O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

The time has come to choose a Christmas tree for 2021. This has been a yearly event for my wife and I since 1974. We were married in June that year and lived on the second floor of a two-family house on Green Bay's east side. Up until then neither one of us had much experience with fresh Christmas trees other than helping to decorate them when we were kids and hoping there would be presents with our names on them underneath them each year.

That first year we wanted to cut our own and drove thirty miles north of the city to a tree farm. We pulled up to the tree barn in our 1972 Pontiac LeMans and my first thought revolved around whether or not I would be able to get out of the so-called parking lot. There was at least a foot of snow on the ground and the plowing effort had been rather half-hearted. But we were there, so it was time to find our first tree.

The first ornament on the first tree

The owner came out in a deer hunting getup and looked unappreciatively at my car and citified clothing. After describing what kind of tree we were looking for, he handed me an old saw and, with his stub of a cigar, pointed in a general direction into the forest of would-be Christmas trees. We set off into the snow, wishing we had brought along some breadcrumbs.

After about a half hour of slogging past hundreds of unsuitable specimens, we came upon one that seemed like it would meet our needs. We circled it warily, shaking the accumulated snow off its wildly asymmetrical branches. A little trimming here, a little there, and it would look fine we agreed. I got down and, finding the thick trunk, began sawing away. Either the saw had never been sharpened or it had gotten a lot of use already that year because it turned out to be quite a chore to fell Christmas tree number one. But eventually it succumbed to my efforts and we dragged it back to the car.

I knocked on the barn door and the owner came out, this time with a huge dog. At the time I had no experience with dogs, so I quickly paid him the eight bucks for the tree and gave him his saw. He remained outside, and he and the big hound seemed disappointed when we were able to get the tree in the trunk and made it out of the lot without getting stuck.

All decorated and all smiles in 1974

Over the years these tree hunting experiences became a great trove of stories to be told over the Christmas seasons. One tree we got at the local lot and carried it home. One tree fell off the roof of our 1990 Chevy S10 Blazer several times on the way home. In recent years we bought one that was obviously too small when we got it home and it went immediately to a local shelter. The young fellows at the tree farm were surprised to see us back so soon for another tree.

We still go to a tree farm, but we pick out a precut tree instead of cutting our own. They are all perfectly shaped and we have it trimmed to the correct height. It will be shaken and wrapped before it is placed in the back of the truck for an uneventful ride home. This year we will host our 48th Christmas tree and, like every one of its predecessors, it will be the best one ever.

2018 Tree

Wisconsin: Another Ten Years of a Gerrymandered Legislature

 The Wisconsin Supreme Court, which is supposed to be non-partisan, sided with the Republican members of the state legislature in a ruling yesterday. The court decided, on a strict partisan vote, not to order the Republicans to work with their Democratic legislative colleagues to develop new and more fair legislative and congressional voting districts. 

In 2011, when the state had a Republican governor and Republican controlled legislature, the Republicans enlisted help from the likes of the Koch brothers to establish new districts throughout the state. The methods used were so devious that the maps were drawn behind closed doors. They effectively ensured that the Republicans would win enough seats in the senate and the assembly to hold a voting majority and leadership in both houses. The maps are so well gerrymandered that Republicans can do whatever they want in the legislature with no fear of losing control of either house. The only check on their power has been that wielded by Democratic Governor Tony Evers since his election in 2018. But even his ability to check the Republican empire was limited by laws rammed through the legislature and signed by the outgoing Republican governor in late 2018.

Due to the court's ruling yesterday it appears that the state will continue to be under the thumb of legislators who govern with no fear of losing their seats. This is the opposite of what the phrase, "We the people", is supposed to stand for. While the Republican party wraps itself in the American flag and blabbers on about "true patriots", they trample the right of citizens to have a fair voice in who leads the state of Wisconsin.

The Dairy State was once known as a progressive state and the Wisconsin Idea was something that was emulated by other states. Now the state ranks mid-pack in areas such as the economy, infrastructure and crime and corrections according to a US News and World Report study. It also ranks behind neighboring Minnesota in the overall rankings. It should be noted that these rankings have improved since Evers became governor. 

It will be an interesting year as the Republicans will do all they can to regain the governor's office in the 2022 election and have absolute power once again. After yesterday's court decision we know for sure that they will continue to control the legislature. 

Riding Season Continues

I woke up in a Thanksgiving meal haze this morning to find snow on the ground and the thermometer hovering around twenty degrees. So even though I have been out riding my 2020 BMW R 1250 GSA twice in the last week I sense that the end of the riding season is near. Since my last post in September I have not gone on any epic rides but I have enjoyed some excellent fall riding experiences.

Most of my rides have been to the north of Green Bay. They usually included a few miles in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and a stop to eat my lunch or snack somewhere along the way. One of my favorites stops was the roadside park on US Highway 2 just east of west of Powers, MI. One day I took a side road to see Long Slide Falls County Park just north of Pembine, WI. It was a great place to enjoy lunch and there was this cool Halloween display. 

I saw a few other interesting sights during my rides, but sometimes they happened so fast there was no opportunity for a picture. On County Road W, just west of Crivitz, I witnessed a bald eagle cross right in front of me trying achieve liftoff with what appeared to be a black cat in its talons. After dragging the creature across the road, in my mirror I saw the big bird drop its prey in opposite ditch. As there was someone right behind me I could not slow down to see if the raptor went back after it. I counted one more bald eagle in a ditch and several flying overhead during my fall rides.

The highways in northern Wisconsin the Upper Peninsula allow a rider to avoid most towns, but sometimes it's interesting to stop and take a look around. One such spot was Daggett, MI. It seems like such an iconic name for a town in the north woods, so after taking a ride through the little burg I stopped for a picture. 

On the days I did not make it all the way up to the UP, I would usually ride over to the resort towns of Mountain and Townsend. That area is well connected with ATV trails and the local towns allow them to drive on the town roads. On Saturdays there are lots of them around and when they are not out raising huge clouds of dust they are gathered at local bars, restaurants and gas stations. It looks like fun, but I would not want to be eating dust, dirt and gravel all day. 

The Broadway District in west Green Bay commissioned a few artists to paint some murals. I took this picture one morning before I headed north for the day. The artist is Beau Thomas.

The weather forecasters are not predicting much snow for the next week and I see at least one day in the forties, so I am not giving up on riding a bit more this year.

Kugel's Cheese Mart in Lena Wisconsin

 Earlier this month I completed my quest to ride 100 of Wisconsin's 122 Rustic Roads. The others are still tempting, but I am putting that pursuit on hold for this summer. They are all more than a day's ride away and I have other plans for my overnight trips in the coming months. I was looking for another way to add some purpose to my day rides and much like Little Miss Muffet's spider, an idea appeared.

My wife and were on our way into Door County and stopped at the Visitor's Center just south of Sturgeon Bay. While my wife was asking the helpful young woman at the counter about where to find cherry blossoms I was perusing the rack full of travel information. I picked up some bicycling maps and travel brochures for Door County and Wisconsin. That evening I picked up the Wisconsin book and found just what I was looking for.

There was a page or two that highlighted small cheese factories around the state. At one time I worked in a big cheese factory and cheese manufacturing still holds a lot of interest for me. Although there were only a factories noted and a lot of others have closed, I knew that there were still a good number of them in operation. A new, and tasty, plan for the summer began to form. I would research cheese factories within a day's ride and try to get to them on the days they offered tours.

Kugel's in downtown Lena

 On a bright and warm Saturday morning I started north on US Highway 141. Since I was on my Harley Davidson Lowrider S and I planned to bring home some cheese, I had an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack in it stowed in my backpack. It also served to keep my apple and water cold. My plan was to ride north toward Iron Mountain and then stop at Springside Cheese Factory near Oconto Falls on the way home. It was one of the factories featured in the travel book.

One of the joys of motorcycling alone is the opportunity to change plans at a moment's notice and that is what happened on this ride. About 30 miles north of Green Bay I saw a sign for Kugel's Cheese Mart in Lena. I took the exit and found myself alone in downtown Lena and parked in front of Kugel's. 

According to their website, Kugel's has been a family owned business since 1952. They age and package locally made cheeses and also sell a variety of imported products. As I browsed around the shop I noted that they sell Wisconsin related gifts along with a few from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The hoodie with Kugel's Cheese emblazoned on the front was inviting, but how many hoodies do I need at my age? 

Marinette County Overlook

Once I got to examining the cheese case the friendly clerk asked if I needed any assistance. I felt like I wanted to try something besides the usual cheddar, so I bought about six ounces of hot pepper brick. The clerk cut a thin slice for me to taste and it had just the right amount of heat for me. It was creamy like a brick cheese should be and I knew I had made a good choice. As the young man was wrapping it up I told him that I had worked at Pauly Cheese in Green Bay at one time. He recognized the name and said that Kugel used to buy block cheese from Pauly and repackage it for sale in Lena. 

Trillium Time in the Forest

After a little more small talk I went out and took a few pictures before getting back on the highway and riding north. At this point I decided that I would save the visit to Springside for another day. About thirty miles north there is a turnout where visitors can learn about the local logging history and take in a beautiful vista. On this day the trilliums were in full bloom. 

I continued north to the intersection with US Highway 8 near Pembine. Here I turned west until I found a wayside to stop and enjoy a road snack. The facilities at the wayside were closed, but the driveway was open and it was a nice quiet place for a break. Delicious cheese, an apple and cold water were all I needed to feel refreshed and ready for more miles.

A Perfect Road Snack

Back on the road, I turned south at Laona onto State Highway 32. One thing I noticed on my ride was the number of ATV's on the trails adjacent to the highways. There have always been some, but there seem to be many more than several years ago. Most of the restaurant and bar parking lots have a good number of them and some have more ATV's than cars and trucks. 

ATVs Are a Popular Means of Transportation

The weather was perfect, in the seventies north of US Highway 64 and into the eighties when I got back to the south. I'm glad I soaked in the heat because the temperatures were in forties five days later. My first cheese factory ride was a success and I look forward to more.

Day Two in Northwest Wisconsin 2021

We were fortunate to avoid any rain in Wisconsin yesterday and our luck held today. Parts of the state were foggy and wet, but the area around Hudson and east to Eau Claire were warm and dry. After a Covid- style breakfast at the Holiday Inn Express in Hudson we rode north on US 35, the Great River Road, in search of our first Rustic Road of the day. There was a lot of poorly marked road construction in Hudson and I missed the turnoff. We ended up north of the road and turned back south. Once we found Rustic Road 13 we rode it both south and north to get back on track. It is a paved county road through farm an residential areas. 

Rustic Road 13 north of Hudson

The next target was Rustic Road 116 in Boardman and again I had mapping issues. After sorting them out we got that one in the hopper and rode east on County G to Glenwood City. This little town is fortunate enough to have both Rustic Roads 3 and 4 nearby. Rustic Road 4 included some gravel, but no stream crossings such as we experienced yesterday. After we finished riding them we stopped for refreshment at a local establishment in Downing. 

Rustic Road 116 in Boardman

My brother has a college friend living in Knapp, so we stopped in to visit while on our way to the next Rustic Road. We had a great visit and they fortified us with Girl Scout cookies and delicious coffee. After bidding our goodbyes, we rode east into Menomonie. Rustic Road 89 is south and west of Menomonie. It is an enjoyable ride along the Chippewa River and through the quaint little town of Irvington. We had plans to go east to Rustic Road 45 after 89, but there is not a good route so we ended up riding 89 both ways. US 29 led us to US Highway 12 and a route east to our last goal for the day. US 12 has been replaced by Interstate 94 for through traffic, but it is still a busy highway. We stopped at a Kwik Trip for a road lunch on our way through the Eau Claire area. 

Bon Appetit!

As rain clouds gathered overhead we rode south and east toward our last goal of the day. Highway 12 east leads out of Eau Claire into some pleasant farmland and good habitat for birds. We saw a ratty looking bald eagle in the ditch along the road and numerous mating sandhill cranes. Rustic Road 45 is just southeast of Augusta and is a gravel track near a state park. The skies continued to threaten to open up, but we went ahead and enjoyed the ride. Rustic Road 45 ends on County Road H and we rode that back to County Road M and US Highway 12. Our ride back to our accommodations was uneventful and we were happy to have had two days which resulted in riding nine of Wisconsin's beautiful Rustic Roads.

Rustic Road 45 near Augusta

On the last day of our trip we had a bit of a post Covid family reunion. Our sisters came from the west and north to spend a night in Eau Claire catching up on the past year. We met them for lunch at the Acoustic Cafe in beautiful downtown Eau Claire before riding home. 

Acoustic Cafe in Eau Claire

I Did What During the Pandemic?

The world passed the one year mark of the Covid 19 pandemic in the middle of March. Each week it feels like we are getting closer to life as it was before the onset of the pandemic, but we have a ways to go. Doing what seemed normal at one time, like eating in a restaurant, feels safe but unusual. Avoiding other people in stores and even on the street is now normal feeling behavior. A friend described receiving a friendly touch on the arm from someone and reflexively pulling back. It will take some time to react to other people and circumstances in way we once did. As we completed one year of this life I began to think about what I had done with a lot of newfound free time.

Wisconsin was fortunate to have a dry and warm spring in 2020, so I was able to get outside when I felt the need. But it was still March and April in Wisconsin, so it was not all seashells and balloons. There were a few things I got around to that I may not have without the pandemic. 

Martin D1

There had been a few songs that I had been playing on my Martin D1 acoustic guitar, but I did not know all of the verses. A couple of them were Bob Dylan songs, so there were lots of verses. The first one I memorized was "Desolation Row". It seemed fitting. I would get out the guitar and set up the lyrics on a music stand in the living room. I learned one verse and memorized one verse every couple of days as I watched the neighbors walk up and down the street in a pandemic daze. There are ten verses, so it took about three weeks to learn them all. Next, I moved on to "Tangled Up in Blue" by Dylan and "This Hard Land" by Bruce Springsteen. That got me through the spring and into the early summer. I did not play as much during the summer, but got started again in the fall.

When the cold weather returned I picked up my Fender Stratocaster American Deluxe electric guitar and start learning lessons out of the "Blues You can Use" book. It has lessons on chord and scales with short musical examples of each concept. There is a CD enclosed that I could play along with. I had worked my way through some of it over the years, but I made a concerted effort to play for an hour each day. I am still playing most days, but life has gotten a little busier since I got the vaccinations in February. My playing skills improved noticeably and it is fun to play along with the CD. 

Fender DeVille 410 and Stratocaster

It was a quiet Christmas, which I did not mind too much. One of the gifts I received was a bird house kit. That allowed me to spend some quiet time in the basement and provide a new home for a local feathered friend. There was some paint left over from touching up the house and the garage in recent years, so the bird's house matches our house. Now I just need a good tenant. 

Available for Rent

Another basement project involved the basement windows. Many years ago a squirrel managed to get into the basement, through the old chimney I think, while we were gone for a few days. The squirrel, of course, wanted to get out and spent the time clawing and gnawing on the wooden window frames. Our basement is just that, a basement, so I never expended the effort to repair the windows. The pandemic presented a now or never type of situation. So on one of my last motorcycle rides in fall 2020 I picked up some wood filler at the local Lowe's. Once again I found some house paint that would suffice to paint the basement frames. Once the windows were painted I cleaned the glass and will take care of cleaning the outside once it warms up. 

Squirrel Repair Done

 Another activity that took up some pandemic time was jigsaw puzzles. We had not done puzzles since, well, ever, but finished up four of them over the winter. It takes some time to get started, but once we began the puzzle would become something of an obsession. They were puzzles that had been around here for years and their origins were unknown. We fully expected each of them to be missing a piece or two, but they were all complete. 

Jigsaw Puzzle Fun

I continued to do the things I would normally do during a Wisconsin winter. The snow fell in amounts that allowed the Reforestation Camp snow bike trails to be open all of January and February. By March the snow let up and the trails became too icy for me. In February I participated in a Snow Crown Series race at the camp. I rode in the beginner, or "fun group", category. It was a beautiful sunny winter day and it was nice to be out with other riders. We took a couple of car rides around the area and looked for eagles and owls. We were successful finding eagles, but not the elusive owls.

Snow Crown Race Finisher

We are experiencing unseasonably cold April weather, but warmer days are ahead. I have gotten in quite a few miles on my Trek road bike already and have had some good rides on my BMW motorcycle. Tomorrow I will be getting my Harley Davidson Lowrider S out of storage. It looks like we will be dealing with Covid 19 in some fashion into the summer, but the end of the pandemic is a year closer than it was last April. 

Northern Sights

 The pandemic of 2020 has sent many people in search of a safe place to enjoy the summer in Wisconsin. For many, that place has been the area north of US Highway 29. The resorts, boat landings and campgrounds have been full of visitors from all over the country seeking out the perceived safety of Wisconsin's north woods. I kept this in mind as I planned my trip to acquire the last Harley Davidson dealer stamp I needed to complete my Wisconsin Harley Davidson Dealers Association Passport Tour. 

Northwoods Harley Davidson is located in a park-like setting just north of the busy resort town of Minocqua on US Highway 51. In any other year I would have made this a two day ride and enjoyed some of that clean north woods air and visited a few local restaurants. But due to the pandemic this was going to be 370 mile day. With that in mind, I planned to ride the four lane US 29 and US 51 on the way to the dealership.

I also realized that I could ride two of Wisconsin's Rustic Roads, located just west of Minocqua. My brother and I got off to an early start from Green Bay and by late morning we were on Blue Lake Road, or Rustic Road 58. The number signs at either end are gone, maybe in someone's cottage, so I took the picture midway through at the junction with Rustic Road 59. Number 59 is dirt and sand for a few miles, so I only rode the paved portion on the north end on my Harley Lowrider S. I plan to get back there on my BMW R1250 GSA and ride the unpaved section on the southern end.

My sister, brother and me

Rustic Road 59's northern entrance is on State Highway 70 and that led us back to US 51 on the north side of Minocqua. One of Minocqua's summer attractions is the Min-Aqua Bats, the longest continually running amateur water ski club in the country. They began the season in June, but in August canceled the rest of the shows due to COVID 19 concerns. 

Turning north at US 51, we were soon pulling into Northwoods Harley Davidson. In all of my stops at dealerships this season I had not purchased anything, so I picked out a long sleeved t-shirt to commemorate my completion of the Passport Tour. The young lady at the checkout said that they had been quite busy all summer and were expecting it to continue through September. 

Big Arbor Vitae Lake

The sun was shining brightly and it was a perfect day to be in the pine scented north woods. My sister and her husband live a few miles north, and they came down to meet us. They led us to an idyllic park on the shore of Big Arbor Vitae Lake. We spent an hour or so enjoying our lunch and catching up the family news. We watched a fisherman in a passing boat reel in a northern pike while an otter cruised into the shoreline weeds. 

Saying our socially distanced goodbyes, we got back on highway 70 and rode east toward Eagle River. I chose two lane roads for most of the ride home and it was some great riding. We rode highways 32 and 55 south through Crandon and the reservation town of Mole Lake. 

My brother-in-law, sister and Honda

The Sakaogon Chippewa Community operate the Mole Lake Casino and Lodge and normally it is a busy little town. But the Community has closed the Casino and Lodge due to the pandemic. There is a portable sign on the north side of town reminding those arriving to wear masks and practice social distancing. It is apparent that the Community leaders are serious about protecting their people. 

The next stop was the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Station in Langlade. It is situated on the Wolf river at the junction of highway 64 and 55. I have stopped there often in the last few years and it has never been staffed. I have been unable to determine if it is closed permanently or not.

The route south on 55 is a satisfying curvy ride through the Menominee Indian Reservation. On this summer weekday the traffic was light and we cruised sublimely out of the north woods and back into fields of nearly ripened corn and soybeans. There is road construction just north of Shawano, so we got back on 32 near Gillett and made our last stop at the Kwik Trip in Pulaski.

A few days after returning from Northwoods Harley Davidson I dropped off my completed Passport Tour at my local shop, Vandervest Harley. They will mail it in for me and I will find out if I am a prize winner in November. The Passport Tour gave focus to my riding this summer and I know I would not have ridden my Lowrider S as far as I did without its impetus. The weather is great as the calendar indicates it is fall and I am planning more rides over the coming weeks. 

Harley Davidson Western Wisconsin Swing

The area around La Crosse, in southwestern Wisconsin, is often referred to by the locals as "God's Country". If you spend enough time there it is evident that God took some special interest in its creation. The river valleys, hilltop vistas and snaky roads make the Coulee Region heaven on Earth for motorcyclists.

I woke up to a cool morning at Fort McCoy. The hotel was offering breakfast to order as long as it could be placed in a paper bag. I chose a blueberry muffin, yogurt and some fruit to get my day started. My Lowrider S has only a swingarm bag for luggage, so everything I had with me had to go in the backpack, and it did not take long to load up. My brother was along with me on this trip and our first stop was 30 miles west. The shop we were going to did not open until 1000 and by 0830 we were anxious to get on the road

La Crosse Area Harley Davidson is located 8 miles east of La Crosse in Onalaska. The dealership began as a Yamaha shop in Waukon, Iowa, and took on Harley Davidson in 1989. They expanded into the La Crosse area in 1996. We arrived just as the dealership opened at 1000, but the shopworkers were already busy moving bikes around the lot. One happy customer was exuberantly celebrating the new, louder sound coming from his Sportster.  The friendly staff members were welcoming and helped out with some directions to get us back on the highway. 

The La Crosse shop is near US Highway 35, part of the Great River Road. The Great River Road is a series of roads that roughly follow the Mississippi River for over 2000 miles through ten states. We were able to ride 35 for several miles north before turning north on to US Highway 53 toward Chippewa Falls. Before leaving on Monday I had checked the Wisconsin Department of Transportation website and noted the road construction on our route. There was a detour on 53 that I wanted to avoid and it led to one of the best motorcycle roads I have been on. 

After turning east on Wisconsin 95 at Blair., we turned left on County Road W. County W is a marvelous road for motorcyclists. The curves and hills are sublime and that day it was lightly traveled. We did encounter a few excitable deer, but otherwise it was a great experience. Its northern end dropped us back on 53 in Pigeon Falls.

Several miles up the road we pulled off at a scenic overlook. There was an old stone marker there memorializing Nicholas Bourlier de la Chavelle. The story goes that he forsook a life of easy living to live in a local cave in order to better enjoy the beauty of the area. The view is spectacular, but I do not think I could enjoy it enough to live in a cave.

Beautiful two lane blacktop continued for another thirty miles before the four lane began in Eau Claire. Chippewa Falls Harley Davidson is on Business 53 and it did not look like they were in business when we pulled into the parking lot. It struck me that the dealerships that park bikes, either new or used, in front of their shops are more appealing to anyone driving past. Putting a few, or a lot, of shiny examples of American Iron out in front of your place of business and can only help.

Bikes out front or not, they were open and the sales guy was quick to offer a bottle of water or some coffee. We took him up on a cup of joe and talked about his dealership. They were originally located in downtown Eau Claire and moved to their current location in Chippewa Falls in the 1990's. After getting my Passport stamped we mounted up and went to the local Culver's for lunch.

The state of Wisconsin went under a mask mandate on 1 August and our two days on the road showed a great variety in how businesses and individuals are complying. All of the workers in the Kwik Trip convenience stores wear masks and a good percentage of their patrons do also. Harley Davidson's corporate office must be taking a hands off approach as some of their dealership employees are wearing masks and some are not. 

We had two great days to ride and I am happy we could take advantage of the weather. I now have Passport Tour stamps from 14 of the 15 Wisconsin Harley Davidson dealers. The lone wolf is Northern Lights Harley Davidson in Arbor Vitae and I am looking forward to a great ride into Wisconsin's north woods.

Reel Brothers Harley Davidson and Rustic Road 121

It has been a few weeks since my last ride to a site participating in the Wisconsin Harley Davidson Dealers Association Passport Tour. I had a trip planned a couple of weeks ago but the weather went south and I canceled. My other bike is a 2020 BMW R1250 GSA and if I would have been riding it I would not have canceled, but I try my best to avoid riding my 2016 Lowrider in any kind of rain. It would not be harmful to the bike, I just like to keep it as clean as possible. It is nearing 14,000 miles and it still looks almost like new.

Today and tomorrow promised excellent riding weather and the trip was back on. My brother, on his 2016 BMW R1200 GSA,  and I left Green Bay under cloudy skies enjoying a tailwind out of the north. Our route took us south on I 41 and then west on US 21. These highways are thick with Kwik Trips and even though I limited myself to two cups of coffee, I had masked up and visited more than one Kwik Trip before getting fuel at the one in Necedah. 

The clouds and cool weather continued as we turned south on Wisconsin Highway 80. A few miles south of Necedah we took the left fork onto Wisconsin Highway 58 and into Mauston. Reel Brothers Harley Davidson is on the northern edge of Mauston and all was quiet as we pulled our bikes into two of the many empty parking spots.

This dealership was like most I have visited across the state getting my Passport Tour sheet stamped. There was only one other patron and most of the remaining bikes were of the touring variety. There were two attractively painted Softail Sport Glides on offer also.

This is the first of a planned two day assault on four Harley Davidson dealerships participating in the Passport Tour in 2020. I am also riding as many of Wisconsin's Rustic Roads as I can, so after visiting Reel Brothers we went south on Wisconsin Highway 82 and then north on Wisconsin Highway 80. Wisconsin Rustic Road 121 winds northwest off of 80 and returns via County Road S. It has some nice hills, curves, and little farms for scenery along the way.

Once back on Highway 80 we rode through the little town of New Lisbon. North of town, on County M, is Kennedy County Park. I had found it on the map and it looked like a good place to stop and eat our lunch. The gravel road led to a campground and picnic area. There were a few campers, but no one else was around. The picnic area is next to the  Lemonweir River and we enjoyed the quiet of the woods while we ate.

Leaving the park on M, we turned west on County C. This took us to the main gate of Volk Field in Camp Douglas. This is a Wisconsin National Guard hotbed and serves both Army and Air Guard units. It was the home of the Wisconsin Military Academy before the new one was built at Fort McCoy in the latter part of the 20th century.

From there we went north on County H to US Highway 21. Thirty miles west is Fort McCoy. The post was established in 1909 on land between the towns of Sparta and Tomah. It became an important location for training and preparing troops for World War II and many of its buildings date to that time period.

A number of buildings were taken down by the Amish, who then repurposed the lumber. Those that are still in use have been extensively renovated. The post has a nice outdoor museum of buildings and vehicles that brought back many fond memories of Annual Training periods spent at the fort. We were able to secure lodging on post for the night and after a trip to the Post Exchange we settled in.

Rustic Road 62 and Timm's Hill

The pandemic has altered my assault on Wisconsin's Rustic Roads. In past years I have gone off on one or two strategically planned rides to various locations. These rides enable me to ride a dozen or so Rusties in a couple of days. But this year I have not felt comfortable booking a night in a hotel and have only gone on day rides. So this meant that riding Rustic Road 62 in Price County would be the centerpiece in a long day of riding.

I have been studying the map this spring and summer looking for Rustic Roads that are accessible on a one day ride from my home. Number 62 is west of Tomahawk and about 160 miles away. The quickest route would follow the four lanes on US Highways 29 and 51, but I did not want to ride all the way on the slabs. 

Several years ago I picked up a copy of "Motorcycling Across Wisconsin" (2009), authored by William Murphy. The book has maps of rides, many of them loop style, in the state and each has a particular theme. One of the rides was titled To the Top of Wisconsin and was perfect for my trip. The route was on excellent county roads on the east and west sides of US 51 between Wausau and Tomahawk. As there were a number of different roads involved, I made few notes about the route to back up the information I entered into my BMW NAV VI GPS.

The day before the ride I invited my brother to come along, telling him it would be a 320 mile day. He was up for it and we decided to bring our lunches along rather than try to find a safe place to eat. We met at the Kwik Trip, filled up on fuel, completed our lunch packing, and headed northwest on US 29.

It was a perfect day to ride and soon we were just east of Wausau, turning north. We immediately noticed that the county roads in the area have a red tint from the granite used in their construction. We followed various county roads north and eventually a westerly direction into Tomahawk. Stopping for a break the Amoco on the edge of town, I told my brother that Harley Davidson owns a factory in Tomahawk. 

Willie G. Davidson, grandson of one of the founders, used to vacation in the area. He took an interest in the Tomahawk Boat Factory and in 1961 Harley Davidson bought it. By 1963 the factory was turning out fiberglass fairings, saddlebags and sidecars for the company's motorcycles. We were not far from the factory and saw a couple of Harley semi trucks on their way in and out. After mounting up and riding west through town we spotted another Harley building. Being a Harley owner I could not pass up this photo op. After carefully parking our BMW motorcycles in the lot we asked someone entering the building what its purpose is. She said that the products made east of town were shipped there for finishing. 

It was getting near lunch time and the Rustic Road was 25 miles west, so we got on our way. The NAV VI took us the rest of the way to County RR, Rustic Road 62. It is a paved road that goes south into Timm's Hill County Park. Timm's Hill, at 1951 feet, is the highest point in Wisconsin. The park, which also contains 160 acre Bass Lake, encloses the hill. We stopped at a spot on the lake that had a picnic table and enjoyed the peace and quiet of the surrounding woods. Across the small lake, which the Rustic Road guidebook claims is "teeming with northern pike", was a restaurant and bar. Soon after we arrived the quiet was interrupted by the arrival of an squad of ATV riders at the restaurant. If that many riders think it is worth a stop I will be back once I feel safe in a restaurant.

After lunch we rode just a few hundred feet to a parking area near the observation tower. It was a quarter mile hike up and it was quite warm on top of the hill. We plodded up the old wooden tower and took in the view. It was an almost cloudless day and it was possible to see for miles. The old metal fire tower still stands next to the observation tower. After catching our breath and taking a few pictures, we made our way back to the bikes. There were a few other people around, but it does not seem to be a popular spot for visitors. 

Our route home was on county roads paralleling US 51 on the west side. The first few miles on County C were a mix of curves and hills as we made our way south. Eventually the road straightened out as it entered healthy looking corn and soybean fields. We crossed over US 29 and turned east on County N. We planned to ride this into Wausau before hopping onto US 29 for the 90 mile blast home, but we ran into a "road closed" sign. So at Edgar, home multiple high school football championship teams, we got back on the big highway and road east and home.

It was an outstanding day on the bike and one more reminder that life can be grand even under the burdens of the pandemic.

Riding Some Brand New Rustic Roads in NE Wisconsin

My attack on Wisconsin's Rustic Roads is continuing through this abnormal riding season. In other years a ride to a Rustic Road would include a stop at a local restaurant for breakfast or lunch. The search for just the right place was as much a part of the planning as working out the route to my destination. Early in the season I was disappointed by the fact that I would not be able to enjoy the local cuisine on my rides. But over the past few weeks I have discovered the joy of bringing my sustenance and finding a lake, river, or county park to enjoy with my meal.

Wisconsin adds to the list Rustic Roads on an intermittent basis. The only way to know if there are new designations is to check the website. Two of them were recently added in northeast Wisconsin. I rode the first after finding it by accident and the other one involved planned day trip. As of now I have ridden almost 90 of the state's Rustic Roads. I have plans to make it to 100 by the end of the year but since March I have learned to not count on plans. So I am taking pleasure in the rides that I am able to complete and not thinking too far ahead.

In late June my brother and I went for a ride up into Oconto and Marinette Counties. The route took us up Highway 32 to Wabeno. By doing a map recon I discovered that just west of Wabeno is Richardson Lake County Park. There is a campground and a little picnic area near the lake and we stopped there for lunch. After enjoying the quiet of the woods and good meal we went back into Wabeno, then due east on County Road C. We had not gotten far out of Wabeno when, to my surprise, a familiar brown and gold Rustic Road sign appeared. I did not have my logbook with me, but I knew that number 118 was new and that I had not ridden it yet. By the time I stopped and took the picture my riding partner had come back to see what had held me up. It is not easy to ride with a Rustic Road hunter.

RR 118 is a beautifully paved road with some nice sweeping curves and elevation changes. We rode it across Marinette County to Wausaukee, where it meets Highway 180. This road follows the Menominee River, the border between Wisconsin and Upper Michigan, on its way into Green Bay. There are a lot of great little stops along way where travelers can enjoy the river. When we got to Marinette we were going to go up to Menominee to get some pasties at Kolonel K's, but there was an unusual amount of traffic. It was then that we remembered that the president was there that day visiting Marinette Marine. We rode back south on US 41 and on the way into Green Bay saw the president's chopper and its escort of two Boeing Ospreys on their way north.

After finding number 118 in my own backyard I thought I should get back on the Rustic Road website and see if any others had been added in northeast Wisconsin. Sure enough, there was number 117 just south of Wautoma near Saxeville. I had been in the Saxeville area several years ago riding RR 48 and this one is just outside of town,

On the day I rode down there the forecast was for afternoon thundershowers. I kept a close watch on the sky and checked the radar on my phone at stops. It looked like it would be clear long enough for me to ride the Rustic Road and then get home dry. I used the Nav VI GPS on my BMW R 1250 GSA to guide me into Saxeville and onto RR 117. One of the features of this road is a short side road that has a covered bridge and I did not want to miss that. 

When I stopped for the bridge photo I noticed a park like area to my right. There was a home and some outbuildings on the property, so I was surprised to see a sign that indicated the public was welcome. The bridge spans the Pine River and there was a young fellow trying his luck fly fishing. I watched his efforts as I ate my lunch. An old Buick pulled up and a local gentleman and his family got out. As his wife and daughters took pictures of the bridge he came over to chat. He said that an older couple had owned the property I was on and had tended the gardens as long as they could. When they could no longer maintain it the local government purchased the spot and opened it for public use. It was a beautiful and peaceful location and one I would not have enjoyed if I had been seeking a local restaurant. Soon he went back to tend to his ladies and I spent a few more minutes enjoying the river. Then I remembered the threatening weather forecast and began packing up.

Rustic Road 117 is not very long and soon I was on County K heading up toward Wautoma and home. the county was doing some road work and while there were no detours I ended up having to clean a lot of tar-like specks off my motorcycle when I got home. I chose a southerly route home on Highway 10 and that was turned out to be the wet route. But it only lasted about 20 miles and then it was sunshine and dry roads all the way home. 

The list of Rustic Roads is up to 122. I am glad that I found these two close to home and can now add them to my list of roads ridden. This riding season is different from all others, but in some ways has become better than the others.

Beaver Dam and Madison Harley Davidson Sh

The scourge of COVID 19 shows no signs of abating and I continue to be happy to have a riding goal for the summer. The Wisconsin Harley Dealers Association Passport Tour has given me the incentive to get out on the road and map out new routes across the state. Now that I have gotten Passport stamps at all of the participating dealerships in the eastern part of the state it is time to look to the west.

This week I planned an overnight trip that would have netted me six new stamps and left just one to acquire. But Mother Nature intervened in the form of a rainy forecast and that plan went by the wayside. Or it would have if the waysides in Wisconsin were open. The first part of the route was still in play though, and I made the best of it.

I was on the road after the I 41 rush hour subsided on a beautiful sunny morning. It was cool enough that I was comfortable with a long sleeve riding shirt under my Harley Davidson Killian jacket. The only luggage capacity on my 2016 Low Rider S is a swingarm bag, so I travel with a Fly backpack. There would be enough room in there

 to ditch the riding shirt as the day warmed up.

The first stop was Mischler's Harley Davidson in Beaver Dam. This is the also the home of one of two BMW dealerships in the state. The dealership was opened in Waupun by William Mischler in 1958 selling Harley Davidsons and became a BMW dealer the next year. Soon after, the shop moved to Beaver Dam. It has been in several locations since and the new owners, William's son Art and his wife Deb, moved to the current location in 2002. It is a state of the art facility with easy access off US Highway 151. I have a BMW also, so I make it a point to visit Mischler's at least once each year.

Madison is only about 40 miles southwest of Beaver Dam on 151, but it was an interesting and unsettling ride. The highway has been under some type of construction for at least two years and justt south of Beaver Dam there was a good stretch of single lane along this four lane highway. It ended near the Columbus exit and just as traffic was getting up to speed the orange barrels showed up again. In an unfortunate incident, a truck with some type of crane struck and killed a construction worker. I did not know it at the time, but saw the truck amid several law enforcement vehicles. There is also road construction on I 39 near the exit for Harley Davidson of Madison, but the dealer rep gave me some good directions to avoid it on my way in.

I got my first Harley Davidson in 1998 and at the time was a member of the Wisconsin Army National Guard. I was drilling in Madison then and on those weekends I always found time to visit the local Harley shop. It was called Decker's then and was located on US 51 on the south side. When it was sold and moved to its current southeast side location in 2002 it became Capital City Harley Davidson. Since then it has been sold and renamed twice. The current owner closed his Sauk Prairie Harley Davidson dealership in Sauk City in 2015 and merged those operations with Harley Davidson of Madison.  

This place has an inviting showroom and an excellent selection of parts and accessories. There was a 2020 Road King Special on the floor, the first I have seen in my travels. It had a premium paint job and looked terrific. I remembered more grassy area outside from the last time I visited, but they added some square footage for storage and there was no picnic area on the property. I still managed to find a nice shady spot under a tree to enjoy my lunch. 

While eating I marveled at how perfect the day was perfect and lamented the fact that I was not going to be able to continue northwest toward the next participating dealer. It would have been a great day for it, but the looming forecast meant I was on my way home. After watching a rider or two take some shiny new bikes out for test rides I packed up the backpack, put on my helmet, jacket and gloves and got back on the highway.

I had plenty of time and chose to take some back roads home. Over the years I have been on most of them, but it is a beautiful part of the state. Highway 73 took me through the little towns of Deerfield, Marshall, Randolph, Columbus and up to Fox Lake. I thought of the many people I knew from the National Guard who lived in the little towns around the home of the State Headquarters. 

The little town of Columbus was in the news recently as they announced the removal of their Christopher Columbus statue. I went south on Highway 60 to see if it was still there, but all that was left was a cement pedestal near the empty Shopko building. On my way back to 73 I passed a statue memorializing the local Union soldiers who had died during the Civil War. The Amtrak was leaving the station and blocking the street, so I used the traffic halt to take a few pictures.

Following 73 took me to Highways 33 and 68 and I rode into Waupun ready for a break. A Kwik Trip appeared just at the right time and I enjoyed a Kona coffee and blueberry muffin. A gentleman in a Ford Harley Davidson pickup stopped to chat and ask a few questions about my Low Rider. He and his wife have Harley Ultras and he also enjoys his Sportster when bar hopping. 

The ride home was over familiar roads along the east side of Lake Winnebago. Even though my trip was cut short it was a pretty good day on the bike. I now have gotten stamps from all of the dealers in the bigger cities, so the next rides will be on much less traveled roads.