We most recently were in High Cliff State Park on the high bank surrounding Lake Winnebago. We had a great time there, but it was time to move on to Hahn-a-Lula, along the Wolf River about an hour and half from High Cliff. Anchor Point Marina on the Wolf River is where Brian and Gary keep their boat, Summer’s Suite, (but will be renamed Pair o Docs, soon. Summer’s Suite is a 38 foot Carver built in Wisconsin and boy was she nice! We had a barbeque at the Marina on Friday night, and a nice boat ride and afternoon on Poygan Lake on Saturday. Of coarse that was followed by dinner again, Joanette’s popular Meditteranian style chicken (breasts split, marinated in olive oil and Italian seasonings), served on brown rice and covered in chopped English cucumber, Roma tomatoes, purple onion, Feta cheese and Kalamata olives. Sunday found us at it again, this time going the opposite direction on the river to Butte des Morts Lake. A great time was had by us all. We really appreciate Gary and Brian inviting us aboard, we had such a wonderful weekend!
Forgot to mention that Keith got his first haircut since Hot Springs! Brian, a doctor, had ordered himself a flowbee in the beginning of the Covid era. Well, he busted it out, hooked it up to a vacuum cleaner and away he went, with our suggestions and our encouragement to Keith! Here are a few documentary pictures!
On Monday before we packed up and headed to our next campground, we took a nice bike ride from Hahn-a-Lula to Lake Poygan and back, about 8.35 miles (with an elevation gain of 74 feet at a time of 46 minutes — thanks Strava). We saw a field full of Sand Hill Cranes, which are plentiful here. We packed up our rigs and headed down toward Milwaukee to our next residence at Waubedonia Park along the Milwaukee River.
The Milwaukee area is where Bill spent his childhood and young adulthood. Bill had lots to show us and family for us to meet! We visited with his sister Kathy and husband John, brother Kip and wife Jill, and had a great socially distant barbeque! We drove up to Cedar Grove, a small village where Bill and John had a lovely home, built by Bill on the bank above Lake Michigan. We did a nice long bike ride with John and Bill and waded in Lake Michigan!
We spent some time with each of Bill’s Nieces and Nephews in Minnesota, Wisconsin and then later in St. Louis. We enjoyed each of those encounters very much, he has a wonderful fam. After our day in Cedar Grove, WI, we took trips into Milwaukee….
and Cedarburg…..
and Kohler… (aka Toilet Town by the locals, home of the Kohler Corporation, and we toured the Kohler Show Room and got some great pictures and ideas!
And then Keith and I took a day trip to Somers, Wisconsin where long ago Joanette’s Great Grandfather and his children settled. We found his daughters Mary Ann and Eliza and their descendents buried in the Oak Wood Cemetery. That was a wonderful day! But we have yet to figure out where her Great Grandfather is buried. We do know that two of his sons, her Grandfather Joseph and his brother Thomas ultimately settled in the Clearwater River area of Idaho, one in Nezperce Idaho and the other in Weippe Idaho. We will keep up our search!
Our trip is taking a turn now back to the Mississippi River, on the other side of the state of Wisconsin and Grant River Campground, an Army Corps of Engineers campground on the edge of the The Big River! We did have to take one day trip back to Milwaukee to pick up a package, which allowed us to see Lake Geneva on the way over, and the state capitol in Madison on the way back.
The above are pictures of The Grotto in Dickeyville, WI, between Grant River Campground and Dubuque, Iowa. It was perceived and built by the Father of the church there. It was a small park, walkways, and shrines made of mosaic in glass, crystal, beads, tiles, etc. Really quite beautiful!
We spent three weeks of our six weeks together in Wisconsin. What a beautiful state! We have other moments, stories, and pictures we could share but I think we have already journaled enough for today (actually, this blog has been in progress for about two weeks now, our internet service gets spotty, we get busy……)
While we were still in Wisconsin we did a quick trip into Iowa, just outside of Dubuque is the town of Dyersville, but we will keep that for our next blog. Let us just say “Is this heaven? No, it’s Iowa” and leave you in suspense!
Joiners Journey 