OUR TRAVELS

It was great to catch up with a friend of Donna's that she worked with at the Federal Reserve Bank - Joe Holkup and his wife Greta.  We had lunch and walked the downtown area.  Thanks again for lunch, Joe and Greta.  They suggested various places to visit while we were in town.  Of course, we hiked several days too. Sioux Falls has a bustling downtown and is being revitalized to attract residents, businesses and tourists.  They sponsor free to the public activities like music in the park, free admission to local museums, and have a terrific trail system along the river for walking and bike riding. The city hosts the largest annual exhibit of public sculptures in the world curated by local artists and art enthusiasts.  The sculptures line the streets of downtown. Sioux Falls was settled by folks from the east coast with the intent to utilize the power from the waterfalls to run mills and factories. View from the top of the Sioux Falls Park observation tour. ...

 Here are some pictures of sightseeing in Wisconsin.  We've spent the better part of two months in Wisconsin and have the pictures to show for it.  It's been a great time made better by spending it with family.  Our memories - we will never forget! A wonderful farmer's market in Wausau. Whitewater kayaking in Wausau. Visiting the Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum and the Janke's Book Store - the oldest bookstore in Wisconsin. Sturgeon Bay, WI and Dells of the Eau Claire (one trailhead for the 1200 mile long Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin). Deer Farm outside of Tomahawk, WI that raises trophy deer for hunting. Grotto garden originally built by a Catholic priest in Rudolph, WI. Devil's Lake outside of Baraboo, WI. Took a trip to Michigan with my sister Bev and her husband Red.  Here are pictures of Agate Falls, Lake Superior, and old home built near the copper mines in Ontonagon, MI. Last but not least, beautiful pictures of wild flowers we saw on our daily hikes and so...

Only in Wisconsin.....can you find New Glarus beer, so we decided to drink as much of it as we could before leaving.  There was a great dive bar called Fathead Steve's in La Crosse, WI where we tried New Glarus Moon Man for the first time.  Donna liked it so much she had it again when eating pizza at Big Al's. La Crosse is in the geological region called the Driftless Area.  The Driftless Area is about 10,000 square miles encompassing parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Illinois and Iowa.  It's defining characteristic is that it was not covered by the thick ice sheets that came down from Canada numerous times over the past 2.6 million years. Because it was untouched by glaciers, this area's topography is markedly different from the surrounding areas. Rather than have its hills smoothed overs and river valleys filled with glacial sediment or "drift", the Driftless Area retained its rugged ridge and valley topography.   As you can see, it's both beautiful and dis...

We have had a great time in northern Wisconsin over these past six weeks.  The best times have been visiting with my (Donna) large family!  My sister Bev and my sister Chris and their families made us feel welcome by inviting us to family events, going sightseeing, and dining out. Here are photos from our nephew Jake's wedding to Willow.  Both were great sports about the heavy rain that fell during the ceremony.  Jake made the white trellis in the background from a roadside find - a discarded patio table.  Good job welding, don't you think?  The wedding and reception were held at the local watering hole - this is Wisconsin after all! Our nieces Katrina, Kari, her wife Aurora, my nephew Steve and his wife Michele. My brothers Charlie, Ted and their families as well as a picture of my niece Lindsay.  Unfortunately, we did not get photos of some people - sisters Wanda and Kathy. Jake talked his mom into making the cupcakes for the reception.  Along w...

Rib Mountain is just right - for us.  We're walking 6 to 7 miles each day round trip and getting enough exercise to justify eating ice cream!  We went to the Windmill Ice Cream Shop in Tomahawk, WI for a 2-scooper.  We got way more than that - and for only $3.50 each.  Now that's a deal! We love the view from the top of Rib Mountain.  We sit up here every morning for awhile taking in the sights and silence. A fallen birch tree picture is below.  Did you know that birch bark was used in place of writing paper before the advent of mass paper production?  Its use goes back centuries.  The winter bark of birch trees is used to make baskets, containers and hair clips.  The bark is made up of several thin layers that are held together by betulin (a powdery white substance which can be used as a painkiller.) Also, the bark is highly rot resistant.  That's why you often see a felled birch tree rotted from the inside.   We found this ba...