It’s a stormy day here in SE Wisconsin…cutting into my riding time, however, my gardens needed this rain badly. We’ve had strange weather this summer; most days feel more like September than July or August. Today, however feels like the tropics. I’m waiting for the storms to pass so I can get a little riding in today, being I’m off duty this weekend as my boys are with their dad.
I’ve spent portions of the last week getting ready to take my boys, fondly referred to by my sister as, The Toilet Busters, (that’s a good tale or this winter) on a 5 day trip to Door County, WI…way up at the top of the “Thumb”, Wisconsin’s peninsula though, the Interstate may be in order for the return trip. Funny how I can fit everything I need for a two week motorcycle trip into two saddle bags and a T-Bag, but I’m hard pressed to fit what the 3 of us need into the back of a 4-Door wrangler!
We’ll be taking the “Scenic Route”, words I dreaded to hear from my father’s mouth when I was a kid …funny how it’s become my favorite pastime. We have a few stops planned along the way…a few unplanned as well…you never know what may intrigue their wonder eyes and curious minds as we travel north. A must stop is Otto’s Meat Market in Luxemberg for the finest fresh beef jerky known to the toilet busters, as well as an inquiry while there for Salmon Bros. hotdogs…we’re told they’re the best.
I am often perplexed by the tremendous focus and references toward food. When someone mentions a place they are going, someone automatically makes reference to a restaurant, bakery, candy store and the like. I do it, too. What's up with that? I was told by a friend to stop at the Popcorn Store because they have the best caramel corn in the world and my sister told me we HAD to stop at the Swiss bakery North of Ellison Bay for the “bestest” damn peanut butter cookie she’s ever tasted in her life! Someone also suggested the traditional Fish Boil, however the thought of any food boiled, aside from an egg just doesn’t appeal to me. In fact, it reminds me that I have a gag reflex.
To balance eating all the best of as we go, I plan to try to reintroduce my kids to the joys of hiking. WI has beautiful state parks and there are 5 on the peninsula; Potawatomi, Peninsula , Whitefish Dunes, Newport, and Rock Island. A ferry takes you from the mainland to Washington Island, then another to Rock Island. Sounds like a great adventure to me, however…
…coupled with the sounds of nature will be incessant whining from my 11 year-old, Schuyler He’s a rather sedentary bloke…video games, building Legos and jamming on the computer. When something involves physical exercise he instantly develops a whole host of ailments like leg cramps, foot pain, and hot flashes…oops, I own that one. He might as well record his gripes to save his energy because he’ll tell me 100 times that he doesn’t want to walk, "it’s too far, how far is it anyway, how long is this going to take, my legs hurt, my back hurts"…and I walk along 10 stps ahaead saying, “Ommmm”, even though I really just want to scream!
My 9 year-old, Wyatt, is his polar opposite; one is my Yin, the other my Yan. Wyatt loves to run, and discover new things by foot…he loves the adventure of a new path to explore. Wonder where he gets that from? He’s full of surprises, usually in the resounding form of bellowing tantrums for the world to hear…gotta love his persistence and panache…from a distant future.
We’ll have fun, no matter what. I love watching my children see and experience things for the first time. That’s the experience I look forward to…priceless! I trust we’ll return renewed and refreshed with sound minds, sound bodies, and no busted toilets.
We’ll take lots of pictures so when we return we can share the beauty of Wisconsin for those of you who have never seen it, or need a refresher course. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=door+county+WI+map&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=Tdx9SsehEtORtgeGiNj3AQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1
I’ve spent portions of the last week getting ready to take my boys, fondly referred to by my sister as, The Toilet Busters, (that’s a good tale or this winter) on a 5 day trip to Door County, WI…way up at the top of the “Thumb”, Wisconsin’s peninsula though, the Interstate may be in order for the return trip. Funny how I can fit everything I need for a two week motorcycle trip into two saddle bags and a T-Bag, but I’m hard pressed to fit what the 3 of us need into the back of a 4-Door wrangler!
We’ll be taking the “Scenic Route”, words I dreaded to hear from my father’s mouth when I was a kid …funny how it’s become my favorite pastime. We have a few stops planned along the way…a few unplanned as well…you never know what may intrigue their wonder eyes and curious minds as we travel north. A must stop is Otto’s Meat Market in Luxemberg for the finest fresh beef jerky known to the toilet busters, as well as an inquiry while there for Salmon Bros. hotdogs…we’re told they’re the best.
I am often perplexed by the tremendous focus and references toward food. When someone mentions a place they are going, someone automatically makes reference to a restaurant, bakery, candy store and the like. I do it, too. What's up with that? I was told by a friend to stop at the Popcorn Store because they have the best caramel corn in the world and my sister told me we HAD to stop at the Swiss bakery North of Ellison Bay for the “bestest” damn peanut butter cookie she’s ever tasted in her life! Someone also suggested the traditional Fish Boil, however the thought of any food boiled, aside from an egg just doesn’t appeal to me. In fact, it reminds me that I have a gag reflex.
To balance eating all the best of as we go, I plan to try to reintroduce my kids to the joys of hiking. WI has beautiful state parks and there are 5 on the peninsula; Potawatomi, Peninsula , Whitefish Dunes, Newport, and Rock Island. A ferry takes you from the mainland to Washington Island, then another to Rock Island. Sounds like a great adventure to me, however…
…coupled with the sounds of nature will be incessant whining from my 11 year-old, Schuyler He’s a rather sedentary bloke…video games, building Legos and jamming on the computer. When something involves physical exercise he instantly develops a whole host of ailments like leg cramps, foot pain, and hot flashes…oops, I own that one. He might as well record his gripes to save his energy because he’ll tell me 100 times that he doesn’t want to walk, "it’s too far, how far is it anyway, how long is this going to take, my legs hurt, my back hurts"…and I walk along 10 stps ahaead saying, “Ommmm”, even though I really just want to scream!
My 9 year-old, Wyatt, is his polar opposite; one is my Yin, the other my Yan. Wyatt loves to run, and discover new things by foot…he loves the adventure of a new path to explore. Wonder where he gets that from? He’s full of surprises, usually in the resounding form of bellowing tantrums for the world to hear…gotta love his persistence and panache…from a distant future.
We’ll have fun, no matter what. I love watching my children see and experience things for the first time. That’s the experience I look forward to…priceless! I trust we’ll return renewed and refreshed with sound minds, sound bodies, and no busted toilets.
We’ll take lots of pictures so when we return we can share the beauty of Wisconsin for those of you who have never seen it, or need a refresher course. http://maps.google.com/maps?q=door+county+WI+map&rls=com.microsoft:en-us:IE-SearchBox&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADBS&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=Tdx9SsehEtORtgeGiNj3AQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=title&resnum=1
No comments:
Post a Comment