the Fall

2020-09-10T02:39:00.001-07:00

(Editor's Note: This trip was taken September 30th thru October 11th, 2018)

This year my wife and I decided it was finally time for another "bucket list" trip - New England in the Fall. Being a huge fan of Fall color in the Upper Midwest, we thought it was time to checkout the "mother of Fall Color" in Vermont, Maine, New Hampshire, New York, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island. As with all our other trips, this would be a driving trip, which meant taking advantage other sites from and to Iowa (Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan).

Planning

Planning for our adventure began in July with establishing a route and making hotel reservations. The trip was essentially broken up into three parts - the "drive to New England", "touring New England", and the "drive back to Iowa". Trying to learn from past trips where we crammed too many hours driving and not enough time enjoying the surroundings, the drive to New England portion would take 3 days. The "touring New England" would encompass 5 days, and the "drive back to Iowa" portion would last 4 days.

Taking advantage of travelling to and from the eastern portion of the United States, we also included stops in Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Michigan, which allowed us to check out the NFL Hall of Fame, Niagara Falls, Mt. Washington (Cog Railway), Lancaster, PA, Gettysburg, Flight 93 National Memorial, and Michigan (checking out some wineries and a casino).

The final logistical planning activity was to acquire the tollway auto payment device - E-ZPASS. This is the contraption you put on your windshield that allows you to not stop at every toll booth between Iowa and the East Coast. Using the internet, I found a New Jersey site that allowed you to set up an account (minimum $25 to be loaded into account, with additional funds pulled from your credit card as needed), and even have a windshield device mailed to you. Luck was on our side - the windshield device showed up the day before we left!

Everything was ready to Explore New England in the Fall.

The Drive to New England - Days 1-3

Day 1 - We arranged the day to leave Waterloo based on avoiding major tourist areas on a weekend. So we took off on a Sunday, with our 1st day driving to Canton, OH (~ 11 hrs & almost 700 miles). About the only exciting part of the the drive was having that E-ZPASS Toll device! It was so nice just keep on going, and not to have to pull up to the booth, dig out $$ and pay! We found a sports bar in Canton, where we enjoyed our normal "Sunday pizza" and a local brew (or two). Miles Driven - 671 (10 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 2 - The 2nd day was the "real" start of vacation. Our plans were to visit the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and drive to Niagara Falls for our next overnight. Being early risers, we decided to grab a breakfast first at Scrambler Marie's. With the Hall of Fame not opening until 9 am, we explored a few local Canton sites, including the President William McKinley tomb, located in McKinley Memorial park. It was a a beautiful, crisp morning, so climbing the steps to the tomb, and exploring the area was a great start to the day.

From there, we took the short one mile drive to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. There's quite a complex on the Hall of Fame grounds. So we did a quick drive around to check out their stadium the multiple practice fields, McKinley High School, and the huge C.T. Branin Natatorium. Our tour of the Hall of Fame lasted about two hours. We stopped at a couple video presentations in addition to wandering the displays explaining the decades of the NFL... pretty amazing to see, given what you see on TV today. After numerous photos of Chicago Bear related displays, and a quick trip thru the gift shop, we hopped back in the car for the 4 hour drive (250 miles) to Niagara, NY.

We arrived in Niagara Falls, NY about 3 pm, and got checked in to our hotel. The day turned overcast, and slightly misty, so we donned our rain coats and headed out on foot to explore "The Falls". Given the time of day, we decided to only explore the United States side of the falls, which included Niagara Falls State Park, Goat Island, and Luna Island. It was amazing, for a late Monday afternoon in October and the fact it was cool and misty, how many people/tourists were still out viewing the Falls. After about 90 minutes (and approx. 3 miles of walking), it was time to scope out a place for dinner, and our nightly refreshment(s). Evidently, Monday nights in Niagara Falls is NOT a popular night for "sit down" restaurants, as we could only find a couple in the downtown area that were open. We finally stopped at TGI Friday's across from the Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Not exactly what we had hoped for, as we usually grab some "local spot" when we visit new towns, but at this point in the day, we were ready to sit down and relax.
Miles Driven - 250 (4.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 3.2

Day 3 - Day 3, the last day of our drive to the "New England area" would take us to Burlington, VT, travelling along/near Lake Ontario, and thru New York State. With our usual early start, and the weather being overcast and a light mist, it was a bit difficult to navigate the back roads leading out of Niagara Falls, and to find an open gas station. But as the sun came up, we settled in to enjoy the New York state country side. We chose to take Hiway 18, which ran along the shoreline of Lake Erie. This is a less traveled road, and allowed us to view the the more rural side of New York State - apple orchards, small towns, and farmsteads.

One of our favorite sites on any trip are lighthouses. Our 1st lighthouse was the Oak Orchard Light House, near Lakeside Beach State Park. This lighthouse is a replica of the original lighthouse, which was swept from the pier in a storm in 1916. From there, after a short drive to Rochester, NY, we checked out our second lighthouse - the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse, along the Genesee River. By now, it was steadily raining, and our visit of this lighthouse consisted of me bolting from the car to the lighthouse grounds, snapping some photos, and sprinting back to the car. Yeah, we like lighthouses, but not enough to go stand in the rain to explore them!

With the rain continuing, and a 6 hour drive to get to our overnite spot in Burlington, VT, we switched from 2 lane back roads to I-90 and Hiway 365 (4 line) to Bulagga Bay and the Lake Champlain Bridge (southern end of Lake Champlain). It was at this point Sue and I both decided that we were finally beginning our New England Fall Tour.

We had one more hour to our hotel, but had to stop at the
Magic Hat Brewing Company to taste some local refreshments. A neat little brewery! After unwinding with a cold beer, we headed out to grab a bite to eat at Uno Pizzeria and Grill.

Miles Driven - 410 (8.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Touring New England - Days 4-8

Day 4 - The day started out like the last two, with fog, overcast skies and a chance of rain. Our plan for the day was to make it to Bangor, Maine (~ 6 hour drive), after a stop at the Mount Washington Cog Railway, and a round trip ride to the summit. Pulling into the parking lot, we could not see the Summit, and wondered how enjoyable this would be knowing we couldn't see much. We both agreed we couldn't pass this up. Being the early arrivers we are, we wandered the museum inside the base station, learning about the history of this railway, and the unique equipment used.

As our cog train departure time approached, we lined up and boarded the single passenger car, powered by a

bio-diesel locomotive.

The beginning part of the climb had limited visibility due the the low clouds, However, as we moved closer to the top, glimpses of sun and blue skies began to appear. Throughout the ride, the "conductor" gave us a wonderful background not only on the railway, but the surrounding landscape.

Once at the top, we left the train, and explored the Summit. Mount Washington is a place of extreme temperatures, with the coldest being -50 degrees (1885), and a high of 72 degrees (2003). Although chilly on the day we visited (30's and winds 10-20 mph), we lucked out and had the sun break thru, giving us amazing views of the mountain... and the clouds BELOW US!

Our return trip followed the same route as our ride up. However, with the clouds starting to dissipate, we were able enjoy more of the Fall colors beginning to show on the mountainside.

It was a great attraction to begin our New England exploration. For the next couple hours, we opted to take back roads of eastern New York State and Maine. The day ended in Bangor, ME. Since we were "officially" in New England, Sue wanted a lobster roll, and I was ready for a New England beer. We ended up enjoying dinner at Mason's Brewing Company, along side of the Penobscot River.

Miles Driven - 320 (7.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 5 - This was the 1st day to do some Fall New England hiking. But we wanted to get up in Northern Maine to truly enjoy the surroundings. We started the day off with a 1 hour and 45 minute drive north to the Seboeis River, where we found a 2.5 mile RT trail that followed along the river. It was perfect hike, with alot of beautiful sights and not too long to wear us out.

We hopped back into our vehicle and continued on. One of those bucket list places I've always wanted to go to was the northern most point in Maine and New England. So we headed North, following Hiway 11 to Fort Kent, and then taking Hiway 1, along the Canadian border and and then thru the countryside of Northern Maine. Unfortunately, it was still an overcast day, But the the rolling countryside and the Fall colors were still amazing.

We made a brief stop in Fort Kent for a photo op at the Canadian border, and the start of Hiway 1, which runs the Eastern coast of the United States to Key West Florida.

It was about a 60 mile drive to get back South to Presque Isle, Maine, where we found our hotel for the evening. Tonite's dinner stop as at the Irish Setter Pub. A quaint, local establishment. The Pub was a fitting end to our day 5 adventures.

Miles Driven - 300 (7.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 2.5

Day 6 - Since we traveled so far north in Maine, Day 6 was a day to head back south on historic Hiway 1, and check out some Northern Maine's sea coast. Our plan originally was to visit Acadia National Park on Day 7. However, we decided to adjust our plans, and make the drive down Hiway 1 as planned, but head to Acadia, and see if we could get in a hike, and do a drive of the eastern portion of the park.

The 1st lighthouse of New England was the West Quoddy Lighthouse on the easternmost point of Maine. Man, its amazing how beautiful a sight was with the blue skies!

After a quick tour of the lighthouse, it was on to Acadia National Park. "Acadia National Park protects the natural beauty of the highest rocky headlands along the Atlantic coastline of the United States, an abundance of habitats, and a rich cultural heritage. It's one of the top 10 most-visited national parks in the United States. The Park has 27 miles of historic motor roads, 158 miles of hiking trails, and 45 miles of carriage roads..."

After visiting National Parks in the Western United States, Acadia was a completely different experience. We entered the park with one of the best deals I've ever gotten - our Lifetime Senior National Parks Pass. It was mid day, and already the tour buses were lined up to drive the scenic coastal drive. We slipped in and took the one way drive along the coastline, stopping to enjoy the sights and sounds of the waves crashing on the rocky shores.

Still having enough time in the day, we found a parking place and headed out for a hike, exploring the wooded areas as well as some of the carriage roads running thru the park. The topography gave us some challenging hill climbs. But it was perfect after spending most of the morning in the SUV.

After finishing our hike we decided to head up to Cadillac Mountain, a premiere spot to catch sunrise and sunset. It was too early for sunset, but as we approached the peak, by the looks of the number of cars and tourist buses, there was a ton of people getting their spots reserved. We spent about 15 minutes there, and decided it was time to head down, and get back on the road to our hotel in Bangor, approximately 50 miles away. The next day we would return to Acadia National Park, and do some more exploring.

Miles Driven - 350 (7.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 3.0

Day 7 - Having had a taste of Acadia NP the previous day, we were anxious to get over there early, and not only beat the crowds, but enjoy the early morning light on the sights. My experience has been that some of the best experiences (and photos) have been in the early morning light. This day was no different. We decided to explore the western portion of the Park first, and stop in Bar Harbor for some shopping before heading on our coastal exploration.

Another gorgeous day - blue skies and great temperatures. The western side of the Park was less hilly, and more populated with homes and acreages. Not far into our drive we came upon Seal Cove Pond. There was a slight fog over portions of a cove along the road. Beautiful views! The lone sail boat anchored in the cove was a keeper shot. So was this shot of a seaplane moored to a dock. Add the colors in, and wow!

The drive continued on to the next spot we had to stop and check out - Bass Harbor Lighthouse. This lighthouse is always part of images reflecting the sights of Acadia National Park. It was possible to get down on the rocks along the shoreline to get an oceanside view. Of course we had to do that! There were some other tourists there as well, and one said to us "Go Hawks"! Surprised that they recognized Sue's fleece Hawkeye jacket, we chatted with them, and found out he used to be a sales person from the East Coast who regularly drove to Iowa for his accounts. Always fun to run into fellow Iowa supporters! Below is a video of your view from the rocks.

After the lighthouse, it was time to enter the tourist world of Bar Harbor, Maine. Even at mid morning, the town was full of visitors. Couldn't leave Acadia NP without a shirt! Even the views from the downtown streets were spectacular!

After Acadia National Park, and the shopping at Bar Harbor, ME, we worked our way back to the Hiway 1 shoreline drive. Being a weekend, and a gorgeous day, the traffic was heavy, especially thru the coastal towns like Searsport, Belfast, Rockport and Rockland, ME. After fighting traffic most of the afternoon, we thought we'd find a local establishment to take a break and enjoy the coastal view. Sue found Archers on the Pier, along the Rockland Harbor shoreline.

Refreshed and ready to go, it was time for more lighthouses. Sue directed us to Owl's Head State Park. After a short hike (and climb) we visited Owl's Head Light Station, near Rockland Harbor.

From there, we headed to our last tourist visit of the day at the Permaquid Point Lighthouse. Here, we visited the Fisherman's Museum, and made the climb to the top of the lighthouse. Its so hard to imagine what it would have been like living at a place like this - good weather and bad!

Our drive for the day ended in Portland, Maine, with dinner at the None Such River Brewing Company. As we were enjoying our brews and waiting for our meals, I happened to look at an adjoining table, and saw someone that looked familiar.... what do you think.... Martha Stewart??

Another great day!

Miles Driven - 280 (8.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 8 - We continued our drive along the Atlantic coastline of New England before we have to begin heading back toward the Midwest. Lots to still see, however. We started off with Hurts Donuts and coffee and headed for one more lighthouse - Nubble Lighthouse.

From there, we continued down Hiway 1 to Portsmouth, making a quick stop at the USS Albacore Submarine, and then hopping on I-95 to Gloucester, MA. It was another beautiful morning, so we stopped and took a stroll along the Western Harbor and Harbor Cove.

It was time now to face the traffic in and around Boston. After spending the last 3 days on back roads and casual drives thru harbor towns, the drive thru Boston brought us back to the reality of life on the East Coast. But we made it, and found the turnoff for Hiway 3 - The Pilgrims Hiway, and headed to Oversand Station and Race Point Beach at the tip of the Cape Cod National Seashore. There, we visited the Old Harbor Life-Saving Station Museum, and the Province Lands Visitors Center.

By now, my "refreshment" meter was beginning to go off, so we headed to Provincetown. Boy, what a popular place! We parked about 3 blocks from Commercial St., the main downtown drag for tourists. Shortly, we came upon The Brewhouse. Of course, we had to check it out. Fortunately, as we walked in, two persons at the bar got up. We quickly grabbed the seats. Ahhh... a cold beer, comfortable bar stools, and great people watching!

From the Brewhouse, we took a walk along Commercial Street, and then out onto MacMillan Pier, where many of the charter and tour boats load/unload.

With a 2-1/2 hour drive ahead of us, we headed back to the SUV and began our trek to Providence, RI. We finished the day at a pizza joint near the hotel, ending another great New England vacation day.

Miles Driven - 400 (9.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

The Drive back to Iowa - Days 9-12

Day 9 - This is the start of the 4 day journey back to Iowa. Still things to see and do, but none the less, our direction is headed West. We started Day 9 with a quick trip to scope out the "homes of the Rich and Famous" in and around Newport, RI.

The dreary overcast day which we had on our trip to New England was back. But hey, we can still cruise Newport. Our 1st stop was the "Cliff Walk" near The Breakers, "the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages" and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America". With the light mist and cool breeze, our walk was short, returning to our SUV to continue the tour. We thought maybe this was a good area to look for a Summer vacation retreat for us. Not many for sale signs, but we did
see a few.

We followed Ocean Ave. to near the Castle Hill Lighthouse before crossing to the Claiborne Pell/Newport Bridge to Jamestown and and back to Hiway 1. This was our last section of shoreline driving along the Atlantic. Along this drive, however, we had to make a "drive-by" of The Dan Patrick Show Studio in Milford, CT. The show, a big favorite of Sue and I to catch up on all things sports, plus some good laughs, is usually on our radio during each morning of our weekday drive time.

From there, it was now time to take on the drive thru the New York City area. We thought about trying to do some sightseeing in the City, but decided we need to save that for a future trip, when we can spend more time. I was thinking about doing a "drive thru" of New York City, taking the Belt Parkway, and then crossing thru in the Holland Tunnel before reconnecting with I-287 for our drive to Pennsylvania. But the more we thought about it, we decided we didn't need all the stress accomplishing that drive for what we'd be able to see. So we rerouted to connect with I-287 over to Pennsylvania, then I-78 & I-76, before settling in for the drive to Lancaster, PA. We successfully avoided the NYC area, but boy, even in midday, the traffic was still packed 25 miles north of Manhattan. Trips like these make us so appreciate the "Midwest traffic"!!

The rest of this day turned out to be mostly Interstate driving, following I-76 to Lancaster, PA. Another long day of driving (200 miles from NY City area). So, we decided to take care of business for our return home, and pick up "supplies" at Walmart (Sue's favorite - TastyKakes) and the Brewers Outlet (My favorite - Yuengling Beer).

What would a day be like without dinner at a local establishment? My "tour guide" suggested we check out the Lancaster Brewing Company. Time to kick back, relax and enjoy Flash-Fried Cheddar Curds and a couple local brews to end our day.

We are starting to wear down, buy still have a couple more days of sightseeing on our way back to the Midwest. Time for a good night's sleep, and then take on Day 10!
Miles Driven - 400 (9.0 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 10 - As a Midwesterner, anytime you visit the East Coast, you want to try to take in as many sites as you can. One both Sue and I have wanted to visit was Gettysburg. Only being 60 miles from Lancaster, PA, it was 1st on our agenda for Day 10.

There is SO MUCH to see and do at Gettysburg. Knowing we had to drive to Pittsburgh, and wanting to make a stop at the Flight 93 site along the way, we opted to tour the Museum and Visitors Center, and then take the audio guided driving tour thru the countryside of Gettysburg (we'll make a return visit in the future and take the guided hikes).

The guided audio tour was a fantastic idea. We could drive the park roads between the various sites within the Park, listening to narratives describing the history of the land and the battles that took place. We stopped at many sites to get a close up look at some of the artifacts, and stand in awe of views overlooking the battlefields. It was really a surreal feeling knowing the thousands of casualties that occurred across this landscape. You truly cannot grasp what happened at Gettysburg until you walk/drive this hallowed ground.

Upon completion of the audio tour, we set the SUV GPS for the Flight 93 Memorial near Shanksville, PA. It was a 2-1/2 hour drive, following the back roads of Pennsylvania. Neither of us knew what to expect. Upon arrival, we found a very simple, yet profound complex.

The Visitors Center housed a very informative museum, not only providing a detailed accounting of the minutes up to the crash, but also artifacts of the crash, and stories of the varied individuals who lost their lives.

There is a circular path (~1 mile long) that leads from/to the Visitors Center, which takes visitors past the Memorial Wall and near the crash site. Its such a peaceful setting, yet, the magnitude of the event is felt as you walk the site.

On our way out of the park we made one more stop at the Tower of Voices, near the entrance to the park. We both were so glad we added this stop to our New England Trip. In our opinion, it is a "must see".

As with the day before, our energy was beginning to run out. We set our sights for Pittsburg, our next to last overnight stay. However, before calling it a day, Sue picked out a local establishment for our dinner - The Hog's Head Bar & Grill. Now, this was as local Pittsburgh as you could get. Set on the side of a hill in Reserve Township, PA, this bar has been in operation since the end of the prohibition era. Obviously, when a couple Midwesterners walk in, we got our share of looks.

But we were warmly greeted, and sat down to enjoy a couple brews, and sandwiches (mostly typical bar food), while we watched the patrons come and go. After visiting some pretty fancy places during our trip, this was just as enjoyable.

That wrapped up Day 10 of our trip. It was a bonus on our "Fall New England" to be able to take in some unforgettable locations of national history.

Miles Driven - 250 (6.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 11 - Day 11 is a long day of driving. Our route takes us from Pittsburgh up towards Cleveland, then west on the Ohio Turnpike/I90 to South Bend, where we head north for a couple final sightseeing stops. Our overnight will be near New Buffalo, MI. As with our drive East from Iowa heading to New England, the overcast and rainy weather had caught up with is again. Not much we can do outside so we opted to check out a couple local wineries.

The 1st stop was at the Lemon Creek Winery & Farm Market, near Berrien Springs, MI. As we pulled in the parking area, Mother Nature let loose. We made a dash from the car to the tasting room. Yes, we were the only ones there! We decided after doing a sampling, that we should enjoy a glass of wine while the rain moved thru the area.

We were joined by the local security guard - a golden lab, who decided he too was content to stay inside out of the rain.

As the rain let up, we ventured out to the farmer's market building across the parking area, and sampled some of their wide variety of apples.

With a couple bags of apples, and the rain letting up, it was time to move on to our next stop - the Round Barn Estate. This was a really unique place. The main attraction was an historic round barn that had been converted into a wine tasting and beer tasting venue, with large areas within the lower and upper floors for events. In addition, across the parking area was also a spirits tasting building with rum, vodka, whiskey, bourbon and gin.

I opted to skip the tasting, since we still had some driving to do. Sue found some unique wines she wanted to try - Dessert Cream based wines. The person serving Sue said "these are like Bailey's Irish Creme, but without the liquor taste...". Sue tried the Black Walnut Cream and Salted Caramel Creme. Boy, did those taste good (I tried a sip of each)! Needless to say, we left with "a few bottles"!

With the weather still dreary out, we decided test our luck at the Four Winds Casino Resort near New Buffalo. The good news - we didn't lose much!

Time to call it a day. Tomorrow is the last day of out trip, driving to Waterloo, IA.

Miles Driven - 550 (7.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 12 - This was our last day of the journey to New England and back. As with most vacations, the last day is the day you start thinking about all you have to do when you get home. Knowing we had to navigate the heavy Chicago bound around the south end of Lake Michigan, and wanting to get back early enough to pick up the dog from the local kennel, we hit the road early, with our convenience store coffee and donuts. We were greeted with a clear sky sunrise, as we headed west on I-94/I-80 across Illinois. Approximately 5 hours (and 350 miles) later, we pulled in our driveway.

Its hard to decide what to see and do on a 12 day vacation, especially when the trip includes all the New England states and all the states in between Iowa and the Eastern Coast. We both agreed we got to enjoy some amazing places throughout the 13 states we passed thru. We also agreed that if we do it again, we would find an area or two to focus on, and enjoy the the time wandering the nearby sights.

Having enjoyed Fall colors in the Midwest our entire life, it was a refreshing change to experience the New England countryside. Its definitely a bucket list vacation all should consider.

If you are interested in viewing more photos from our trip, Click Here.

2020 - Continuing the North Country Trail Hike across the Upper Peninsula

2020-08-31T13:36:00.016-07:00

Way back in 2017, I started on a bucket list adventure to "day hike" the North Country Trail from the Mackinaw Bridge across the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan. The total trip from the Bridge to the Wisconsin Boarder is 544 miles. Realizing accomplishing the total trip was unlikely, I adjusted the goal to hiking from the Bridge to the shores of Lake Superior, which is approximately 132 miles.

Being from Iowa, accomplishing this means making several trips to the UP, and figuring the logistics of hiking, transportation to my car after each hike, and hotel accommodations each night in a nearby city/town. In 2017, I was able to get in 3 day hikes totaling approximately 30 miles. In 2018, I was able to get in another 2 days of hiking, completing another 26 miles. Unfortunately, due to commitments in 2019, I was unable to get any NCT hiking completed.

Not getting any younger (67 at the time of writing), I was determined to get some more miles in on my quest. So I planned three days of hiking in August, 2020.

I was fortunate enough to convince my wife to go with me, acting as my "trail angel" during the trip. A "trail angel" is someone who provides transportation, accommodations, and food/drink to hikers during their hike. In this case, my wife would drop me off at the starting location, and meet me at the ending location each day - a HUGE deal for me. My 1st NCT hikes involved biking on forest roads 15-20 miles from the end point of my hike (where my car was) to the starting point, hiking 15 miles back to my car, and then driving back to the starting point to pick up my bike. After doing that 3 times, I (or should I say "my body") decided that wasn't doable anymore. So having a "trail angel" was a must.

Planning

The trip plan was as follows:

Day 1 - Drive from Waterloo, IA to Manistique, MI, (~500 miles)
Day 2 -

Drive from Manistique to 1st day hiking trail head (~80 miles)
Hike ~13 miles.
Drive to Sault Ste. Marie, MI (~40 miles) for overnite stay

Day 3 -

Drive from Sault Ste. Marie, MI to 2nd day hiking trail head (~40 miles)
Hike ~16 miles
Drive to Sault Ste. Marie, MI (~50 miles) for overnite stay

Day 4 -

Drive from Sault Ste. Marie, MI to 3rd day hiking trail head (~50 miles)
Hike ~14 miles
Drive to Escanaba, MI (~160 miles) for overnite stay

Day 5 - Drive from Escanaba, MI to Waterloo, IA (~430 miles)

The goal was to be on the trail hopefully at 7am (the 1st day's hike started at 8am due to the 90 minute drive to the trail head). Once the hike was completed, we'd return to the hotel to cleanup (and do a check for ticks), and then head out for a mid afternoon meal, or more importantly, my carb loading (eg. beer!).

Day 1 - Waterloo, IA to Manistique, MI

We started Day 1 by dropping off our 14 year old dog Chester at the vets for boarding. Its always hard to do this, but necessary to make our short getaway. We hit the road about 8:30am, and made it to Manistique, MI at about 5:00pm EDT. Rain started to fall, so we decided to grab dinner before checking into the hotel.

Dinner was in Downtown Manistique, at Tap21, formerly the Harbor Bar. Its always fun to check out the local establishments, especially their unique decor.

Day 2 - 1st Day of Hiking

We hit the road to my 1st day of hiking at about 6:30, after grabbing breakfast to go from Hardee's (only place open at that time of day). It was approximately an 80 mile drive to the trail head, so I didn't start the hike until a little after 8:00am. Other than it being overcast, it was a great morning to hike - approximately 60 degrees, and a light breeze. Foremost on my mind was my previous early morning hikes, where everything was wet with dew. This morning was no exception. Within 10 minutes, my pants (and boots) were soaked. No biggie, as I knew as the day progressed, the winds and the sun would dry things out. The good news was that there we few "wet areas" to traverse thru. But those dang ferns! I also learned that the ferns of the Upper Peninsula have an inherent trait which unties hiking boots a couple times a mile! I think its a conspiracy with the mosquitoes to get hikers to stop long enough for the mosquitoes to make their attack. Needless to say, the spray came out after the 3rd stop, and any exposed skin was treated.

Approximately 10 miles into the hike, the woods disappeared, and an open field became the hiking route. As I traversed the field, it became apparent that this was at one time an area burned by forest fires. Clumps of trees along the route showed the tree trunks blackened, but the tops growing. It was obvious that Mother Nature had already begun the renewal.

Halfway thru the field section, I came upon a hiker heading south. We stopped to chat. I learned her name was Carman, a Military Nurse from southern Michigan currently between deployments. She and some other friends had hiked all of Lower Michigan and the UP except one section that she was currently hiking. She had just received her next orders. She only had the next 3 days to complete the section, or wait until 2022. Unfortunately, she hadn't had any success at that point finding a "trail angel" that could give her a ride back to her car once completing the section. I thanked her for her service, and wished her luck on finding the help she needed. (UPDATE: I learned on Facebook that Carmen had to end her hike due to not finding a rid back). Here's a photo of Carmen from a post on Facebook.

I finished the final 4 miles of the 1st day's hike, and found my "trail angel" waiting for me. Tired, but not feeling too bad, we loaded up and headed to the hotel in Sault Ste. Marie to check in. Its amazing what a shower and a fresh set of clothes does after 5 hours of hiking!

We finished the day by grabbing pizza and beer at 1668 Winery and Lockside Brewery. It was around 70 degrees, but the wind had picked up. So we opted for the indoor dining. It was only us and one other couple. We complied with the "masks required" edict by the State of Michigan, which it appeared most were adhering to. After a day of following the mask rules at stops up to the UP, it became a "non issue" for us.

Day 1 was in the books. 13 hiking miles completed, and another 29 to go!

Day 3 - 2nd Day of Hiking

Day 2 began with several spots on my body aching. The good news was that none were anything to worry about. We followed our normal morning routine, with a stop at McDonalds for the pre-hike meal of Sausage McMuffin with Egg, hashbrowns, OJ, and coffee. The 45 minute drive to the trailhead was just right to "enjoy breakfast" on the road. The weather on day 2 was to be like the 1st day - cloudy and around 70 degrees. However, the morning was starting out really foggy. We arrived at the trailhead about sunrise, and it was a bit eerie, looking at the trail disappearing into the fog. But off I went. Of course, Sue had to take a photo of me disappearing in the fog (must have been for the insurance company if I was never seen again!).

Today's trail started out with alot of hope, as it was open and easy to traverse. But soon "those ferns" reappeared, and were their usual wet selves. Within minutes, I was soaked again, but was now used to it. The trail was relatively flat, so I was able to make good time. This section also had ALOT of boardwalks, which was a godsend in some pretty marshy areas. Shout out the the Hiawatha Chapter of the NCT for their outstanding work! I'll bet there was 200-300 feet of new boardwalks installed, likely in the last couple years. To all involved, WELL DONE!

After about 10 miles I began to feel the fatigue starting to catch up with me. My place slowed a bit... time to consume more Water and Gatorade. Soon, I hit the Whitefish Bay Naomikong Overlook, which was a great mental boost - only 4 miles to go! The 1st portion was hiking the shoulder along the Lake Superior Shoreline Road, before heading to the Whitefish Bay Shoreline. Portions of the trail were on the beach, but due to erosion in some areas, the trail was forced back into the woods.

By now, I was really running on fumes, and had really slowed down. Its at times like this, you question why the heck you are out here doing this at 67! But soon, I could see in a clearing up ahead my "trail angel". I had finally arrived at the Bark Dock Parking area. After plopping down in the passenger seat of the car, getting some help removing my muddy shoes, and snarfing down a protein bar and bottle of Gatorade, I settled in for the ride back to Sault Ste. Marie. Life was returning to my body.

Back to the hotel to clean up, and head to The Palace Mexican Restaurant & Saloon in downtown Sault Ste. Marie. My "trail angel" was in the mood for a margarita, chips & salsa. Of course, I had beer on my mind. Needless to say, it was a good Mexican meal and refreshments to top off Day 2 of hiking... almost 28.5 hiking miles in the books. One more day to go!

Day 4 - 3rd Day of Hiking and begin the drive back to Iowa

Day 3 started with alot of aches - neck, shoulders, hamstring, ankles. Nothing that an 800mg Ibuprofen couldn't handle. Of course the pre-hike McDonalds breakfast also helped to get the body ready for the last 14 miles of hiking the NCT.

We returned to the Bark Dock, along Whitefish Bay, to begin my hike. Day 3's hike appeared to be an "easy" one, relatively speaking. the 1st 4 miles were thru the woods over to Hiway 123. Then, it was 4 miles of "shoulder hiking" (the shoulder of Hiway 123), due to the surrounding land being mostly wetland areas. Finally, the hike would be 6 more miles of trail in the narrow wooded area between the Tahquamenon River and Tahqua Rd. How hard can this be??

Off I went, full of adrenaline. About a 1/2 mile in, this "cake walk" thru the woods became a slow. focused trek around and over considerable mucky spots. After about 2 miles, the trail broke out of the deep woods, and followed what looked like a ATV/snowmobile path. Ah.. this should be a nice section. It was... for about a 1/4 mile, before it turned into a path filled with huge water holes... for the next mile.... No photos during this part of the hike. Too much concentrating on avoiding downed branches and stumps, and trying to avoid covering my boots with mud/water. Obviously not enough concentration, as I finally stepped in a spot that wasn't firm. And yes, my boots sunk into the mud, completely covering them! Shortly after that, I caught the toe of a boot on a hidden root, and stumbled forward. As I moved the leg forward to catch my balance, I could feel my hamstring cry out. Oh boy, that hurt~! That slowed my hiking pace down considerably until the hamstring calmed down a bit.

The 4th mile out to Hiway 123 was a logging road thru a recently logged area. This was like a freeway after the 1st 3 miles of the day! Other than the mosquitoes noticing me, it was a pretty uneventful hiking section. However, the 4 miles of today's hike thru the woods became the toughest I experienced thru the 3 days.

I began the 4 mile shoulder walk, and it couldn't have come at a better time. It gave me a chance to stretch out the sore hamstring. Also, since I was hiking early enough in the day, the traffic wasn't too bad yet. It did start to lightly rain a bit, which was a pain as cars, trucks and campers blew by me. A few of the vehicles were kind enough to move over to the middle as they passed.

As I approached the mouth of the Tahquamenon River and the Tahquamenon Falls State Park Rivermouth Camping area, I'll be darned if the sun didn't pop out for a bit. The Tahquamenon River and Whitefish Bay were very calm, resulting in some amazing views.

8 Miles down, and 6 to go, along the shoreline of the Taquamenon River. In addition to my hamstring still reminding me of my stumble 5 miles ago, the body was starting to wear out again. It was tempting to just take the dirt road for the last 6 miles. But being this close to the end of my 3 day hike, I hopped back on the NCT path. By now, the weather front had moved thru, and the wind picked up. That was a good thing as it kept the mosquitoes at bay, and kept the temperatures most comfortable. I ran into a few sprinkles along the way, but hey, I was already slightly wet, so no big deal.

The trail was a nice meandering trail thru a somewhat forested area. It gave good views of the river, while keeping the road far enough away. Due to some ravines along the trail which drained into the river, the trail would occasionally return to the road allowing hikers to avoid the ravines. I also came upon a couple interesting boats sitting in the woods. Obviously, they haven't seen water in quite a few years!

As I approached 15 miles for the day, I was feeling pretty much spent. Another 3/10 of a mile and there was my "trail angel" and our vehicle. It was such a sight for sore eyes (and sore body)!

I did it... I made all three days, and a total of almost 42 miles. I won't lie - I had alot of doubt that this old guy could make it that far in 3 days. Sure, my legs, neck, shoulders and ankles all were reminding me how old I was, or at least how out of shape I am. But I kept telling myself "its a good ache".

Now it was time to change clothes and begin the drive back home. We hopped in the SUV, pulled out Gatorade, protein bars, and licorice for me to consume, and hit the road. Our drive would take us 150 miles to Escanaba, MI, arriving about 3:30pm. We made a stop at the Log Cabin Grill & Bar overlooking Little Bay de Noc, and had our last post hiking meal - a good ol' burger and fries, and my obligatory two LaBatt's beers. NOW I should get a great nights sleep!

Day 5 - Escanaba, MI to Waterloo, IA

With only 7 hours (430 miles) to drive, and gaining an hour with time zone changes, we slept in a bit, and hit the road about 7:30am. No plans for the ride home other that the obligatory stop for Spotted Cow beer (the "trail angel's" favorite). Found a great grocery store just past Madison, WI in Verona, where we could grab a couple cases (Yes, I know its not legal to carry this beer across state lines, but we covered the cases up with stinky hiking clothes). We pulled in the driveway to our home about 1:30pm. The end of a very successful (and well needed) getaway during this COVID pandemic!

The Next Hike - 2021

One final point about my NCT hiking goal. This trip's hike brought me to within 35 miles of my goal of reaching Lake Superior. I am so close! So, one more road trip to the UP next year, and I should be able to complete this bucket list item. Finger's crossed that I stay healthy and in good enough shape to finish two more days!

Photos

Here are links to other photos taken during the trip to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to hike the North Country Trail

2020 Exploring the Great Southwest in March

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Its been awhile since we have hopped in the car and headed out for some more exploring of this great country, and particularly the National Parks. This Spring, with an invitation to visit Scottsdale for a few days, we decided to throw together an abbreviated National Parks tour on our way back to Iowa. In one of our past trips, we spent a couple days exploring Zion National Park, and really enjoyed the amazing scenery and the hiking trails taking us to some great views. While on that trip we commented about having to head back to Utah and check out the other parks in the area, specifically Bryce Canyon and Arches National Parks. Well, what better time to do it than this trip.

Planning

Our plan was to take a 3 day drive from Iowa to Scottsdale, with overnites in Tulsa, OK, and Albuquerque, NM. We would spend 3-1/2 days enjoying great friends, wonderful weather, and fun times. Then, we would head to Utah, to one explore Bryce Canyon, Capital Reef, and Arches National Parks, spending one day at each. Finally, we would head back to Iowa travelling thru Colorado and Nebraska. A total of 12 days on the road.

The Trip out - Days 1-3

As with any trip from Iowa, Day 1 is pretty dull. We have probably driven the route to Tulsa a dozen times, and with my time attending Grad School at Oklahoma State University, you can probably add another dozen trips on that route. Of course, as is a normal part of our trips, my wife plans possible stops along the drive, and the "post drive" locations in the overnite town where we can unwind, enjoy a "few refreshments", and check out some establishments. The choice for Tulsa was the Prairie Brewpub, located in Tulsa’s Historic Brady District in Downtown Tulsa. With our early start, we were settling in for a few beers about 3:30pm, avoiding the pending Friday night crowds. After finishing dinner, it was time to head to the hotel, and rest up for an ~ 10 hour drive to Albuquerque, NM.

Miles Driven - 580 (9 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 2 had us on the road by 6:00am, travelling I-44 out of Tulsa, and I-40 to Albuquerque. This route was also very familiar to us. In 2013, to celebrate Sue's retirement, we traveled the old Route 66 route from St. Louis to Santa Monica (to read the story of our Route 66 journey, Click Here). I-40 essentially follows the same path of Route 66. However, this time, rather than taking the original portions of Route 66, we stayed on I-40 all the way. The only observation of note on the drive was the speed limits. Iowa' Interstate Hiways are 70mph. Oklahoma and New Mexico were 75mph, and Texas was 80mph! Other than a bazillion semi trucks using this route, the drive was not bad at all.

Once in Albuquerque, my "tourist guide" suggested we take the Sandia Peak Tram to the top, and enjoy dinner in the restaurant on the peak - Ten-3 (referencing the altitude of the restaurant - 10,300 ft above sea level). The only access to this restaurant is by the Sandia Peaks Tram. Imagine, all the food and beverages being transported by tram! In fact, the guide on the tram says they haul hundreds of gallons of water nightly to the top! He said, had it not been for that "heavy" requirement, the tram cars likely would have been designed with glass bottoms.

The view was fantastic. The side we rod up on was rocky and dry. However, on the opposite side of the peak is the Sandia Peak Ski Area! So while we enjoyed some craft drinks and dinner, we could watch the skiers and snowboarders!

After we finished, we hopped on the tram for a 15 minute ride to the base, and headed out for our hotel. Day 3 would bring us to Scottsdale and more adventures.

Miles Driven - 650 (10 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Day 3 was a shorter day of driving, so Sue planned for a stop at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona. Having been sitting on our butts during our 3 days of driving, we opted to do a couple short hikes in the park. After the hikes, and knowing we had limited time, we drove a portion of the park's scenic drive, checking out some petroglyphs, great views and an old car place near where the old Route 66 had been routed.

After the Petrified Forest, it was on to Scottsdale for some R&R.

Miles Driven - 400 (6.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 0

Relaxing in Scottsdale - Days 4-6

We were fortunate to be able to stay at the home of some great friends, who, along with another couple we would spend 3-1/2 days relaxing, exploring, and enjoying great food.

Day 4 was low key, starting with a leisurely breakfast and ample coffee enjoyed outside. We stopped to visit some dear retired friends from Waterloo who now live in Scottsdale, After a stop for "refreshments" (the wives did some shopping), we made it back in time to catch the live streaming of our local high school's girls basketball state tournament 1st round game (which, by the way, they won in a thrilling ending). We ended the day with dinner at one of our favorite places - The Spotted Donkey.

Even though we were on vacation, I had to get in my morning walks each day. A tad bit brisk (upper 40's-low 50's), but the sunrise was wonderful!

Day 5 we hung close to home, enjoying a fabulous breakfast before buckling down to some serious competition, playing "corn hole", putt-putt golf, and trivia. Our gracious hosts prepared an amazing dinner, followed by "fire pit" time, where we reminisced of times gone by. A wonderfully relaxing day!

Day 6, our last day in Scottsdale, was a full day. After coffee and light breakfast, we headed out to meet some more Iowa friends for lunch. After lunch, the guys spplit off from the women to check out some cars.... these are not your average cars. There's a strip of dealerships owned by Roger Penske. The Automall includes Volkswagon, Audi, Mercedes, Land Rover, Porsche, Lamborgini, and Bentley. In the middle of these dealerships is the Roger Penske Racing Museum. This museum is filled with cars which won races in all classes - NASCAR, Indy, stock cars, etc. The museum has memorabilia (trophies, photos, racing gear, etc.) from the Penske past. Its pretty cool, and worth the stop if you are in the Scottsdale area. Oh, and its free to visit museum, and wandering thru the various car dealerships admiring the cars of the "rich and famous"!

Our day wasn't finished. We headed to The Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse in Cave Creek for dinner. What we thought was just another good ol' western dinner turned out to be not only that, but VIP seats "over" a real bull riding ring! At 7:30, 8 different riders (including volunteers from the audience) would get their chance to ride a real bull! The arena was small, but had the clowns to attract the bulls, an announcer, and bleaches for those at the saloon to view the rides. Our VIP viewing spot not only include up close viewing, but also "all you can eat barbecue (brisket, ribs, smoked sausage, mashed potatoes, etc.), and a server taking drink orders at our convenience! Next to us was a group including a 30 something mom (and her 2-3 year old child) and then what appeared to be her parents. Guess who volunteered to ride the bull - the mom!! (She did fine.. maybe 2-3 seconds before she slipped off the bull). I think the bull had done this so many times, he just wasn't "into it" that night! It was a very fun evening (and great food)!

Our stay in Scottsdale came to an end. A truly wonderful time (and great to enjoy warm temps after a long, cold Iowa Winter). We headed home to pack. We'd be hitting the road at 6 to begin our hiking adventures in Utah!

Exploring Utah's National Parks - Days 7-10

Day 7 - We headed out at sunrise for St. George, UT. The drive would take approximately 6-1/2 hours. The route took us thru Las Vegas, so we had to at
least stop to stretch our legs... and lose a few $$ in the slots. We didn't head to the strip, but a really nice resort and casino in Henderson, NV called Green Valley Ranch -Resort, Spa and Casino.

After leaving our "donation", we headed up I-15 to St. George. St. George is a looks like a nice community. Population is about 87,000, and its economy is primarily driven by tourism, with its close proximity to several National Parks. An interesting tidbit about St. George - St. George received the brunt of the fallout of above-ground nuclear testing at the Yucca Flats/Nevada Test Site northwest of Las Vegas. Winds routinely carried the fallout of these tests directly through the St. George and southern Utah area.

We arrived about 2:30pm leaving us enough Snow Canyon is approximately 15 miles North of St. George. Based on the bike trail that runs along the hiway, this is a popular destination for bikers, runners, and hikers in the St. George area. Not knowing anything about Snow Canyon, we parked the car, put on our hiking shoes and took off.
time to "break in our hiking legs" at Snow Canyon State Park.

There were some beautiful sights along the trail. The trail was a good one for us, as it wasn't steep or rocky, but rather an undulating paved/packed dirt trail which runs for about 4.5 miles. We hiked about 2-1/2 miles out before turning around. It was a great hike - blue skies, temps in the 60's and beautiful scenery. But it was time for some nourishment.. and beer!

Our stop for the night was at 700 Degree Artisan Pizza. A couple beers and a delicious pizza, and we had successfully completed another day on our trip!
Miles Driven - 430 (6.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 5.3

Day 8 - Our 2nd National Park to visit was Bryce Canyon. We had a 2-1/2 hour drive from St. George, so our early starts worked well. Upon arrive at the Park, we showed our "Senior Park Pass" (which gets us in free to every National Park)
and hit the Visitors Center for information. We learned that a portion of a trail that we had planned to hike was now closed due to a retaining wall collapse. Plan B was set into action. We would hike the Queen's Garden Trail out and back. Its deceiving entering the park. All you see are evergreens and some open spaces. However, after parking the car and walking about 500 yards, you come upon an amazing sight! You are on the rim of a series of natural amphitheaters or bowls, carved into the edge of a high plateau... and a bunch of what they call "Hoo-doos". With the blue skies, the sight is incredible!

Our hike would take us down ~ 600 feet into the canyon, on trails which ranged from snow, to frozen dirt, and to mud (by the time we started back up). But it was all easily doable, and led us to amazing geological formations. Every corner you turned you saw something you wanted a photo of! Since we had cotten an early start, there were probably only 20 people on the trail going down. It was definitely much busier on the way out!

It took us about 2-1/2 hours to hike the 3.5 miles down and back trail. Once back at the rim, we walked the Rim Trail for about a mile before returning and heading to the car. From there we drove to Inspiration Point and Bryce Point and walked th short distances to the observation areas. I have included a ton more photos we took from these points as well as during the hike. Check out the link at the end of the blog.

Having a 2-1/2 hour drive to our hotel, we decided to hit the road. Our drive would take us on Utah Hiway 24, which travels along and thru a portion of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Park. The amazing views just didn't stop! Fortunately, there was little traffic on the winding 2 lane road thru the mountains.

We arrived at our hotel for the evening - The Capital Reef Resort, located 15 minutes from the Capital reef National Park Entrance. The Resort, which looks pretty high class on the web, was more like a well kept older motel, situated near the park but still out in the middle of the open spaces. The good part of that was we had a great view of Capital Reef from our room. The bad part of the location was there was very limited places for eating. So, with advice from the desk clerk, we headed for the small town of Torrey, UT and located The Red Cliff Restaurant (sorry, they don't have a working web site). Not much for atmosphere, but the food was good, the beer was cold, and they had a big selection of ice cream, which they didn't skimp on when serving!

Our 2nd National Park visit of the trip was in the books. Bryce Canyon is a must see. We hope to revisit it again, and check out some of the other hiking trails throughout the park.

Miles Driven - 250 (4.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 5.0

Day 9 - Capital Reef National Park (CRNP)was on tap for the day. Capital Reef National Park "...is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles...". Since we were so close to it, we decided to spend a day exploring it.

Our plan was to hike to two different arches, and then drive the Park's scenic drive, before heading on to Moab, UT, our next overnight stop. Our motel was only 15 minutes from the Park. So when we saw a sign "Panorama Point, Goosenecks" we decided to check it out. A short 1/4 mile on a dirt road, and we were at the parking area. Only one there other than one of those old conversion vans you saw back in the 70's. We heard sounds coming from it, be we just ignored it and headed up the trail. Both of us wondered if we'd get back to our car and find it broken into, but we hiked on (it was gone when we

returned to the car). It was a short hike before we came upon a cliff overlook of Sulphur Creek. Since we were there shortly after sunrise, the views were wonderful.

After about a mile hike, we hopped back into the car and headed to the CRNP Visitors Center to get the latest information on the Park. Our 1st hike was to the Cassidy Arch. The arch was named for turn of the century outlaw Butch Cassidy, who is thought to have hidden occasionally in Grand Wash.

When we arrived in the parking area, there was already a group of 6-8 hikers "gearing up". It looked like they were heading out

to do some rappelling somewhere in the area (we passed them later on the trail and they said they were heading to the "Cassidy Arch Armpit" to do their repelling). We headed out about 9am, and after a short walk down the canyon wash, we began our climb up the side of the canyon wall. The hike is approximately a 3 mile RT (out and back), with a 700ft elevation climb. Weather again was perfect. Clear skies, temps in the 50's and little wind. We were the only ones on the trail until we got close to the arch. Suddenly, there was a female hiker not far behind us, which we greeted at the arch. She had come up on a different trail, which joined our trail close to the arch. Get this, when asked where she was from, she said "Iowa". Hmmm... then we asked what city, and she said "Waterloo". Really?? The we ask where she went to high school, and she said
"Waterloo West, graduating in 2005", which was a year before one of our sons. Incredible! Out on a mountainside in Utah, and we run into someone from our hometown! She had served in the AirForce, and upon leaving, saw a job opening for a forest ranger in Utah, and applied. She had started the job a couple weeks earlier, and decied that on her weekends, she would go exploring. This weekend, she camped near the CRNP Visitors Center, and was just spending the day hiking trails in the park! I was so envious. Very neat that she was following her passions.

At the arch, you had a good view of the sight, as well as the surrounding canyon. But I had to see if I could get out on it. Sue wouldn't go any nearer. If you look closely in the picture, you can see me out on the arch. Actually, it was even hard to know you were on the arch when I was out there, until you walked close to the edge.

After about 15 minutes, we began heading back down the trail. By now, hikers were starting to fill the trail. In addition to passing the rappellers we saw
in the parking lot, we probably passed another 10-15 others heading to the arch. It was only about 10am! At the bottom, we once again ran into the woman from Waterloo, and she was gracious enough to take a photo of Sue and I after conquering the Cassidy Arch hike.

Since we were just off the "scenic drive" of CRNP, we decided to take a hiking break and do the scenic drive. The 16 mile (RT) drive drove along side the massive, sheer cliffs of Wingate Sandstone, and the rugged western escarpment of Capitol Reef.

Once we finished the scenic drive, we headed "Hickman Bridge". This trail was not nearly as difficult at the hike to Cassidy Arch. But knowing we'd already hiked 4 miles of some pretty good rock climbing, it was a perfect trail to be doing. This trail was alot busier. Many more families with younger kids exploring the surroundings.
back up to Utah Hiway 24, and made a quick stop to see the Fremont pictographs (painted on rock surfaces) and petroglyphs (carved or pecked into the rock) just past the Visitors Center. From there, we headed to our second hike of the day - the Hickman Bridge. This trail was only .7 miles (1.4 miles out and back), and not nearly as steep. Having already hiked 4 miles on some pretty rocky trails, this was a great afternoon hike. There was considerably more traffic on the trail, with alot more families and little ones exploring the surroundings. There's something about the degree of difficulty of the trail that increases the magnificence of the landmark. The Hickman Bridge was cool, our favorite was the Cassidy Arch due to the hike.

We made our way back down to the car, and began our 2-1/2 hour drive to our next overnite stay in Moab, UT. By now, after 3 days of hiking and 700 miles of driving from Scottsdale, settling into the car seats felt good. That, and the drive was mostly 4 line roads.. an easy drive. As we got closer to Moab, it was obvious that this area was a popular "off roading" destination, as you could see dust flying from motorcycles and 4 Wheeling/ATVs blasting thru the desert and over the surrounding hillsides. As we entered town, pickups pulling 4 wheelers were everywhere. Obviously, there was something going on. Either that, or the cabin fever was causing everyone to get out "in the dirt" for a beautiful weekend in March.

Sue found The Moab Brewery for our post hiking/driving nourishment. The beer, the onion rings and burger definitely hit the spot. One more day of hiking and exploring national parks to go!
Miles Driven - 160 (2.5 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 6.0

Day 10 - Our last day of exploring and hiking would be in Arches National Park. Arches is landscape of contrasting colors, land forms and textures unlike any other in the world with over 2,000 natural stone arches and hundreds of soaring pinnacles, massive fins and giant balanced rocks. After visiting Bryce Canyon and Capital Reef it was had to imagine the spectacular sights could still get better.

The main attraction, in many people's opinion (and is displayed on the Utah license plates) is Delicate Arch. So that was our first place to go. I think Sue thought I was crazy when I told her we were heading out at 6:30am, in the dark! Our drive into the park and to the Delicate Arch trailhead only took us 30 minutes. Surprisingly (or not surprising), there were 10 other vehicles already there, sitting in the dark. There were even people heading out on the trail to Delicate Arch with headlamps, guessing they wanted to be there at sunrise. Us smarter hikers waited until it was light enough to see the trail, and at 7:20am we headed out on the trail. The distance to the Arch is only 1-1/2 miles, but the majority of the trail is climbing up/down huge bare rock boulders. Temps were in the mid 40's, with a bit of a wind blowing. The morning was our 1st overcast day of the trip, so we assumed that we would not see the sun rise over Delicate Arch. However, as we approached the last climbing section to bowl

surrounding the Arch, the sun peered thru a small cloud opening, lighting up rocks around the Arch! We definitely hit it at the right time! Once in view, there were probably 20-30 others already there, jockeying for the best viewing location to take photos. There were a handful of crazies, who made the dangerous climb to the top of surrounding boulders for a better view. Being up on this open space, the wind was really howling. So Sue found a shelter spot while I wandered out for some photos. Unfortunately, the sun didn't hit the Arch, but rather the rock
behind it. No matter, it was still a neat sight! After about 15 minutes and photos from just about all angles, it was time to begin our decent, and to get Sue out of the wind!

By now, the stream of people hiking up to the Arch was constant. It was Sunday, and I suspect the good weather in March made this a prime attraction for those visiting Moab. By the time we mad it back to the trailhead parking, the main lot was 3/4's full! Time to stay ahead of the crowds and head to our next site - Landscape arch.

Landscape Arch "... is the largest arch on the planet, beating out Zion National Park’s Kolob Arch by a scant 3 feet. Pieces of Landscape Arch have broken off during the past few centuries, some chunks the size of automobiles...". It was a short drive to the Trailhead, and once again, a short 1 mile hike on a relatively flat crushed rock trial. You can't get much closer than about a 1/4 mile, but there's great viewing along the trail.

As we were viewing the arch, in the distance some rain could be seen falling, which prompted us to head back to the car and move on to our next sight (Editors note: we never got rained on!).

We made a brief stop at the Fiery Furnace Viewpoint. This area is hikeable, but only "ranger-led" hikes. As you can see from the image, it would be easy to get disoriented hiking amongst all the narrow cracks and ledges.

By now, it was mid day, and we had one more area to checkout before beginning the drive toward Waterloo - The Windows Section. "...The Windows Section is considered by some to be the beating heart of Arches National Park. The area contains a large concentration of arches and is one of the most scenic locations in the park. North Window, Turret Arch, and Double Arch are just a few of the awe-inspiring expanses you’ll find in just over two square miles. Other named features in this area include Garden of Eden, Elephant Butte, and Parade of Elephants..." Given our time constraints, we chose to take the trails that got us to Double Arch, the North and South Windows, and Turrent Arch. This was a relatively short hiking area, with all trails either paved, or of packed dirt. This was definitely the most popular area, based on the number of people there (there were cars waiting for a parking space), but provided access to multiple arches without a long hike.

the Windows Section.

With a 2 hour drive to Grand Junction, we made one last stop at the Aches National Park Visitors Center before hitting the hiway.

I can't speak for Sue, but I think we crammed as much hiking and sighseeing we could in 3-1/2 days, and I think we were beginning to wear down. Once we arrived Grand Junction, we made tracks for the Kannah Creek Brewing Company to relax and grab our daily beers and a small pizza. It really hit the spot!

Our adventures in Utah had finally come to an end. So glad we hit all the places we did. We will definitely plan a on return trip to Southern Utah again!
Miles Driven - 120 (2 Hours) ; Miles Hiked - 6.5

The Trip Home - Days 11-12

Our drive home would take us on I-70 thru the Rockies and Denver, CO, before hooking up with I-76 to I-80, and on to Kearney, NE for our last overnite. Of course, I would be remiss not mentioning our "dinner spot" in Kearney - Thunderhead Brewing Company, for a micro brew, and a stone oven pizza. Day 12 we took off by 6am, and pulled in to our driveway at approximately 12:30pm. You know that last day of vacation. You think about everything you need to catch up on. For us, we were ready to pick up our dog Chester, who had to bear 13 days in the kennel. I am sure he was ready to be home too!

We took a ton of photos, but I tried to weed out as many as I could to only give you a good sample of what we were able to enjoy. To view those photos, click on the links below.

2018 - Hiking Pictured Rocks Lakeshore and more North Country Trail

2018-08-18T07:05:00.001-07:00

Its August... time for another Summer vacation. Usually, its a bigger trip out West, but this year we opted to stay in the Midwest and do a "short one". Of course, my desire is to continue working on my bucket list goal - Hiking the entire North Country Trail across the Upper Peninsula (UP) of Michigan (~550 miles). But with my wife joining me, I thought it would be a great for her to experience the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore loop along Lake Superior. Then, since we are up in the Upper Peninsula, I could do a couple days of solo hiking on the NCT. My wife was up for it, so off we went!

Our plan was to leave on a Wednesday, and drive 8 hours to Manistique, Mi, where we'd spend the night. Thursday, we'd get up early, and drive approximately an hour North to hike the Pictured Rocks Lakeshore loop. After the hike we'd hop back in the car and travel 90 miles to Tahquamenom Falls State Park. Here, we'd visit the Falls, and grab some beer and lunch at the Tahquamenon Falls Brewery, before heading to Sault, Ste. Marie, MI for our overnite. Friday would be the first of my two days of hiking the NCT, starting where I last stopped on the trail, and doing 16 miles. My wife would pick me up and we'd head back to Sault Ste. Marie for dinner and "refreshments". Saturday, our last day in the UP, would be my second hike on the NCT (10 miles), before hopping in the car to start the return ride back to Iowa. We'd spend Saturday night in Appleton, WI, and finish up the trip on Sunday with a "short" 5 hour drive thru Wisconsin and back
into Waterloo.

Day 1 - "On the Road Again..."
5:30 am, with Kwik Star coffee and baked goods in hand, we hit the road. By 9 am we had passed thru Madison, WI, and by 11 am were were cruising thru Green Bay, WI. Vacation "officially started" when we hit the Michigan state line entering Menominee, MI. We pulled into our hotel in Manistique, MI around 3pm Eastern time. That left us plenty of time to stretch our legs, taking the boardwalk along the Lake Michigan shoreline to the Manistique Marina, which, coincidentally had the Mackinaw Trail Winery & Brewery Manistique On the Harbor. Even with several wines to sample, we opted to check out their beers instead, and grabbed a couple outdoor chairs to enjoy the sites around the harbor.

By now, the storm clouds were building. We began the 1-1/2 mile walk back to the hotel, and walked into the lobby as the sprinkles began to fall. We also noticed there was no power in the hotel! Seemed like a good time to hop in the car to find a local establishment for dinner. With the rain and sporadic hail pounding on our car, we took off to explore Downtown Manistique.

Now, if you have ever been thru Manistique, you'll know there's not alot to explore. But a local establishment - Marley's Bar & Grill, attracted our interest. With the rain letting up, we parked, and joined the locals at Marley's. As the reviews note, this is about as close to a "sports bar" you will find in Manistique. It also appears to be the place to be in the Winter for Detroit Red Wings hockey fans to gather and support their team.

Dinner was barbeque smoked brisket sandwich with fries, and an appetizer of "Mac & Cheese Wedges". We had to try the wedges, and we were glad we did... kinda like state fair type food, wedge shaped breaded mac & cheese.. it was surprisingly good!

Finishing dinner, we headed to the Kewadin Casino just east of town to test out what our gambling luck will be this trip. This small casino is tailor made for seniors. In fact there were several motor homes parked in the lot. We joined our fellow seniors for about a 1/2 hour. No luck working for us tonite. It was time to call it a day... we thought!

Upon arrival at the hotel, the power was STILL OUT! Talking to the desk clerk, they had no idea what was going on, especially with neighboring establishments having their power working. We made the call to see if another local hotel had available rooms. Finding one that did, we grabbed our stuff, got credit for the room, and checked out. Driving 1/2 mile to the new hotel, we arrived to a lobby full of people - the power JUST went out there too! At this point, we decided to check in anyway. Using our phone flashlights, we made it to the room, and opened curtains to provide a little extra light. 20 minutes later, the power popped on, and everything back to normal..

A typical 1st day of vacation. Alot of driving, and a few activities. Tomorrow begins the hiking and exploring.

Today's trip:
~500 miles (~8 hrs) of driving
~ 3 miles of hiking

Day 2 - Pictured Rocks and more....
The first day of serious hiking was about to begin. Based on my past experiences with long hikes and bike rides, starting the day with a nourishment makes a world of difference. Wanting to get an early start and beat the throngs of people who visit the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore daily, we checked out shortly after 6am, and headed for one of the few places in Manistique open at that time - Hardee's. Other than one senior who had already staked out his table, we were the only ones there. With the thunderstorms that passed through the day before, the morning started out with some pretty dense fog. So we decided to have our breakfast there, rather than on the road. Soon, 2-3 other senior men arrived and joined the other gentleman, and the stories and good natured ribbing between the guys in the group began. I can only imagine that this is how their days up in the UP begin, in the heat of the Summer, and the snowiest days of the Winter.

We finished up our breakfasts and hit the road. Still a bit foggy, we began our 45 mile drive north to the Chapel Basin Parking area. Upon arrival, we found two park ranger vehicles, a couple trailers, and a handful of teens. It appeared as though they were all there for a work day on the trails. Since it was ~7:30, you could tell most of the teens were still not quite awake, as little conversation was going on. So we geared up, planning on some wetness due to the thunderstorms the night before, and the low hanging fog. Out route for the day was to take the trail past Chapel Falls to Chapel Rock, head west along the Pictured Rocks Trail to Mosquito Beach, and grab the trail which lead back to the Chapel Basin Parking area. Total distance was approximately 10 miles. The temperature was in the mid 50's, so a perfect morning to hike (eg. little to no mosquitoes and no sweating).

The 1st 3+ miles were in tall timber areas, with a trail that was well established. A good trail to begin our day on. It was peacefully quiet thru this section, and allowed us to get re- accustomed to trail hiking.

As I experienced the 1st time I took this hike, you become used to the surroundings after 3 miles, when you begin hearing the sound of water lapping on the shore lines, and suddenly, there it is - Chapel Rock. Its such an amazing sight. This weathered pine tree perched on the top of a rock, which has been eroded for possibly centuries, leaving little for this tree to survive on. Fortunately, the Forest Service has cordoned off the area, to prevent visitors from attempting to climb across to the rock. To add to the sight, behind it was our 1st true glimpse of Lake Superior and the Pictured Rocks coastline, the next section of our hike.

A short distance past Chapel Rock we crossed the Chapel Creek, and came upon Chapel Beach - a popular destination for kayakers taking in Pictured Rocks from Lake Superior. From here you can get a great view of Chapel Rock and the erosion of the rock from not only the wind but the pounding of the waves from Lake Superior. (Editor's Note: Can you see my lovely companion starting to tire of me telling her where to stand for a photo, and we are only 4 miles in to the hike??).

From the beach we climbed back up to the shoreline trail and began heading for the cliffs. It was on this section we finally came upon some other hikers who were just gearing up at the Chapel Beach Campground. It took us approximately a mile of hiking before we got to cliffs, and the amazing views. In many spots, you could literally walk up to the edge of the cliff and view the shoreline and cliffs around you. Simply awe inspiring!!

Once we reached Grand Portal Point, we finally ran into some hikers coming from the other direction. Fortunately, we arrived at the walkout point early enough that we got to experience the view and cliffs alone... I can only imagine what that spot is like in the middle of January, with the winds howling, and the heavy snows falling.. Its truly an amazing wilderness location that still exists today.

The trail continued in the wooded area along the top of the cliffs, for approximately 4.5 miles. All along this trail were numerous spots to step out on the cliffs for views. It made the 4.5 mile hike pass quickly. At the Mosquito Beach Campground, we came to the trail leading back to the parking area. This approximately 2 mile long hike lead us back into the wooded section of the forest, and through some areas which appeared to have had some heavy tree damage sometime in the last few year. Fortunately, the trail was clear, and we worked our tiring legs back to the car. When we arrived back at the parking lot, the entire 20+ stall lot was filled. And as we drove out, there were cars parked along the road for upwards of a 1/2 mile! (It does pay to get an early start!!!) Our total hiking experience ended up to be 9.7 miles in 4-1/4 hours.

You've got to celebrate a great hike like this, so we headed to another UP tourist attraction - Tahquamenon Falls State Park, where the Taquamenon Falls Brewery and Pub resides! The drive was about 90 miles, but after walking for over 4 hours, no complaints from either of us to sit for the next 90 minutes. As we pulled in the entrance to pay, we found a line of about 10 cars ahead of us, and in the distance, a parking lot jammed packed. But hey, where there's a will there's a way. Sure enough, we found someone pulling out and grabbed the spot. Our 1st order of business was to let Sue experience "Upper Falls", walking the approximately half mile paved path to the Falls and the 94 steps down to the observation deck. There, we joined at least 50 others along the railing to see the almost 50 foot drop of the Tahquamenon River. OK, so a couple minutes viewing the Falls and jockeying around the tourists was enough.... time for a beer!

We walked back to the Brewery to find a packed house. With the sunny, humid day, I think everyone thought this was good good place to be! After about a twenty minute wait, we were seated and ordered our celebratory craft beers with a mid-afternoon snack.

By now it was 4pm... Time to make the 90 minute drive to Sault Ste. Marie, MI and our hotel - Kewadin Casino & Convention Center. Once in Sault Ste. Marie, I wanted to take Sue to

Rotary Park on the St. Marys River first. She's not a nut like me who likes to watch the Great Lakes freighters come and go thru the Soo Locks. But if you are, Rotary Park is the perfect place. The Park is on the water's edge, and any freighter heading to/from the Soo Locks passes this location. Some freighter watching enthusiasts us this location to film the freighters (some even using drones). So we grabbed a park bench along the shoreline (no, that's not us in the photo). We just missed a "down bound" freighter (you could see it about a mile down the river. I've included a photo taken from this area (not by me) just to give you the perspective of the view from Rotary Park.

OK, NOW its time for the hotel. We checked in and had to scope out the slots in the casino. Fortunately, this casino visit was a positive one, with Sue coming out "with a few extra $$".

Day 2 had come to an end. Let's see, a 10 mile hike along Pictured Rocks Lakeshore Trail, a visit to the Tahquamenon Falls (and their Brewery), some Great Lakes freighter viewing, and a bit of gambling. Not too bad a day!

Today's trip:

~215 miles (~4.5 hrs) of driving
~ 11 miles of hiking

Day 3 - My LONG Hike....

Day 3 was the next installment of my bucket list goal to hike across the Upper Peninsula on the North Country Trail (NCT). During our trip, I planned two days of solo hiking on the NCT. The first day (Day 3 of our trip) was a 16 mile hike, beginning at Hiway 123, and ending at Trout Lake Road, near Dick, MI. Prior to this hike, I have completed 30 miles of my 550 miles, beginning near the North end of the Mackinac Bridge. My previous "way" to hike, was to park my car at the ending location of my hike, ride my bike to the starting location of my hike, and then hike back to my car. I then would drive back to the starting location, and pick up my bike. This trip I am fortunate enough to have my own personal "Uber like service" - my wife Sue. So, for this trip, Sue would drive me to the starting point, and approximately 6 hours later, meet me at the end point. For me, not having to make a 20 mile bike ride on back roads BEFORE hiking was a huge mental boost. So I was psyched to tackle these 16 miles.

We started the morning with my obligatory McDonald's Sausage Egg McMuffin, OJ and coffee, followed by an hour drive to the drop off point. My previous hike to this starting point was thru several areas of wooded wetlands, so I assumed I would be battling mosquitoes. I dressed accordingly (long pants, long sleeved shirt, wide brimmed hat, and a mosquito net for my head in my backpack, just in case). The temperature was in the mid-50's to start, but was supposed to be in the low 70's by the time I was done. Sue dropped me off about 7:15 am and off I went. The Adrenalin was pumping, as 16 miles in an area I had never been left me a bit aprehensive. But once I got going, the enjoyment of being out in the wilderness settled in.

This area of the NCT didn't appear to have alot of foot traffic, as several sections of the trail were almost completely covered with vegetation. Fortunately, with the "blue" marks on trees along the trail, I knew I was heading the right way. There are very few places along this section where the NCT crosses roads. So once I began the hike, either I hiked the entire 16 miles to my waiting ride, or I had to turn around, and hope that I could connect with Sue via cell phone and tell here to drive to the drop off location. Fortunately, I was able send out texts along the way, to let her know how I was doing with my pace, so she knew when to head my way. (I should note that Sue, while I was hiking, headed down to the town of St. Ignace. There, she found a coffee shop, and a park along St. Ignace Harbor, to do some reading. Once the stores started to open she did some exploring for "bargains".)

This hike was on predominantly flat terrain, so my pace was what I had anticipated - approximately 4 miles every 90 minutes. As I progressed thru the route, the wetlands began to turn into of a more wooded surroundings (and ALOT of ferns!).

My route took me eastwardly around East Lake before turning North toward Trout Lake Road. There were times where the trail was hard to pick out, due to the surroundings. The photo to the left gives you an idea of what I was looking at... it was kinda a "Where's Waldo" experience, with me trying to locate the "blue patches" on the trail trees. The good volunteers of this section of the NCT had done a great job making sure there was always a "blue patch" within eye sight.

I remembered the day before, when we completed our 10 mile Pictured Rocks Lakeshore hike how my legs and back were starting to tire. Today, however, when I approached the 10 mile mark, I was feeling "good to go". By the time I hit the 12 mile point, however, that 10 lb. backpack was starting to feel more like 25 lb. So the pace began to low a bit. Time to reach for some nourishment I had packed - protein bars and Slim Jim's! I continued on and suddenly came upon some interesting rock formations. This "rock cliff" continued for approximately 1/2 mile before disappearing. I learned after my trip that this might be likely a portion of the "Niagara Escarpment". Who would have thought I'd find something like this in Michigan!

Fifteen miles completed - one to go... As I get close to the end, all those little aches begin remind me how far I have come. But I see an area I remember from Google Maps that is close to the pick-up point so my pace picks up a bit. For the better part of 26 miles (10 yesterday and almost 16 today), I've avoided the infamous "root monsters". You know, the tree roots that seem to jump up and catch the toe of your shoe and trip ya?? Well, word must have gotten out that I hadn't been caught yet. Sure enough, about 1/2 mile from the end, I worked my way around a pine tree that had fallen on the trail, and as I moved my foot forward in the tall grass, I tripped on one of the branches of the tree and perfectly executed a face plant! Geeze, really? After I picked myself up, and look around to make sure noone saw that act of grace, I got back to it, knowing a cold drink, and a place to sit were not far away. Soon a forest road appeared, with the "blue patch" on the tree next to it. Hmm.. this doesn't quite seem like I remember, but hey, its marked, so I trudge on. The road leads me out onto Trout Lake Rd., my final destination.... only I am about a 1/2 mile further down the road than my pickup point. So I begin the slow walk ANOTHER 1/2 mile up the road when I see the nose of Sue's car parked back into the edge of the woods. Just as I pull out my phone to text her, I see her start to pull out and go the OTHER way! A mean trick she is playing?? No, she didn't see me initially, but finally noticed this hobbling old guy coming down the asphalt and figured it had to be me. Finally, after 16-1/2 miles, and and 6-1/4 hours, I completed this day's hike.

You know, you never really appreciate the creature comforts we all enjoy until you experience a day like today. That car seat felt so good to finally sit down, and enjoy some nice air conditioning! It was about 1:30 pm, and I had my mind set on heading back to the hotel to get a nice COLD shower, find a place to grab some food, and celebrate another successful day of hiking. After the hour return drive to the hotel, and a shower, we headed back out again in search of The Antlers. Located on downtown's main drag in Sault Ste. Marie, this quaint restaurant serves Northern Cuisine, and had a rustic atmosphere with over 200 animal mounts everywhere in the restaurant. I immediately ordered a Yooper Ale (from Upper Hand Brewery). Man, did that taste good! We split a Turkey Pub Sub, and finished our late lunch off with a "Dessert Poutine". For those of you who have never had poutine, its generally fries covered with cheese and gravy (there are all sorts of variations of Poutine out there as well). Well, their "dessert" version was made carnival style fried batter shaped like fries, with chocolate drizzled over it. REALLY hit the spot!

After one final Yooper Ale, I slowly made it to my feet, and shuffled slowly back to the car. I announced, "I was done for the day", and we agreed to head back to the hotel, and try one more shot at the slot machines. Our luck wasn't as good as yesterday, but managed to walk out still in the black for this visit.

The "big hike" was in the books. Feeling good that I made it, but also feeling worn out, we headed back to the room. No blisters, no injuries, no ticks... about as good as I could have hoped for. One last hike for me on the NCT tomorrow. This one will only be 10 miles.... piece of cake!!

Today's trip:

~110 miles (~2 hrs) of driving
~ 16 miles of hiking

Day 4 - 10 More on the NCT....

Saturday morning... the last hiking day of this trip before beginning the long drive back to Iowa. Having just completed 16 miles yesterday, I expected to wake up with some sore muscles and a few aches. But the ol' body was feelin' good and ready to take on the North Country Trail one more time on this trip. Today's hike would only be 10 miles, since our plans had us driving back to Appleton, WI after completing the hike. Hey, after the long one yesterday, 10 miles should easy!

While looking at the weather forecast for today's temperatures, I noticed a line of thunderstorms pressing our way. No, I did not anticipate dealing with rain on my hikes. The weather forecast had mentioned spotty showers in the late afternoons, but I anticipated being done hiking by then. Oh well, what's a little rain! Given the forecast, I opted to skip breakfast this morning, and just eat a protein bar while driving to the drop-off point (yesterday's pick-up location). It was a beautiful morning, with temps in the upper 50's, and the sun just rising. But to the West, the flashes of lightening and rumbles of thunder raised the stakes on today's hike. But then a rainbow appeared - I took it as a positive sign that my hike would be fine. As we pulled up to the trail head, and I began digging out my backpack from the back of Sue's Mazda CX5, the sprinkles began to fall. I told Sue it was time to move so I could get into the cover of the forest, and hopefully minimize the wetness. Off I went! (Since today's hike was not as long, Sue returned to Sault Ste. Marie to hang out, finding a coffee shop, and then did some quick browsing of the stores in the downtown area).

Today I opted to dress a bit lighter, as the temperatures were expected to be warmer. So I had on a short sleeve shirt (and my can of Deep Woods Off bug spray), and a lighter pair of hiking pants. The 1st portion of the trail was in tall timber, and actually did help minimize the wetness from the rain.

After about a mile the trail broke out of the woods and began winding thru a more open area, but with plenty of vegetation 3-5 feet tall. Guess what, all that vegetation was wet from the rain, and within 2 minutes, my pants, shoes and socks were completely soaked. Knowing that the rain would end shortly and I would eventually dry out, I continued on. Sure enough, the rain stopped, and I finally made it into a more open area, that appeared to be a forest road likely for ATV's. This allowed me to "dry out" a bit. Even the sun attempted to break through and help speed up the drying. With this promising situation, may pace picked up and forged ahead.

The next objective was the Pine River Campground, approximately 2 miles from the end of today's hike. I had basically dried out (except the shoes and socks... those would take a couple days to dry!) when the trail led me back into another area like earlier this morning - wet vegetation. Yep, pants got soaked again. But at least I only had about 3 miles to go. The trail then worked its way back into the tall pine trees, where the ground vegetation thinned out. The adrenaline was beginning to pump , knowing I was getting close to the end. Soon, I could see a gravel road ahead, and the NCT sign indicating the Pine River Campground on Lone Pine Road.

The trail at this point began to parallel the river, which meant alot more up and down hiking. No worries, I was almost done. I was starting to feel the fatigue creeping in that always appears toward the end of a hike. But hey, 2 miles is only half what I walk every morning. So not a big concern.

The trail then crossed another gravel road. I was about 9.5 miles into today's hike, so I know I was getting close. I got out my fitness tracker app to see exactly where I was, but was unable to load the map due to poor cell reception. A NCT sign said the next major trail point was 7 miles. Hmmm.. Maybe my pickup point was just on a gravel road, not a camp area. So I forged on. "Not much further", I kept telling myself. The trail now was doing alot of "ups and downs" on some decent hills (or maybe I thought they were big hills because I was starting to wear out). I knew it couldn't be much further.... Ok, I was now at ~11 miles, and no sign of a road where I'd be picked up. Time to make a decision. Should I go to that 7 mile location, or backtrack to the last road I crossed (~1-1/4 miles). Since I had no cell reception, there was no way I could contact Sue to have her meet me at the 7 mile location. So, I opted to turn around, and head back to the gravel road. By now, I was really wearing out. That, and the uncertainty of where I was relative to my pick-up point made this last 1-1/4 miles alot of work. Finally, I turned the corner and saw a gravel road... and the nose of my wife's Mazda CX5! Yes! I made it!

Suffice to say, between my pants, shoes and socks still wet, and the extra 3 miles I walked, I was worn out. I crawled out of my back pack and wet clothes, and slipped on a t-shirt and shorts for the drive to Appleton, WI. I even had Sue help me tie my "dry" shoes... it was too much effort to do it myself.

I slipped into the passenger seat and let Sue drive, while I rehydrated and gulped down another protein bar. I could feel the life coming back to my body - partly due to the nourishment, and partly due to being in dry clothes, and knowing I was done hiking for this trip!

After about 30 miles, I was ready to assume the driver's seat, and finish the 230 miles to Appleton, WI. Arriving in Appleton, Sue had picked out the Stone Arch Brew Pub, where we could grab a good dinner, and celebrate another successful vacation getaway. Sue enjoyed a Blueberry Summer Ale with her Elk Pastrami Wrap, and I enjoyed TWO Honey Wheat Pale Ales with Mac ‘N’ Beer Cheese (Artisan four cheese beer sauce, bacon and andouille sausage). Now that's the way to wrap up the day!

We finally pulled into our hotel about 7pm. The last nite of our trip was upon us. For me, it didn't take long before I shut out the light and crashed. But that's a good thing! A full day with some good exercise, some excitement, some good food and drink, and most of all, another great adventure with my wife!

Today's trip:

~310 miles (~6 hrs) of driving
~ 13 miles of hiking

Day 5 - Home, Sweet Home..
The drive from Appleton, WI to Waterloo was only 300 miles (4.5 hours), so with our early start, we were back by 11:30 am. That gave Sue time to run to the boarding kennel and pick up our dog Chester. Nothing better than getting home after a great vacation, and to have your "little buddy" excited to see you (actually he was probably more excited to be out of the boarding kennel!).

Although the trip we took was not everyone's idea of fun, it was "our kind of trip". We got to explore new places, get in some hiking, check out the local establishments, and enjoy some time together. For this trip, it was almost 1,500 miles of driving. Total miles hiked - 43.

So where to next? New England. We've always wanted to drive the beautiful back roads and coastline of New England during the Fall, so we decided 2018 is the year to do it. Fortunately, the Iowa Hawkeyes Football schedule is perfect for us sneaking in the trip in early October and not miss any home games (season ticket holder since 1980). Planning is underway..... so stay tuned!!

2018 - Exploring the Great Southwest

2018-03-26T13:06:00.001-07:00

Having just finished up a wonderful snowshoeing adventure in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Northern Wisconsin, it was only fitting to plan a Winter trip to a "warm(er) weather" area of the United States. After our trip out to Yellowstone, Glacier and the Grand Teton National Parks a few years ago, a Winter trip to explore other National Parks in the Southwestern United States seemed like a great idea. In addition, with my wife soon to celebrate her 60th birthday, it was only fitting to plan a visit to Las Vegas for that event. And what would a trip to this area in February and March be without catching a Cactus League Major League Spring training game of the Chicago Cubs!

So with those goals in mind, a trip was planned to do some hiking in Zion National Park, a couple days in Vegas, a visit to the Grand Canyon, including an overnight stay at one of their lodges, and finally a trip to Mesa, AZ for the Cubs game (and warmer weather). Of course, by now, you now I'd rather drive and "see the USA in my Santa Fe.." than fly. Its a long way out and back (~3,800 miles round trip), so I offered my wife the option to fly out and back, with me picking her up at an airport of her choice, and avoiding the long drives from/to Iowa. But she declined that offer, and was ready to take on another cross country road trip!

Day 1 - A Winter Drive to Denver
With an early (5:00am) start from Waterloo, we headed west, with Golden, Co, our overnight stop. You never know what to expect weatherwise in February, especially driving west. Forecasts called for some light snow in the morning, followed by snow in the Denver area. Sure enough they nailed the forecast. Snow began to fall about an hour east of Omaha, and continued until Lincoln, NE. After that it was a great drive until we reached the outskirts of the Denver metro area. Then, the fluffy snow began to fall again, just about rush hour time. The good news was we were heading INTO Denver, so traffic wasn't quite as bad. We slowly (and safely) made it to our hotel, and found a great Mexican restaurant to unwind with happy hour margaritas and a huge plate of nachos.
Daily Summary:
~800 miles (12 hrs) of driving
~ 0 miles of hiking

Day 2 - Driving to St. George, UT

Another early start as we had another 650 miles to go before we reached our hotel for night 2. However, at the end of this day of driving we would truly be "on vacation", arriving at Zion National Park and the surrounding area. As you would expect, driving west out of Denver after a night of snow, the drive through the Rockies was a bit of a challenge. It was a clear, sunny morning, and the roads were not that bad. However, with the amount of traffic and two snow plows who ran side by side from the Dillon area to the Vail area, we were lucky to average 30mph.... by the time we hit Vail, I would estimate we had over a mile long line of cars and trucks in BOTH LANES. Good time to make a rest stop and take a brief look at Vail, as the ski lifts opened.

Leaving Vail, we were back to normal interstate driving. I should also note that the speed limit on ANY roadway in the state is 75mph. At this point we loaded an Audible book ("West Cork") on the stereo , sat back, and continued our journey. This was a pretty uneventful drive until about 3:30pm, when a warning popped up on the car display - "Warning: Fuel Low". That definitely caught our attention! We had been so engrossed in listening to the audiobook, we had traveled over 300 miles and only had "33 estimated miles remaining" before empty. Of course we happened to be on a back road hiway in Utah, with the next town 22 miles away, and we had no assurance that there was a gas station in that town! As I babied the gas, trying to get maximum miles per gallon, we ironically passed three Utah State Troopers, sitting on the side of the road. I figured at least, if we run out of gas, they were not too far to walk to! Finally, Panguitch, UT came into site, and I pulled in the 1st station I saw. By the time I was finished filling up, I had put in all but one gallon of the tank capacity. The photo at the right shows the gas pump and the remoteness of our location. Whew... dodged a bullet this time!

From here we were only about an hour away from the entrance to Zion National Park. Our route would take us on the Zion-Mount Carmel Hiway, which includes a mile and a half long tunnel within Zion National Park. Knowing we had been driving almost 10 hours, we decided to take a short hike near the tunnel entrance, called the Canyon Overlook Trail. Not a very long trail (~2 miles RT), but it provided us a chance to stretch our legs, and to give us our 1st glimpse of the beauty of Zion National Park.

After completing the hike, we hopped back in our car, drove the 1-1/2 mile long tunnel, and headed for commercial area near the South Entrance to Zion. Here, we dodged the road construction and settled in at the Zion Canyon Brewing Company or our 1st "vacation beer(s)" and a burger. The day was catching up with us, and we still had about a 30 minute drive to our hotel in St. George, UT. But we made it.... Day 2 was in the books.
Daily Summary:

~650 miles (11 hrs) of driving
~ 2 miles of hiking

Day 3 - Exploring Zion National Park

After two long days of driving, we were finally ready to spend time hiking and exploring, rather than driving! Today's agenda - Zion National Park. After the 30 mile drive back to Zion from our hotel, we entered the park and located a parking place near The Watchman hiking Trail. With it being early (~8:00 am), when we approached the Park Entrance, there wasn't a Park Ranger manning the toll booth. No worries, a few years ago, I had purchased the "unlimited" pass for Seniors, which would allow anyone in our car to visit for free. So we just passed on thru. Despite the clear skies and sun, it was still pretty chilly (~16 deg). So we opted to take the free shuttle and ride the 7 mile Floor of the Valley Road to the end and back. This allowed us not only to warm up, but also hear the shuttle driver explain the sights, and provide hiking tips for the Park.

After about 40 minutes, we hopped off the shuttle at the Zion Lodge, and began our 1st hike of the day to the Lower and Upper Emerald Pools. The sun was slowly beginning to shine on the Western side of the Zion Canyon, helping to provide a little warmth. The trail was not difficult, but had a continual climb for mile to the Middle Pools, and another 1/2 mile to the Upper pool. Much of the trail was paved, making for a good "starter hike" of the day. Our 1st adventure came when we entered the Behunin Slot Canyon and the 1st of the Emerald Pools. As we approached, the path traversed under a rock overhang, with a slight downhill. The water that had dripped off the rock overhang had placed a thick layer of ice not only the path, but also the metal safety railing. With careful steps, I made it down the slope... and ice. Standing there, was a park ranger who said, after watching my clumsy decent across the ice, "Maybe I need to turn around and go back the other way...". Of course Sue, standing at the top and watching my struggles, was now questioning this path. But she took it on, and made it with no problem. We forged ahead to the Upper Emerald Pool. A bit more difficulty in the climb but very manageable. With the dry Winter, the pools were not very big (and not very "emeraldy"), but seeing them set amongst the red rock walls, with the sun shining brightly, made it worth the hike.

We headed back down the other side of the Emerald Pools Loop, and made our way back to the Zion Lodge, where we caught the shuttle back to the Watchman Trail, and our second trail hike for the day.

The Watchman Trail begins next to the Zion National Park South Entrance Ranger Station. This trail is and "out and back" trail, a little over 2 miles in distance, with an elevation climb of ~500 ft. Starting out, the temps were in the lower 30's... but by the time we hit the top of the trail, our coats were stashed away. At the end of the trail is a fantastic overlook of the South Entrance area of Zion as well as a good look up the Zion Canyon and Virgin River. We spent only a short time at the overlook, as an individual began giving a lecture on "his life, and the battles he as overcome..." He had a good audience with him, but that's not what we came for....

Upon reaching the bottom of the trail, and knowing our time in this portion of Zion was coming to an end, we stopped to celebrate a great morning of hiking with a couple cold ones and pretzel sticks at the Zion Canyon Brewing Company.

For the afternoon, we opted for a drive up the Western Boundary (Kolob Terrace Road) and to high country of Zion National Park, viewing closeup some of the mountains and peaks around the Kolob Reservoir. This is the least traveled of the main roads through Zion National Park, and provides an easy way to quickly reach the wilderness and escape the crowds in the more well known areas. It offers great views of distant cliffs and valleys, hiking trails to high overlooks along narrow canyons, and varied landscapes reflecting the wide elevation range of 3,550 to 7,890 feet. The road provided great 360° views of the whole park.

As we climber higher, snow began to fill the landscape, and vehicles with snow machine trailers were parked just off the road. We then reached a sign indicating the road was not "maintained in the Winter". Hmm, do we continue? Of course!.... for about 1/2 mile. After almost running out of gas on our trip to Zion, getting stuck in the snow on a road with little to no traffic didn't seem like a smart plan. So we got turned around (without getting stuck) and began the drive back down to the town of Virgin, and began our drive back to our hotel in St. George. The 1st REAL day of hiking was in the books. We thoroughly enjoyed exploring Zion National Park, and like our previous National Park visits, we agreed there was plenty more to explore here, and would need to put Zion on a future trip out West.
Daily Summary:
~150 miles (4 hrs) of driving
~ 7 miles of hiking

Day 4 - On the Road to Vegas
Day 4 had us back on the road to our next destination - Las Vegas. Only a 2 hour drive via Interstate 15. However, we opted to do a little more exploring along the way. After a 40 minute drive to Mesquite, NV, it was time to find a local place for a hearty breakfast. With a little bit of "Googling", we found Peggy Sue's, an original roadside diner. It was decorated as you would imagine one of the old time diners, and sure enough, had a waitress who dressed (and talked) the part. After stuffing ourselves with eggs, hash browns, bacon and at least two cups of coffee, we decided to take a leisurely drive down the main drag of Mesquite, and of course, couldn't resist stopping at the 1st casino inside the Nevada border - Casablanca Resort-Casino-Golf-Spa. Good news... we walked out up a couple dollars!

From Mesquite, we headed to Valley of the Fire State Park, Nevada's 1st state park. Just South of Glendale, Valley of the Fire State Park , visitors can travel the Valley of the Fire Hiway, and can view the amazing red outcroppings within the park. There are several hiking trails and a Visitors Center, for those wanting to learn more about this park. During this drive we also learned about "Dispersed Camping", which allows anyone to camp for up to 14 days on public land. We noticed pickups with trailers parked in the middle of nowhere (but with a great view).. we later learned this was someone taking advantage of Dispersed Camping regulations...

Ok, by now, we could hear Las Vegas calling us. After all, this was the day BEFORE Sue's birthday, and my promise to be in Vegas to celebrate. A 30 mile drive back to I-15, another 30 minutes on I-15, and we had arrived. It was approximately noon, so we decided to head to Downtown Las Vegas, and grab a tour at the Neon Museum. Located a few blocks from Fremont Street, this attraction has become a resting place for many of the old, no longer used neon signs which had adorned many of the original Las Vegas hotels and casinos. Due to the popularity of this attraction we had to wait about 90 minutes for our tour. So we walked over to Fremont Street to check it out. It had been several years since we had visited Downtown. Fremont Street was still busy, but it definitely seems to have lost some of its luster. A couple buildings had been torn down, and some of the "street actors" were less than desirable. So, after a quick walk down Fremont, and a swing thru the Golden Nugget, we decided to head back for our museum tour.

The Neon Museum tour lasted approximately 60 minutes. A guide led 10-12 people thru the back lot of signs, stopping at different areas to share the history behind several of them. Interesting Fact: The City of Las Vegas still requires signs have 75% neon on Las Vegas Blvd., to preserve the road's historic past. HOWEVER, the part of Las Vegas Blvd. with all the modern casinos and resorts is NOT part of the City of Las Vegas, but part of Paradise, NV. So, most of the casinos and businesses have transitioned to LED signage in lieu of expensive and high maintenance neon.

By now it was after 3pm, and time to head to the Paris on the Strip and check in. Oh, did I mention how congested I-15 is from downtown to the Strip??? We made it, avoiding any accidents. After parking in the ramp (and me having to make 2 trips back to the car from the registration area to get my phone and reading glasses) we got our room... ahh... finally time to "enjoy Vegas". Our 1st goal was to celebrate our arrival, and that was done at the lounge on the Paris casino floor. Our next goal was to scope out a nearby pizza place (our "usual" on Sunday's). Sure enough, next door to the Paris at Bally's was Giordano's. Good pizza, some more beer, and a GREAT "people watching table".

Sun was setting, but we needed to head out on the Strip to check out a few Resorts, and of course, the Bellagio, for their Chinese New Year (Year of the Dog) decorations in Conservatory and Botanical
Garden. No pictures this trip... too many people viewing the display. It just wouldn't do it justice. We managed to hit a few slots while wandering thru the casino, and finally decided to call it a day. Tomorrow, my young bride joins the rest of of "seniors", with her 60th Birthday!
Daily Summary:
~135 miles (3 hrs) of driving
~ 3 miles of hiking

Day 5 - Vegas: The big "6-0"
As promised, we are in Vegas for Sue's 60th birthday. Being the morning person I am, while going to get coffee, I found Cafe Belle Madeleine just off the casino floor in the Paris. With a bag of assorted pastries and two large coffees, it was time to kickoff Sue's birthday with "pastries in bed". Then, after some catchin' up on emails, news, and trip postings, Sue was ready to "hit the spa". That meant it was time for me to do some wandering on the Strip. This was the 1st day of our trip that we anticipated temperatures above 50 degrees. Of course, at 9am (and on the "shaded" side of the strip), temps were only in the mid-30's. So my wandering (after another cup of coffee) was mostly thru the adjacent casinos. We've learned over the years, if you really want to see the casinos, and enjoy some peaceful slot playing, its best to be "morning people".

After a couple hours, Sue, feeling all refreshed, was ready to take on the Strip. Our plan for the day was "to wander".... It had been about 5 years since our last visit, so we were anxious to see what was new. The rules were a) stop and play some slots "whenever we felt like it", b) make sure we didn't get thirsty, and c) allow time for shopping. The Resorts on our agenda included Flamingo, The LinQ, Caesars, Mirage, Treasure Island, Wynn, The Palazzo, The Venetian, and back thru Bally's. By now, the temps were warming up, and it was a beautiful sunny day.

As always, people watching was prime. Surprisingly, the homeless normally sitting on the crosswalk bridges were sparse (or maybe it was too early in the day). After wandering the casino floor in Caesars, we headed for the Forum Shops.... Being close to noon, it was time for some refreshments and a small snack. We headed to Trevi, and their "outdoor" patio (adjacent to the 'Fountain of the Gods' at a three-way intersection of The Forum Shops). A perfect location for some more people watching.

After a relaxing mini-lunch, it was time for a little shopping. Of course, just right across from Trevi, was Tiffany and Co. Not my normal shopping destination, but hey, it was Sue's birthday. While Sue wandered the store, I too wandered, and made some observations. First, you had to be in your 20's-30's to work there, and dress in black suits, with short, well trimmed hair (and beard). Next, one salesman positioned theirself close to every customer at all times. Finally, if you are the low person on the totem pole, you got "door duty" - opening the door and greeting everyone as they entered/exited. By now, Sue was working with a salesperson, completing a sale. Oh Boy! Next thing you know we are walking past the "door person, who thanked us for our purchase, and shopping at Tiffanys. I could tell by the smile the birthday girl was happy! Time to move on.

While in the Mirage, and Treasure Island, I took the opportunity to try and "spec out" a new vehicle for the "new senior" in our family. I wanted for her to test drive one on the Strip, but I had to settle for her sitting in one outside an eatery in the casino (note the look of "should we really be doing this with someone's scooter???" on Sue's face). By the time we hit Treasure Island, I voted for another refreshment break in the casino lounge, and to plan our next stop. Oh, and we hit a few more slots as we worked our way to the exit.

Crossing over the Strip we started our way back, with visits to the Wynn, The Palazzo, The Venetian, and Bally's. By now it was mid-afternoon, and the crowds were building. Our wandering was more for interesting slot machines to play (and always people watching). Good news is, by the time we made it back to the Paris, both of us were ahead in our slot winnings.. not by much, but still ahead.

Us "oldies" decided it was time to find a place for dinner, and opted for Burger Brasserie, located in the corridor between Bally's and the Paris. "The Burger Brasserie offers a French interpretation of a classic American staple—the hamburger—in a lively sports bar environment" - perfect for us. We topped the dinner off with "adult milkshakes", and headed out for one last round of slot play.

By now the casino was hoppin', in fact so hoppin', that finding a couple open slot machines together was a challenge. We were successful, and after coming out ahead again, we decided it was getting late for the Birthday Girl, so it was time to call it a day.

All in all a good day to kick off Sue's Senior Years!
Daily Summary:
~ 0 miles (0 hrs) of driving
~ 4 miles of walking

Day 6 - The Grand Canyon

After our fun in Vegas, it was time to get back on the road and head east approximately 280 miles to the Grand Canyon. We got an early start so we had time to do some good hiking before sunset. The weather cooperated perfectly, with clear blue skies and little wind. Even arriving at Grand Canyon Village around 11am (on Feb. 27th), the parking lots by the rim were full. But we found a spot, put on our hiking gear and began our descent down Bright Angel Trail. We wanted to experience what it was like to descend into the canyon, and then hike back out. All advice says don't try hiking to the campground at the bottom (~9.5 miles) and back out in the same day. So our plan was to hike a couple miles down, and then

back. The trail's location on the south rim meant most of the trail was in the shade, and thus the trail would be snow/ice covered for most of our hike. The views were spectacular, and even more special seeing them within the canyon walls. Surprisingly, we came upon a handful of hikers climbing out of the canyon at this time of day. We learned all were hikers who had hiked down the previous day, and camped at the Bright Angel campground overnight. There was alot of "huffing and puffing" by those climbing the trail. Here we were wearing our winter coats, and most of those climbing were in lightweight long sleeve shirts.

Once my tracker hit 2 miles, we agreed to start back. Sure enough, after about 3/4 of mile, our winter coats came off, and "our" huffing and puffing was underway. Each time we turned on a switchback, we could see the trail waaay down below us. Its hard to imagine making that trek, but its peaked my interest... for a future visit.

We made it back to the top, with no problem. This was a good time to check into our room at the El Tovar Hotel, located literally feet from the edge of the South Rim. Still feeling energized, we decided we'd hike the Trail of Time, a 1.3 mile trail exhibit that follows the existing paved rim trail on the South Rim of Grand Canyon between Yavapai Observation Station and Grand Canyon Village. The trail is marked by brass markers every meter, representing one million years of time. Viewing tubes and other interpretive materials help visitors connect the rocks visible in Grand Canyon to the samples along the geologic timeline. Really cool! After about a mile, the wind was picking up, and we were starting to feel the effects of our 5 miles of hiking, and decided to head back to find a restaurant for a late afternoon meal. We found The Harvey House Cafe, located in the (Bright Angel Lodge). Boy, did siting down in that padded booth feel good after being on our feet for 4+ hours of hiking and walking the Grand Canyon Village!

Finishing dinner, and being about sunset, we hopped in the car to take Hermit Road to the west, along the Canyon Rim, and enjoy the sunset. By now the temps were dropping, and the wind was blowing. So we limited our time outside the car to a couple turnouts overlooking the the Canyon, and then a stop at Hermits Rest (~ 8 miles out). (NOTE: Between March 1st and Nov. 30th, Hermit Road is only accessible by shuttle buses). The clouds and an impending snow storm were starting to move in so we decided it was time to head back Hermit Road the lodge, and check out the rustic lobby. At almost the same time, two tour buses unloaded, and immediately filled the lobby with bunches of people. At that point, we decided to check out the gift shop, and make a hasty retreat to our room for the night. Our string of great days continues!

Daily Summary:
~ 210 miles (4 hrs) of driving
~ 6 miles of hiking

Day 7 - Headin' to Warmer Climates

Our plan for Day 7 was to check out the eastern rim of the Grand Canyon at sunrise, and then begin our trek south toward Mesa, AZ. A snow storm had passed south of the Grand Canyon overnite, so not knowing what to expect on our drive, we made a quick trip along the eastern Canyon Rim Road and checked out the view as the sun was rising. Its just amazing to see the natural beauty of this place. There's never a bad view! We hopped back in the car and headed south, with our itinerary including a hike to Devil's Bridge (just North of Sedona), and a drive on to Mesa, AZ. When we left the Grand Canyon, the sky was clear and the sun was out... 20 miles south of the Grand Canyon, the sky was overcast, the ground was covered with snow, and light snow was falling.

Our route would take us on I-40, thru Flagstaff, and then south on I-17 (and Hiway 89A), to Sedona, AZ. Once on I-40, we realized the magnitude of overnight snowfall. The reports were 5-6 inches, and by the looks of the interstate and the surroundings, it was at least that! After a wet and messy 90 mile drive, we pulled into Sedona, and stopped to fill up with gas. Everyone talks about the beauty of the area around Sedona. Well, with the low clouds and snow falling, all we could see were the trees along the road on the way into town.

Given what we had driven through, we weren't optimistic that we'd be able to make it to our hiking trailhead, let alone be able to see the actual trail! But we decided to head out and make a decision once we got there. Surprisingly, after the 7 mile drive north of Sedona, the snow had stopped and looked as if this area hadn't received as much. Yes! Our planned hike was still on!

Devil's Bridge is a fun tour that is short but mighty. It provides a great view of the Sedona red rocks from the top of Devil's Bridge. It also provides the thrill seekers some excitement with the fact that the bridge is only five feet wide but spans 45 feet long over a deep drop. The hike itself is approximately 4.5 miles round trip from the parking area (those with ATVs can get closer, and only have 3 miles RT). The majority of the trail is across fairly overgrown rolling terrain. The last 1/4-1/2 mile is where the fun begins, climbing approximately 300 feet up to the Bridge. Had this been a nice dry day, the climb would have been a piece of cake. However, with the snow that had fallen, and the mud and ice that covered several rocky areas, the challenge on this hike was just getting up the rocks to Devil's Bridge. As we approached the area, we found a handful of others either climbing like us, or coming down from the Bridge. We passed one woman who told us to "go ahead... she wasn't going to do it". By now, I think Sue was a bit worried about what I had gotten her into. But we kept climbing. Soon we could see some people standing on some rocks. As we got closer, we realized that was Devil's Bridge. Time to check it out! Once we reached the opening, the entire countryside was open to view, and with the snow that had fallen, provided us with some spectacular panoramic views of the Sedona area. I

should note, we really didn't enjoy those views until AFTER we climbed out on the Bridge, and climbed back off! This photo of Sue standing out in the middle of the Bridge gives you a bit of perspective of being "on the Bridge".

We began our hike back. By now, the snow was beginning to disappear, and was essentially gone by the time we reached the car. Having just conquered another great hike, it was time to seek out a refreshment stop in Sedona before we headed for warmer climates in Mesa. Our choice was the Oak Creek Brewing Co., located just off Hiway 89A. After a great beer and some nachos, time to head south for Mesa.

Our drive to Mesa was approximately 140 miles, which included a short stop to visit friends in Scottsdale, and dinner at Big Earls Greasy Eats in Cave Creek, AZ. We arrived at our hotel on the edge of Tempa, AZ around 7pm. It had been a long, but good day. Now we were looking forward to the next day - relaxing at a Chicago Cubs Spring Training Game!
Daily Summary:
~ 260 miles (5 hrs) of driving
~ 4 miles of hiking

Day 8 - "Go Cubs Go..."

Finally, we can enjoy some decent temperatures! Our agenda today is to take it easy, and enjoy a Chicago Cubs Spring Training game in Mesa, AZ. The game time weather forecast was sunny with the high around 70. We were up and going early, as usual. 1st order of business - coffee and something sweet. Not far down the road was Coyote Coffee Cafe, with a table out front... in the sun - Perfect!

Knowing the gates to Sloan Park (Home of Chicago Cubs Spring Training) didn't open until 11, we decided we'd head over to the stadium about 10am, get a parking spot, and hang out around batting practice. Man, it was so nice and comfortable out, and we were able to catch many of the Cubs taking batting practice at their smaller practice field. Once the gates opened, we headed in, and took a leisurely walk around the stadium checking out all the amenities (1st used by the Cubs in 2014). it had been probably 20 years since I last saw a Cubs game (at their old Spring Training site - HoHoKam Field), and probably 25-30 years since Sue had been to a game (at Wrigley Field). We found our seats, and settled in with, what else, a couple overpriced 16 oz. beers! A warm sun shining on us, sitting at a Cubs Spring Training game with my "senior partner", and a cold beer. Hard to beat that! The game was enjoyable, but not thrilling - ended in a 2-2 tie.

We took a leisurely walk back to the car, or so we thought. Suddenly, when we started looking for the car, we couldn't see it. We realized the direction we had been walking took us the wrong way. (I know, some of you are thinking "Rick isn't very good on remembering where he leaves things like bikes, cars, etc."). With a little thought, we figured out we weren't that far from it. Besides, it gave the other 12,000 plus fans time to thin out the lot.

It was almost 4pm, so we scoped out a pizza place on the Arizona State University Campus in Tempe - Oregano's Pizza Bistro. Afterwards, we took a leisurely drive thru the campus, before heading back to our hotel.
Daily Summary:
~ 25 miles (1 hrs) of driving
~ 2 miles of walking

Day 9 - The Last Hurrah..
The vacation is quickly coming to an end. One last day to explore and hike, and then its time to point the car back toward Iowa. Our game plan this morning is to find some coffee and donuts, then drive to the Lost Dutchman State Park for some hiking around the Superstition Mountains. Then, head North to the Roosevelt Resevoir, and Tonto National Monument, before driving back east to Gallup, New Mexico for our overnight stay.

As we headed down the road leaving Tempe, we came across Hurts Donuts. Well known in Iowa, it surprised us to see one here. So we had to stop. Coffee in hand (and some huge donuts) we headed East for approximately 30 miles to the Lost Dutchman State Park. The trails we chose (Treasure Loop Trail and Jacob's Crosscut) would take us across and up desert landscape to the base of Superstition Mountain, before looping back down to our parking area. What looked like a leisurely hike in the desert with some great mountain views turned out to be a hearty uphill climb for the first mile and a half, before a comfortable downhill return. It was around 9am, and it was already warming up - a tad different from our previous hikes in Zion, the Grand Canyon, and

Sedona. But it felt great. The only unexpected event on the hike was Sue receiving a "video call" from one of our friends while out on the trail. It was nice call, and from what they could see, they had actually hiked the same trail on a previous trip to AZ. After the call was over, I told Sue I thought that was strange to get a call from them, particularly while we were on vacation, and hiking. After a little thought, we both think Sue accidentally "butt dialed" this friend while putting her phone back in her pocket after taking a photo. No folks, you can't make this stuff up!

Finishing the hike we hopped back in the car and began the scenic drive up to Roosevelt Reservoir, an approximately 40 mile drive. Some beautiful views of the Superstition Mountains as we headed northeast. As we rounded the corner about 15 miles in, we see the sign "pavement ends". Swell... ok, hopefully its only for a few miles. Nope, the next 25 miles was all on a dirt/gravel road, with several "washboard" sections to add to the fun. Those of you who know me, know I take great pride in a well maintained (and clean) vehicle. Needless to say, the next 60 minutes was the most UNenjoyable part of our trip, despite some beautiful scenery. The pavement returned just before Roosevelt Dam, and on the other side was the Roosevelt Lake Bridge, built in 1990, at a cost of $21.3 million, and is the longest two-lane, single-span, steel-arch bridge in North America, spanning 1,080 ft.

Our final exploration of the trip, just down the road from the Roosevelt Lake Dam and Bridge was the Tonto National Monument - home to two Salado-style cliff dwellings. It was a steep 1/2 mile walk from the Visitors Center to the lower cliff dwelling (the upper cliff dwelling can be viewed during a 3-4 hour guided tour). Along the trail there were some great views of the countryside, and Roosevelt Reservoir. Only a portion of the cliff dwelling remains, but it gave glimpse into what it must have been like to live in this valley, using the mountainside for protection, and seeking out food and water.

Once we wrapped up our visit to Tonto National Monument, it was time to point the car toward home. A 240 mile drive to Gallup, MN for our 1st overnight of the drive back. Our day ended with dinner at Applebee's (not alot of restaurant selections to choose from). Two more days to go before our journey is over.
Daily Summary:

~ 320 miles (8 hrs) of driving
~ 5 miles of hiking

Day 10 - The Wide Open Spaces
Our next to last day found us driving from Gallup, NM to Dodge City, KS, with the first 300 miles on I-40, then cutting cross country on mostly on two lane back roads to Dodge City. Personally, its kinda neat in this part of the country, to hop off the Interstates and see the what life on the Plains is like.

We passed thru Albuquerque, NM early enough to see several hot air balloons floating over the northwest portion of the city. Just west of Amarillo, TX we exited I-40 and headed northeast on Hiway 54, which took us thru portions of New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, and then Kansas. Speed limits in the open spaces ranged from 70-75 mph on these two lanes. I suspect that with these speed limits, and the diagonal shortcut, that was the reason that the road was filled with semis going both directions. In one instance, I passed 4 semis at one time, on one open stretch (thank goodness for that turbo on my engine). The one downside on roads like this is that towns are quite a distance part. Then, when you get to a town, all that you are likely to find is a grain elevator, a handful of houses and buildings, and MAYBE a gas station. All in the span of approximately a mile. Then, back at it on the open road. We followed this routine for almost 300 miles. And it finally got the best of me.

Midway thru the panhandle of Oklahoma, we came upon the town of Hooker. Like with the several previous small towns we had passed thru, the speed limit went from 70 (or 75) to 45. Then, in the next quarter mile down to 35 while you drove the town (~ 1/2-1 mile), then back up to 70 (or 75). Well, Hooker understands that those driving this road for 300 miles may "cheat" on the speed limit going thru town. Sure enough, as I was accelerating as we left the town, I noticed flashing red and blue lights on the vehicle rapidly approaching. I pulled over to let them go by.... nope, they were after me. The nice officer indicated I was going more than 10 mph over the 35 mph speed limit. But he was going to "give me a break and only write it for 9 mph over, giving me "a good deal", only having to pay $125 vs. the $250 fine... AND this would not show up on my insurance or my driving record, AND I could pay online! After all that, how could I be mad with such a deal - NOT! I was very tempted to ask if I could take his picture for my travel blog, but my better judgement prevailed!

Tucking my wallet back in my pocket, we finished up the last 100 miles to Dodge City, for our overnight stay. We found a nice casino in Dodge City (Boot Hill Casino and Resort) and decided to see if we could win enough to pay for the speeding ticket (no such luck). We headed to The Bad Habit Sports Bar and Grill on the main drag of Dodge City for our final vacation dinner. Not a bad place... learned that the reason it was so crowded was Tanya Tucker was in concert that night. "Who woulda thunk"!

The next to last day of our trip had come to an end. The final drive to Waterloo tomorrow.

Daily Summary:
~ 600 miles (10 hrs) of driving
~ 0 miles of hiking
1 speeding ticket

Day 11 - Home, Sweet Home

The final day of our adventure to the great Southwest was coming to an end. The drive from Dodge City, KS to Waterloo, IA was approximately 650 miles. Not much to say about this part of the trip, other than we had good weather (and no speeding tickets). We pulled back in the driveway around 4pm Sunday. It was hard to fathom what all we did the last 11 days. But both of us agreed that this is the type of vacation getaway we enjoy. With so many more places to see (and hike) out West, I suspect there will be at least one more of these in our future. Heck, we aren't getting any younger. Time for me to get on Google Maps and start planning for the next adventure!
Daily Summary:
~ 650 miles (10 hrs) of driving
~ 0 miles of hiking

Trip Summary:
~3800 miles (68 hrs) of driving
~ 33 miles of hiking

(Editors's Note: If you are interested in viewing other photos from the trip. click here).

2018 - Snowshoeing Up North - The Western UP and Bayfield Ice Caves Trail

2018-02-05T08:53:00.000-08:00

The itch for some snowshoeing had begun. With little or no snow here in Northeast Iowa, it was time to pack up my Santa Fe Sport and head for the snow - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northern Wisconsin.

The itinerary for this trip included snowshoeing hikes in Porcupine Mountains State Park, around the Copper Peak Ski Flying Hill, and land trail to the Ice Caves located on the Bayfield Peninsula. Of course, no trip to the UP would be complete without a visit to the Keweenaw Peninsula, and the bazillion inches of snow they received every year!

Day 1 - Off to the North!
The usual early start from snowless Waterloo, IA began at ~5:30am, traveling East thru Dubuque, IA and Madison, WI, then heading North on I-39, the superhiway to the Upper Midwest's winter adventures. As is usually the case on Sundays in the Winter, the further North you get the more SUVs, pickups and cars you see heading South, pulling huge trailers loaded with snow machines. It wasn't until near Wausau, WI did snow begin to appear on the ground. Approximately 6 hours after pulling out of the driveway, I pulled into Minocqua, WI, a main hub for outdoor Winter activities. There was an abundance of snow in the area, and several fishing huts sprinkled on Minocqua Lake. However, my drive for the day still had another 200+ miles to go.

I hit the Upper Peninsula about an hour later, passing through Watersmeet, MI (Home of the Nimrods). The snow depth was definitely building the further North I drove. It was about here the snow began falling (and would continue falling lightly for the rest of the day's driving). Another 30 minutes, and the sight of the Portage Canal Lift Bridge in Houghton, MI came into view. Man, there was alot of snow!

The next portion of the drive is always fun during the Winter. As you follow Hiway 41 North, you get to enjoy the heritage of the Keweenaw Peninsula - Copper Country. The historic mining buildings that still stand, and communities constructed back in the late 1800's and early 1900's are amazing to see. Then, throw in about 200 inches of snow so far this Winter, and you have a fun drive! Oh, and did I mention it was still lightly snowing?

My destination, before returning to Houghton for an overnight stay, was Copper Harbor. Located at the top of the Keweenaw Peninsula, this town in the Winter is an oasis for snow mobilers. Only a few businesses are open, as tourists (like me) and vacationers are pretty sparse. But the beauty of all the snow, and Lake Superior make it worth the drive.

No trip along Hiway 41 is ever complete without stopping and checking out the Keweenaw Snow Depth thermometer. It gives you a wonderful perspective on the depth of snow in this area, as well as the record snowfall of the past.

My day ended in downtown Houghton at the Quality Inn.
Today's trip:
~600 miles (12 hrs) of driving
~ 0 miles of snowshoeing.

A long day behind the wheel, but now I am in the heart of some great wilderness areas for snowshoeing the next few days!

Day 2 - The Porkies

Last Winter, I drove over to the Porcupine Mountains State Park to see what it was all about. Unfortunately, due to a Winter Weather Advisory in effect that day, I opted to only view the Park from a distance. This year, I had it planned to snowshoe a portion of the eastern side of the

Park, up and around the Porcupine Mountain Alpine Ski Area, and then back to my vehicle. Not knowing how far I could go on snowshoes (4 miles was my farthest journey since purchasing them), planned a 5-6 mile route, and hoped for good conditions. The route followed one of the several cross country skiing trails in the park. That was a good choice, as the Park trail grooming machines had already been out and had nicely groomed the trails. On the trail, my snowshoes only sank in maybe 1-2 inches. Off the trail, each step dropped 4-6 inches. Guess who stayed on the groomed trail?!?

The woods the trail passed through were picturesque and VERY quiet. After about a mile, the chill I was feeling starting out had long since disappeared. The workout was warming me up just right. After a couple miles, the trail made the turn for the ascent up the mountain side toward the top of the Alpine Ski area... OK, now I was getting downright warm! Off came the neck gator and the gloves, as I continued on. The 1st major sight was the "East Vista". Although overcast, there was sill a great view of Lake

Superior and the forests toward Ontonagon, MI. Shortly after this view was a log cabin warming hut,

complete with an outdoor outhouse (no need to visit either)! Another half mile, and the Alpine Ski Area came into view. I made it! Or so I thought. I followed the edge of one of the groomed downhill ski trails and started what I thought was the last hill I had to climb before reaching the summit, and the top of the ski lift. Twenty minutes later (and 3-4 stops to catch my breath), I FINALLY reached the summit! As you can see from the photo, it was overcast, and lightly snowing. I suspect that was the reason there were only a few people on the slopes. That, and the Park location is miles from any major city, and it being Monday.

Now, 4 miles into my hike, all I had left was a "leisurely" snowshoe walk down the hill. Ha! I had forgotten how steep those hills are, and what its like to go downhill.. on snow... and snowshoes! Once I got down past the steep upper portion, the walk continued on some great wooded trails, perfect for someone who was starting to feel the 2+ hours of exercise I had completed.

I reached the bottom of the Ski Area, and traversed across, back to my car. My hike was 5-1/2 miles, in 2-1/2 hours. It was a great feeling knowing I had completed this length of a hike, and in an area I had only seen on Google Maps! I loaded my equipment back into my Santa Fe Sport, and began the 1 hour drive to Ironwood, MI, my overnight destination.

Today's trip:
~130 miles (2.5 hrs) of driving
~ 5.5 miles of snowshoeing.

With my "snowshoe legs" now under me, I am looking forward to Day 3, and my exploration of the Copper Peak Ski area.

Day 3 - Copper Peak

This past Summer, my wife and I, and one of our sons visited Copper Peak - Home to the only ski flying hill outside of Europe. During the warm months, Copper Peak is available to view and climb, using a working ski lift, and an elevator that takes visitors to near the top of the jump (those daring enough can walk the remaining six stories to the top). This ski flying hill built in 1970, has not been used in Winter for ski flying since the mid 1990's. Currently, there is a non-profit organization working to turn the jump into a Summer destination, which will allow competitions on the jump, using artificial surfaces rather than snow. Additionally, the surrounding area is growing to include additional mountain biking and hike trails.

After our Summer visit to the top of Copper Peak, I decided that snowshoeing up to the jump, using the mountain biking trails would be a good Winter hike. Wanting to get an early start, and hoping possibly to get some morning sunrise photos of Copper Peak, I headed out about 7:30am. Only a 20 minute drive, I arrived in time to see the sun rise on a clear blue sky day. Temps were chilly (-5 deg), but feeling the Sun made a huge difference. As with the previous day, I planned the major hill climbing for the 1st part of the hike, knowing I'd be full of energy, and the workout would
help warm me up. Today's hike was different from the previous day, as there was no "groomed" trail. So, with the exception of a few ruts from snow machines that had been on the trail since the last snowfall, it was me versus the deep snow. As it turned out, it appeared that of the 20+ inches on the ground, the 1st 14 inches fell, then it warmed up, creating a hardened crust on top of it. Then, and additional 6 inches must have fallen in the last 3-5 days. So my snowshoes only went down 3-4 inches with each step. MUCH easier than 20 inches!

The access road was approximately a mile to the top of the hill and ski jump. As with the previous day, by the time I reached the top, the neck gator and gloves were tucked away.... I must have looked like an old steam engine as I "puffed" my way up the hill... but once at the top, the view, with the clear blue skies, was magnificent! I have included a short panoramic video from the top of the hill (at the base of the jump). Looking at that ski jump, and looking at the landing area hundreds of feet below, I cannot fathom how anyone could ski fly. But being here in the crisp air of Winter, gave me a new found respect for athletes of the Winter Olympic games.

I began my descent on the same path as I came up, only heading to the opposite side of the hill, following one of the multiple mountain bike trails available. Like Porcupine Mountains, State Park, the forest was blanketed in several inches of snow, with the swish of my snowshoes being literally the only sounds I could hear. After about a mile, I reached another access road, which led to the ski jump landing zone at the bottom of the hill. From here, I could look back up at the jump, and see the magnitude of the drop. I can guarantee you ski flying is NOT on my bucket list!

I continued on the bike trail, heading for the Black River, just north of the landing zone. Unlike the path down from Copper Peak, the trail was now much narrower, using switchbacks to traverse down the steep hillside to the river. This area had not seen use for a couple weeks, as the snow had all but covered up the trail rut. Once at the bottom, the trail followed the shoreline of the river for approximately a 1/2 mile. I had hoped to see the small falls shown on the map, but the ice and snow had all but covered it over.

It was time to make the climb back out of the river valley, and traversing the trail back to the ski chalet. From there, a 1/2 mile walk on the west entrance road, and I was back at my Santa Fe.
Another amazing experience snowshoeing... different scenery, different terrain, and different weather.... but same exhilarating feeling.

My overnight location was Ashland, WI, approximately 50 miles West. But with the beautiful blue skies, I decided to take back roads, and check out the sights along the shores of Lake Superior.

I came upon Little Girls Point County Park, on the shore of Lake Superior. Not a big park, but looked like a great Summer spot to enjoy the Lake, and hang out with the family. It also appears to be very popular with the deer population in the area based on hoof prints, and droppings along the beachfront. I also spotted several more deer in the yards of houses/cottages along the Lake. You gotta love being out in the wilderness!

Day 3 came to an end. Two for two on great snowshoe adventures this trip. Tomorrow, the last snowshoe hike of the trip, would be the land trail to the Bayfield Ice Caves on Lake Superior.

Today's trip:
~ 75 miles (2 hrs) of driving
~ 4.3 miles of snowshoeing.

Day 4 - Ice Caves

The last snowshoeing adventure of this trip was to explore the the Bayfield Ice Caves along the shores of Lake Superior. Located on the northwestern portion of the Bayfield Peninsula, the Bayfield Ice Caves are a wildly popular Winter tourist spot... when there is ice on Lake Superior. Access to the Caves, when the Lake Superior shoreline has adequate ice thickness, is by walking approximately 2 miles on the lake, to the Caves. This year, however, periods of warm temperatures have not allowed safe ice to form, preventing lake access. The alternative is to follow the hiking trail from the Meyers Beach parking area. This trail leads to the top of the rock bluffs which form the ice caves. Obviously, this is NOT a popular attraction when the ice is not formed, as there were no other cars in the Meyers Beach parking lot.

Despite some light snowfall overnight, the morning began with clear blue skies. The weather front that had gone through, however, plummeted temperatures, and kicked up a strong winds, gusting as strong as 45 mph. The inland trail and the protections from the trees was looking better and better.
I had read that the trail surface usually is pretty well packed down, so I opted to do this hike with my boots with strap on grabbers and ski poles - no snowshoes. Off I went.

The trail had approximately 3-5 inches of hard packed snow on it. The initial 3/4 of a mile of the trail had a boardwalk. Not sure why, but trying to walk on a mound of packed snow on top of a wooden walkway had its own unique challenges. The trail also had alot of "ups and downs", having to traverse several creeks which dropped down to drain into Lake Superior.

After approximately 1-1/2 miles, the trail worked its way toward the shoreline, and sights of Lake Superior became visible. The howl of the wind also became louder. Finally, with a couple bends in the trail the 1st cliff edge was in front of me. I "inched" my way toward the edge, hoping to get a better view... Its amazing what 30+ mph winds blowing on you while slipping on glazed snow does to your fears. I had a death grip on any tree that was close by! Despite the shadows cast by the cliffs, the sights were awfully cool.

The path along the cliffs continued on for another 1-1/2 miles, with multiple spots to view the different coves (I have included all the photos in the link at the end of this post). I've included a short video clip of the view, and the crazy winds I witnessed looking over one of the coves.

Once past the main cliff and caves, I continued on the trail. Approximately 3 miles further down the trail, there is a camp area. I thought about trying to make it there, but turned around after 3 miles, deciding a 6 mile hike versus 10 miles would suffice. The walk back was into the wind, making the "cold factor" ratchet up a bit... My pace definitely quickened! Arriving at the parking lot, I also made the short walk down to the Meyers Beach shoreline. There was considerable ice along the shore, but it didn't look too stable. My choice to take the inland trail was definitely the right choice.

The final "snow hike" was now in the books! It was time to begin heading back South, with one more overnight in Minocqua, WI. The drive would take approximately 3 hours (140 miles), and included a quick stop at my North Woods standby casino in Lac du Flambeau (Good news - I broke even!). A short 30 minute drive to Minocqua, a car wash and a fillup, and the day of exploring was completed.

Today's trip:

~ 170 miles (3.5 hrs) of driving
~ 6.0 miles of snowshoeing.

Day 5 - Going Home

As with all trips, after the sightseeing is done, you're ready to get home. Per my usual schedule, I was up and ready to hit the road at 5:30am Thursday morning, after having to almost "break in" to my car (doors all frozen due to car wash the day before and -15 degree morning temperature), and then grabbing coffee and donuts. The drive was in darkness until Wausau, WI, where rush hour (Wausau style) was well underway. With sun rise, and another bright clear morning, I watched the the snow slowly disappear from the landscape as I traveled south. By Madison, the snow was all gone. Vacation was over!

For those who "hate" the cold and snow of Midwest Winters, you owe it to yourself to experience the beauty and the exhilaration being out in it... at least once!

(For those of you interested in other photos I took during my travels click here).

2017 - Biking and Hiking Driftless Wisconson

2017-08-08T08:17:00.001-07:00

Driftless Wisconsin.... what the heck is that?? The Driftless Area (or Paleozoic Plateau) is a region in the American Midwest noted mainly for its deeply carved river valleys. While primarily in southwestern Wisconsin, it includes areas of southeastern Minnesota, northeastern Iowa and extreme northwestern Illinois. Ok, so what does that have to do with biking and hiking?

Day One - Biking the Driftless Area

It has been decades since the last time I rode the Sparta to Elroy Bike Trail, in SW Wisconsin. This seemed like a good time to ride it again. In 1965 Wisconsin pioneered one of the most successful and unique recreational endeavors ever attempted. Just one year after the last train used the railroad line from Sparta to Elroy, the old Conservation Department purchased the right-of-way for $12,000 and began the development of Wisconsin's the nations first railroad trail. From this simple beginning, the Elroy-Sparta State Park Trail has grown into a nationally famous bikeway whose annual visitor attendance averages over 60,000 patrons a year.

Having the itch to go riding, I planned a two day trip to SW Wisconsin, planning to ride the complete trail (32 miles) from one end to the other, and back the 1st day, and then, depending on how I felt, ride one of the other trails connected to the Sparta to Elroy Trail - "The 400" or "The LaCrosse River Trail". Or, if the ol' legs are telling me no more riding, I'll check out a couple of Wisconsin's State Parks for some hiking along the Mississippi River.

The drive from Waterloo, IA to Sparta was about three hours. With my early start (left home at 5:00am), I was at the Sparta Depot by 8:30 (had to stop at McDonalds for a energy boost - Sausage Egg McMuffin with orange juice). After purchasing my daily trail pass ($5), I unloaded and assembled my bike, and loaded up the back pack.

A storm front had passed thru the night before, so the weather was a bit unsettled. Temperatures in the mid-fifties, spotty rain sprinkles, and gusty NW winds (15-25 mph). Hah, I planned this right -riding from Sparta to Elroy(NW to SE). So off I went, with the wind at my back. This trail features three train tunnels, with the longest being 3/4 of a mile long. I couldn't recall how far a ride it was to the 1st tunnel, so the anticipation provided motivation to "pedal hard".

At approximately four miles, I could feel the grade continually increase, signalling the climb to the 1st tunnel. It was approximately nine miles when I rounded a curve to see the entrance to the 1st tunnel. The trail requires bikers to walk their bikes thru the tunnels due to the darkness, and typically wet conditions. As I approached the entrance, the ground became wet and muddy. Water was readily flowing from the tunnel. Assuming it was just because it was the entrance, and once I got into the tunnel the water would be confined to the side channels, I continued into the tunnel.... After stepping across rocks to avoid the water, I finally came to the realization that the 2-3 inches of water continued on well into the tunnel. Knowing I would have another 53 miles to go, I decided that walking in the water, and completely soaking my shoes and soaks was not a good plan. Time to look for an alternate route around the tunnel.

I headed back down the rail to a road crossing, and began the steep, winding climb up the hiway. After about a 1/2 mile, and the top of the hill nowhere in sight, it was time to go to alternate #2 - head back to Sparta, drive to Elroy and tackle the trail from the opposite end.

Remember that wind I had at my back?? Yep.. the easy 7 mile ride became a bit harder. Along the way, I passed probably 8-10 riders heading toward the tunnel. I wander what their "alternate plan" was!

The car ride to Elroy took approximately an hour. Unloading my bike at the Elroy Train Depot, I took off. Yes, the wind was STILL gusting from the NW, and so the easy ride out of Elroy was not as easy. The trail passed thru mostly open landscape for the 1st 6 miles, passing by Glendale and thru Kendall. The towns along the trail have done a great job to provide resting spots, restrooms, and even sights to checkout while grabbing something to eat/drink. Of course, I soldiered on, wanting to complete my goal to ride the entire trail and back.

After passing thru Kendall, the trail incline increased as the landscape transitioned back to the wooded hillside. It was 4 miles from Kendall when the 3rd tunnel of the trail came into sight. My legs were welcoming the "walk your bike thru the tunnel" rule. The only signs of water in the tunnel was along the channels on either side of the roadbed. Ahh.... much better! After digging the flashlight out of my backpack, I headed into the 1/4 mile long darkness. It was like the cartoons you remember when you were little. Complete darkness, with this small dot of light in the distance. As you walked in the cool, dark dampness, you could hear the water dripping from the walls and ceiling... eerie but really neat!

Exiting from the opposite end, I hopped on my bike, and headed off for the next leg of the ride. I knew it was downhill ("what goes up, must come down"), so I made great time... rather than the 9-10 MPH up to the tunnel, the speedometer was flashing 15-16 MPH. The downhill continued to the next town - Wilton. Located 16 miles from Elroy, and the mid-point of the Trail, I knew next (middle) tunnel couldn't be far. Sure enough, the grade of the trail increased, and continued for the next 2-1/2 miles. By now, between the wind and increased grade, the legs were beginning to "feel it". Finally, at 18 miles, the middle tunnel of the trail appeared. Like the previous tunnel, it felt good to stretch the legs (and butt) while walking thru the tunnel. On the opposite side, it was time for a nutrition break, grabbing a protein bar and a couple Slim Jims out of my backpack.

Dilemma time... Do I continue on for the remaining 4 miles to where I turned around at the 1st tunnel, successfully riding the complete trail, before turning around and heading back to Elroy (22 miles, for a total of 64 miles)? Or, do I turn around now, and ride the 18 miles back (endind up with 56 miles)? My legs voted to head back..... I remembered the hard areas and the "downhill" areas from the ride out. And, wind at my back... well, what was left of the wind.

As you can see from the image, the pace returning was not nearly that as the ride out. 3 hours and 53 minutes after departing Elroy, and approximately 7 hours after arriving in Sparta, I concluded my Sparta to Elroy Bike Trail adventure. My only regret was not being able to pass thru the 1st tunnel. But knowing the work it took to complete the rest of the ride, it was MUCH better doing it with dry socks.. and shoes!

Day 2 - Hiking the Driftless Area

After the 56 miles of bike riding Friday, my legs and butt said it was time to hike. So Thursday night was spent checking out Google Maps for some hiking trails in SW Wisconsin. The 1st hike would be in the Hixon State Forest. Once again, the benefits of getting up early stood out, when I stopped at Grandad Bluff Lookout. Fog was hanging over the Mississippi River and LaCrosse. As I left the Bluff, a doe stood munching on grass at the Park entrance.

From here, it was on to the Hixon Forest hiking trails, near the National Weather Service Radar Dome. The area was all set up for what appeared to be mountain biking trail races. Fortunately, there was only one other car in the parking lot, so I headed out on the trails to get my hike in before the bikers arrived. The trails, while traversing along the side of the bluffs, were easy and enjoyable. However, when I left the marked mountain biking trail section, the trails began the downward hike. What was once a wide trail, now had transformed into an exercise in rock and root climbing. Of course, the downhill was easy. Now, the uphill.... well, like I said earlier, "what goes up (down) must come down (up)".. Suffice to say, at the end of my 2.9 mile hike, my shirt was nice and damp! Hey, its not a good workout without a little sweat, right?

Once I packed up and pulled out of the parking lot, I was seriously ready to "call it a day", and begin the ride back to Waterloo. However, on the drive to Prairie du Chien, after some nourishment, I decided to head to Wyalusing State Park, South of Prairie du Chien, and do a little trail exploration.

Upon arriving, I wandered thru the camping area, FULL of travel trailers, tents and alot of people. From there, I opted to take trails which traversed along the side of the bluffs overlooking the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers. The 1st trails, Old Wagon Road Trail & Bluff Trail, gave great views of the Wisconsin River. The trail ended at Signal Point, Treasure Cave, and Point Lookout.

From here, I joined the Sentinel Ridge Trail, which ran along the bluff side overlooking the Mississippi River. This had some great views of the River and of Prairie du Chien, as well as some sites of the Passenger Pigeon Monument and the Bear Effigy Mounds in the shape of conical and linear mounds appeared. It is unclear as to what there purpose may have been. Mound Builders constructed mounds in the shape of animals. The one way 1.8 mile trail generally follows the top of the bluff, with a steep 1/2 mile downhill to the boat landing on the Mississippi River. I was done with the hill climbing, so at the top of the downhill, it was time to head back.

At the car, it was time to change shirts. What started out as a 58 deg morning was now in the low 70's. A shirt change was required after this last 4 mile hike.

What trip to Prairie du Chien would be complete with out a stop at Cabella's. As with most visits, this trip ended up only the purchase of and $8 "Cabella's" baseball cap.

One more stop before turning West to Waterloo - Diamond Joe Casino. What a great way to end the trip.... up $10!

These biking/hiking adventures are so refreshing for the mind, and of course, great for my physical wellness. Yes, the stamina and determination to go to the extremes ( the extra 8 miles on the bike ride, and taking on the steep 1/2 mile hill on the end of the Sentinel Ridge Trail) have waned a bit, but I always feel better for taking these trips.

This Fall will be the continuation of my newest goal - complete the 550 mile North Country Trail across the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Hopefully, my health and well being will stay strong, as it will take "a few years" to complete!

2016 - Cedar Valley Nature Trail: Waterloo to Cedar Rapids, Iowa

2017-04-17T09:51:00.001-07:00

2016 - Cedar Valley Nature Trail Bike Ride - Waterloo to Cedar Rapids, IA

Its been years, possibly even decades, since my 1st bike ride to Cedar Rapids on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail (CVNT). Having only been open for a year or two, a portion of the Trail was routed on gravel roads (and the associated "hills"), making the ride a bit of a challenge.

Having added a "few years" to this ol' body, it was time to take on the challenge again. This time, not only would the ride follow the complete CVNT route, but would also include the Cedar River Trail thru the Cedar Rapids metro area, and city streets to the historic Newbo area. A 64 mile journey from our house to the parking lot of the Newbo Alehouse - the site of my celebratory meal (and of course, refreshments).

Planning

Given that this ride could last over 8 hours, I needed to plan accordingly.

Weather - On my 1st CVNT ride, I experienced a thunderstorm and heavy rain, mid afternoon, with the only protection from the elements being the closest trees. This trip, having some flexibility to determine the day I wanted to ride (a benefit of being retired), it was going to be a day with no rain and little/no winds, or at least winds blowing "with me".

Nourishment - Having been on a 40+ mile bike ride in Northern Wisconsin a few years ago without any food or water, and paying for it with about 10 miles to go, made me make sure I had plenty of protein bars and water for this trip. Additionally, knowing I would be in the Cedar Rapids Metro area after about 58 miles, I coul always hit up a local store for additional food & drink.

Maps and Technology - My 1st ride was done with a "State of Iowa" road map. This trip, guidance questions would be answered using my cell phone, and Google Maps. And to be sure the phone battery would last, I threw in a spare power pack. Of course, on a trip like this, you also need to have a camera to capture the experience. In the past, I would have depended on my Canon SLR. This trip I would utilize my phone camera, eliminating the extra weight.

Emergencies, SAG Wagon & Ride Home - Of course, I also needed to plan on the "what ifs" - a mechanical breakdown, an emergency along the route, or I can't make it the entire route. This trip I carried the necessary tools to work on my bike (wrenches, air pump, tire replacing tools) in my back pack. In the event of not being able to make it the entire route, my "SAG Wagon" would be my dear wife Sue. Once again, having a cell phone (not in existance on the 1st ride) provided me the safety to deal with just about any unknown I might experience on the ride. Assuming I would be successful in making it to the final destination, we planned on Sue heading to CR, arriving sometime around 3pm, and joining me at The Newbo Alehouse.

The Ride: From Waterloo to La Porte City

I picked the perfect day to ride (June 16th, 2016). A front had blown thru the night before, leaving the morning with clear blue skies, and a slight breeze out of the Northwest. I was pumped! So I got an early start, leaving our driveway at ~7:30 am. After a short ride to Downtown Waterloo, I hopped on one of the trails in Waterloo along the Cedar River, and biked to Evansdale, connecting up with the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. (Editors Note: Along the ride, I noticed work being done on the dike along the Cedar River in Evansdale, which will make a seamless bike trail from Waterloo to the CVNT).

With a short ride thru the residential streets of Evansdale, passing Meyers Lake, and cutting under I-380, I joined the CVNT at the Evandale Bridge trailhead. The trail, from this point to the the Southern edge of LaPorte City, is paved, and very easy riding. With the Gilberville Depot approximately halfway to LaPorte City, this portion is a great ride for families with children.

The trail for the most part is lined with trees and brush, but with several open views of the surrounding countryside, including creeks, homesteads and farm fields.

The Gilbertville Depot (~ 5miles from Evansdale Bridge) is a great spot to stop for a break, or even use as a destination for a picnic with the family. The facility provides restrooms, water, and great shade on the hot days.

As the CVNT heads South from the Depot, I was greeted with a "road closed - use detour" sign. I had heard of a bridge on the CVNT being damaged from flooding in the Spring of 2016, but wasn't sure of its location. The "detour" was approximately 9 miles of back roads to LaPorte City (and several hills, I might add). So I opted to continue on the CVNT as far as I could, figuring I could cut over to old Hiway 218 and follow that into LaPorte City. This section of the trail seemed to be more dense with trees, providing a wind break, and some relief from the sun. Of course, that also means a great environment for gnats and some mosquitoes, which, during the early morning, seemed to be in abundance.

Approximately 4 miles from LaPorte City, I decided to detour out to old Hiway 218, and ride the shoulder into town. Turns out, the damaged bridge is right on the northern edge of LaPorte City. So I likely could have ridden further on the trail before detouring. I intersected with the Trail near the 8th Street and Sycamore Street intersection (just across from the softball diamonds).
- Total time (Waterloo to LaPorte City) - 2hrs
- Total Distance - 20 miles

The Ride: From La Porte City to Brandon

The next major sight was McFarlane Park, and the rebuilt bridge over the Cedar River. Along the CVNT was a really well maintained park area to stop and take a break. Just past the new bridge over the Cedar, the trail switches from asphalt to the compacted limestone. It was still easy to ride on, but tended to slow down the average pace a bit.

From the bridge, the trail follows along the Cedar River, passing Buzzard's Glory Quarry, and some abandoned silos (used during the railway era), before entering Brandon, IA - home to "Iowa's Largest Frying Pan." This section of the CVNT is not heavily used. The trail path is narrower, and the bush growth is much closer to the trail. But the sights of the Cedar River, the old Quarry (where outdoor concerts were played in the past), and the abandoned silos are well worth the ride.

The ride from LaPorte City to Brandon was approximately 10 miles, and took 1 hour and 20 minutes - a slower pace due the change in the trail, and of course a a couple more stops "to explore".

I decided to take a break in Brandon, to rest my legs (and butt), and to partake in a couple protein bars, hoping to help give the "ol' body" some added energy.
- Total time (Waterloo to Brandon) - 3hrs-5min
- Total Distance - 30 miles

The Ride: From Brandon to Urbana

By now, it was approximately 11am, and I was thinking I am half way there. So off I went, vaguely remembering the ride from Brandon to Urbana that I did years ago... In this section, the relatively flat grade I had been riding for the 1st 30 miles transitioned to more grade changes. The trail began to open up more, with the corn fields of Iowa clearly visible. This section of trail has a short "detour", which leaves the original rail bed, and runs approximately a 1/4 mile out into a field, and then back, evidently to avoid crossing a landowners property. Being more out in the open now, I could see the "Urbana" water tower in the distance. At this point in my adventure, my thoughts began to turn to "where's my next stop for a short rest...". Sure enough, Urbana had a nice little green space along the trail that worked perfect for a water break!

- Total time (Waterloo to Urbana) - 4hrs
- Total Distance - 40 miles

The Ride: From Urbana to Center Point

This section I remember well, as shortly after Urbana, the trail passes under I-380, and returns to a generally level grade into Center Point. But there's a great downhill section to the Interstate! But as luck would have it, and knowing it was almost noon, the light wind that I had at my back for most of the morning, was now becoming a headwind, and a bit gusty.... that, and the fact that my legs and rear end were starting to "feel" the 4 hours and 40 miles on the saddle. The landscape now was pretty much that of following a power line right of way, with woods and fields on the sides. My memory also recalled Center Point having a refurbished Depot as well. (I should note, that the Depot has converted a portion of the structure to be open, with picnic tables inside, but a couple walls open to the outside - nice!)

At this point, I was ready to stop for my 2nd major break. I grabbed a picnic table in the shade, and took another "protein bar and water" break. It was definitely time.... the trip from Urbana was only ~ 5miles, but it took me almost an hour to complete!

- Total time (Waterloo to Center Point) - 5hrs
- Total Distance - 45 miles

The Ride: From Center Point to Hiawatha

By now, my rear was really dreading sitting on the seat, and my thighs were definitely beginning to burn. But I knew, the asphalt portion of the CVNT would begin again, and the end of the trail should only be about 5-6 miles away. As I headed South from Center Point, and reconnected with the asphalt, I started seeing substantially more riders on the trail. Most were riding North, and appeared to be "riding hard", like they were trying to get in a power ride. I even passed a couple groups of riders with music booming from a speaker attached to their bike (So much for the peaceful ride thru the countryside!). The surroundings began to transition from rural sights to those of an approaching community. The trail now began to cross more hiways and streets, and of course more vehicle traffic. While I was ready to make it to Cedar Rapids, I was already missing the peacefulness of the country ride.

- Total time (Waterloo to Hiawatha) - 6hrs
- Total Distance - 60 miles

The Ride: From Hiawatha to Newbo Alehouse

Having made it the entire Cedar Valley Nature Trail, I was now in unknown territory, travelling through the city of Cedar Rapids to the Newbo Alehouse, in the Czech Village. (NOTE: at the time of this writing, the Newbo Alehouse is now permanently closed). So I took off heading for Downtown Cedar Rapids... I thought.... After making a couple wrong turns (and adding a couple extra miles to my trip), I finally found the the Cedar River Trail, which travels thru the Downtown area of the City, following the East side I-380 to J. Avenue, cutting West and following the shoreline of Cedar Lake, crossing under I-380 again, and following the railroad tracks through Downtown Cedar Rapids.

The Newbo City Market came into sight, and I new was was close. A couple blocks of city roads, and I made it the Newbo Alehouse! I removed the front wheel from my bike for transport back to Waterloo, and then plopped down on the ground under a tree to relieve my aching butt and legs. Shortly after that, my "SAG Wagon" (AKA my Santa Fe Sport driven by my wife) pulled in the parking lot. YES! After a quick refreshing in the restroom with wet wipes and a clean shirt, the only thing left to do was celebrate with a meal and some BEER!

- Total time (Waterloo to Newbo Alehouse, Cedar Rapids) - 7hrs & 15 minutes
- Total Distance - 69 miles

The Ride: Summary

The ride was a wonderful adventure. While I knew what to expect on most of the ride, the ride thru Cedar Rapids was a new experience, and well worth riding the extra 9 miles. I learned that the ride is "very doable", and a "must do" for those looking for a bit more of a challenge than a long ride on country roads. I also learned that the ride will wear you out if you don't take some breaks, bring nourishment, and ride it at a comfortable pace. I probably pushed the pace a bit too fast this trip, and "felt it" in the end, with tired legs and a rear end which didn't want to get on the bike seat again! But not knowing what the end of the ride would take to complete, I wanted to make sure I got there with time to spare.

Bottom Line: Do It!!

If you are interest in viewing all the photos taken during the trip, click here.

Editors Note: The only downer of the trip was the "rock" that chose to fly up and chip/crack my windshield on the way home. Very frustrating, but hey, that's what car insurance is for!

2016-03-14T09:30:00.003-07:00

2016 Goal - Explore Iowa's 27 State Parks: Visit #1 - The Mines of Spain Recreational Area

Having lived in Iowa practically my entire life, I decided that it was time for me to explore the natural beauty this state has to offer. As most of my friends will tell you, when I set out to do something, I usually have a goal, and I complete that goal (I suspect that's the "engineer" in me).

So, for 2016, I have set the goal to visit and explore all 27 of the Iowa State Parks. Yes, that works out to averaging about one park every two weeks for the entire year. And those of you know the Winters in Iowa will understand that if I am going to complete this goal, there will be several weeks when I will be checking out more than one park!

To begin my quest, I decided to select The Mines of Spain State Recreational Area, just south of Dubuque. The earliest known inhabitants of the Mines of Spain State Recreation Area were the Mesquakie Indians. From this site, the Indians carried on a fur trade with French voyagers, and worked the lead mines for many decades dating back to before the Revolutionary War. Julien Dubuque, credited as being the first European to settle on what is now Iowa soil, received a land grant from the Governor of Spain who resided in New Orleans at the time. The grant gave him permission to work the land owned by Spain, and specified the 189-square mile area to be named as "Mines of Spain". (Julien Dubuque eventually married Potosa, daughter of the Mesquakie Indian Chief, Peosta).

The park offers fine settings for a family or company picnics. Visitors can also enjoy the outdoors, experience the E.B. Lyons Nature Center, hike the many trails and enjoy the natural vistas at the park, overlooking the Mississippi River.

There are two entrances to the Park, The North side entrance is accessible from Hiway 61S using the Grandview Ave. exit and Julien Dubuque Drive to Mines of Spain Rd. I chose the southern entrance which is also accessible using Hiway 61S, but travelling a few miles further, turning on Hiway 52 South and exiting on Olde Massey Rd..

Entering on the south side gives you the opportunity to drive thru the "prairie" section of the recreational area, scoping out the various trails and natural sites available to explore. My first stop was at the Julien Dubuque Monument, grave site of Julien Dubuque. Located on a edge of the bluff above Catfish Creek and the Mississippi River, this historic location provides insight into the 1st European to settle in Iowa, and incredible views of the City of Dubuque and the mighty Mississippi River. I picked a great day, as the sky was clear blue, and little to no breeze.

Hoping to hike the park from one end to the other, I found the 1st (and closest) trail - The Julien Dubuque Trail. Recently constructed, this trail was only 0.6 miles long, but with a steep descent from the monument to a parking area and bike trail from the City of Dubuque. The trail, was a bit muddy and rocky, but easy to navigate. I had hoped I'd find another trail head at the bottom, but no such luck. So, I retraced my tracks back to the top of the bluff, and hopped back in the car to find my next trail.

A short drive down from the bluff, I came upon the Catfish Creek Canoe Access point and the Catfish Trail. This trail followed along side Catfish Creek for approximately a mile before climbing up the hillside to some wooded bluffs overlooking the Creek. This trail would follow along the top of the hill, until eventually dropping back down to the start of the trail and the parking area. The 1st mile was a simple, quiet stroll along the Creek, while the last portion, climbing up to the bluffs, "burned a few calories" and convinced me to stop at the top to enjoy the view (and catch my breath).

By now, the crisp morning had turned into a perfect day - temps in the low 60's and a light breeze. Time to shed a layer, and move on to my next trail - The Horseshoe Bluff Nature Loop. Looking to do some climbing, and check out the great vistas from these bluffs, I headed up the North end of the Loop (fairly steep initial climb), and was greeted with another great view of the City of Dubuque and the Mississippi. Behind me, looking to the South, was Horseshoe Bluffs. This was a really interesting area. There was a huge bluff overlooking the river, and another bluff to the West, which looked down to the parking area, the wetlands, and the picnic areas along the road. In between was this amazing "canyon", which opened up on the South end to the Wetland Trail and Observation Deck, at river level. I descended to the canyon floor, wandering through a "mini-forest" of evergreens, and surprisingly, a small amphitheater in the middle. While down there (only one in the canyon), some hikers on top of the bluff began yelling into canyon. It was amazing to hear the loudness of the echo off the bluff's rock walls.. pretty cool!

Reaching the end of the canyon, I came upon the wetlands area, an ideal sanctuary for waterfowl, frogs, and fish. The trail I was on suddenly turned from rock to grass, and wandered along the side of the marsh, until ending at the base of another bluff on the south side. Rather than retrace my steps, I worked my way down to the railroad tracks along side the Mississippi, and followed the tracks back upstream about a quarter mile before connecting back to the Horseshoe Bluff Trail. (Editor's note - You never can see enough of the Mississippi River, and everything that happens on and around it!).

Rather than wander the trail along the Wetlands back to the parking area, I decided to loop back up thru the Canyon, following a different path and see if I could find a trail to the top of the Bluffs. The 1st "path to the top" I came upon looked "doable" and a good challenge. However, noting it was still a bit muddy and fairly steep, I opted to use my good sense and skip this trail.... maybe next time.

Upon reaching the North end of the canyon, and climbing back up to the observation point, I found a somewhat hidden, beaten down path leading to the top of the Western Bluff, most likely where I heard the other hikers yelling into the canyon. Time to explore! This trail was not well used, so I was a bit apprehensive at the beginning. However, once on top and able to see the views, it was definitely worth the effort. Incredible views showing the expanse of the canyon as well as the Bluffs along the River, and the Mississippi itself.

At this point, I descended down the bluff to the wetlands trail, and made it back to the Parking area. With almost 5 miles of hiking completed (in addition to my daily morning 4 mile walk this morning), it was time to call it a day. The legs were "feeling it".

The 1st of my Iowa State Parks visits had come to an end. Having only explored three of the Park's ten trails, I can see a return trip to Mines of Spain in my future. Enjoying a beautiful March day seeing amazing sites along the Mississippi River, learning about the history of the Mines of Spain, and getting in some great exercise without even knowing it... now that's a good visit!

Time to start planning my Iowa State Park visit #2!

(The following are other photos taken during my Mines of Spain Recreational Park visit)

2015 - The National Parks Adventure

2016-02-28T07:21:00.001-08:00

Let's see... in 2013 we ventured into South Dakota to explore the Black Hills, Badlands, and Deadwood. 2014 was the year of "getting our kicks on Route 66", traveling the historic route West from St. Louis and experiencing the amazing sights of the Southwest.

With many more areas of this continent left to explore, it was time to check out some of America's wonders - our National Parks. Knowing we aren't getting any younger, we decided that this was a good time to dust off our hiking shoes, and truly experience the natural wonders in the Northern Rockies.

Our itinerary was as follows:

Day 1 - Travel to Rapid City, SD
Day 2 - Travel to Great Falls, MT
Day 3 - Travel to Kalispell, MT, and explore Glacier National Park
Day 4 - Explore Glacier National Park
Day 5 - Travel to W. Yellowstone, MT, and explore Yellowstone National Park
Day 6 - Explore Yellowstone National Park
Day 7 - Travel to Jackson, WY, via Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks
Day 8 - Travel to Estes Park, CO (via back roads of Wyoming and Colorado)
Day 9 - ATV riding near Estes Park and travel to Boulder, CO.
Day 10 - Travel back to Waterloo, IA

Almost 4,000 miles behind the wheel, and ten full days of activity on the schedule. But we were ready to do it!

Days 1 and 2 - Driving West thru the Northern Plains

The 1st two days of the trip found us smack dab in the middle of the Northern Plains, and traveling almost 1200 miles through Iowa, South Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. Our trip was scheduled to happen 10 days BEFORE the 75th Annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD, thinking we would avoid the masses on their annual pilgrimage (Based on the hundreds of motorcycles, motorhomes, and trailers we passed enroute, the estimates of 1 million visitors for the Rally seemed to be realistic).

Not much to stop and check out along the route to Rapid City, South Dakota. On our visit to the Black Hills two years earlier we missed stopping at a tourist "mainstay" - The Corn Palace in Mitchell, SD. As we arrived, it was raining, and work was underway on the building. So we did a "drive-by", and hopped back on the road. The other big tourist attraction on I-90 on the way to Rapid City is Wall Drug. Our 2013 trip to the Badlands included a visit to this iconic location, so we kept heading West.

Our 1st day ended with beer and pizza at the Independent Ale House in downtown Rapid City, wandering Art Alley (an alley with walls and dumpsters painted by local artists), and the obliglatory ice cream! First day totals - 900 miles and 9 hours on the road.

Day Two had us the road by 6:30. Our travels took us past Sturgis, SD early. With more than a week before the Rally, farm fields, vacant lots, most store fronts were already filling with campers and bikers.... an amazing sight!

From Sturgis, we traveled 250 miles further West and made a stop at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument east of Billings, MT. If you are ever in the area and someone who loves to learn about our Nation's history, make this stop! We grew up hearing about Custer's Last Stand, and envisioning what that must have been like. The views of the landscape and the sight of many small, white headstones located across the countryside (where remains were identified) leave a lasting impression of what the battle must have been like. The history from both Army and the Indian perspectives was amazing.

Knowing we still had another 280 miles to our second overnite in Great Falls, MT, it was time to move on. The remaining drive thru the high plains of Montana was uneventful, but with plenty of views of the wide open spaces.

We arrived in Great Falls, thirsty and hungry, so our 1st stop was The MacKenzie River Pizza Company, located on the banks of the Missouri River. Two beers, and a bowl of Buffalo Chicken Mac n' Cheese (good stuff!) hit the spot. Before heading to the hotel we did some wandering of Great Falls, including River Drive, the Black Eagle Dam, and downtown Great Falls. 2nd Day totals - 550 miles and over 9 hours on the road.

Days 3 - Headin' to the Mountains

Finally, our first vacation destination was in reach. Our early morning drive to reach Glacier National Park would take approximately 2-12/ hours (~160 miles). With rain forecast in the area our plans for the day were a bit up in the air. Additionally, we were informed that our planned drive on "Going to the Sun" Road thru Glacier National Park was out due to forest fires near St. Mary Lake. We had to at least visit the East side of the park (and road), so headed up MT 89 to the town of St. Mary, and the Glacier National Park Visitors Center (Note the haze in the background). After grabbing some photos, park literature, and of course the obligatory restroom stop, we planned our alternate Day 3 plans. Being on the East side of the park, and the fact that there are only two ways across the Park, with the Northbound route (Going to the Sun Road) being closed, we decided to take on our planned Day 2's activity - hiking around Two Medicine Lake.

Another hour in the car on winding roads (and a SLOW tour bus which should NOT have been on that road), and we arrived at the Two Medicine Lake Ranger Station. The rain had not started, but the clouds were low, and temps were in the 50's. Time to do some hiking!

This was Sue's 1st time hiking in the wild, so the plan was a leisurely 7-8 mile hike around the lake. The parking lot was almost filled with cars, so we anticipated many fellow hikers. With our backpacks loaded with energy bars, water, first aid kit, and rain coats, we headed out.

About a mile in, we ran into our 1st wildlife siting - a Mule train... Always heard about these, but didn't think they still existed... they do! They disappeared quickly, as did the other hikers that started out around us. The trail passed thru wooded areas, small meadows and wetlands. It was clear that, that the 1st 2-3 miles of the trail was heavily used. The further we hiked, the trail started narrowing, and feeling of being alone in the woods became more real. It was my type of hiking!

Our 1st (of three) creek crossings was on a suspension bridge. I say 1st, as we would end up crossing Aster Creek three times, and the trail is intended to only cross it once... Yes, we made a "wrong turn", and not only had to cross this bridge a second time, but also crossed it via the "horse crossing trail". Thanks to a nice couple we came upon (after feeling pretty good we made it across the creek on a couple downed trees), we learned we were heading back toward our starting point!

After our 2nd crossing we got back on the trail toward the West End Boat Dock on Two Medicine Lake.

The trail became more and more overgrown - a sign that the number of hikers in this are was limited.... And alot of berry plants, which we learned were Huckleberry plants. As we passed a forest service guide, who was explaining huckleberries as a main staple of the bears in the area, the couple who got us pointed in the right direction also informed us that this trail had been closed the previous week "due to grizzly bears in the area". OK, now Sue is on alert for the rest of the hike.

The trail finally began to descended down to the Lake, and the drop-off point for the lake cruises (in the photo you can barely see the dock along the shoreline).

1st time in 2+ hours of hiking 4 miles, we finally took a break. One thing I have learned hiking - do not stop for long periods, or you'll have a hard time getting going again!

After an energy bar, some water, and a chat with a kayaker (who earlier had kayaked from the ranger station to the West end, and who was not looking forward to the trip back due to the increased winds), Sue and I began the trek back - along the North side of Two Medicine Lake.

The 6-7 mile hike I explained to Sue was now at least 8, to get back to the car. The weather was starting to change, with some light drizzle and breeze. Our pace was a bit quicker now, knowing we had another hour or so of hiking ahead of us. The terrain was a bit more "up and down" so we definitely were getting an indoctrination into mountain hiking.

After over 11 miles of hiking (approximately 5 hours), the end of the path finally was in site. Despite some weary legs, there was a definite sense of accomplishment finishing our "1st hike". Sue was was not talking "divorce", and was actually smiling when she saw the end of the trail!

With another 100 miles of driving ahead of us, we packed our gear in the Santa Fe, and headed west to Kalispell. Not having the energy to seek out a unique dining spot, we headed to the MacKenzie River Pizza - Kalispell. We needed our "comfort food" - pizza and beer. Since we couldn't drive the "Going to the Sun Road", I opted for the Great Northern Brewing Company craft beer of the same name, so I could say I experienced "Going to the Sun".

Third day totals - 300 miles, 5-1/2 hours on the road, and 11 miles (5 hours) on the trails.

Day 4 - More Hiking in Glacier National Park near Lake McDonald

Our second (and last) day in Glacier National Park was a bit more relaxed than our hiking yesterday. Plans were to hike up to Avalanche Lake, and on our way back, check out the Trail of the Cedars wheelchair accessible nature trail. The day was similar to Day 1 in Glacier, with clouds and some on and off mist. But a perfect day to be hiking temperature wise!

The hike to Avalanche Lake was approximately 5 mile round trip. The trail starts out following Avalanche Creek, with some spectacular views of crystal clear water crashing Avalanche Gorge. The trail then heads up into the forest, passing sights of past avalanches from Mt. Cannon. The trail was nearly deserted on our way up (yep, there's an advantage to those early morning starts).

After a couple miles of hiking, the woods begin to thin, and we broke out into an opening, showing us our 1st glimpse of Avalanche Lake, and the incredible views of Bearhat and Little Matterhorn Mountains. The The end of the lake is filled with hundreds of downed trees which leave an amazing scene of past destruction. The trail continues to wind up the side of the lake, offering several spots to soak in the beauty of the surroundings. We opted to take the trail to the very end, at the Northern edge of the lake. Here we could look back over the entire valley as well as the lake. It was amazing how deep you could see into the water.

By now, the trail was coming alive with literally dozens and dozens of hikers (it was a Sunday). It was time to work our way back down the same trail. It is so interesting to see the look on the hikers faces as they huffed and puffed their way up the trail as we had done an hour or so earlier. Most were excited to see what lies ahead, but there were some who obviously were not as enthused about all this exercise they were having to partake in! Of course we had to take some photos on the way back, capturing another successful hike in Glacier National Park!

The trailhead for The Trail of the Cedars was near the start, and we hopped on the boardwalk to check it out... The trail, only one mile long, is a great hike to get the full experience of the maritime climate of the Pacific Northwest, and to see the magnificent western hemlock and cedar trees. The boardwalk also enables everyone easy access to many of the great scenes we saw on our hike to Avalanche Lake.

By noon, the park and the trails were bustling with sightseers. With our eleven miles hiking yesterday and 6 today, we figured we were entitled to some sightseeing via the comfort of our Santa Fe. The Going to the Sun Road from Lake McDonald to the Loop Trailhead had been opened, as fire containment was growing. So we headed out on the scenic drive. The views from the road were indescribable. Imagine having to traverse thru these lands back before the invention of the automobile. Simply amazing!

It was time to begin our hour long drive back to Kalispel for our last night in the area. Of course after learning about Huckleberrys while on our 1st day hike, we had to make a stop at one of the local stores to check 'em out. The Huckleberry Patch in Hungry Horse, MT had "all things Huckleberry"! Jellies, jams, chocolates, syrups, candles, and of course Huckleberry souvenir apparel. What's a vacation with out a stop at a local souvenir store!

Still having some daylight time left (and knowing the only shopping Sue had done on our trip was in a Huckleberry souvenir store), we headed to Big Fork, MT, near Flathead Lake. This small town is similar to Galena, IL, a thriving tourist town, with many specialty shoppes and art galleries to explore. Amazingly, we made it out of there with ZERO purchases! But it was a nice place to visit!

After heading back to Kalispel, Day 4 wrapped up with dinner at a local favorite - Hop's Downtown Grille for a one of Montana's best burgers.. and some beers! This trip is becoming one of our best ever!

Fourth day totals - 130 miles, 3 hours on the road, and 6 miles (4 hours) on the trails.

Day 5 - On the Road again... to Yellowstone

The experience at Glacier was amazing! We could have explored this Park for another week and not even touched a fraction of the sites. It definitely is on our "must visit again" list. But our trip now turned to exploring Yellowstone National Park. This meant a day of driving (370+ miles) South to West Yellowstone, MT - our hotel location for the next couple days. Being one to explore, we hopped on one of the back highways leading south out of Kalispel to view some of Montana's scenery. We weren't disappointed. We took the Darryl Soltesz Memorial Hiway past Swan Lake and Seely Lake, before hopping on I-90 near Missoula, MT. With our early morning start, the colors along the lakes were amazing. NOTE: to take advantage of these beautiful back roads adventures, MAKE SURE you limit your coffee/fluids intake.... not many rest stops along this route!

Knowing we would make it to West Yellowstone early, we opted to detour to the East and enter Yellowstone thru the North Entrance, near Gardiner, MT and Mammoth Hot Springs, where the Park Headquarters and Historic Fort Yellowstone are located. We used this stop to pick up park information on this area as well as our upcoming wanderings in the rest of Yellowstone. Mammoth Springs is also home to the the namesake hot springs terraces, This is our first exposure to the geothermal activity underneath most of Yellowstone. Incredible sights of steam, boiling water, and amazing colors from the minerals from the terraces just outside the town.

A short drive from there we stopped at the Norris Geyser Basin for a walking tour of the area. A boardwalk lead us down to the main basin where the smell of sulphur engulfed you while taking in the steam and boiling water in several small geysers. The landscape was dotted with many dead trees and pools of water filled with microscopic life... one of the most extreme environments I have ever witnessed.

Time to head to West Yellowstone, and get checked in for the next two days. Despite assuming a "day of driving" from Glacier to Yellowstone, we were able to witness some of the beauty of Montana, and have a taste of what was in store for us exploring Yellowstone National Park.

Fifth day totals - 460 miles, 9 hours on the road, and 4 hours sightseeing.

Day 6 - Hikin' Yellowstone....

Day 6 was to be our "major hike" day for our time in Yellowstone. The Park has tons of hiking trails to choose from. But I was looking for a major hike to undertake so we headed to the Northeastern section of the Park, near the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Lamar Valley, and set our sights on Mt. Washburn. Mount Washburn (ele. 10,243 feet), offers panoramic views of about 20 to 50 miles (32 to 80 km) in all directions. During July, wildflowers carpet the slopes. The hike, which was approximately 6.5 miles round trip following the trail which starts from the Dunraven Pass trailhead.

With bear spray in (Sue's) hand, we headed off. It was a gorgeous morning - clear blue skies, mid-50's and no wind. Originally a stagecoach route, the trail prohibits motorized vehicular travel. The parking lot only had one car in it when we took off, so we knew we were pretty much on our own.

The higher we climbed, the more spectacular the views of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Hayden Valley. The trail was easy to walk, but with the elevation climb, we definitely were puffing, and warming up quickly. At the top was the Mt. Washburn Summit and one of three fire lookout stations in Yellowstone. There is an alternative route to the top - Chittenden Road, which approaches from the opposite side of the mountain. The views on this route are primarily of Hayden Valley, and not as spectacular, but will allow vehicular travel, including biking.

When we reached the top, we were greeted by a National Park Ranger, who resides in the lookout station from May until early October. The lookout had a residence quarter, and observation area (with restrooms), and the actual lookout station. We hung out there for about 30 minutes, during which we were joined by at least 5 or 6 others who had made the trek. Like us, most were happy to see the top, and recover form the climb!

About 10:30 am, we began our walk back down. As expected, it was much easier, and afforded us a better opportunity to enjoy the views. The number of hikers had considerably increased, and by the time we reached the parking lot at the trail head, cars were "waiting" to find a parking spot!

RECOMMENDATION: Start EARLY to enjoy the peacefulness and beauty of the natural surroundings.

With 6+ miles of hiking behind us, we decided to relax a bit and take the drive thru Lamar Valley (via the Grand Loop Road). This river valley, bookended by mountain ranges, is home to herds of elk, bison, grizzlies, several packs of wolves, and a variety of bird species. Accessible via car year-round, this valley is a prime location for wildlife viewing - especially during the early morning or late evening hours. We weren't disappointed, as on our drive we were greeted by a bison heard crossing the road. If you are looking for sights of historic Yellowstone, this is the road to take!

It was time to head back to the Southwest and checkout the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Its just as you would imagine, a huge canyon gorge that the Yellowstone River passes thru. The Park provides a walking trail and scenic overlooks which give you spectacular views of the gorge, the Upper and Lower Falls, and historic spots such as Artist's Point, supposedly the location where the famous painter Thomas Moran sketched his 1872 depictions of the falls.

This area, by the time we reached it (~1:00pm), was filled to capacity with visitors and tour busses. After having spent a quiet morning hiking Mt. Washburn, being in the midst of hundreds of tourists took away some of the excitement of the exquisite views. But its definitely a "must see".

With the afternoon winding down, it was time to head back to West Yellowstone for much needed nourishment and some relaxation at The Buffalo Bar. We enjoyed a couple beers and loaded nachos, on their outdoor patio, unwinding after a great day of hiking and sightseeing!

6th day totals - 170 miles, 4 hours on the road, 4 hours hiking and 4 hours sightseeing.

Day 7 - Old Faithful and the Road to Jackson, Wyoming

Day 7 was our last day in Yellowstone before heading south through the Grand Tetons enroute to Jackson, Wyoming. A trip to Yellowstone is not complete without seeing "Old Faithful" and Lake Yellowstone. Our "usual" early morning start once again provided us with some amazing views of nature. Our route took us thru the Lower Geyser Basin, and past the Grand Prismatic Spring. The views, with the clear blue morning skies, and the steam rising from the geysers were spectacular! While walking the boardwalk at the Grand Prismatic Spring a photographer was taking shots of a young lady, using the the steam plums and awesome colors of the geyser pools. Of course, I couldn't resist doing the same with "my tour guide"!

Wanting to be able to check out Old Faithful up close, we arrived early at the Old Faithful attraction a little before 8:00am. Yes, other than a handful of people, we had the attraction to ourselves! Old Faithful, is truly that - "faithful" in its schedule of eruptions, which allowed us to explore Old Faithful Inn (constructed in 1904, and the World's largest log structure), get some coffee and find the perfect viewing area.

The actual eruption was as you have seen in many videos. What made it even more special was to feel the rumble, and the sound of spewing water... oh, and the "oohs and ahhhs" from the hundreds of spectators who now packed the boardwalk... for this 8:20am eruption.

With the wonder of today's smartphones, we captured the eruption in a video. Just think about what is going on here... this is the release of boiling water and steam as a result of volcanic heat, from a chamber 50 feet below the surface. This occurs 17 times daily, and is one of only 1,000 that exist in the world! Pretty amazing!

After the eruption, we wandered the paths/boardwalk around Old Faithful, which allows visitors a closeup of many, many other ponds and small geysers surrounding the main attraction. Another "must see" at Yellowstone.

One last stop in Yellowstone was at the Lake Yellowstone Hotel and Cabins, along the shoreline of Yellowstone Lake. Opened in 1891, this Hotel has the stately lobby, complete with stone fireplace, large leather chairs and sofas, and exquisite views of the lake. Looks like a great place to kick back with a book, or just relax and enjoy the views.

Our time at Yellowstone had come to an end. Our next stop was an overnight in Jackson, WY, but not until our drive thru the Grand Teton National Park. With our schedule, we didn't have enough time to do some hiking in the Tetons, but the drive was definitely worth the time. We followed Hiway 191 (John D. Rockerfeller Jr. Parkway, from Yellowstone to Jackson). Epic views of the Teton Mountains were abundant all along the drive. However, the best view we found was during our stop at

Jackson Lake Lodge. Overlooking Jackson Lake, with the Grand Tetons in the background, this lodge, built in 1950, offers the majestic lobby with floor to ceiling windows, and a stone patio to enjoy the view outdoors. Of course, we couldn't resist stopping and enjoying "a refreshment" while soaking in the views.

For our overnite stay, we selected Jackson, WY, a mainstay for skiers visiting Jackson Hole Mountain Resort Ski area. The town, typifies ski towns of the West, with several upscale galleries, apparel and jewelry stores. But the town also offers several great eateries and establishments to unwind with a few refreshments and a great meal. The city square is a gathering point for many visitors, with the unique "antler arches" at the entrances. Horse drawn carriage rides are also available. Its definitely a great "people watching" spot!

We ended Day 7 with a mexican dinner and a margarita (or two) at a restaurant off the Square. Another great day on our trip!

7th day totals - 130 miles, 3 hours on the road, 3 hours of sightseeing/exploring.

Day 8 - Back Roads thru the Rockies

Day 8 began our journey back toward Iowa, but not before we do some exploring of the Rockies, Estes Park and Boulder, CO. Leaving Jackson, we opted to avoid the interstate hiways, and explore some of the back roads on the West side of the Rockies. A lot of open plains for the 1st couple hours of driving (Definitely had to plan our "pit stops" during this part of the drive!). The route passed thru Steamboat Springs, Grandby, and followed Trail Ridge Road, through Rocky Mountain National Park. Since our drive was over 500 miles, our sightseeing was mostly from the car, or quick stops along the way. Probably the most interesting section was on the drive over Milner Pass, and the Alpine Visitors Center (Elev. 11,400ft). Being one of the main routes across the Rockies North of Denver, the drive over the pass became really crowded, as we came upon wildlife near the Visitors Center. But that was a good thing, allowing us to enjoy the views of the Rockies.

Our overnight was in Estes Park, CO, home of the infamous Stanley Hotel, where the movie "The Shining" was filmed. Not being one to pass up a well known attraction, we had to check it out. To our dismay, only guests are able to access the actual hotel. So we grabbed a quick photo at the entrance.

A lot of driving for Day 8, but we were able to see the western plains of Colorado, and Rocky Mountain National Park.

8th Day Totals - 575 miles, 11 hours on the road, and 1 hour of sightseeing/exploring.

Day 9 - Rocky Mountain ATV'ing... and shopping

The last day of our vacation before the long drive back to Iowa. To end the trip with a bang, we scheduled an ATV rental, which we could use on the trails of the Rockies near Estes Park. Of course, we did this 1st thing, and were at Estes Park ATV Rentals in downtown Estes Park when the doors opened at 7:45am. After getting fitted for helmets, and watching a 10 minute safety and ATV operational video, it was time to head out to the site of our ATV experience. Located about 20 miles south of Estes Park, we joined 4 -6 other couples/groups, jumped in our 2 person ATV, and headed up the trail. The area was setup to drive any of the trails noted on our map for up to 3 hours. We were one of the 1st out of the start area, which was good, as the trails became VERY dusty with 6 ATVs on the trails. This was Sue's 1st time on an ATV on the mountains. After about 30 minutes of my driving the rocky, and rutted trails, it was time for my "tour guide" to jump behind the wheel, and "go 4-wheelin'"! Rockin' the camo helmet, after a few minutes getting used to the controls and learning how to attack the rocks and mud puddles, we were flyin' down the trails with a cloud of dust behind us.

Our riding lasted about 90 minutes, at which time we decided we had consumed enough trail dust for the day. Once back at the starting area, we handed over our stylish helmets, and traded our ATV for our air conditioned SUV, for our journey to Boulder, CO. Time to complete the trip ... with some shopping!

Entering the downtown Boulder area, we ran into massive traffic delays. Guess what, Boulder was hosting the IRONMAN Boulder Triathlon, a qualifying race for the World IRONMAN Triathlon. The race started and ended in Downtown Boulder, and thus the traffic delays. With a little planning we were able to skirt the race route and slip into a parking space near the Hotel Boulderado, a few blocks from the downtown pedestrian mall (and the start/finish line for the Triathlon).

To acclimate myself from all the exploring of natural wonders we had done to "shopping", we stopped to enjoy a beer on the patio at the Hotel Boulderado (can you see the excitement in my face??). After the dusty trail riding, the beer was just what the doctor ordered.

From here, with a couple block walk, we entered the mass of humanity shopping the pedestrian shopping mall area, which also had the race finish line along side. It was mid afternoon, so we headed over to check out the scene at the finish... People were gathering, as the announcer described the race leaders locations from the finish.

OK, I couldn't delay the inevitable... time unleash Sue on the stores of Downtown Boulder. Her 1st stop was "Fresh Produce"... not quite sure I understand the relationship of the store name and the fact that they sold women's apparel, but hey, I found a place to sit outside! I then did some wandering to kill some time. One of the interesting stores was Mile Hile Pipes - Underground, a popular place with the recent change in marijuana laws in Colorado.

After about an hour, Sue agreed that it was time for a bite to eat, and we ended our Downtown Boulder adventure with a late afternoon dinner at The Lazy Dog Sports Bar & Grill.

Time to head out and find our hotel for the evening. Day 9 of our trip gave us one last day of outdoor adventures and ended with our transition back into civilization with some shopping! Tomorrow, its back to Iowa and the end of our 10 day getaway.

9th Day Totals - 100 miles, 2 hours on the road, and 6 hours of sightseeing/exploring.

Day 10 - The Long drive back and reminiscing...

Now anxious to get home and get our dog Chester out of the kennel, We took off at 6am and headed for I-76 East and I-80 back to Iowa. Looking back on this trip, one thing that is clear, America has amazing beauty and incredible areas of adventure. Being our 1st trip to this country's National Parks, and 1st time hiking the wilderness, we are now looking forward to exploring (and hiking) more National Parks in our future getaways. If you have never been out West to experience this natural beauty, begin planning your trip soon. Once you go, you will be hooked too!

Oh, and if you are of that "Senior" age, and qualify for a Senior Pass to the National Parks, GET ONE! They are only $10 at any National Park Entrance ($20 via mail). That's $10 for a LIFETIME Pass, and it allows entrance to any National Park, National Monument, and National Forest for the card holder AND anyone in the vehicle! I am not a big proponent of Government programs, but this one definitely is worth it!!

Many, many photos were taken on this trip. Only a small sampling were posted in this blog. To see more, I have created an album in Google Photos. To view these, click here.

2016-02-08T08:09:00.000-08:00

2016 - Snowshoeing Up North - Lake Superior and the Upper Peninsula

Its that time of year in the Midwest. Cold and dreary days, with snow everywhere. Most make plans to escape to warmer climates. Not me... time to head North, and find some awesome trails for snowshoeing. This year, my plans were to check out the Western shores of Lake Superior, and then back to the Upper Peninsula.

Day 1 - Despite a light snow falling, I headed North toward Duluth, with sights set on traveling Minnesota Hiway 61 along the western shoreline of Lake Superior. Of course, some back roads sightseeing was in order on the way. Entering the Duluth area, the best way to "see the city", is to exit I-35 and grab the Skyline Parkway Scenic Byway, which provides bird's-eye view of the city, harbor, and Lake Superior shoreline. Uncharacteristic for January, temperatures were in the upper 20's, with the sun peaking out occasionally.

Next stop - Two Harbors, MN. Its always fun to wander thru the town, and check out the majestic ore docks in the city's harbor. Those things are amazing! Even though they were not in operation, loading Great Lakes ore ships, these huge engineering marvels are a definite "must-see". While in the harbor area, check out the Two Harbors lighthouse - the oldest operating lighthouse in Minnesota.

From Two Harbors, another 30 minutes North on Hiway 61 is the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park - my 1st snowshoeing stop. The lighthouse, perched on a rock cliff is another amazing sight, providing incredible views of Lake Superior, its rocky shoreline, and depending on the time, the sight of Superior shipping.

After "dressing up" for my snowshoeing, I headed down the the trail to the Superior shoreline. The State Park has several miles of paved pathways, for biking, hiking, and in the Winter, snowshoeing cross country skiing and fat tire biking. The reward for this hike was the view of the lighthouse from the rocky shoreline. The view gives a great sense for the visibility this lighthouse provides to the ships on the Lake.

The snow in the park was only 4-6 inches deep, So, with the afternoon winding away, and plans to visit Gooseberry Falls State Park for some more hiking, I hiked back to the car, and load up for a short trip South.

Gooseberry Falls State Park is only 8 miles South of Split Rock. The Park runs from the Lake Superior shoreline, across/under Hiway 61, and West along the Gooseberry River. The Park is set up with cross country ski trails, groomed regularly. In addition, there is a hiking/snowshoeing trail that follows the river on both sides, up to the Gooseberry Falls. Again the snow depth was marginal for snowshoeing, so I opted to really "hike" the hiking trail in my boots. The trail traversed the shoreline of the river, while still providing some challenging side-hill climbs, (and great views) of the river valley. At the Falls, a bridge provides a crossover to the other side of the river, and access to the trail down to "backwaters" and the Lake Superior shoreline. After ~ 3.5 miles, I opted to take the shortcut back to the Visitors Center, and skip the extra 3 mile round trip to the Superior shoreline.

With the daylight starting to fade, it was time to pack up and take the 45 mile drive back to Superior, WI. via North Shore Drive (from just South of Two Harbors, to the Northern edge of Duluth), and over the I-535 Blatnik Bridge.

Today's trip included ~450 miles of driving, and almost 5 miles of snowshoeing. A great start to my adventures up North!

Day 2 - On the road at daybreak, heading from Superior, WI across Northern WI to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Another unusually mild January morning - 18 degrees, and overcast... and NO WIND! The drive this morning would follow WI Hiway 13 along the southern shore of Lake Superior to Bayfield. Several great vantage points of Superior along the way, as well as visits to the communities of Bark Point, Cornucopia, and Red Cliff. This is also the area of the famous Apostle Islands Sea Caves. Access to the sea caves is via the ice that forms along the shoreline of Lake Superior from Meyers Beach, near Cornucopia. Unfortunately, due to the lack of extended cold periods this winter, its likely there will not be access this year.

The next stop was Bayfield, WI. This harbor town is a great place to check out in all seasons. Its harbor serves as a gateway to the Apostle Islands National Park, and offers ferry service to Madeline Island. If you are into hiking, biking, kayaking, boat tours or just some store wandering, put Bayfield on your "to do" list. Oh, and just up the road a few miles in Red Cliff is Legendary Waters Resort & Casino, which offers great accommodations.. and some gambling action!

On the road again to Ashland, WI, another great place to visit and experience the Lake Superior life. Once home to more of the Superior ore docks, Ashland is now a tourist destination for all seasons. On this trip there were just about as many snow machines moving around in town as there was cars and trucks! After a quick pit stop, it was on to Hiway 2, and the 60 mile journey across Northern Wisconsin to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and my next snowshoeing trail. Along the drive, I decided to check out some of the back roads attractions which included the Powderhorn Ski area and the Copper Peak Ski Jump. Unfortunately, the road to Copper Peak (closed) was unplowed, so I wasn't able to see the largest artificial ski jump in the world, rising 1782 feet above sea level and 1180 feet above Lake Superior. Closed for several years, Copper Peak is scheduled to reopen in 2017.

30 miles from Copper Peak was the location of my next snowshoeing hike - Yondota Falls, MI. The trail to the falls is only about 1 mile round trip. However, as is the case with many of the back roads in the UP during the winters, the road to the Falls was not plowed, adding an extra 2 mile hike to/from the falls. Adding to the fun, a "clipper" was moving thru the UP, resulting in snow and gusty winds. The good n ews was that the temps were still good, in the mid twenties.

The trail to the Falls was really cool. The snow here in the UP was considerably deeper (12-18 inches), making the hike more interesting. The path wandered thru some heavily wooded areas, and required some climbs and descents of rock outcroppings - perfect environment for snowshoeing. Although most of the falls was iced up and snow covered, the site from atop a rock cliff of the Falls was worth the hike.

As the snow continued to fall, and the winds picked up, it was time to begin the 2+ mile hike back to the car. The drive to my second overnite in Minoqua, WI was approximately an hour, navigating some more snow covered back roads thru Presque Isle, and Boulder Jct. WI.

Day Two's trip included ~250 miles of driving, stops at some great back road sites, and another 5 miles of snowshoeing. This is the best way to enjoy Winter in Midwest!

Day 3 - Thurday morning started out with snow flurries and temps in the teens. With coffee in hand, I opted to explore some of the back roads along Hiway 51 North, on the way to Manitowish Waters, Mercer, and Manitowish. The newly fallen snow made for picturesque scenes everywhere. Not many people out and about at 8am, but by the number of snow machine trailers and SUVs parked at the local motels along 51, the trails will be packed later in the day.

My travels ended up passing thru Lac du Flambeau, home base of the Lac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa, and location of the Lake of the Torches Resort and Casino. Of course, I had to check out my luck... which turned out to be good!

With a light snow still falling, I decided to head back to one of my favorite Winter spots - Bond Falls. Located in the Upper Peninsula near Paulding, MI, this site has another one of those great UP water falls settings, nestled back in the woods of the UP. The drive was 65 miles, taking almost 90 minutes, due the falling snow and some winding gravel back roads.

When I arrived, it was clear I was the only visitor since their last major snow. And, as is normal in the UP, the snow was deep..... 16-24 inches throughout the Bond Falls State Park. The hiking trail is not a long one. The round trip distance was less than a mile. But with the deep snow, the trail winding up/down some steep rock paths, and several side trails to view the Ontonagon river leading to the Falls, the hike was a good one. Once at the base of the Falls, the Park has a boardwalk of sorts (providing handicapped accessibility) to get great views. Given that Winter in the UP has not experienced extended cold snaps, the Falls was in full flow. As with my first visit to Bond Falls a few years back, the sights and surroundings were amazing.

With the snow falling harder, it was time to head back to Minocqua. I opted for main hiways (as did all other traffic!). I pulled into the hotel at approximately 3:30pm, fittingly, in the midst of heavy snow and wind. Day Three's trip included almost 200 miles of driving, 1 mile of snowshoeing, and a successful visit to a casino.

For those of us who enjoy the beauty and exhilaration of Winter, exploring the shoreline of Lake Superior, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and the North Woods of Wisconsin is "must do". Whether its snowshoeing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling, or just wandering the snow filled woods via car, you will not leave disappointed!

I have several other photos taken during my trip. If interested, these photos can be viewed HERE.

2014-10-05T10:00:00.000-07:00

2014 - Biking and Hiking in Northern Wisconsin

My favorite time of the year - Fall in the Midwest. Nothing beats the amazing colors, and the fresh clear days. So it was time to once again make my journey to Northern Wisconsin and enjoy some biking and hiking in the forests of the Northwoods. This trip would encompass 4 days - 3 biking, and one hiking, around Rhinelander, Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters.

Day 1 - Biking near Rhinelander

This year's trip began a day earlier than normal. I decided to head North early on Saturday and squeeze in a bike ride in the afternoon. With Beef-O-Rama underway in Minocqua, I picked a hotel in Rhinelander for my overnight, and selected some forest roads in the Enterprise Hemlocks State Natural Area, southeast of Rhinelander (near Pine Lake).

The area I selected had many ATV trails and forest roads to explore. Being the weekend, there were several others out on their ATVs enjoying the beautiful afternoon (clear, calm and 78 degrees) along with me. The path I chose was forest/county roads, which were generally level for most of the ride... until the end. To get back to my vehicle, I had to traverse a portion of Hiway 17 near Pine Lake. You know how while you are driving, you pass thru some rolling countryside and don't think a thing of it? Well, next time think of doing those hills on a bike, and add to it doing it on the gravel shoulders! Suffice to say that my first ride of this Fall getaway "broke me in".... 29 miles and some good hill climbing!

Day 2-Biking Boulder Junction & Sayner

Link to Google Map

Sunday morning I packed up and headed North to Boulder Junction. My plans were to explore the bike trails and wooded areas East of Trout Lake. The Boulder Junction/Manitowish Waters/Sayner area have developed some outstanding paths for bikers and hikers of all ages. Their trails run from Manitowish Waters thru Boulder Junction and on to Sayner. Today's ride would start in downtown Boulder Junction, heading South on the bike trail (past Trout Lake), and then East to Sayner (passing Crystal Lake). The return trip would go off the bike path and traverse snowmobile trails and forest roads past Big Muskellunge Lake and Stevenson Creek, before heading back North to Boulder Jct.

The asphalt bike paths are wonderful! Generally easy rolling terrain, but a few good dips and hills to add some excitement. Riders and walkers of ALL ages will enjoy these. They wind thru the beautiful wooded areas along County Hiways M & N, and take you along the shoreline of Trout Lake, Crystal Lake, and Plum Lake. Rest Rooms are available along the route, and with the towns of Boulder Junction and Sayner on either end, you have the opportunity to stop and grab some refreshments in the local stores.

Along the Trout Lake portion of the trail I came upon a man and woman, with the man carrying a camera. As background, I have always enjoyed photos of the Northwoods and its natural beauty. One of the premiere photographers of this area is Michael Crowley, who's web site "LifeintheNorthWoods.com" and Facebook Page "LifeintheNorthwoods", have amazing photos of the wildlife and natural beauty. Well, this couple walking the trail looked awfully familiar. I stopped to say hello, and sure enough, it was Michael and his wife Marshia! Both had on their "Packers Green and Yellow", and were enjoying the beautiful Sunday morning before heading home to "watch the Packers game". So great to finally meet Michael. He has been a great resource to me for finding places to explore on my journeys to the Northwoods.

On the return ride, I jumped on to a snowmobile trail approximately a mile from the County Hiway M and N junction, taking shortcut up to Big Muskellunge Lake Road. Some breathtaking colors along this remote path!

The next portion of the ride followed the Big Muskellunge Lake Road and Nabish Lake forest roads before turning North again on a forest road leading to Stevenson Creek and surrounding marsh area. Although no deer or bears were spotted, the marsh area had its fill of water fowl enjoying the remoteness of this body of water.

Crossing over the land bridge, I started the final leg back to Boulder Jct. By now, my legs (and more importantly my rear end) had logged approximately 35 miles... Of course, at this point of the route, the hills began to get a bit longer and steeper. After a couple miles on a sandy forest road, I reconnected with the bike path back to Boulder Jct. Woo-Hoo... a nice smooth ride for the last few miles.

Day two's ride was now complete... 40 miles in the books. My legs and my rear were "talking to me", encouraging me to take a day off from riding. So next on the agenda - Hiking around Mann Lake.

Day 3 - Hiking Mann Lake

Link to Google Map

Mann Lake is home to a family cabin, albeit now abandoned. I have made it an annual ritual to come visit the cabin, checking out its condition, and to enjoy the serenity and beauty of Mann Lake. With the lake primarily surrounded by state forest land, my hike would follow forest roads, snowmobile trails and a bit of pure forest trail blazing.

Starting out from the North shore of the Lake, the path along the West side of the Lake to the cabin were primarily snowmobile and forest road trails. As you can see in the photo, the lake was shrouded with a light mist.

After my cabin visit I located a rarely used forest trail which took me East, thru the woods on the South side of the lake. The only sign of any civilization along this route was a surveyor's marker.

Soon the seldom used path began to disappear. At this point, I forged on, in what I believed was the direction that would lead me to intersecting a snowmobile trail that would lead me up the East side of Mann Lake. If you look at the map, and notice a loop around a small lake on the SE side of Mann Lake, its clear that my trail blazing skill in a dense forest leaves alot to be desired. It was at this point the use of my cell phone GPS and Google Map became a VERY valuable asset. I regained my bearings, and began the trek North.

Some recent logging had opened up a large area on the NE corner of the lake. Figuring I could use this open area as a shortcut, I began cutting across. The ground in the logged area was now covered with a "vine like" vegetation. Should be easy to walk thru... NOT! It was about 12-16 inches deep, making it tough to walk, and also hiding objects that were prime for tripping over (yes, I tripped more than once). Looking again at the map above, you'll see a 2nd loop in my hiking route. This is the result of me deciding this "shortcut" was NOT a shortcut. I headed back to the snowmobile trail.. and MUCH easier hiking.

Approximately 9 miles into my hike, I was ready to take on the final leg. I decided to see if I could find a path thru the woods back to the North shore of Mann Lake, where the cabins and my vehicle were. The snowmobile path I would normally take runs close to the County Hiway N & M roads. I located a rarely used forest path that followed the North shoreline of the lake. Knowing my legs were getting tired, and this path could save me possibly an extra mile of hiking, it was time to explore the new path. Sure enough, despite having to climb over some fallen trees and traverse thru some dense ground cover, the North shore homes appeared... and my vehicle.

Despite some wet feet and soggy socks and boots, Day Three's 11.5 mile hike around Mann Lake was a great success! One day left in this Fall getaway - bike ride to Manitowish Waters from Boulder Junction and back.

Day 4 - Biking Boulder Junction to Manitowish Waters

My final bike ride up North was to check out the new bike trail opened this Summer (July, 2014) between Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters. This is a paved trail similar to the one I rode Sunday between Boulder Jct. and Sayner. This path winds thru the woods and marsh areas along County Hiway K.

Of course, having had great Fall weather for most of this trip, Mother Nature decided to remind me that Winter is not far off. The temperature when I left Minocqua was 36 degrees. As I drove into Boulder Junction, the temperature had climbed to a "balmy" 40 degrees. No problem... I just added another layer, and some camo work gloves (picked up at Wal-Mart the day before in anticipation of the cold), and I was off!

Riding thru Boulder Junction, I came upon some visitors enjoying breakfast at one of the homes in town. It appears that not only do people put out bird feeders up here, but also deer feeders!

A short distance outside of town, I picked up the new trail. Boy, if you want to bike the North Woods, this is a great trail to do it on! The path winds thru the woods far enough away from the hiway so you hardly notice any traffic that might pass by. The path is generally flat, but occasional dips and hills will keep you working during the 17 mile journey.

As you can see from the photos, there were some fabulous sights, despite the cold, overcast morning. The cold temperature kept me moving, other than to make a brief stop for a photo or to look at the maps posted along the trail. The ride to Manitowish Waters took approximately two hours. The local convenience store was a perfect place to grab some hot coffee, and to relax a bit before the return trip.

With the temperature climbing, and a few peeks from the sun, I opted to explore back roads on my ride back to Boulder Jct.

I left the the new bike trail just East of the Manitowish Waters Airport, and headed South around Little Star and Manitowish Lakes. Some REALLY NICE homes and cabins in this area. This area is also relatively flat, making the riding very relaxing. This flat land is also prime for cranberry fields. It appears that I was probably 1-2 weeks late for the cranberry harvest, but was able to check out the field close up, and even sample a few cranberries that were sitting at a roadside stand.

On the final leg of the ride back to town (North Creek Road), the flat road riding now became more like a roller coaster ride. With 30 miles behind me (and 3 previous days of riding and hiking), the remaining ride back to County Hiway M was ALOT OF WORK! Coming upon the bike trail running along side County Hiway M was a sight for sore eyes (or, in this case - sore legs)! The final 3 miles of my ride back into Boulder Jct. was in sight!

My 2014 Fall Wisconsin biking and hiking trip had come to an end with a great 38 mile ride. Hats off to the folks of the Rhinelander, Minocqua/Woodruff, Boulder Junction, Sayner and Manitowish Waters communities. They take pride in their towns, and welcome visitors with open arms.

You can be sure that I will be back again!

If you would like to view other photos taken during this trip check out my Web Album

2014 - Our "Kicks on Route 66"

2014-05-05T07:20:00.000-07:00

Well, it finally happened. That "bucket list" trip, our "retirement celebration trip", that trip we'd aways talked about taking. Yes, we got to "get our kicks on Route 66!"

We planned on doing this after my wife Sue retired in June, 2013. But it just wasn't until April, 2014 that we could finally hit the road (in between my wife's "other" retirement trips!).

This was the 1st time in over 30 years of marriage that we would be together on a vacation for 12 days, and just the two of us. It also meant that our partner in retirement, Chester (our dog), would have to "go it alone", in a kennel - something he has never had to face. But we were both ready to "Get our kicks on Route 66."

Preparing for the Trip

Even though I am a retired from engineering, planning for this 12 day trip took on similarities to project planning activities back during my days at John Deere. Detailed Google Maps of the exact Route 66 roadways, "must see sites" to check out, overnight accommodations researched and booked, photography equipment to pack, communication plans for both in the car and out, emergency items to pack in the car, and most of all, munchies to have available 24/7 are some of the planning activities completed. Probably the most challenging task was "clothes". Twelve days is a long time to pack for, let alone not knowing what the weather would be. Leaving Iowa with temperatures in the 40's and knowing we'd be passing thru desserts and mountains, visiting beaches, and possibly battling rain, and severe weather presented quite a challenge packing. Do we do laundry on a vacation??? Suffice to say we had two REALLY heavy suitcases packed in the back of the Santa Fe.

Day 1 - Waterloo, IA to Rolla, MO

We opted to start our Route 66 trip in St. Louis. The start of Route 66 is on the Lakefront of Chicago, but decided we'd save the Illinois portion of Route 66 for another time. We were on the road by 6:00 am Tuesday, April 8th, and pulled in to Downtown St. Louis by 12:30 pm. It was time for my navigator Sue to pull out the Route 66 Guide book, and the Google Maps ion her iPad and begin our journey. TECHNICAL NOTE: One of the best planning activities was to activate "tethering" on my cell phone so that we could connect Sue's iPad via wi-fi to my phone. This gave us full internet access on the iPad, allowing us to explore the Google maps in detail, and to look up info on the go. (Surprisingly, there were only a few areas for the entire journey we couldn't pick up a signal.)

Our 1st day journey took us on the metro St. Louis route.... The Route 66 route actually had a couple different versions thru many areas on the trip, the "pre-1930's route", and the "post-1930's route". Most times, we opted for the "pre-1930's" route. Traffic was fairly hectic in the St. Louis area (I only ran one stop sign), and it wasn't until we reached the Route 66 State Park, near Eureka, MO that the traffic lightened up. We committed to trying to get in walks every day of our trip, and this park had a good 2 mile route for us to enjoy the Meramec River and stretch our legs. ABOUT THE ROAD: The routes we planned took us on the original road surface where it still existed. When it had been torn out, we followed service roads that passed as close to the original route as possible. Surprisingly, we probably only were on the Interstate Hiway for probably less than 150 miles of the complete route to Santa Monica.

The remaining section of our 1st day to Rolla, MO passed thru small Missouri towns, where remnants of old hotels, and many, many, original houses from the 1930's still stand - all looking about the same. The State of Missouri has done an excellent job supporting the restoration of many sites along the route.

One last stop before arriving in Rolla was at the "World's Largest Rocking Chair" (I'm a sucker for what they refer to as GIANT ALERT - oversize statues and attractions). Of course I caught Sue trying to climb on to it!

We finally arrived at our hotel in Rolla, MO about 13 hours after pulling out of the driveway in Waterloo. Of course we had to unwind and look back on the day's journey with a couple "cold ones" and a pizza in Downtown Rolla (home of Missouri University of Science and Technology) at Alex's Pizza Palace. Day 1 was a great start on our journey!

Day 2 - Rolla, MO to Edmund, OK

Our drive on Day 2 would take us thru three states (Missouri, Kansas, and Oklahoma), and include the major cities of Springfield, Joplin, and Tulsa, before arriving in Edmund, OK. Of course we couldn't start the day out without a stop to the local Donut King for our morning coffee and "breakfast to go".

Most of today's drive would include much of the original Route 66 road bed, and pass many of the still standing buildings and bridges. One of the 1st sights we came upon was the "Trail of Tears" Arch-Jerome, MO. The photo at the left looks considerably different than what the "Arch" looked like (see link). Its now on private property, and looks like its not being maintained much anymore (of course it is still early April, and the landscaping was just starting to show).

On a side road (closed due to bridge work) we found the "Elbow Inn". This iconic roadside bar is named after the "Devil's Elbow", a portion of Route 66 that curves along the Big Piney River. There used to be a small town here, but all that remains are a few homes, and The Elbow Inn. INTERESTING FACT: The Elbow Inn is famous for all the bras hanging from the ceiling. Tradition has it that if a female visits the bar, she leaves her bra (No, Sue didn't leave her bra, it was too early in the day and the bar wasn't open).

Our next stop was Marshfield, MO - Home of the Hubble Telescope Namesake. This was another GIANT ALERT - a replica of the Hubble Telescope, located in the town Square of Marshfield. (I couldn't resist a photo.).

Another historic icon we came upon while traveling thru Springfield, MO was an abandoned SOLO Cup factory. Seeing the giant cup as the main entrance to the factory, and thinking about the hundreds of SOLO Cups that I have used in my lifetime, prompted my second GIANT ALERT photo of the day. According to the sign, its still for sale, for anyone thinking about investing in the "Beer Pong" craze.....

Back on to the road, we passed thru Spencer, MO,

The town is located on an old section of Route 66 (which is now a county road), and originally included a post office and a store, but all that remains is a restored Phillips 66 Filling Station.

As we approached Joplin, MO and the Missouri/Kansas border, we came upon the Route 66 Drive-Inn. This drive-in theater is still in

operation and in great shape. The movie being shown was "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit".

After Passing thru Joplin, we entered Kansas for a "brief" visit to the state. The 12 mile section included Galena and Baxter Springs. Along the route, was the Rainbow Bridge, west of Riverton, KS. This single-span concrete Marsh arch bridge is the last of this style that exists on the entire Route. UPDATE: in late April, 2014, tornadoes passed thru the Baxter Springs, KS and Quapaw, OK area. No word on the damage.

Our next stop was in Commerce, OK, where Bonny and Clyde murdered the police chief (April, 1934), and is home to "Commerce Comet" - Mickey Mantle. Commerce also had a restored Conoco Station, conveniently located across from an old Route 66 ice cream stand.

Our final section of Route 66 for the day took us near another GIANT ALERT - Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park. Throughout this small roadside attraction are several cement statues and artworks, including "The World's Largest Totem Pole", made from 134 tons of sand, rock, cement, and steel. Quite a retirement project by Mr. Galloway!

Day 2 came to an end in Edmund, OK. Almost 14 hours (~ 450 miles) driving and wandering. No time for a walk today, but couldn't pass up a couple beers and sandwich next to our hotel in Edmond, OK. We will sleep good!

Day 3 - Edmund, OK to Amarillo, TX

The third day of our Route 66 trip started off shakin' ... and I mean literally shaking! At approximately 2:15 am, a 4.1 magnitude earthquake centered approximately 12 miles north of Edmund rattled our hotel. Sue thought it was one of my "mid-sleep" leg jerks that happen occasionally... Of course, I slept thru it. But it started our Day 3 with some excitement!

Today's drive would start our transition to the open plains and long, straight road sections. The weather continued to be fabulous... clear, sunny skies and temperatures in the low 70's made the drive perfect.

One of the 1st Route 66 sights of the day was a restored (2011) steel truss bridge on the North end of Lake Overholser in Oklahoma City. (You'll learn that old architecture and bridges are intriguing to me).

From OKC we passed thru Yukon and El Reno, on our way to Clinton, OK, home of the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum. This was a GREAT stop! The several old photos and information about "Life of Route 66" along with old autos that frequented the road years ago. One of my favorites was the back half of an old station wagon. Definitely remember riding "back there", with the window down, on family vacations.

From Clinton, we continued on to Elk City, OK - Home of the National Route 66 and Trasportation Museum, which also includes an "Old Town Museum", the "Farm & Ranch Museum" and "Blacksmith Museum" (We only toured the Route 66 portion of the Museum Complex). Although interesting displays in this museum, it wasn't as enjoyable as the Oklahoma Route 66 Museum, but well worth the stop.

From Elk City we continued on into the western

portion of Oklahoma and the panhandle section of Texas. Along this stretch was an abandoned section of Route 66, essentially overgrown with trees and weeds. This was a particularly interesting site for me... seeing the decaying concrete overgrown with trees and weeds, and imagining this section years ago.

Close to the Texas border is the town of Texola, OK. The town is now labeled as a "ghost town", although there are a few homes and businesses still inhabited. Not much there, but an old Territorial Jail still stands, in the middle of an open field.

Passing into the panhandle of Texas, we followed alot of Interstate service roads for Route 66. The landscape turned to expansive open spaces and few towns. Despite this, those towns along the Route still proudly display old, iconic buildings and sites. In particular, in Shamrock, TX proudly display the Tower Station and U-Drop Inn Café. This old Conoco Station not only serves as a Route 66 attraction, but is utilized as visitor center, chamber of commerce office, and community center.

A couple final sites on our journey to Amarillo included a GIANT ALERT - World's Largest Cross in the Western Hemisphere in Groom, TX, and The Slug Bug Ranch - in Conway, TX. NOTE: when we asked where specifically the Slug Bug Ranch was, the convenience store operator made sure we were aware of the "rattlesnakes in the grass around the car bodies".

Our 3rd Day on Route 66 ended in Amarillo, TX. Not as much "on the road time" today - only about 8 hours. So we were able to find a local park with walking trails to help us stretch out and enjoy the beautiful Spring Texas weather, and then grabbing a relaxing dinner.

Day 4 - Amarillo, TX to Albuquerque, NM

Day 4 is a busy day, with lots of notable stops planned. The morning started out, like the previous mornings - Coffee and donuts to go, today from The Donut Stop. The weather forecast was perfect again - sunny with highs in the low 70's. We hit it early, catching the sun rise over West Texas. A large portion of the original road follows the path of I-40, so much of our road was along the service roads on either side of the Interstate.

We came upon one of the iconic Route 66 signs painted on the asphalt. With literally NO TRAFFIC, it was a perfect time for pictures. This photo of Sue with the Route 66 logo is an instant classic!

This section of the road also included the ever popular Cadillac Ranch. It was on the other side of the Interstate, and with it in the middle of an empty field, we opted to view it as we drove by.

Or first town of note was Vega (not many large towns in this portion of the Texas panhandle). Here we visited the Magnolia Station - a Route 66 Corridor Preservation Program. (Check out the link to see the before photos of this station as compared to the one shown here).

The next stretch of road to the Texas/New Mexico border paralleled the old Route 66 road bed, which no longer exists. In the open pastures beside our service road, the only remnants of the original road are some box culverts ove low lying spots.

Our next major trip milestone was the Halfway Point of Route 66, in Adrian, TX. Once a thriving stopping point, all that remains now is the Adrian Mid Point Cafe, the he Bent Door Trading Post, and an abandoned hotel. We were about 30 minute too early to grab a cup of coffee at the cafe, so this stop ended up as a photo op.

From Adrian, the New Mexico border was only 22 miles, our sixth state of the trip. Once in New Mexico, the next "must stop" was Tepee Curios in Tucumcari. The storefront, in the shape of a tepee is a major attraction for Route INTERESTING FACT: While inside, we noticed an Iowa Hawkeye scented lamp that was lit. When we asking the proprietor about, she said "I'm from Fort Dodge, Iowa"! She shared that she and her recently married husband purchased the store a little over a year ago (after marrying in Tucumcari) and were in the process of moving their home to Tucumcari to run Tepee Curios.

Tucumcari had several interesting buildings and sites of the old Route 66 era. One of my favorites was this old sign and abandoned truck located on the western edge of town.

Our next stop was to check out "The Blue Hole" in Santa Rosa, NM. This unique attraction, located in the midst of Santa Rosa, is an old artesian well which was once used as a fish hatchery. The water hole, is 80 feet deep, and 80 feet in diameter (120 feet in diameter at the bottom). Many divers from throughout the United States visit.

The remainder of our day included taking an alternate Route 66 path up to near Las Vegas, NM, then over thru Santa Fe, before taking the "Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway", near Sandia Crest. NOTE: We didn't stop in Santa Fe to explore, as "my Navigator" has plans to visit Santa Fe in June, 2014 "with the Girls". The 2 lane back road passed thru scenic hills, and a unique shopping/tourist area along Hiway 14 and the small town of Madrid, NM. Looks like a great place to spend the day "wandering" if you are ever in Albuquerque.

After our ride thru the "Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway" we headed for the Sandia Peak Tram. Located about 12 miles north of Downtown Albuquerque, this scenic 2.7 mile aerial tram ride provides unbelievable views of 10,370ft Sandia Peak and the Albuquerque metropolitan area. Guess what.. it was "Closed for annual maintenance".

Having driven to the tram anyway, we opted to hike some of the hillside trails on the side of Sandia Peak (Yes, for the adventurous, you can hike to the top). Definitely a site we will return to in the future.

Before heading to our hotel, a stop at the Sandia Resort and Casino was in order (afterall, it has been a few days since our last casino stop). A couple cold refreshing beers, and some slots seemed like a good way to wind down.

Our Day 4 adventures ended with dinner at the Route 66 Diner in Downtown Albuquerque. It was a perfect spot for hungry travelers. We even splurged and ordered their famous sundaes, in the kid size (they were kind enough to give is the "kids' size, saying "you look like kids at heart")! Another spot you must visit on a trip to Albuquerque.
Day 4 was a great day. Our trip took us ~ 400 miles in about 9 hours of driving and sight seeing. Time to recharge and get ready for Day 5 of Route 66.

Day 5 - Albuquerque, NM to Flagstaff, AZ

Day 5 started out by following the Route 66 option (pre-1937 alignment) which traveled South out of Albuquerque following the Rio Grande River, and then heading West along Hiway 6. After crossing back over I-40 we joined Route 66 for the portion which included "Dead Man's Curve", near Laguna Pueblo. Shortly around the curve was our 1st "photo op" of the day. Behind Sue is "Dead Man's Curve".

From here we continued on to our major stop of the day - Sky City Cultural Center and Haak'u Museum. The drive to Sky City provided another amazing view of New Mexico. This is the gateway to Acoma “Sky City”, the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in North America. Acoma Pueblo is built atop a sheer-walled, 367-foot sandstone bluff in a valley studded with sacred, towering monoliths. Since 1150 A.D., Acoma Pueblo has earned the reputation as the oldest continuously inhabited community in North America.

EDITORS NOTE: Although there is no power or plumbing running the top of the mesa, they are allowed to use gas generators. We could also see several "porta-potties' on the edges of the mesa.. with padlocks on each. Our guide shared that each family on the bluff shared access to the porta-potties, and thus the reason for the padlocks.

It was a really interesting tour. Check out the link to read more, and if you are ever passing thru this area of New Mexico, I encourage you to check it out.

The tour lasted over 2-1/2 hours, so it was time to push on to Arizona. Our next attraction was the Continental Divide. The Route 66 location is at Brannigan Park, between Bellemont and Parks, Arizona. The Continental Divide is a popular location and has been the site of numerous trading posts down through the years.

The route then led us thru Gallup, NM before putting us on I-40 for the drive into Arizona (the seventh state of our trip). Alot of interstate driving on this portion of the Route 66 journey. But the route did lead us into Holbrook, AZ, home of the "Wigwam Motel". In the web link you can read (and see) all about it. Today, it still looks like a site out of the 50's. Sitting on the bench outside a tepee was what looked like a mom, dad and son who appeared to be staying at the motel - mom reading a book, the dad looking at the old cars, and the son wandering around, looking bored to tears!

From Holbrook, we jumped back on I-40 for a short drive to the Winslow, AZ - famous for the popular Eagles song "Take it Easy". Of course we had to be "standing on the corner", and check out "a Girl, my Lord, in a flat bed ford, slowing down to take a look at me...".

We hopped back on I-40 for the last leg of our drive into Flagstaff, AZ. If you have not been to Flagstaff, its a gorgeous oasis in the middle of a dessert. The City is located at 7,000 ft so the temperatures are noticeably cooler. The landscape is filled with Ponderosa pines, which give it a Northern US type of feel. It is also a major rail point in Northern AZ so you will find plenty of railroad activity in town.

Our day came to an end with dinner and beers at the Flagstaff Brewing Company, in downtown Flagstaff (across from the Amtrak depot). Next to the pedestrian shopping mall, it looked like a great place for residents to relax and enjoy the sites and sounds of Downtown Flagstaff.

Another Day in the books. Day 5 took us approximately 380 miles and 8-1/2 hours of driving time. Tomorrow we will venture into the Golden State on our next to last day on Route 66.

Day 6 - Flagstaff, AZ to Barstow, CA

The 2nd to last day on our Route 66 Journey started off on another sunny morning, but with temperatures in the upper 30's. Most of the day's driving would be on original Route 66 roadway, and alot of desert scenery, but the 1st portion took us thru the town of Williams, AZ. This is the Southern terminus for the Grand Canyon Railway. The setting is similar to what you would see in the Rockies of Colorado. This town also embraces the historic Route 66, including Cruiser's Cafe 66, on W. Railroad Ave.

From Williams, we descended down into the flatlands, thru Ash Fork, Seligman, and into Kingman, AZ. All are railroad towns, as Route 66 follows the main East/West railroad tracks of the Southwest US.

Kingman, AZ is also home to another Route 66 museum, housed in an refurbished old Kingman Powerhouse, built in 1907.

From Kingman, our journey led us on the old Oatman-Topock Hiway, through notorious Sitgreaves Pass of the Black Mountain Range. This is the most intimidating portion of Route 66, with its steep grades, narrow road, and sharp hairpin curves. Along this route up the hill, sits the Cool Springs Camp and Filling Station Museum.

After crossing the Sitgreave Pass, and while winding down the mountain is Oatman, AZ, an old mining town now converted into a tourist destination. Tourist stores abound and many tourists have pasted autographed one-dollar bills on the walls and ceiling of the Oatman Hotel's bar and restaurant.

On the road leaving Oatman, we were stopped by a few "tourists" wandering the area. Of course, they had to take a look thru the window at my Navigator's equipment.

Once down from the mountain pass, we crossed the Colorado River near Topock, AZ and crossed into California, the eighth state of our trip. EDITORS NOTE: One thing we learned quickly on this portion of the Route, was to make sure you make gas and bathroom breaks whenever they appeared. In this portion of the country, towns (and filling stations) are few and far between.

Needles, CA was the last stop before heading across the Mohave desert. Again, much of Route 66 in this area followed rail lines. I think we counted over 12 trains we followed/passed during the day. All appeared to be 1/2 to 1 mile long, and filled with double decked containers. Its amazing to think of all the freight that is transported every day along these tracks.

This section provided long (and desolate) stretches driving, but with amazingly beautiful scenery. We connected back up with I-40, for the remaining 50 miles to Barstow, CA, on the interstate.

Day six ended with our usual Sunday nite pizza at the Route 66 Pizza Palace... a good old family pizza joint.

Total miles traveled from Flagstaff, AZ to Barstow, CA was approximately 440 miles and about 8-1/2 hours of drive time.

Day 7 - Barstow, CA to Santa Monica Pier, CA

The seventh and final day of our Route 66 trip began with more desert driving. Another gorgeous "Southern California" day! Following once again the trains (and tracks), Route 66 passed thru Victorville, where we connected with I-15 toward Los Angeles. Before hopping on the interstate, our drive took us past the Iron Hog Restaurant and Saloon, in Oro Grande, CA. Built in 1931 as Case Farm Equipment dealer, the Iron Hog was a stage stop in the 1880's and a trading post. INTERESTING FACTS: The Iron Hog is a international tourist stop. Its been in featured in several movies, including Easy Rider and Erin Brockovitch, and is home to the county's oldest graveyard (with graves dating back to the mid-1800's). For all you Roy Rogers fans, Roy Roger's Ranch is located about 1 mile away.

Once on I-15 we crossed the San Gabriel mountain range, where we exited the interstate and hopped back on the original Route 66 road thru San Bernadino and West through the cities of Rancho Cucamonga, Arcadia, Pasadena, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, West Los Angeles, and finally Santa Monica. It was at this point "my Navigator" had her hands full, keeping me on the route, dodging road construction, and pointing out the Route 66 sights along the way. Suffice to say, at this point with the traffic building, sightseeing became considerably more difficult than previous 6 days, traveling the desolate back roads.

Our path led us on such notable streets as E. Colorado Blvd. home of the Rose Bowl Parade, Arroyo Seco Parkway (past Dodger Stadium), and Sunset Blvd, before hopping on "the 101". Our final turn was on to Santa Monica Blvd , in Hollywood, which took us the last 20 miles to the Santa Monica Pier. Sue was able to point out Dan Tana's Restaurant, a Hollywood favorite, Rodeo Dr. leading into Beverly Hills, and in the distance, the famous "Hollywood sign".

At approximately 11:30am, we pulled into the Santa Monica Pier parking area, and head up to the Pier, for our official photo at the end of Route 66. We celebrated with a Margarita and nachos at Marisol's on the Pier, while enjoying the sights and sounds on the Pier. As with the rest of the trip, the weather was perfect - clear blue skies and temperatures in the 60's. A great way to finish up!

Seven days, approximately 2,400 miles, and eight states on our memorable journey. It was all we had hoped it would be.

People ask, did we get to see everything? Was seven days enough time? Would we do anything different? Our answers are that the seven days allowed us to experience the real Route 66, and see the sights that it has to offer. Did we get to see everything, no, we didn't. The purists would have stopped at many more sights along the way. For us, the stops and the side trips we enjoyed were just right. Not sure we would do anything any different. However, it did open our eyes up to other spots we would love to check out that were nearby the Route. Places like visiting the cities of Albuquerque, Santa Fe and Flagstaff, touring the Grand Canyon, and getting out and hiking more of the natural sights along the the way.

Bottom line...the Route 66 Journey is a "must do" in my mind. If you can do it, DO IT!

I have shown a fraction of the photos taken on the trip (over 800 taken). This link will take you to a web album with what I thought were the most interesting of the trip (approximately 207). If oyu have time, check it out!

2014 Route 66 Trip Photos

Post Route 66 - The Return to Iowa

For those of you not interested in our adventures on the way back to Iowa, this is a good place to end. However, our twelve day vacation still had 5 more days (and another 2,300 miles to travel) before it came to an end.

From the Santa Monica Pier, we traveled to our hotel in Thousand Oaks, Ca, but not before seeing a few Southern California sights. No. 1 on the list was the Hollywood sign. Boy, you'd think there'd be signs directing you to a nice observation area somewhere below it, for tourists like us to grab photos. Nope! We headed up into the residential hillside, looking for a park or hiking area where we could snap a quick photo. After 30 minutes of fighting narrow residential hillside roads (and a couple wrong turns) we were able to find a place - complete with a couple guys and their dog (one guy was relieving himself, and the other was trying to get his dog to "pose" on the trunk of his car for a sign photo).

From here, it was time to go check out Malibu. Boy, that was a job! Took us at least 30 minutes to get back down to the Santa Monica Pier where we hopped on the Pacific Coast Hiway to Malibu. Not what I had envisioned. Beach access was very limited, and the residences were crammed together along the edge of the hiway. There were great views of the Pacific Ocean, but just way too crowded for my Midwestern tastes.

We decided that we had seen enough of the LA area, given it was 3:30 pm, and traffic was only going to get worse. Day Seven came to an end. Total miles traveled from Barstow to the Santa Monica Pier, and back to the hotel was approximately 220 miles and 7-1/2 hours of driving.

Day 8 and 9 - Thousand Oaks, CA to Las Vegas, NV

Our trip back to Iowa included a day and a half stopover in Las Vegas. Our mission on Day 8 was to travel to Las Vegas, with a stop at the Hoover Dam for a tour. It seemed strange to get on the Freeway and just drive. "My Navigator" didn't have to look at a map more than one or two times (I think I actually caught her napping a bit along the way).

We headed for the Hoover Dam first. In all our trips to Vegas we never took the time to take the tour. It was an amazing sight, inside and out. The new bridge crossing the gorge added a whole new dimension to the dam and its surroundings. Its amazing to imagine the construction of this marvel back when the construction technology was so basic. No lasers for determining locations, no huge bulldozers and earth-moving equipment, and living accommodations built in the middle of a desert. Amazing!

SIDENOTE: We learned that a couple hours after we had left the dam, a person took his/her life by jumping from the new bridge.

We made it to the New York, New York Resort and Casino in Las Vegas and checked in. This was our first time staying on this end of the Strip, so we had plenty of walking to do to catch up on all the latest changes, including a trip to Downtown Las Vegas to meet with a couple of great friends, and get caught up on the the "latest".

One of the new spots in Vegas we checked out was "Container Park". This was a creative shopping district with stores made up entirely of shipping containers - food and drink shops, and a bunch of retails stores surrounding a playground area for kids. At night, music is playing as well. Definitely a unique idea!

The next day, we wandered down to check out the newest attraction on the Strip - the Linq. This is part of the renovation of the Imperial Palace and Flamingo Resorts, and includes the new High Roller - the world's largest observation wheel. For those of you who have been to the Imperial Palace, O'Sheas Casino, and the Flamingo, the areas has definitely changed... for the better!

For our last night in Vegas we grabbed a Mexican dinner at a Village Street Eatery in New York New York, and finished off with some ice cream. A brief but great visit to Vegas!

Oh, and if anyone knows Spanish, and can tell us what Sue won on the slot machine pictured, let us know!

Days 10, 11 and 12 - Las Vegas, NV to Waterloo, IA (via Colorado)

By now, the reality of the trip coming to an end was sinking in, and the desire to "get home" was starting to build. Day 10's drive was a long one - almost 800 miles and 12 hours (and a loss of an hour due to time change). Our route followed I-15 out of Las Vegas into Utah, connecting with I-40 into Denver, CO. There is some incredibly amazing scenery along this route. We made a quick diversion to Brian Head, UT to check out some property owned by our friends in Las Vegas. Man, I can see why they bought the lot!! I'd definitely serve as their caretaker if they need one!

The interstate route from Brian Head to Aurora, CO was filled with scenes like these. Many, many places that would be great to explore... someday.

We arrived in Aurora, CO about 7:30 pm and grabbed a quick dinner at Denny's (yes, Denny's. It was next to the hotel, and we were both too tired to look for anything else).

For Day 11, we took a side trip south, traveling thru Pike National Forest to check out area where I used to do trial riding on our motorcycles years ago, and on Colorado Springs. We traveled thru areas destroyed by fires a few years back. Its amazing to see the destruction, yet, also see the new vegetation that has already grown back.

We left Colorado Springs and cut cross country to Kearney NE for the night. By now, the camera had been put away, as the sights from our previous 10 days couldn't be matched ... and we were ready to get home.

Day 12 started at 6 am. We were anxious to get home, and pick up our dog Chester, who had been relegated to a kennel for 12 LONG days.... guilt had set in and we wanted to get him back home, with us.

I'll end this journey with a photo of Chester. He's back home, enjoying the best life has to offer, as did we on this memorable trip. Great memories, great times, and reinforcement that a married couple of 30 plus years can have fun and co-exist in a car for over 4,700 miles and 12 days! I've found "my navigator" for life!

So, where are we going next? Stay tuned!~

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Resources for Route 66

The following are fabulous resources to use for planning and while traveling Route 66:

"EZ66 - Guide for Travelers - 3rd Edition" - by Jerry McClanahan
"The Route 66 Map Series" - Created by Jim Ross and Jerry McClanahan
"Route 66 Adventure Handbook - 4th Edition" - by Drew Knowles

(All can be purchased on Amazon.com)

2013 - Fall in Northern Wisconsin

2013-10-04T12:32:00.003-07:00

End of September, temperatures dropping, football in full swing, and the leaves changing colors. That means only one thing - time to head to the North Woods of Wisconsin for some hiking and biking.

Day 1 - Biking Lac du Flambeau

The timing of this year's trip worked out perfectly. Although I wasn't able to make the 49th Annual Beef-a-Rama in Minocqua, I did arrive the day after (September 29th), with clear blue skies, temperatures around 70 degrees, and the leaves at their peak color change. My plans called for two bike rides and one hike along the area forest roads and trails, before heading back home on October 2nd.

I arrived in the Minocqua area about 12:30pm, which was perfect for a bike tour around the Lac du Flambeau Indian Reservation. Since the drive from Waterloo, IA was approximately 6-1/2 hours, plans were for a nice 18 mile bike ride on the roads shown in red in the in the photo. However, when you are enjoying the sights more than the route you are traveling, you end up with a 30 mile bike ride, and only riding a portion of the intended route. But that was ok.. I got to explore some of the back roads and lakes of the area.

My journey started and ended at the Lake of the Torches Resort and Casino (good place to leave my SUV). Although my thighs and rear end were "feeling it", I couldn't resist a few slots before heading to the hotel in Minocqua. More good news... I came out even!

Day 2 - Hiking along the WI/MI Border

Monday morning I loaded up the SUV with my back pack and camera equipment, and traveled North on Hiway 51 thru Manitowish Waters and headed to the Wisconsin/Michigan (UP-Upper Peninsula) border. The area had several forest roads and ATV trails which looked perfect for exploring. My planned route would take me into the UP around Hook Lake, and then South around No Mans Lake and Bena Lake.

The initial portion of the trip was on ATV trails - gravel and sometimes grassy paths, This wooded area also had wetlands, which made some of the trails impassable. It was clear that the ATV riders knew this and made several alternative paths thru the woods. You'd think after missing turns on my biking route yesterday I would have looked my hiking route over a bit more closely to avoid missing the right trail. LESSON #1 - Make sure you know your route! (Yes, I ended up taking a different route, adding an extra couple miles). No problem... I had plenty of time to wander on the beautiful Wisconsin day.

Upon completing the 1st half of the hike I headed out on the southern portion of the route. This was mainly on gravel roads which property owners used to get to their homes and cabins. Should be a piece of cake completing this portion. LESSON #2 - Verify the Google Maps routes do still exist! About 3/4 of the way around No Mans Lake, the road I was on came to an end. Fortunately, there was a cabin, and a gentleman chopping wood. After showing him my "planned route", he pointed me to "the road" I wanted (see photo to the right). He informed me that the current property owner "wouldn't shoot me", but that the prior owner "probably would have. Time for about a half mile of cross country hiking to get to the main road.

After 10 miles of hiking, this added adventure took a bit of effort, but I made it to the road heading back to my vehicle. Along the cross country hike I came across an old Model T frame, obviously abandoned many, many years ago.

4-1/2 hours and 11.6 miles later, I made it back to my car. A successful hike completed!

Time to head back toward Minoqua and relax a bit. But not before a stop at Mann Lake, and a check of the old family cabin.

This cabin, built in the 1940's has been abandoned for the last 15 years... and it still stands prominently on a point of the lake.

Day 2 is in the books. Tomorrow brings one more bike ride, this time around the Boulder Junction area.

Day 3 - Bike Ride around the Boulder Junction area

The final day of my trip was to explore the roads and trails around the Boulder Junction area. The planned route would take me Northwest out of Boulder Junction, along forest roads, around Jenny and Sanford Lakes, back to the South to near Upper Gresham Lake, and then back East and North, returning to Boulder Junction. Boulder Junction has several paved bike trails along Hiway M, providing leisurely riding for those visiting the town. Leaving the bike trails I headed into the forest. Following some ATV/snowmobile trails, I once again found my planned route "disappearing". Using my phone's GPS, I was able to find the route, but it appeared that the portion I was on was no longer used as a trail (see photo). Not wanting to back track, I ventured on, and came upon a trail system which appeared to be a mountain biking trail system. Thinking I was back on track, I headed out... 1st thing I learned was I AM NOT IN SHAPE FOR TRAIL RIDING MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAILS! These trails had tons of hills to ascend/descend, and several alternative "trails" you could take. Not having this trail system on my map, I continued on, thinking I would soon intersect with the road I would take back to the South and West.

After probably an hour of following these trails, I came upon Sanford Lake. A small but beautiful lake, run by the Park Service for recreational use and fishing. I stopped to enjoy the view, and recheck my map on where to head next.

I hopped back on my bike and headed out, and shortly came to Jenny Lake. Like Sanford Lake, this is also a great spot to camp and fish. OK, now its time to get serious and find my route... besides, there was only one other way to go. I finally came upon a paved road. This must be my road.. so I followed it... ANOTHER DEAD END! The road lead onto some private property, which I was not about to attempt. Assuming this paved road must be here for a reason, I headed back the opposite way. Now into about 20 miles (~ 4 hours) of riding to this point, and my legs (and rear end) beginning to wear out, I decided it was time to find a way out and head back to Boulder Junction.

I followed the paved road back to the North, eventually running into County Road B. I began my 8 mile trek from there back to Boulder Junction. 33.4 miles and 5 hours later I made it back into town. A GREAT ride, but not the one I had planned. Suffice to say, by now, after three days of biking and hiking, my legs were telling me its time to call it a day.

The 2013 edition of my Fall escape to Northern Wisconsin was in the books. The beauty and tranquility of the North Woods is like nothing else. It so makes you appreciate how fortunate we are to have areas like this to enjoy.

As I write this, I am already exploring Northern Wisconsin and the UP with Google Maps for possible adventures for next Fall, or maybe even this upcoming Winter, using snow shoes!

If you would like to see more photos taken during my journeys, click on the link below. Feel free to share this blog and the photo albums with other who you think might be looking for an outdoor adventure in Upper Midwest!

2013 Fall WI Trip Photo Album

2013-Exploring the Black Hills of South Dakota

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The Summer of 2013 found my Midwest travel in a new area -the Black Hills area of South Dakota. This hidden gem of the Upper Midwest is often missed in vacation plans due to its location in the SW corner of South Dakota. However, once here, the sights and activities available could make for a complete week of enjoyment.

Our Summer 2013 Dakotas Trip included the following plans:

Day One - Drive to Deadwood, SD and stay at the Bullock Hotel.
Day Two - 1880's Train Ride, and The Badlands via the Badlands Scenic Byway
Day Three - Custer State Park & "the Monuments" (Crazy Horse & Mt. Rushmore)
Day Four - Devil's Tower (Wyoming), and thru South & North Dakota to Fargo, ND
Day Five - Walker, MN & Leech Lake, and on to Minneapolis-St. Paul
Day Six - Return to Waterloo, IA.

Day 1 - Waterloo to Deadwood

The trip across Western Iowa, and South Dakota took over 11 hours, with the sights consisting of those you typically see in the Great Plains. Opting to not take the Interstate hi-ways from Sioux City to Rapid City, we enjoyed the sights of rolling plains, with long straight roads, and smaller communities every 15-25 miles. Surprisingly, this drive was relaxing and enjoyable to see (and imagine) life "on the plains" now, as well as when the settlers traveled here for the 1st time.

Deadwood, SD was our home base while exploring the area. The Bullock Hotel is in the heart of Main St. and still has the rustic charm of the olden days, but with remodeled rooms and lobby. It turned out to be a great accommodation for our stay. Deadwood still has the charm of an old West town, but has embraced the casino industry, with slot machines found all throughout the town. Of course, the Deadwood shops all accommodate the tourists. You can get just about any souvenirs and t-shirt you can imagine... and with the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally only a few days away, you could also get some pretty eye opening apparel as well!

We finished our 1st day of vacation taking in a "gunfight on Main Street." Not the most exciting attraction in town, but hey, "when in Deadwood...."

Day 2 - 1880s' Train and The Badlands

Day 2 started early with an hour drive to Hill City, We decided to start the day with a hearty breakfast at the Hill City Cafe. Some good local cookin' and a couple cups of coffee, and we were ready to go.

I had my doubts about the 1880's Train Ride, whether it was worth the time and money - it was! We boarded the 10:00am ride to Keystone and back. It was a 2-1/2 hours journey through the hills and valleys of this old mining area. We chose the open air cars, and with a clear blue sky and temps in the low 70's, it was a perfect way to start our exploration of the Badlands. TIP: if you plan on taking this train ride, book an early morning or evening ride. The temperatures during the day can get hot!

After finishing the train ride, it was time to take the drive to the Badlands Scenic Byway. As we headed out of town, we came upon the Prairie Berry Winery, home of Red Ass Rhubarb wine. Just had to stop and check this out. Situated just outside Hill City, this winery also had a great view of the Black Hills countryside from their patio.

From the winery, we headed east to the Badlands. The Badlands Scenic Byway provides a driving loop thru the hills and valleys of the Badlands. The drive from Hill City was about an hour. But once we came upon the Badlands National Park, the sights were amazing. The park has many spots to pull off the road, and get out to enjoy the view. Additionally, there are hiking trails the more adventurous can take. With the afternoon temperatures approaching 90, we opted to skip the hikes... for now.

The Scenic Byway loop ended near the town of Wall, SD, home to the famous Wall Drug. No trip to this area would be complete without a stop to check it out. The town has a population of less than 800, but the main street with Wall Drug encompasses a full city block, and then some!

By now it was 5:30, and time to make the journey back to Deadwood, but with a stop in Rapid City for dinner. We chose the Firehouse Brewing Company, located in the heart of downtown Rapid City. Its situated in the old Rapid City Firehouse, built in 1915. Great burgers and beer here! I should also note that this area of downtown Rapid City was bustling. Several great restaurants and many interesting stores and boutiques along Main Street. With an hour drive back to Deadwood, we opted to head back to the hotel and pass on the Rapid City shopping (I lucked out there!).

Our route back to Deadwood took us past the turnoff to Sturgis, SD, home of the annual motorcycle rally (which the start was only 3 days away). We had to go check it out. Although it was 7:30 at nite, vendors were hard at work, setting up, motorcyclists were checking out the bars and souvenir stands, and people like us were lining main street, taking in the site. It was hard to comprehend what this same street would look like in a few more days (see photo from the 2013 Rally, taken a couple days afer our visit).

(Click Here to see more photos of Day 2)

Day 3 - "The Monuments" Day
Day 3 started with a early morning drive to Custer State Park. About an hour from Deadwood, the
drive took us thru the town of Custer, and past Stockade Lake. The morning view of the lake was spectacular.

Hiway 16A, which is also referred to as the "Wildlife Loop", took us past the lake, and down a winding wooded area. Rounding one corner we came upon several cars stopped in the middle of the road... surrounded by buffalo. Some were on the road looking at the cars, and many others were grazing in a grassy spot amongst the hills. It was a pretty amazing sight (and some
interesting sounds).
The road finally cleared by County workers, we continued on.

The wooded, hilly terrain turned into an expansive, rolling prairie. For the many motorcyclists who were also on the drive, it was an ideal touring road. Unfortunately, we were unable to spot any more wildlife until we were almost out of the plains. That's when we came upon the "begging burros". And that they were. Several sightseers were out amongst the burros, petting and feeding the animals. As we approached them, they leisurely wandered up to our car, looking for handouts (don't think they'd enjoy the coffee were had in the car).

I mentioned the motorcyclists who were also driving thru the park. On one of the final stretches of road within the park, where there are VERY tight hairpin turns, we came across a motorcyclist down, on the side of the road, with several people attending to him. Upon leaving the park we asked the attendant about it, and she indicated that unfortunately, that happens quite frequently.

From Custer State Park, we headed back West to check out the Crazy Horse Monument. The monument is easily seen as you drive North of Custer. We started the visit by watching the movie in the Welcome Center, which shares the history of the Monument, and the goals to continue the progress on the world’s largest mountain sculpture, and carving a memorial to the spirit of legendary Lakota leader Crazy Horse and his culture.
Some amazing facts about the size of the Crazy Horse monument - Unlike Mount Rushmore, which is just a relief sculpture, Crazy Horse will be fully three-dimensional, being made of the entire mountain. And in size comparison, Mount Rushmore would be able to fit on Crazy Horse's outstretched forearm. A five-room house will be able to fit inside a nostril the warrior's stead. It will be taller than the Washington Monument and nearly twice as big as the Statue of Liberty. To date, about 8 1/2 million tons of granite have removed to make the sculpture, sometimes employing as many as 100 people.

I won't go into the details about the history of the monument and its construction, other than to say the effort is totally funded with donations. They have chosen to continue to build it with the original vision, despite efforts by the Federal Government to offer financial assistance.

It was time to move on to Mount Rushmore. You've seen images of it a million times on tv, in books, and in movies. But the sight of the Monument as you walk in the entrance is incredible. I have to say the US Park Service has constructed a wonderful memorial, that blends right in to the surroundings, providing spectacular views of the monument. We chose to take the "Audio Tour" (Highly recommended) which allows to listen to a recorded guide, incorporating narration, music, interviews, sound effects and historic recordings. There are over 30 locations along "The Presidential Trail" where you can listen and learn about the history of the view you see.

After leaving the Mount Rushmore Memorial, we headed to Sylvan Lake (located near Harney Peak). This allowed us to drive the famous "Needles Hiway", a narrow two lane road that curves and winds through 14 miles of magnificent rock formations called 'needles.' Along with some beautiful views, you also experience two "unique" tunnels.

Sylvan Lake was created in 1881 when Theodore Reder built a dam across Sunday Gulch. It offers picnic areas, rock climbing, small rental boats, swimming, and hiking trails. It is also popular as a starting point for excursions to Harney Peak and The Needles. This was another one of those amazing photo opportunities we found while in the Black Hill (and a great hike)!

Time to head back to Deadwood for the evening, but not before grabbing a bite to eat in Hill City. By now, the town was swarming with motorcyclists, but we were able to grab a burger at the Slate Creek Grille.

Arriving back at the Bullock hotel for our last evening, we decided to end the visit by playing some slots and enjoying their "Foreign Beer Thursdays" special. Things were quiet in the lobby, and even had the bartender providing Sue "advice" on her slot machine... and wouldn't you know it, she ended up ahead! A good time to call it a night!

(Click Here to see more photos of Day 3)

Day 4 - Devils' Tower and Fargo

Our final tourist stop in the Black Hills area was Devil's Tower (Wyoming) After checking out of the Bullock Hotel we headed West for approximately an hour to the National Monumnent. Being the "earlybirds", we were able to view Devil's Tower with its top in the clouds. This is another amazing sight of nature. You cannot comprehend the enormity and structure until you are standing at the base. The National Park Service also runs this attraction, and has provided a paved pathway around the base (~ 1.3 miles). While hiking the trail you can clearly see the hexagonal columns in the Tower.
Geologists cannot agree on exactly how the tower was formed. In 1907, scientists Darton and O'Harra decided that Devils Tower must be an eroded remnant of a laccolith. A laccolith is a large mass of igneous rock which is intruded through sedimentary rock beds without reaching the surface, but makes a rounded bulge in the sedimentary layers above.
Other theories suggest that Devils Tower is a volcanic plug or that it is the neck of an extinct volcano (Some pyroclastic material of the same age as Devils Tower has been identified elsewhere in Wyoming). The igneous material in the Tower intruded about 40.5 million years ago. (OK, enough geology for the Trip!)

As we finished our hike, the Park was filling up fast (3 tour busses had arrived). Time head out on the next part of our journey - the drive to Fargo, ND.

Although not on the direct route back to Waterloo, we wanted to experience the vast plains of Western South and North Dakota, and briefly visit the city that the movie "Fargo" was based upon.

Our drive followed Hiway 85 North thru the Western end of both states. The sights were few and far between, but the vastness of this rangeland was impressive. Hundreds of rolled hay bales literally everywhere (even in the ditches of the hiway) along the route. Herds of cattle also appeared along the route. Given the lack of farmsteads and towns, I suspect these rolls of hay were the cattles' food source for a Winter in "The Dakotas".

The drive was approximately 10 hours, arriving in Fargo around 6:30pm. Our hotel was located on the West side of the city, and given the time of day, we opted for dinner and a couple beers to unwind from the long day on the road. But before wrapping up the day, here's some info about Fargo.

Fargo is a core city of the Fargo-Moorhead metropolitan area. Fargo sits on the western bank of the Red River of the North in a flat geographic region known as the Red River Valley, which is some of the richest land in the world for agricultural uses. Interesting fact - The Red flows northward, which means melting snow and river ice, as well as runoff from its tributaries, often create ice dams, which cause the river to overflow. With the flat Red River Valley terrain, flooding is frequent. The Red River flows through the heart of the metro area, which does not have flood protection in place.

The Fargo-Moorehead area is also home to several colleges. North Dakota State University (NDSU), Concordia College, Minnesota State University-Moorehead, Rasmussen College, and University of Mary all have campus' in the Metro area. Finally, as we travelled thru the area, it was clear that Fargo-Moorehead has been and continues to be a major transportation hub - Interstate Hiways I-29 and I-94, the BNSF Railway & Amtrak, and Hector International Airport.

(Click Here to see more photos of Day 4)

Day 5 - Leech Lake & Minneapolis
Day 5 started with a drive across the Northern portion of Minnesota to Walker, MN and the Leech Lake vacation area. We passed thru several smaller communities (Detroit Lakes, Park Rapids- Start of the Mississippi River) which serve the tourists and residents of many lakes and resorts in Northern Minnesota.

Walker, MN is located on the southwest corner of Leech Lake, the third largest lake in Minnesota. The town has become a destination for tourists, featuring several boutique shops, four hotels (including Chase on the Lake), and outfitters to provide for all your outdoor sporting needs. The area is located mainly within the Leech Lake Indian Reservation, and completely within the Chippewa National Forest.

As is custom during our travels, we always check out area casinos. Northern Lights Hotel and Casino is just outside Walker, and provided us with an hour of entertainment. Fortunately, my wife came out as a winner. Unfortunately, she didn't win enough to pay for all the purchases she made in Downtown Walker!

From Walker, our travels took us Southeast, passing around Mille Lacs Lake (Minnesota's second larges inland lake), and home to our 2nd casino stop of the day at Grand Casino Mille Lacs. Our luck continued, with us also leaving this casino ahead.

Another hour and a half drive to Minneapolis, and our hotel - Le Bourget Aero Suites. Located in Bloomington, MN, the Le Bourget Aero Suites is a unique European style hotel situated near the I-494 and I-35W interchange, with very modern rooms, at a very reasonable price. After checking in we made a stop at Joe Senser's Sports Theater Restaurant for dinner and drinks. On the way back to the hotel we found a Trader Joe's Neighborhood Grocery Store. Having never been in a Trader Joe's, we stopped to check it out. We picked up some dessert (and some good chuckles from "people watching") and headed back to the hotel.

Day 5 is in the books!

Day 6 - Minneapolis to Waterloo
The drive from Minneapolis to Waterloo is normally a 3-1/2 hour drive following I-35S and Hiway 20E. We opted to follow the old Hiway 218 from Austin, MN, thru St. Ansgar, Osage, and Nashua. There's something enjoyable about traveling the countryside, and passing thru the small towns that makes you appreciate life in the Midwest.

As with any vacation, the last day is mostly about getting home, and thinking about getting back into the daily grind. Our trip to the Black Hills, the Dakotas, and Northern Minnesota was a great getaway.
The natural sights and historic locations are a "must see" for anyone who enjoys exploring all that the United States have to offer.

2013-Snowshoeing in Northern Wisconsin - Day 2

2013-02-15T12:28:00.000-08:00

After a great "1st time snowshoeing" experience the previous day hiking Mann Lake North of Minocqua, I was ready to venture out to a new spot in the North Woods.

Thanks to some great resources I found on Facebook and the web, I had several spot to choose from. Theresea at the Boulder Junction Chamber of Commerce suggested
Van Vliet Hemlocks area, or the Catherine Wolters Wilderness Area.

The Minocqua Chamber of Commerce suggested checking out Minocqua Winter Park, west of town.

Michael Crowley, author of "Life in the Northwoods" web site and Facebook site is a premiere photographer of the North Woods, and recommended checking out areas along the Manitowish River, as well as Bond Falls, just across the Wisconsin border in the UP of Michigan.

Given the choices, I decided to venture further north, and check out the Bond Falls area. I headed out Tuesday morning at about 8:00am, knowing I had about a 90 minute drive, and knowing that an additional 2-3 inches of snow fell overnite. Amazingly, the roads were great to travel on, even when taking some of the county back roads after crossing into Michigan. It might have been that I probably only saw 6-8 vehicles on the roads to Bond Falls too, that made the driving easy!

The countryside was amazing.. This is what you imagine winter in the North to be - trees covered with snow and frost, with snow at least a foot deep, So many times I was tempted to stop and take photos... but I knew it would take forever to get to Bond Falls if I did.

I arrived at Bond Falls about 9:30am. Other than a couple passes by the snow plow to clear the County road, there had been noone in this area this morning.

Bond Falls is a waterfall on the middle branch of the Ontonagon River, and part of the Bond Falls Flowage. The Michigan DNR manages this 90 acrea area, and requires a recreation passport to visit and view. Noone was at the site when I arrived, so I donned my extra apparel and cameras, hooked up my snowshoes, and headed out. The 1st thing I noticed was the additional snow. The snow depth in the Bond Falls area were at least 12-16". The area also required traversing some paths which had some substantial rise/fall in them. For a "2nd time snowshoer" this took a bit of getting used to, to avoid falling on my butt.. or even worse, into Bond Falls!

The area around the Falls has been improved with some walkways, to accommodate access by all, including special needs.

Te following photos are a few of the views I was able to enjoy on my snowshoe hike.

After visiting the falls, I head back out the path leading to the DNR entrance. Fortunately, this road and parking area was closed off.... The road was incredibly steep, and I know I would have been able to drive in, but likely not drive out! Even the walk up the hill, in snow shoes, and with 12-16" of snow, required a substantial bit of huffing and puffing on my part (ok, I'll admit it, a couple stops along the way, to catch my breath).

I made it back to the main road, and before heading back to the car, I decided to "off-road", and try wandering free style into the wooded camp area on along the flowage. You can see, by the photo to the left, there was ALOT of snow to walk thru. After about 15 minutes, the adventurist in me disappeared, and it was time to head back to the car. It was during this time, I kept thinking, why didn't I consider snowshoeing when I was 20 years younger!

My adventure to Bond Falls had come to an end. So glad I made the drive from Minocqua. Its absolutely beautiful up here in the Winter. I can only imagine what areas further North (Porcupine Mountains in the Upper Peninsula, Bayfield area and Apostle Islands, and the many, many forest trails throughout the North Woods). This is definitely a "must do" for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and the amazing sights of Winter in the Northern United States.

Before I end, I would be remiss if I didn't list my recommendations and "lessons Learned" from these two days of exploration (I know, the "engineer in me" does not go away).

Planning

Find connections thru the web (or Facebook) to areas you are interested in exploring, and ask for their recommendations
Check out State/National Park requirements - many/most will require parking pass and hiking pass
Plan hikes to your level of fitness - snowshoeing requires MUCH MORE effort than regular hiking!

Equipment

Find a friend or organization who will loan (or rent) snowshoes to you. Stores in the areas you are going will likely rent equipment. This will let you decide if investing in snowshoes is something you want to do.
Use ski poles! These help with stability in areas with branches, rocks and enbankments. (it also amps up the workout to include your arms and upper body ... I know this 1st hand!)
Wear a backpack that includes extra outerwear (jacket, gloves, mittens, stocking caps), and emergency supplies (whistle, flashlight, matches, compass)
Carry a smart phone. It provides emergency contact capability if needed.
Download apps on your smart phone that provides gps location and tracking, as well as compass (Cary an extra phone battery if possible)

Attire

Dress in layers - its better to add/remove layers and store extra in backpack
Bring both gloves and mittens - gloves work best with ski poles, but if cold, the mittens will work best for keeping hands warm
Use "gaitors" to minimize snow on your pants and boots

Other

Take a camera. You'll want to capture the experience
Take some snacks. The workout in cold weather burns alot of calories
DON'T RUSH - take time to enjoy the beauty and mother nature at its finest!

Most of all, have a great time!

I have loaded many of the other photos I took during the Bond Falls Trip into a Picasa Album. If you are interested in viewing these, Click Here.

2013-Snowshoeing in Northern Wisconsin - Day 1

2013-02-14T11:56:00.000-08:00

Living in the northern climate of the United States, you either have to embrace the Winter weather, or plan many trips to Florida, Arizona, or the Caribbean between November and March. This year I decided to embrace it, and experience winter sports in the North Woods of Wisconsin. Not owning a snowmobile, or cross country skis, and having this insatiable desire to explore the forests, I opted for checking out the world of snowshoeing. Being a lifelong runner, and more recently, a walker and hiker, snowshoeing seemed to be a perfect way to experience my 1st Winter in the North Woods.

The Minocqua, Boulder Junction, and St. Germain areas of Wisconsin are mecca for Winter sports in the Upper Midwest. In fact, The day I drove up to Minocqua, the latest "Cruiserfest 2013" was wrapping up on Lake Minocqua. Literally hundreds of snowmobiles and people were traveling South on Hiway 51 Sunday, heading home after a weekend of fun in the snow.

I loaded up my Santa Fe with a bunch of warm clothing, a pair of borrowed snowshoes, a backpack, all my camera and video equipment, and headed out at 5:30 Sunday morning. The early departure was to avoid a potential winter storm predicted for portions of Northern Wisconsin in the afternoon. Of course, that meant driving on roads coated with some freezing rain until I reached Madison, Wisconsin. Once there, I checked in at my "go to" hotel - Americinn of Minocqua.

Monday morning arrived with temperatures at 30 degrees, but with a forecast for the temps to drop all day and winds up to 30 mph. Not having gone snowshoeing for an extended distance before, I brought all my winter wear to make sure I was warm... and safe. The drive to Mann Lake took about 15 minutes. Thanks to a friend who lives on Mann Lake, I was able to park at his cabin, and begin the journey from there.

To make sure I stayed warm, I had four layers on top, and under my jeans I wore my winter running pants. I wore a stocking cap, a neck gaitor, and used my running gloves (worked well with ski poles). To play it safe, I also carried in my back pack an extra running jacket, my heavy duty winter mittens, an extra stocking cap, two "space blankets", binoculars, a safety whistle, and a trusty bag of licorice. Time to head out.

The 1st step onto the lake was a bit unnerving... I'd never been on a frozen lake like this. I had been assured there was "at least two feet of ice" on the lake. As I ventured out from the shore line, I started feeling the slush I had been told about that had formed between the snow and the ice, as a result of the warm weather the past week. Each step felt like stepping in "mush". As I moved along the shoreline, I noticed open water underneath a boathouse. Two feet thick, huh?? Time to move out away from the shore, where the ice has to be good and solid! Sure enough, the "mush" disappeared, and I ventured on. Gaining my confidence that I could do this, I began to head back toward the shoreline so I could check out the landscape for animal tracks. Once again, the slush became more pronounced, and in one spot, I took a step that resulted in me sinking down, feeling like I stepped in a "weak spot" in the ice! This cannot be good, I thought. After surveying my surroundings, the "engineer in me" kicked in, and I surmised that this area was protected from the wind, and likely was prone to melting. Therefore, I should head out away from the shoreline once again. Of course, if my hypothesis was wrong, and I were to break thru the ice, I would be even further from safety! As I ventured away from the protected area, the slush went away... whew! Onward!

I was walking with the wind for the 1st half of the hike, so after about 20-30 minutes, I was warming up pretty good (looked as though my clothes selection plan wasn't well thought out)... But I knew it would be changing soon, when I began the trek back into the North winds. The day was overcast, so with all the white snow surroundings, and the gray skies, the scenery was limited... however, the landscape of the lakeshore provided some neat views. At one point, where the lake turned into a marsh area, I ventured back into the grasslands. Several animal tracks could be seen along the shoreline, but no animals. By now, I was starting to feel my confidence building, so I ventured off the lake and into the wooded area. The snow depth increased, not to mention the hidden objects (branches, trees and rocks). So what seemed like a leisurely walk in the woods had turned into alot of work!

I worked my way back on to the lake, and began the trek back to west, along the south shoreline... The wind had picked up, and my path was directly into it. The snow also seemed deeper along the south shoreline (or maybe it was my legs were starting to get tired??).

Part of my journey was to visit the Titus cabin on the south side of the lake. The cabin, used for many, many years as a getaway for our family, still stands proudly, albeit a bit run down due to having not been used in over 20 years.
I took some photos to document the condition of the property, and pressed on.

The "slush" was back... 6-8 inches of snow, and 1-2 inches of slush on the ice made the going a bit tougher. I worked my way across the cove, toward the "old rock" at the west end of the lake. This was always a "go to" spot as a child, when we were old enough to take the boats out on our own. Sure looked alot bigger 50 years ago! Once again, I headed up into the woods to explore the shoreline. The fresh snow from the night before was untouched. I looked up into the rustling trees, and caught a glimpse of two eagles flying over. Sight and experiences like this make you appreciate just how lucky we are!

Time to head back to the car, so I started my journey along the north shoreline, where all the homes and cottages on Mann Lake are grouped. I couldn't help but think how nice these places would be in the middle of July.. but right now they were quiet, and no activity whatsoever. My arms and legs were definitely "feeling it" by the time I made it to my starting point. Although glad I had finally made it to the end, safe and sound, I couldn't help but think how neat this snowshoeing experience was!

I was able to track my adventure using one of the MapMyFitness.com apps - MapMyHike. Its great for tracking time, location, elevation, and estimated calories expended. The bad news was that my smartphone battery, in the cold, would only allow it to work for half of the hike. So the trip was recorded in two segments (2nd segment was with a new phone battery).

The following is a Google Maps 3D recording of my journey around the lake.

The 1st Half of the Hike

Hiked 2.51 mi on 02/11/2013 and more routes in Boulder Junction, WI on MapMyFitness. Find route

The 2nd Half of the Hike

Hiked 1.26 mi on 02/11/2013 and more routes in Boulder Junction, WI on MapMyFitness. Find route

My 1st snowshoeing trip is in the books! I took several photos along the way. They can be viewed in my Picasa album (click here to view).

Stay tuned for the 2nd day of my snowshoeing adventure - Bond Falls, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan!

2012 Fall Wisconsin Bike Ride

2012-10-07T17:34:00.004-07:00

Its that time again... time for the annual pilgrimage to the North Woods of Wisconsin to enjoy the amazing Fall colors. I decided to spice this trip up a bit by adding a couple days of mountain biking to enjoy the scenery.

DAY 1-Sunday

After a late friday night high school football game, and an early morning Iowa Hawkeye football game in Iowa City, and pulling out of Waterloo Sunday morning at 6 am required ALOT of strong coffee! By the time I hit Dubuque, the sun was shining on a beautiful clear Fall day in the Midwest. As I passed thru Wausau, the trees were already showing the bright yellows, reds and oranges, contrasted by the evergreens.. just beautiful against the clear blue sky.

I arrived in Minocqua about 1pm. As is usually the case on visits up North, my 1st stop was at the old family cabin on Mann Lake. Although not used in years, its still stands, and provides the same magnificent views it did when I visited as a child. After taking photos of the cabin, and the colors along the shoreline, I headed back toward Minocqua, but not before scoping out some of the route I would take in the morning on my bike. As nice as the day was, I was getting more and more excited about tomorrow.

I checked in at the Americinn-Minocqua, and settled in to catch some Sunday afternoon football, and to double check my route and equipment for Monday. Definitely a bit of nervous apprehension on tackling a 30 mile ride on snowmobile trails and forest roads. But as good as the weather forecast was for monday, I was ready!

DAY 2 - Monday

As I anticipated, it was difficult sleeping, so I was up bright and early. With the short days in October, the sun didn't rise until after 7am. The temperature was in the upper 20's, as I headed out around 7:30. Stocking cap under the helmet and running gloves were in order, to keep me warm until the temps climbed. Leaving from the hotel, I headed north, traveling thru the quiet residential streets. For those of you familiar with Wisconsin, Hiway 51 is the historic main North/South Hiway in the state. As I reached the north side of Woodruff, I came upon "old Hiway 51". Hard to imagine this used to be the route!

My route continued north, finally turning on to Vandercook Rd., the entrance to my Mann Lake trail route. My trail turned onto a snowmobile route which lead me to my 1st lake view - Trilby Lake. Many deer tracks along the shoreline, but none to be found. Continuing down the path, my trail dumped me back out on Hiway 51, which was not what I expected. No worries, however... after a short ride along the hiway, I took a road into a small residential area, on the west side of Vandercook Lake. Other than one man out drinking his coffee on his front porch, I had yet see anyone out this morning.

Taking a shortcut from the residential area thru the woods, I reconnected with Vandercook Rd. on the east side of the lake, back on my planned route.. whew! It was now about 9:30am.. time for a break. This spot where I stopped, I have driven past probably 30 times over the years, on the way to my Uncle's cabin... Never envisioned me being here... alone.. on a bike!

This is a good place to comment on my mountain bike. I purchased a Trek Marlin from Europa Cycle and Ski in Cedar Falls, IA. A GREAT place to do all your biking needs, whether experienced or inexperienced! It is a perfect mountain bike... called a "29er", for the larger (29" diameter) tires than a normal mountain bike, and has front shocks, helping make the ride more sturdy and comfortable. Other than the usual "sore butt" I seem to get after a few hours on a bike, this was a great purchase. Ok, time to move on... The main "off-road" portion of the ride was now upon me.

The map at the left shows the route I took, from the Americinn in Minocqua, around Mann Lake, and back to the hotel. The portion of the ride, from my stop along Vandercook Lake, along the West and North side of Mann Lake, and then back South, along the East side if Mann Lake was all snowmobile trails. These trails were primarily grass and dirt/gravel, making for great riding. By now, the temperature was in the 60's, so I packed away the outerwear and enjoyed the bright sun... Some great views of smaller lakes in the area, not to mention the constant "rain" of leaves falling from the trees. As I approached the southern end of the snowmobile trail, the casual ride in the woods came to an end. The terrain became a series of hills to climb and descend. Not a big deal, except by now I had been riding for 4-1/2 hours and about 20 miles. The thighs were burning, and as much as I hate to admit it, I decided to walk a couple of the hills to give my legs a break. Soon, Vandercook Rd. was once again in my sights (yellow post in the photo below)... I had made it thru the off road portion of the ride!

From here, it was a 9 mile ride back to the hotel. What a great experience! Even though I was feeling the effects of 5+ hours of bike riding on my body, it was a perfect way to truly enjoy the beautiful October day in Northern Wisconsin. After cleaning up at the hotel, and taking my car to scope out Tuesday's ride, I grabbed a Sub sandwich and settled in for a relaxing evening... with a couple beers, and watching the Bears on Monday Night Football!

DAY 3 - Tuesday

After my experience with "the hills" in the latter part of the first day's ride, I decided to scrap the Day 2 ride I had planned, and adjusted the route to be more back roads, and bike trails. The map at the left is the route I took. The 1st portion traveled past some residential acreages, and Mid Lake. From there, the trail followed an abandoned railroad line along Hiway 47, and a powerline trail for a portion of the ride to the Town of Lake Tomahawk. From there, I headed West on County Road D, where I connected with the Bearskin Trail, an abandoned railroad trail, which ended back in downtown Minocqua.

Tuesday morning started out just like Monday, only a bit colder. I think it was 26 degrees at 7:30am when I began the 2nd bike ride.The first sight to greet me was right across the street from my hotel, in Torpy Park. Who wouldn't be motivated to take a ride after seeing this view???

These images below were captured as I crossed over the waterway connecting Mid Lake and Lake Tomahawk. Continuing East I connected with the abandoned railroad right of way running along side Hiway 47.

(Photo Tip - If you are ever looking to take great scenery photos, get up at sunrise, or just before sunset. The contrasts are memorable!)

While on the railroad path, I decided to switch over to the trail following the powerline running adjacent to the railroad path. Despite the trail having several small hills to traverse, the scenery was worth it. The image to the left shows the wetland area I passed, with the frost on the evergreens, and the sun shining down... pretty awesome site!

Passing through the Town of Lake Tomahawk, I hopped on County Road C, and taking this asphalt road West to the Bearskin Trail. This 3-1/2 mile ride was a bit challenging. The vehicle traffic was something I hadn't had to deal with up until now. The traffic, coupled with the shoulders constructed of large gravel, made the ride not alot of fun. However, the colors along the ride gave me a good excuse to stop frequently and grab some great photos. The photo to the left was taken at the entrance to the McNaughton Correctional Center.

County Road C finally brought me to Hiway 51 and the Bearskin Trail. This trail is over 17 miles long, from end to end. However, where I joined the Trail was approximately 6 miles South of Minocqua. I think I was finally learning the extent of my stamina. Like Monday, after about 4-5 hours of riding, what seemed like small hills definitely made me realize how out of shape I was. The good news was the last 6 miles was old railroad right of way, with a fairly flat grade. It was approaching noon, and I was ready to finish the day's ride. The familiar site along the trail coming into Minocqua is the Kewaga Tressel. Of course, another fabulous view of the Fall colors.

Bike ride #2 Two had come to an end. I am convinced here is no better way to enjoy the wooded surroundings and beautiful sights of Wisconsin's North Woods than by bike. Whether you are adventurous, and want to explore the countryside like my two rides, or prefer a more relaxing ride via paved/railroad rightaways, there are plenty of opportunities in the Minocqua-Boulder Junction-Lac du Flambeau area of Wisconsin.

If you are interested in seeing additional photos of my "wanderings", here's links to some online albums:

Another "Rick's Travel Tales" is in the books. Next adventure planned - Las Vegas! Stay tuned!

2012-08-02T15:06:00.001-07:00

2012 Summer Michigan Vacation

Last year at this time, my wife Sue and I decided to explore the "West Coast" of Michigan and the Upper Peninsula, to check out what all was there to enjoy. The trip was short, but we found plenty of things to see and do. Fast forward to Summer 2012 and a visit to Michigan was booked again, including a trip to Mackinac Island.

The trip was to include a day drive from Waterloo, IA to Traverse City, MI on Friday, July 20th, where we'd stay for two nights, and explore the City as

well as the wineries and sights in the Northwest Region of the state. Sunday afternoon we would head north to Mackinaw City, our base for two nights while we visited Mackinac Island on Monday (July 23rd). On the 24th, we would begin our travels back toward Iowa with an overnight stay at the North Star Mohican Casino (between Green Bay and Wausau, WI), and then back to Waterloo thru Dubuque on Wednesday, July 25th.

Day 1

On the road at 6am (starting time for any Smith Vacation), traveling East to Dubuque, then South to the Quad Cities to avoid as much of I-80 as possible. No way to avoid the Chicago/South Lake Michigan traffic. As usual, WAAAY congested, and some insane drivers as we passed into Indiana. To settle the nerves, we decided to take a break in New Buffalo, MI with a lunch at the Stray Dog Bar and Grille. But what has now become a semi-tradition with the Smith vacations, we arrived to find the Stray Dog closed... Due to Fire! Yes, when we pulled up to the restaurant, the building was surrounded by temporary fencing, and several police and fire officials on scene.
Hoping this wasn't a harbinger of how the trip was going to turn out, we headed on, and found the Silver Beach Pizza Co. restaurant. Located on the edge of a park along the beaches of Lake Michigan, a couple cold beers, and a small pizza while watching the families enjoy a beautiful Summer Day revitalized us to press on.

After a traffic backup, a detour, and 11 hours on the road, we pulled into the parking lot at the Travelodge of Traverse City. After checking in, it was time to check out our 1st casino stop of the trip - Turtle Creek Casino and Hotel. Our usual luck prevailed, and we left down $25.... Having gambled our dinner money away, it was time to find an ice cream shop to at least have dessert! Day 1 is in the books.

Day 2

The focus of Day 2 was the Art in the Park festival in Petoskey. Petoskey, MI is located about an hour north of Traverse City, along the eastern shores of Lake Michigan. Our drive, in some off and on rain sprinkles, took us along the coast of Lake Michigan, and the city of Charlevoix. Even at 7:30am, Charleviox was already filled with people, admiring what appeared to be a custom car rally along main street. From Charlevoix to Petoskey, was a fabulous bike trail, passing thru park areas, beach fronts, and wooded landscapes. Those of you who enjoy biking trails throughout the countryside, Western Michigan and particularly the Traverse City to the Petoskey area is one to check out.

Since we left Traverse City early, we decided to scope out a breakfast stop in Petoskey before the Art Festival opened. Found a little shoppe - Roast and Toast, to grab some coffee and sweet roll.

Downtown Petoskey has alot of specialty shops and with a great waterfront park. Nestled on the edge of the downtown shops and the residential homes is Pennsylvania Park, where the art vendors were assembled for the Festival. Everything from framed art, and photos to jewelry and pottery was on display. It was an overcast morning, and mid-60's so it was a great morning to check them all out.

After some jewelry purchases, we loaded up to head back down toward Traverse City. The rains started moving in... Good excuse to try our 2nd casino stop of the trip - Odawa Casino and Resort. Another $10 invested into the local community!

From Petoskey, we headed back down to Traverse City, and up the western side of Grand Traverse Bay near Suttons Bay. It was time to check out some local wineries. 1st stop was the L. Mawby Winery. This particular winery focused on sparkling wines. The "fan favorite" here was "Sex" - a Brut rose sparkling wine... The story goes that several people, after tasting it, said it was "better than sex", so they decide to rename it just that - Sex!

From L. Mawby, we traveled a few miles to the Forty Five North Winery. Located in Leelanau County, this winery is on the 45th parallel, the same as the Bourdeau region of France. Shortly after our tasting was finished, two bridesmaids groups arrived in limos.... Time to move on!

Not far away, in Leland, Michigan, is a place called "Fishtown". Located along the Sleeping Bear National Lakeshore, this little village has a quaint harbor, as well as several shops, restaurants and galleries... even "Rick's Tavern" at The Cove restaurant, dockside to the Carp River. After some photo taking and some souvenir shopping it was time to hit the road back to Traverse City.

Dinner plans for saturday night was The Mackinaw Brewing Co. Located in downtown Travese City, it is one of 2 breweries serving hand-crafted brews and a wide variety of food. After a couple beers and a tasty sandwich, it was time to head back to the Travelodge... Day 2 was officially in the books.

Day 3

Day three's goal was to check out the Mission Peninsula North of Traverse City, and then to wander the roads north thru Harbor Springs, checking out and wineries and any interesting sites along the way, before winding up at our hotel in Mackinaw City. With our usual early start (7am), our plans called for finding a little cafe for breakfast. Our drive started up the Mission Peninsula coast line of the East Arm of Grand Traverse Bay, then inland, to the Old Mission Lighthouse. Of course, only a couple possible places that might serve some sort of breakfast, weren't open. So we opted for exploring the Old Mission Lighthouse, and the coastline around it. The water level in Grand Traverse Bay was extremely low, allowing you to walk 1/4 mile out from the lighthouse. We came upon a gentleman sitting on the bench overlooking the Bay. He explained he's the volunteer Lighthouse caretaker for the week. His role is to do grounds maintenance, answer questions by visitors, and oversee the grounds, after the park closes. Sounds like an interesting experience!

By now, it was 11am, and time for our 1st wine tasting stop of the day at Chateau Grand Traverse . This winery also manages an Inn for those looking for accomodations perched high on a hill overlooking vineyards, orchards, and spectacular views of Grand Traverse Bay. With Sue's tasting done (I had alot of driving to do that day), and a bottle of wine purchased, it was time to start working our way back to Traverse City, and North to the Harbor Springs area. There were some amazing homes, condos and resorts in this area along Lake Michigan.

Our next winery stop of the day was a neat place - Harbor Springs Vineyards and Winery.

This place started as a family farm, that was opened to families to visit and enjoy the farm experience. From that, a farm market was opened, selling all organically grown/raised farm products. The farm evolved further to include a restaurant that served meals made from product grown on the farm. The farms next step was to start a winery! The server we had was from Virginia, and had applied to be part of this farming experience. He plans to graduate this year, and intends to return to the Virginia area, where he hopes to, with his parents, build and run a similar farm there. Here's a few photos from this experience!

From here, we hit the "Tunnel of Trees" (Michigan Hiway M-119). This route hugs the eastern shoreline of Lake Michigan through a dense forest. On one side you get glimpses of old summer cabin homes tucked back in the forest and on the other side you get brief glimpses of the Lake Michigan shoreline. This is a very narrow and twisty road and is literally one of those roads that you always see photos in travel magazines that make you crave to drive down. You look ahead of you down the narrow tunnel of trees road and cannot help but wonder what will be around the next curve.

And sure enough, suddenly, as we exit the Tunnel of Trees, the Legs Inn appears. Legs Inn is a "monument to nature." Built on a high bluff overlooking Lake Michigan, it is unique and mysterious as seen in its architecture and decor. The fantasy-like atmosphere of this medieval looking stone, timber and driftwood landmark was created by one man, Polish immigrant, Stanley Smolak. He fell in love with Northern Michigan and its people, many of them Ottawa and Chippewa Indians and decided to settle in Cross Village in 1921. We had to stop and check it out... and have our 1st "Polish" Bloody Mary - Potato Vodka, extra spicy, and swizzle stick loaded with stick sausage, olives, and a dill pickle!

Time for the final leg (no pun intended) of the trip up to Mackinaw City, and our hotel - Holiday Inn Express, and of course our usual "Sunday Night pizza" at the Mackinaw City Pizza Palace. Day 3 is in the books. Day 4 - Mackinac Island!

Day 4

The morning started out with our ferry ride to Mackinac Island. We chose the 8:00am ferry, as it is one of two rides that diverts from the direct route, and makes a pass under the Mackinac Bridge. It was a gorgeous morning, with clear skies. Monday Morning was also the day where the the Chicago Yacht Club's 104th Race to Mackinac sail boat race. The boats started at 3pm on Friday, and sail round the clock until they reach Mackinac Island. As we passed under the bridge, you could see several sail boats from the competition. We learned that over 350 sail boats participated, and from the looks of the the Mackinac Island Harbor after noon, they all made it (and were celebrating BIG TIME)!

As was anticipated, the Island's main street is quite the site. Being early, it wasn't totally filled with people, so you could see the homes, shops, and resorts, in all their splendor. Horse drawn carts delivering supplies for the day were all over. Really interesting! Since it was to be a hot day we opted for the carriage tour of the Island rather than the bike rental. As we would see during our tour, having to climb some pretty intimidating hills (had to stop and let the horse rest on the way up), it was a good choice!

We exited the carriage tour when we arrived at Fort Mackinac. Amazing views from the walls of the Fort, and some really interesting displays of the life at the Fort when it was operating. The photos shows the demonstration of the firing of one of the original cannons (no, no cannon ball was fired, just the process for cleaning, loading and firing).

From the Fort we walked to the arguably the main attraction of the island - The Grand Hotel, and its sprawling porch overlooking the town and the Mackinac Strait. The facility and the grounds are stunning. Of course to enjoy all of it, you either need to have a hotel reservation (upwards of $400 per night), or pay $10/person to wander the hotel lobby, the front porch, and the hotel grounds. We opted for the latter.... The porch has amazing views, and the breeze was comofrtable. Definitely a place you would hang out alot, if staying there (Note the Coca Cola vendor on the 3 wheeled bike).

It was nearing noon, so time for lunch and a few refreshments. The walk down the hill reaffirmed our choice not to rent bikes, as we passed several who were already walking their rentals on the climb up the hill. One of guides on the carriage tour recommended Goodfellows for a good place to grab a lunch. It had covered outdoor seating along one of the downtown side streets. Most enjoyable having some cold beers and a sandwich, while watching the sites and sounds of the downtown.

It was time to do the unavoidable - shopping. Couldn't leave the Island without some "Island wear"... By now, it was getting hot, and crowded... So after a few stores, and a t-shirt and sweatshirt in our possession, we set out walking along Main (Huron) Street, past the Harbor, and the other Inns and bed and breakfasts on the Island. I mentioned earlier about the sailboats heading into the Harbor. By now it was packed. Although you can't see it in the photo, many of the yachts were now floating parties. Definitely a good time being had by all!

After another cold beer at a roadside restaurant, in front of the Mission Point Resort, it was time to head back to the Ferry Launch, and head back to Mackinaw City. The Island was an amazing attraction, and a must see for everyone.

The heat and the sun definitely wore us out. So after picking up some famous Mackinac fudge to bring home, we headed back to the hotel to crash. Day 4 is in the books!

Day 5

Day 5 began the journey back to Waterloo, traveling through the Upper Peninsula and Northern Wisconsin, and stopping at the North Star Mohican Casino Resort near Bowler, WI. This Northern route back to Iowa is a wonderful drive. You start with a trip over the Mackinac Bridge (a must for everone), followed by a drive thru the Upper Peninsula (UP), enjoying the beauty of the North Shore of Lake Michigan and the limitless acres of forests

We opted to take a slight detour North up to the shores of Lake Superior, and the town of Marquette, MI. Like many of the cities on the Great Lakes, Marquette has created a fabulous green space along their harbor, with downtown shops and restaurants overlooking the harbor area, and trails that provide a scenic bike ride (or walk) along the Lake up to (and thru) Presque Isle Park. We stopped to enjoy Bloody Marys at the L'Attitude Cafe. The cafe is right across from the harbor , and provides a great view of the Lake.

From Marquette, we headed Southwest into Wisconsin, to our overnight destination - North Star Casino Resort, near Bowler, WI. This was a first for Sue and I, staying in a casino resort (other than in Las Vegas). This resort is between Wausau and Green Bay, with the closest town about 10 miles away. So whatever you need or want, it'd better be at the casino!

After checking in, we joined their rewards program, which, with the overnite package, and the fact we were "seniors" (over 50), we were able to each get $20 in free play. So we burned up the slot machines for a couple hours. It was definitely "Senior Day" there. We had to be the "youngest" Seniors in the place!

Of Course I happened to sit next to an 88 year old lady who told me I was good luck for her (she it a $75 win after I sat down). She told us "we had to do the buffet with their fried chick and fabulous stuffed peppers". We decided quit while we were ahead, and take her advice. We sat down to eat (and of course have a couple "cold ones") with all the other seniors before calling it a night. The good news was Sue had parlayed here $20 into $130, and I was still up $10. All in all a nice relaxing Day 5.

Day 6

The final day of our trip arrived, with a drive from Bowler, WI back to Waterloo. Nothing special planned the day, other than just "getting home". We started off with breakfast at the Casino. Being earlybirds, we and two others had the place to ourselves. Huge plates of food... definitely a good start for the day.

I couldn't leave the casino without one more trip to the machines, and matching Sue's luck. Sure enough, the magic casino fairy blessed me with another $120, ending up $130 for the stay, and Sue up $100. Definitely a nice way to end the vacation.

We arrived home to the 104 degree temperatures about 3pm, in time to rescue Chester (our dog) from the kennel. It was a wonderful get away. If your're ever looking for an area in the Midwest that will surprise you with its scenery and entertain you with its offerings, check out Western and Northern Michigan, and of course Mackinac Island. You'll be glad you did!

If you are interested in seeing more photos from our 2012 Michigan Trip, click here

Hiking in Northern Wisconsin - Spring 2012 - AWESOME!

2012-04-02T16:38:00.000-07:00

Well, I did it.... completed my 1st ever day hiking trip! As my previous blog mentioned, I traversed forest area around Mann Lake, in northerm Wisconsin. I must say, having never taken on a challenge like this, alone, was a bit intimidating to start.

I left Waterloo at 5:30am on Friday, March 30th, in drizzle and temps in the 30's. My plan was to make a stop either at Cabela's (Prairie du Chien) or Gander Mountain (Baraboo, WI), to make one final check for hiking "necessities"... Since I was too early for Cabela's, I headed for Gander Mountain. Man, a person could spend a TON on camping, and outdoors items! I made it out with only a pocket compass and carbiner, to use for hooking my safety whistle to my gear.

I arrived in Minocqua about 2:30pm, so I headed out to the are where I'd start my hike on Saturday, just to check it out... it was only 35 degrees, so I began wondering if I had enough clothes... I walked about 1 mile down to Emerald Lake, and back. Not too bad... awfully quiet... and not a person within miles..

Next stop was a Park Service Station to see if I needed a pass for hiking. Good news, I could park and hike without a pass as long as I didn't stay in a camp ground. Time to check in at the Hotel - AmericInn in Minocqua. After some snacks from the grocery store and a little television, I called it a night (but was a bit hard falling asleep thinking about the next day).

I woke up at 4:30, so I decided to start packing things, grab a morning coffee and donut (can't start the day without 'em), and then head on out to the hiking site. The morning was overcast, and only 33 degrees, with a 10-15 mph wind... but in the woods, you could only "hear" the wind in the trees. I "layered up" good, and threw my stocking cap and running gloves in the back pack... just in case.

It was almost 8:30 before I finally hit the lock on the car and headed out... I decided that rather than try to battle the wooded shoreline around Mann Lake, I'd follow the forest roads (used for snowmobiling in the Winter) for my 1st hiking trip. It added some extra distance on my trip, but at least I knew where I would be in case of emergency. Like Friday, it was eerily quiet, and the heart was beatin' fast as my car disappeared behind me. Would I cross paths with a bear? A Moose? a Wolf?

The trees had yet to bud, which was probably good.. I could see deep into the woods, and it likely helped keep the bugs from bothering me. I tried using the handheld GPS units I had borrowed from friends, but they struggled with keeping a GPS signal. So I downloaded a Hiking GPS app (BackCountryNavigatorPro) onto my Droid phone.... Surprisingly, it kept a GPS signal for the whole hiking trip! At the end of this blog, have posted an image of the map of my trail created by this app.

Most of the hike had trails and scenes like the one at the left. This made the walking fairly easy, and enjoyable. The 1st third of the trip was the most worrisome, as the topographical maps didn't show the trail very well, as it wound around 2 lakes and a wetland area. Fortunately, the snowmobile use during the winter made the trail easy to see.

An example of the preparation the snowmobile clubs do to provide good winter riding is seen in the photo below. Here, a bridge was constructed to get over some of the wetland areas.

After about 2 hours I came upon Vandercook Road. This was a sign I had made it to an area I was familiar with. The access road to the Titus Cabin is off of Vandercook Rd. At this point, I was feeling great, and stopped to try and take a photo of me in the midst of the hike. You be the judge - a crazy Iowan on a hike or "Bear Grylls" wannabe.

I then took the path to the Titus Cabin. This has cabin has a special place in my heart, as I grew up visiting it several times. It was/is owned by my Uncles. The cabin has not been used in years, but still is owned by the Titus Family. I annually pay a visit to check out the condition, and remember "the good ol' days".

Here are a couple photos of the cabin and its view of Mann Lake.

After visiting the cabin, I decided to see if I could traverse along the south shoreline of Mann Lake to the western end of the Lake and County Road M. The distance was approximately 1 mile, and seemed like an easy thing to do.

Well, an hour later, and hiking thru a forest area which had logging done in previous years, and some dense wooded areas, I ended up right back where I started! Guess I should have stayed closer to the lake shore (and used my GPS app!).

Below is an image of the type of terrain I was hiking in...

So I hiked back out the road leading to the Titus cabin, back to Vandercook Rd., and followed it to the snowmobile trail heading north along the Western and Northern areas of the lake.
It was now abour 4-1/2 hours into the hike, and I could definitely feel it in my feet. The trail terrain was much like the beginning trail I started on, only more hilly.

Along the route, were some scenic areas, such as these wetlands where Mann Lake empties out into a creek.

I finally saw the "end of the trail" come into site, as the the sign with the trail map appeared. I made it back to my Santa Fe, "unpacked" my gear (image to the left), and celebrated my successful day with a toast to the beautiful Wisconsin North Woods, using the "anti-septic" I carried with me (courtesy of a veteran outdoorsman).

For anyone who enjoys the outdoors, and loves the beauty and peacefulness of the woods, you MUST head north and explore Northern Wisconsin, or the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Its definitely a "bucket list item"!

Finally, below is an image of the trail I took (blue lines circling Mann Lake - ignore straight lines... GPS signal errors). If you look closely, at the bottom of the image is an elevation map of my hike as well.

For more photos of my hike, check out my Picassa web album (Click Here)

Stay tuned for more "Rick's Travel Tales"!

Hiking in Northern Wisconsin - Spring 2012

2012-03-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

Well, the wonderful Spring weather in the Upper Midwest this year has stirred up my urge to explore. And of course, my favorite area, the North Woods of Wisconsin, is once again my focal point. This year, however, rather than doing all my exploring by vehicle, I have decided to plan a day hiking trip.

Location
Having never truly hiked more than an hour or two, and only on trails mapped out in state parks, this year's adventure will be hiking in the woods, and could take the better part of a day. Mann Lake, in Northern Wisconsin, is home to a family cabin. This lake, approximately 7 miles NE of the Woodruff-Minocqua area, has limited access and less than a dozen cabins, located the NE portion of the lakeshore.

The family cabin is located on the opposite side of the lake, surrounded by state forest land, and only accessible via forest roads and a private path. Having traveled this remote access several times, the idea of hiking this area seemed like an exciting adventure. So this year's exploration is to hike around Mann Lake.

This is pure hiking, as there are limited/no trails to follow. The terrain is hilly, especially near the shoreline, and the growth is dense. Talking with a resident of the lake, his advice was to plan for a tough day, and be prepared for wildlife (bears, wolves, deer and even moose have been sighted around the lake). In addition, his recommendation was also to prepare for insects, and particularly ticks. Making this hike in late March will help with the insects, and with the leaves not fully out, I'll be able to see what's around me easier. So even with all these possible "issues", I am set to make this journey.

Preparation
So, with all I know about the location, the weather, and the environment I'll be in, I decided to be prepared. On my list of equipment to take are:

Backpack
Handheld GPS, maps, and compass, cell phone
Whistle, flare,
Water, snacks,
Multitool, Flashlight, first aid items, bug spray
Digital Camera, pocket video camera,
Hiking Boots, hat, rain jacket, and multiple layers of clothing

Man, for an engineer who likes to make sure he has "everything" covered, this is hard! But thanks to some great friends, who are supplying some of these necessities, I am set to go.

Here's some shots from around our old family cabin

Check back next week and see the shots I get while on my hiking adventure!

2011 Fall Wisconsin Fall Trip

2011-10-07T07:11:00.000-07:00

The 2011 edition of the Wisconsin Fall Trip is in the books. This time of year always draws me to "wander the North Woods", enjoying the Fall colors, and the serenity of the area. This year, rather than spending the entire trip touring in my Santa Fe, driving from location to location, the trip also included trail hiking.

The trip agenda was as follows:
Friday, September 30th, 2011
- Stay overnite in Dubuque, IA (after Waterloo West Football game)
Saturday, October 1st, 2011
- Leave Dubuque and travel to near Hayward, WI
- Hike the Morgan Falls/St. Peter's Dome Trail
- Overnite in Minocqua Oct. 1st, 2011
Sunday, October 2nd, 2011
- Hike Fallison Lake Nature Trail
- Hike Raven Trails
- Hike Bearskin State Trail
- Overnite in Monocqua Oct. 2nd, 2011
Monday, October 3rd, 2011
- Travel back to Waterloo, IA

2011 Wisconsin Fall Trip - Day One

The drive from Dubuque to the Morgan Falls/St. Peter's Dome was gorgeous. Blue skies, temps in the 60's, and tree color at their peak. The route I took is shown in the photo to the right.

The routes shows the stop for the hiking at Morgan Falls/St. Peter's Dome, and then on to Minocqua, WI for the next two nites.

The Morgan Falls/St. Peter's Dome Nature Trail is a US Forest Service Trail, requiring either an annual ($20) or day pass ($4). The trails are out/back trails - one to The Dome, and one to The Falls. The entire length of the trails was approximately 5 miles, following wooded paths, with plenty of rocks and roots. I arrived about 1pm, and at the time there were only a handful of families and hikers enjoying the trails.

Morgan Falls was tucked in among the trees and very scenic. The water was not flowing as much as normal due to the limited rain this past summer. This definitely was the attraction for the kids on the trails!

From here, I proceeded on the longest stretch of the trail to St. Peter's Dome. Alot of steep rock paths and roots along this portion, and was definitely got the ol heart pumpin'... but the view from the top was amazing.

The rock overlook was the perfect place for this family to have lunch, and enjoy the glorious scenery. It was interesting to note that the trail had people from the age of infancy (in frontpack) to 70+ years of age. It was neat to see everyone out and enjoying the beauty of Northern Wisconsin.

I headed back down the trail toward the parking area, and what had been a peaceful trail hike turned into a trail packed with visitors heading to "The Dome". I passed at least 60 Amish/Mennonite young adults, and a few adults heading up the trail. The males all dressed in plaid shirts and dark slacks, and the females in traditional Amish/Mennonite attire. As amazing as that scene was, was the young lady "trying to" push a standard hospital type wheel chair up the rocky/rooty path, with a young male in the chair. He was not small! Suffice to say, the peacefulness of the trail behind me was gone. My timing was excellent, as I was on my way out! Upon arriving at the parking area, I found three motor coaches parked next to the road!

By now it was almost 3:30pm, and I still had a couple hours to my overnite stop in Minocqua. The time passed fast, as the roads were all lined with beautiful colors (and the traffic was light).

Approaching Minocqua, I found a couple really beautiful entrances to cabins that I just had to photograph. Here's one of them. Note the skeleton head with antlers over the entrance.

I arrived in Minocqua and the Americinn just before 6pm. Unfortunately, I arrived just AFTER a tour bus of seniors had arrived, and were in the process of checking in. I also learned that there was a "boil order" for the City of Minocqua "until further notice".... Despite these issues, I checked in, and after finding some dinner, settled in to enjoy NFL Football, after a great day!

There are a bunch more photos from the 1st day of this 2011 Wisconsin Fall Trip. To view them, click on the image below.

2011 WI Fall Trip - Day One Album

2011 Wisconsin Fall Trip - Day Two
As a result of the "Boil Order" for the water in Minocqua, coffee was NOT available... in my hotel room, or even at the local convenience stores throughout the city. Given that, I decided to get up and going. The Fallison Lake Nature Trail is approximately 7 miles north of Minocqua, so a sunrise hike was in order.

On the way, I had to stop at Mann Lake, home to the Titus Cabin. I headed to the north side of the lake to view the cabin from across the lake. I was greeted by 3 deer, one of which you can see in the photo.

The sun was just breaking over the trees, and the scenes on the lake were amazing. If you look closely in the photo to the left, you can see the Titus boat house and cabin along the shoreline. This cabin is the only cabin on that side of the lake, and is located over a mile off a gravel access road (with a path thru US Forest land). Truly a remote location.

After taking a bunch of photos, I headed to Fallison Lake. The Nature trail has option of trail lengths to hike. I chose to take the longest "around the lake" path. As with Mann Lake, the sunrise provided amazing images of the lake. The fog had not completely vanished, and made for some beautiful views.

The trail provided access to the lake as well as sections that traversed through the forest. With no wind, the sounds of the forest (birds, animals, leaves falling) were easily heard.

The trail was approximately 2-1/2 miles long, and I finished hiking at approximately 8:30.

By now, the "call to coffee" was sounding loud so I headed to Sayner, WI, where I grabbed my morning refreshments.

After researching my maps, I decided the next hiking trail for the day would be Raven Trails. Located about 15 miles from Sayner, and midway between Minocqua and Lake Tomahawk, Raven Trails are in the wooded land between Clear Lake, Inkpot Lake, and Hemlock Lake. I chose the 5 mile "outer Loop", which gave me not only great views of the lakes, but also some rugged trails, some of which are also used by bikers.

It was about 10am, so there were only a few others walking the trails. Like the Fallison Trail, the wooded areas were really peaceful, except for wildlife sounds. Really neat! The trail had alot more "ups and downs".. a couple hills even had warning signs "Steep Hill ahead".. Below are a few shots from the trail.

It took a little over 2 hours to complete the 5 mile loop, and it was after noon when I finished.

Decided it was time to rest a bit, so I wandered up towards Lac du Flambeau, which means "Lake of the torches".

Of course, I couldn't pass up stopping at their casino - Lake of the Torches Casino. The good news is I broke even, and was able to get off my feet and out of the sun for an hour or so.

On the way back towards Minocqua, I decided to follow a couple of Wisconsin's "Rustic Roads". These are designated roads with scenic countryside. I chose the route east of Minocqua.

The combination of wooded areas and pastures was very scenic. Many side roads along the route leading to houses and cabins on the lakes in the area. Well worth the time to take the tour.

The final activity of the day was to check out Bearskin State Trail in Minocqua. This is an abandoned rail line, that was used to export white pine logs from the forests of northern Wisconsin to the cities of the Midwest. Today the Bearskin trail is a recreation corridor, surfaced with compacted granite suitable for walking and bicycling in summer and snowmobiling in winter.

The trail starts in Minocqua by crossing the Minocqua Tressle. After crossing the tressle, the trail winds SW between Lake Minocqua, and Kawaquesaga Lake, following Bearskin Creek. Many scenic spots along the mile and a half portion I hiked. Even spotted a prehistoric animal in the creek (suspect it was a snapping turtle.. see photo)!

It was time to call it a day, so I headed back toward the trailhead in Minocqua.

It was a GREAT day... beautiful weather, amazing scenery, and some awesome hiking. Its always difficult knowing that tomorrow, its time to head back to Iowa, but for now, I am fortunate to be able to enjoy this beautiful area!

I have a bunch of other photos gathered from my day Two activites. You can check them out by clicking the image below.

2011 WI Fall Trip - Day Two Album

2011 Wisconsin Fall Trip - Day Three

Monday morning, and it was time to pack up and head south to Waterloo. Of course, its hard to take the main hiways on the drive back, so after heading south on Hiway 51 and passing thru Wausau, it was time to get of onto the side roads. On the road by 6am, I was able to see sunrise again, and find some great countryside views.

Passed some cranberry fields, which had been already drained. Also spotted some "wierd" birds in a cornfield. Looked like a cross between a herron and goose... made crazy screeching sound ! Take a look.. anyone know what these are?

I came across many amazing scenes, and have alot of photos of those in my Picasa Album for Day 3.

Finally, time to focus on getting home (I had a lawn to mow!), so I headed west on I-90 to Hiway 63, and returned to Waterloo about 2pm. It was a wonderful getaway, and I will definitely plan for a return trip next Fall.

Check out the other photos I took during Day 3 by clicking on the image below.

2011 WI Fall Trip - Day Three Album

2011 Trip to MIchigan - Days three & four

2011-07-30T08:02:00.000-07:00

Day Three - Mackinaw City, MI to Green Bay, WI

Its monday, and we've passed the halfway point of our trip. Our plans have us heading north into the "UP" of Michigan, starting with a trip over the Mackinac Bridge. Last time I made this trip, it was raining. This trip, with no rain, and my "tour guide" at my side, we got out the "dash cam", only let the "tour guide" hold it and record the journey across, heading North toward Sault St. Marie.

Once across the bridge we exited and drove thru St. Ignace, the other main departure point for Mackinac Island. At 7:00am, not much activity going on, but none the less, interesting to see the workings of a tourist city at that time of day.
From St. Ignace we headed along the Northern shoreline (Horseshoe and Saint Martin Bays) of Lake Huron toward Cedarville, and then thru the UP back roads to Sault St. Marie, MI. Alot of pastures and wooded areas, but few crops other than hay...

As we approached Sault St. Marie, our route took us along the shoreline of Lake Nicolet, downstream of the Soo Locks. The river and the Locks were quiet - no ships passing when we were there (of course it was ~8:30am!), so we didn't stop to enter the National Park along the Locks.

OK, we are as far north as we can go without crossing into Canada, so its time to start heading back down thru the UP, and towards Green Bay.

The Upper Peninsula has a mixture of very wooded areas, and open pasture land. Not alot of towns, but rather "crossroads", where businesses, homes, and attractions tend to locate. One of the more interesting spots we came upon was "The Stuff Capital of the UP".... Unfortunately, it was either closed for the day, or my guess is it went out of business "a few years ago"... so we'll never know what "stuff" was in this Capitol of the UP.

Our next stop was the Seul Choix Lighthouse, on the southern coastline of the UP, along Lake Michigan. The name of the lighthouse has an interesting background... Native Americans and French explorers were traveling in canoes and later small ‘Mackinac’ boats. It was readily apparent that along the 75 mile stretch, from the Straits of Mackinac to today’s Manistique, there was only one place to seek refuge from the storms that often sweep up Lake Michigan. Realizing that the bay near the present day Port Inland was their only choice, the French named the place Seul Choix, the French name for ‘Only Choice’. The French pronunciation is “Sel-Shwa”, while locally the name is spoken as “Sis-Shwa”.

The grounds provide beautiful views of noit only the lighthouse, but also of Lake Michigan. In the photo to the right, my "tour guide" is shown here on the shoreline, with the Seul Choix lighthouse in the background.

By now, my "tour guide" was ready for another wine tasting event. The UP is pretty slim on wineries and vineyards, but my "tour guide" found one for us to check out - The Garden Bay Winery. This winery is located in the old clubhouse of a golf course, which the owner also owned. He decided to close the course, and move the winery operations into the basement of the clubhouse, and use the rest for wine tasting, receptions, and general gatherings.

As with most places, we always seem to find one or two wines we like, and this place was no different. Another bottle added to the "2011 Michigan Wine Tasting Trip".

By now, we were ready to put the hammer down, and finish the 2 hour drive to Green Bay, and relax a bit. We made a brief stop in Escanaba, MI at the Sand Point Lighthouse, and for gas. Before hitting the hotel, we thought lest try out our luck again at the Oneida Casino in Green Bay. Bad idea... we BOTH lost money!

On to the Clarion Hotel, on the bank of the canal in Downtown Green Bay. This turned out to be a great place. Good rate, next to the CityDeck , and just accros the draw bridge from Titletown Brewing Company.

We decided it was time for "double-bubble hour", and an early dinner, so we took a table outdoors. Perfect day... mid-70's and great breeze... so we enjoyed a couple beers while we watched water traffic on the canal. While eating, another couple sat near us, and asked us if we knew about Green Bay. Of course we said no, but learned the man had worked at Sartori Hospital in Cedar Falls on some sort of rotation years ago! (Small world!). They were in Green Bay to meet their son who was an engineer on a Great Lakes freighter - The Cason J. Calloway. It was supposed to dock in the canal that evening (Bear with me, this will mean something in a little bit!)

We finished dinner and decided to check out the CityDeck and Fox River Trail, just outside our hotel. This next photos shows what a couple beers do to a "tour guide". There were several different "arts" on display, along with a few establishments with outdoor seating to enjoy the view along the canal. We walked the downtown length of the walkway, before returning to our hotel.

(here's where I get beack to the two people who were waiting for their Engineer Son on the Great Lakes Freighter - Calon J. Galloway)

Just as we made it to our hotel, at the entrance to the canal you could see a freighter beginning its journey up the canal. Yes, you guessed it, it was the Calon J. Galloway! So we stopped to watch it pass by. Suddenly, two bicycles came flying down the walkway, and yes, it was the couple we talked to at Titletown Brewing Company. They followed the ship up the canal to its final unloading spot.

It was a pretty impressive site, seeing that huge ship navigate thru the draw bridges and narrow canal. And yes, their son came out of the bridge and waved to us as the ship passed by. The parents were ecstatic!

Our last event before heading back to the hotel was finding some ice cream. Heading back out in our car, we wandered the nice neighborhoods near the Downtown, and found a Hansen's Dairy shop, where we indulged in a couple double dip ice cream cones. A great way to end the day before heading to the hotel.

This last shot shows our room view overlooking the canal.

Day Four - Green Bay, WI to Waterloo, IA

The final day of the trip has arrived. No more lighthouses or wine tasting, but rather a 400+ mile drive back to Waterloo.

To break up the trip, we started with a "drive by" of the Elkhart Lake area. For those of you not familiar with Elkhart Lake, its main attraction is the Road America road racing courses. However the Elkhart Lake area also has a nice downtown shopping and dining area as well as a great lake for water sports as well. If you're looking a nice escape, check out the Elkhart Lake area.

From Elkhart Lake, our next destination was Waterloo... no, not Waterloo, IA, but Waterloo, WI. Not much here, but my "tour guide" found Jim's Cheese Pantry. You can't travel thru Wisconsin without stopping for some cheese! This place was great.. hundreds of different cheeses... and samples of many, with toothpicks next to each sample! Even though it was only about 10am, its always time for cheese!~

OK, time to bear down, and hit the road back to the REAL Waterloo! As we approached Dubuque, the gambling bug was chirping, and we had to make one more attempt to "win the big one", with a stop at the Diamond Jo Casino, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Yep, you guessed it, no such luck..... This really told us "vacation is over".... So back in the car, and onto Hiway 20, and back to Waterloo.

As we pulled into town, we made a quick stop at the kennel to pick up our dog, Chester. Even though vacation was over, Chester's excitement and waggin' tail helped make the return a good one... (That's what you have to look forward to when your kids have all moved out and on to their own lives!)

Over 1600 miles, 6 lighthouses, 3 wineries, 4 casinos.... alot visited durng these 4 days. My "tour guide" did good this trip! I may have to book her for another trip this fall!

I have posted all the photos I took during the trip and posted them in a PicasaWeb album. To see more of the trip, click here.

2011 Michigan Trip

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2011 Trip to MIchigan - Day two

2011-07-28T17:23:00.000-07:00

Day two began with the Sue and I departing the hotel under partly cloudy skies and temps in the 60's. The day's itinerary included visiting more lighthouses, checking out the cities of Ludington and Traverse City, a wine tasting or two, another casino stop, and finally ending up in Mackinaw City - at the base of the Mackinac Bridge.

We headed North on Hiway 31, passing near Muskegon, and heading to Little Sable Point Lighthouse, in the Silver Lake Sand Dunes. The lighthouse. A bit misleading, as all that remains is the light tower. The light is situated on a great sand beach, with a wonderful view of Lake Michigan, ans some of the surrounding homesteads.

From the Little Sable Light, we traveled further north, and making a stop at the Silver Sands Resort area, on Silver Lake. Looks like a popular getaway in Western Michigan, with the sand dunes lining the western side of the Lake.

After another coffee stop, we headed for the the city of Ludington, home to the SS Badger, providing daily ferry service to Manitowoc, WI. The 410' S.S. Badger entered service in 1953, designed specifically to handle the rough conditions that it would likely encounter during year 'round sailing on Lake Michigan. The Badger reigned as Queen of the Lakes during the car ferries' Golden Era in the late Fifties, with Manitowoc, Milwaukee, and Kewaunee as her Wisconsin ports of call. With little railroad freight business left in the '70's, and without ever tapping into the opportunity to serve the needs of the vacation traveler, the Badger sailed from Wisconsin to Ludington and tied up for the last time in November 1990 - signaling the end of the century-old tradition of car ferry service on Lake Michigan. However, in 1991, an entrepreneur named Charles Conrad committed his own financial resources to reinvent the S.S. Badger to carry leisure passengers and their vehicles. Along the shore where the Badger loads stands an old ferry - SS Spartan.

Time to head on and check out the Point Betsie Lighthouse, North of Frankfort, MI. This lighthouse was not open when we arrived. However, due to the Lake Michigan winds, the sand dunes have grown higher than the fencing, and we were able to check it out close up.

The lighthouse complex had completed an exterior renovation in 2010, and currently is undergoing an interior renovation.

By now it was almost noon, and we still hadn't reached the northern end of the state. So off we went. Next stop, Grand Traverse Lighthouse, near Northport, MI. This is not the original lighthouse was constructed in in 1850. However, it was razed and rebuilt in the current location to make it visible from all surrounding waterways.

The complex grounds are very nice, with access to water on the north (Lake Michigan) and eastern (Grand Traverse Bay) sides of the lighthouse.

Its that time of day, where a winery visit seems like the right thing to do. So time to head back south on Hiway 22 toward Traverse City.

As we approached Sutton's Bay, the GPS "winery finder" pointed us to the Black Star Farms Vineyard and Winery. Its a beautiful setting, from the moment you wind down the drive into the vineyard, to the time you pass by the stables and the winery.

The wine tasting area was PACKED, so other than a quick photo, we left without a sample. Ok, this not having a "refreshment" before 2pm each day on vacation was getting old, so it was mandated "FIND A BREWERY!" My "tour guide" obliged and we headed for the North Peak Brewing Company in Downtown Traverse City.

The building is ocated in an old converted warehouse on W. Front Street, a couple blocks from the "main downtown drag". Trying to save some room for a dinner in Mackinaw City, we tore into an order of nachos to go with our beers. Defintiely hit the spot, and stirred up the "shopping bug" in the "tour guide." Time to explore some of Downtown Traverse City.

Cherry Republic, a store dedicated to all things cherry, was our shopping spot. Amazing what they can do with cherries! Candy, jams, wines... you name it, they had it.. made from cherries!

While "the travel guide" scoped out the cherry store, I took a few minutes to survey the main street area. Looked like a nice place to spend a day shopping, drinking, and eating. Across the street was the Mackinaw Brewing Company. Had it not been late in the afternoon, another beer definitely was in order!

By now its 4pm, and time to start working north on our two hour journey to Mackinaw City. But not without testing our luck again at Turtle Creek Casino near Williamsburg, MI. They were having a slots tournament, and even though all we could win was free play at another visit, we decided to give it a try. No, we didn't win the tournament, but after that experience (banging the "spin" button constantly for five minutes), I cannot figure out how all the 65+ year olds can play in these tournaments, and not end up with a wrist injury! I was able to leave the casino with more than I came in with (not much, but still ahead), and as was the case at the casino on Saturday, the "tour guide" lost again!

Finally, we pulled into Mackinaw City, with dusk settling... no dinner tonite... we splurged instead wirh Dairy Queen Blizzards in Downtown Mackinaw City!

Mackinaw City, and the Comfort Suites. As we checked in, the desk agent asked if we wanted to upgrade to a jacuzzi suite, and being the cheapskate I am, I said no. Once she saw I had just joined the Choice Privileges Program, she decided we needed that suite, and gave it two us at no extra charge!

A great way to end the day!

Day three's adventures to follow .....

2011 Trip to MIchigan - Day one

2011-07-28T11:37:00.000-07:00

With all the Summer sports at Waterloo West High School finished, it was time for our annual summer getaway. This year, the trip was to circle Lake Michigan, and explore the State of Michigan, with stops at lighthouses, wineries, and other interesting points of interest. This was a LONG trip.. over 1600 miles in 4 days. But hey, if you want to find new places, you need to do some exploring!

The 1st day took us from Waterloo, traveling I-380, then I-80 along the South side of Chicago, before heading up along I-94 toward Holland, MI. Its been YEARS since I have travelled thru East Chicago, Gary, and Michigan City, IN, and things still are the same... In their heyday, these were bustling, heavy industrial centers for the Midwest. Today, the area shows the remains of those days, with many run down facilities still standing. But the cities are working to revitalize this area, including new casino resorts, near the lakefront. Oh, and did I say how much I hate the heavy traffic on I-80, and around the south end of Lake Michigan??????

Given that we lost an hour due to daylight savings time, we opted to skip exploring South Haven and Saugatauk, and head to Holland, MI. Our 1st stop (other than our obligatory coffee stops) was "The Big Red" Lighthouse, on the breakwater leading into Macatawa Bay in Holland.

Access to the lighthouse was by foot, passing by some bay side homes and B&B's along the canal leading into the bay from Lake Michigan. This was a saturday, and boats were constantly passing thru the canal out onto a calm Lake Michigan.

After making it down the pathway along the canal, we came upon our 1st lighthouse of the trip - "Big Red".

The Holland Harbor Lighthouse is undoubtedly the best Great Lakes light house of all. Known as the Big Red it is situated on Lake Michigan. This light house is unique in its own manner, not because of the spectacular light from its bright red color against the backdrop of the sky or water but because of its amazing history of how people stood to preserve it and restore this mast piece which has been part of their history for a long time.

OK, so it dawned on us at about this time, we had not yet "celebrated" the trip with a refreshment! So our priority switched to finding a winery in the area. I set my GPS to "ding" when we were within 5 miles of a winery, and it didn't take long for us to find the Fenn Valley Winery and Vineyards, in Fennville, MI. Fortunately, there was room for use to do some wine tasting.

The tasting only took about 15 minutes, so we decided to grab a couple glasses and relax with some wine and a great day (partly cloudy and in the upper 70's). My "tour guide" enjoyed this part!

By now, it was almost 4pm, and we still had a ways to go to the hotel... and our 1st casino stop of the trip! Gun Lake Casino, in Wayland, MI was a good choice! I ended up walking out ahead (the "tour guide wasn't as lucky).

OK, now we are wearing out, and had yet to eat, so our 1st nite's dinner was furnished by "Chili's in Grand Rapids"..... onion strings with jalapenos, quesadillos and margaritas helped replenish us enough to get us to our overnite stop in Coopersville, MI... 550 miles for Day One.... A good start to our getaway!

Day Two's adventures to follow.....