On The Road Again – Hudson, WI
Willow River State Park
Thursday
August 7th 10:30 am and we’re on our way to Hudson, WI., about 250
miles and five hours away. Hope it’s worth the ride. If you haven’t been
following our travels we are visiting places in WI that we always wanted to see
and maybe even finding a new spot that we may want to revisit. Stopped at a
wayside and then an hour or so later for gas and lunch and arrived at 3:30 pm.
We are in the newest of three campgrounds and it is quite open, but there is
plenty of room between campsites and we could put the screen tent up where we
get shade all afternoon from the one big tree on our site. 82 degrees, but a
very nice breeze blowing through to keep it comfortable. A Leinies, nice dinner
on the gas grill and then a walk around part of the camp ground before calling
it a night. Both too tired to light up a camp fire tonight and we want to get
an early start to visit Still Water, MN.
Woke up to a
very nice bright sunny day on Friday with just a slight breeze. Decided to have
a cup of coffee outside in the screen tent and enjoyed it so much I had cereal
and toast out there too. Enjoyed the sounds of the birds chirping and the
breeze blowing through the aspen leaves. Doesn’t get much more peaceful than
that. We left for Still Water about 9:30
am and we were there about 10 am.
Disappointed
that most of the stores don’t open until 11 am. It reminded us a lot of Galena,
IL. for shopping, but the stores were not as nice and it seemed like every
other one was a restaurant. We only stayed for about an hour and headed back to
Hudson where we stopped at a park along the river to look at all the material
we got at the visitor’s bureau before heading to Still Water. We decided on lunch
at Dicks Bar and Grill, recommended to us by the young ladies at the Hudson
Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Bureau. Walking into the bar it looked like a
small town dark bar, but we went into a very nice dining room with linen table
clothes and then out to their screened in deck with a wonder breeze blowing
through. One of those places where you take your time and linger over a very
pleasant lunch for two. Food and service was great.
Getting hotter so we decided to go back to our
campground and check out the beach and boat landing in hopes finding a place to
fish from shore, but didn’t find a good spot to wet a line. Spent the rest of the afternoon writing up my
VFW minutes from last Wednesdays meeting. I’m getting old and if don’t do it
right away I seem to miss things that should be recorded or maybe I just take
poor notes. Enjoyed another wonderful meal on the grill and burned through a
bundle of firewood. Camping just wouldn’t be the same without that campfire.
Amazing what your imagination can conjure up while being hypnotized by the red
and blue flames of a popping sizzling fire. Thinking about road tripping to Interstate
State Park which is located both in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Can’t wait to see
Taylor Falls that our daughter in law has been telling us about which is very
close to the park.
A beautiful Saturday came peeking through our
shades so we decided on the road trip to Interstate State Park. We went up the MN. side and we were only on
the road about 15 minutes when we got delayed in traffic for a run from Still
Water to Hudson. We idled in a long line of traffic for almost 30 to 45 minutes
watching exhausted runners, mostly walkers, none of which were smiling, most
looking like they were not going to make it to Hudson. The rescue squad went screaming
down the road the other direction and we hoped it wasn’t for some overheated
runner. The temperature was 85 and humidity was very high. I actually had to
turn off the air and open the windows because the temperature gauge started
going up. Finally we were the next car to go and there was a break in the
runners. Note to self to check prestone level.
The Interstate
campground was a right turn before we even got to the town of Still Water. We
waited in line to get into the office even though the campground posted a sign
that said campground full. When I got in the office I was told there was no
viewing area of the river in the park, but that we should take a right at the
first stop and go light when we got into town. It would take us to the Pot Hole
area of the park with scenic overlooks and hiking trails along the river. I
handed over $5. for a daily MN park sticker and we were on our way. One of the
craziest intersections I have ever gone through. Five roads and a campground
entrance with lights on four corners and a stop sign on another. Right before
we went into the park there was a parking lot for River Cruises so we decided
to check that out first. It was about 11 am and the next cruise was leaving at
11:30 so we decided to go on a 45 minute paddle wheel cruise. It was well
narrated, full of beautiful rock formations, had to use a very vivid
imagination to see what the captain said was there. Thankfully we didn’t
collide with any of the 100 or so kayaks and canoes on the river. Some just
stay around the beach area and some journey from that beach either 3 hours or 5
hours down river where a van picks them up and brings them back. A little too
adventurous for us.
We were in
downtown Taylor Falls by 12:15 and decided to look for lunch and decided on a
small town bakery with delicious everything. Once again sounding like our
typical, no good for you, lunch on the road. The town is only a couple of
blocks long and we were sorry we didn’t drive down to the end because they had
a 1950’s drive in with car hops that we would have had lunch at if we had not
stopped at the bakery. It was very crowded with hardly a place to park so it
must have been good. Maybe next time. Although I really was not impressed
enough with anything at the parks or in Taylor Falls to bring me back.
It was only
1:30 so we started our journey back to the campground on the WI side of the St
Croix River. We made a planned stop at Bass Lake Cheese Factory and restaurant.
It was about 2:30 and a doughnut was not enough to get me through to a late
dinner so we bought cheese, crackers and hard salami, all made right there and
enjoyed it out on their deck. They even bought out a knife so we could get our
cheese open. Everything tasted especially good because we were outside enjoying
a wonderful breeze and a wonderful view of a field of corn blowing in the wind.
Sometimes these little stores out in the middle of nowhere are real treasures.
Typical of
the our last camping adventure it started to rain about 6 pm just as I was
putting baked potatoes on the grill. Sure didn’t want to cook two rib eye
steaks in a frying pan on the stove. It was only a brief shower and we managed
to have a very scrumptious steak dinner for two, candle light and all, at 7 pm.
Enjoyed an after dinner drink while Lauralyn burned up two bundles of fire wood
creating one of the best camp fires so far this year. Tomorrow, Sunday is
supposed to be cloudy with rain predicted for late afternoon and continuing
through the night and Monday morning. Only thing planned is to go to a Falcon
presentation in the campsite at 11 am. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.
Sunday we
woke up to cloudy skies and high humidity. Supposed to reach 85. There were
about 50 0f us at the beach and finally a park ranger showed up and told
everyone there had been a miscommunication and the falconer would not be there
until 2 pm. Many were disappointed because they had planned on attending this
demonstration and then leaving for home. Poor folks probably have to work
tomorrow. Did I mention retirement is great! We did drive a little further into
the park and found the falls and some fishing piers, so I might wet a line
tomorrow depending upon what we decide to do.
We went back
at 2 pm and about 25 people showed up to listen to a man, about 35, discuss
hunting with falcons which he has done for the last 15 years. I didn’t realize
that they have the birds for a year and teach them to hunt for themselves
before releasing them to the wild. They do this because 80% don’t make it to
adulthood. He had three birds with him. The first falcon was a cross between a peregrine
and grieves, the 2nd was a falcon from the southwest which was a
little bigger than the first and then brought out a very big red tailed hawk
that we see frequently circling above looking for a meal. No flight
demonstration. Really wanted to see that falcon flying at 230 MPH. He usually
only trains them during the fall and winter.
Got up to 85
already and very humid so I think the rain is coming as predicted. Just
enjoying the rest of the day in our campsite. Lauralyn always has knitting
along, books to read and puzzle books to work on. I’ve been writing reading a
book of poems, “Poems That Touch The Heart” by A.L. Alexander which I had given
to my Mom years ago and found on my bookshelf. Bet you didn’t take me for a
sensitive guy. Can’t judge a book by its cover. You all know I can’t write
without using a couple of clichés. Still trying to finish those VFW minutes
too. Maybe I’ll do those next unless I get distracted which happens very easily
when I’m out here.
Monday
morning wakeup call came about 4:30 am with rain on the roof. Amazing how loud it can be on the roof and
awning. Just rain so drifted back to sleep. Still misting when we finally got
up for the day and we were having a leisurely breakfast when another storm went
through with enough wind and rain to
make the trailer rock and the awning flap more than it usually does. We were
deciding if I should go out in the rain to try to lower the awning when half of
the screen tent collapsed on itself. Just as I’m fearing the worst for our
brand new screen tent a gust of wind came through and popped it right back up.
Went out later and there was no damage at all to the tent. I would definitely
recommend the Gander Mountain Vista Dome Screen tent.
Drove into
Hudson after lunch to check out the local stores but once again we were not
impressed. Guess we are just spoiled with those in Minocqua and Galena, IL.
They set a pretty high bar. Continued to mist and even showered once again
which also put a damper on our playing tourist. We walked out on Old Toll Road
which goes out across the St. Croix River almost to the MN. Side. They have an
opening that is just large enough to let boats through. Some really big boats
moored here and they actually have smaller boats locked up on shore to get out
to their larger boats. Would have made some really nice pictures if the weather
would have cooperated. All in all I don’t think Hudson would be one of the
places we would return to. Nice campground, just not enough to do without going
into the cities which we didn’t want to do.
We are contemplating
going up to Door County for a few days from August 22nd to the 28th , but there is no
definite plan at the moment. Our next reservation is a return to Lac Du
Flambeau and the Tribal Campground that we really liked. We will be there from
September 17th to the 23rd. Still looking for somewhere go in October
since we canceled our trip for my ship’s reunion in Rhode Island. Just don’t
want to even think about putting the trailer to sleep for the winter, but we
are already looking forward to our trip to Florida the end of April/beginning
of May. We plan on going to St. Augustine for a couple of days and then drive
down to Key West. Friends, that introduced us to Key West a couple of years
ago, will fly down and meet us so we can enjoy a couple of days together. A few
drinks, great shrimp called “Reds” and of course Key Lime Pie. The plan is to
drive back by way of Baton Rouge, LA. To visit an old Navy buddy that Lauralyn
and I knew from Japan. Jesse, I’m giving
you fair warning.
Enjoy what’s
left of this summer. For us it’s going way to fast, but it’s been one of the
best in a long time.
