Fat Biking - A New Winter Adventure

"Life is either a great adventure or nothing."  Helen Keller

How do you live your life?  Me - my life is all about the adventure.  And adventure for me typically means I've walked out the door and am on my way to do something in the great outdoors.

Seasonality doesn't stop me.  I do many of the same adventures year round.  Summer / Winter Backpacking, Rock and Ice Climbing (I need to more of these), Bicycling, Hiking, Snowshoeing and on and on.  I'm always open to trying new sports and activities and this winter is no different.  Over the last couple of years I've seen the occasional Fat Bike riding around in the winter and have always been intrigued by them.  Being a cyclist both road and mountain bike, this seemed to be a natural progression.  Well this was the year.

Fat Bike Leap

This was the year I made the leap.  After renting a Surly Pugsley for an afternoon I was hooked.  I knew I had to have one.  Two weeks of researching, talking to people who have them and expanding my knowledge of the Fat Bike world I found exactly what I wanted.  A Fyxation Blackhawk.  And lucky for me - Fyxation was in the process of moving their headquarters into my neighborhood.  I was able to walk down and get it set up for me.

Fyxation Blackhawk

Fyxation Blackhawk - John Muir Mountain Bike Trails (Blue)

My new winter adventure.

After a couple of days of waiting patiently it was built and ready to come home.  Waiting for that first weekend to ride was hard.  But once it arrived - I jumped on and never looked back.  I was hooked!  My bike, my FAT bike. I was riding a bike, in winter, in snow.  What could be better?

Fat Bike Adventures

To quote Dr. Seuss:

"Oh the places you'll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all"

That's kind of how I felt (except substitute bike for ball).  Adventure awaited.

• I rode in my first ever bike race and took 2nd place.  Then I immediately rode in my second race.  And I was hooked on the thrill of racing.  
• I rode on the John Muir Mountain Bike Trails.  In Winter. On Snow.  How incredibly fun.
• I took a road trip chasing the last of the snow to Michigan and rode at Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore and on the NTN Trails in Marquette.  

And I've met some of the nicest people along the way.  The Fat Biking community is incredible.  

The snow may be gone (or do I go in search of more snow?), but the Fyxation Blackhawk will not be going into hibernation.  I'm sure there may be a summer adventure along the way where I'll want to ride a fat bike.  

"Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt."  John Muir

Or in this case snow.  But whatever you do - get outside and find your own adventure.

Related Posts:

• Autobiography Title - In Search of Snow
• Never Giving Up - Adventure on the Trails

Exploring Wisconsin's Hidden Gems

Aldo Leopold.  A 40 foot deep gorge.  Prickly Pear cactus and desert.  Just a few of the hidden gems I recently explored in Wisconsin.

Finding places I haven't explored before in Wisconsin is always an exciting adventure.  When my brother decided to pay a visit for the first weekend of Autumn, we decided (as we always do) to go out for a hike and explore.  This time we picked the Baraboo and Spring Green areas of Wisconsin which lie in the Dirftless Area of Wisconsin.

Aldo Leopold Foundation

We started our quick two day journey of exploration at the Aldo Leopold Foundation.  If you don't know who Aldo Leopold is, he's known as the father of wildlife conservation and was an early leader in the American wilderness movement.  (Read more about him on the Wilderness.net.)

While visiting we decided to take the self guided tour through the land along the Wisconsin River that his family owned and worked to restore.  The Shack the family lived in is still there to this day and so are some landmarks of the work he did.  Overall it was a humbling experience to be able to view and feel the work he did here which has resonated far beyond the boundaries of his property.

Aldo Leopold Shack

The Aldo Leopold Foundation is definitely worth the visit.

Pewits Nest State Natural Area

Definitely a hidden gem in Wisconsin.  Pewits Nest State Natural Area in Baraboo, WI is pretty well hidden with no signs leading to it.  It's one of those places you need to know exists to find it.  Which makes it a perfect place to explore.   Upon arriving we hit the trail and starting walking toward the gorge.  One of the first things I noticed when we hit the forest was the wall of rock that was growing as we walked the trail.

Within a short distance we took the trail that lead us down to Skillet Creek where we could peer into the gorge and see a small waterfall.

Skillet Creek and Pewits Nest Gorge

Next we wandered around and to the trail above the gorge and followed the creek to the end of the gorge and park.  We noticed many small waterfalls and different views of the gorge.  

Skillet Creek and Pewits Nest Gorge

View down into the gorge

After hiking the trail and returning to the car, I felt lucky to have found this place.  From the road I would have never guessed what was just beyond the edge of the forest and in the middle of the farmer's fields that lie around it.  Definitely worth a visit to see the splendor that the retreating glaciers left for us to explore.

Spring Green Preserve

Did you know Wisconsin has a desert where prickly pear cactus grow naturally?  No?  Neither did I.  Upon arriving at the Spring Green Preserve I  immediately noticed a difference in this area versus the adjoining landscapes.  Upon hitting the trail which was dry, sandy soil I saw prickly pear cactus.  Even the ridge line in the distance was different than the others.  All the ones around it held forests, but not this one.

Prickly Pear Cactus at Spring Green Preserve

Spring Green Preserve - "Wisconsin's Desert"

We hiked the 1.6 mile trail (one way) through the prairie taking in the beauty of the fall colors of the prairie grasses.  The trail itself winds its way behind and up the bluff and provides a great overview of the surrounding area.  

Spring Green Preserve Trail end - overview of surrounding area from atop the bluff

My brother and I continued to explore additional areas over the two days we had and found some amazing places to explore that we had never been to and places we've explored before, but were worth another visit.  In addition to the above we explored:

• Bakken's Pond State Natural Area - definitely another worth visiting.  It's a wetlands area that is home to many species of animals including the Sandhill Cranes we heard and then finally saw as they took off over the pond.
• Devil's Lake - no visit to this area is complete without a quick trip to Devil's Lake State Park.  Today we hiked the East Bluff and saw plenty of turkey vultures floating on the thermals.  
• Tower Hill State Park - A smaller state park, but another not to miss.  We camped here and visited the Shot Tunnel and watched the reflections of the seasonal changes of the trees in the river.
• Ferry Bluff State Natural Area - we hiked the short trail that brings you up to the top of Ferry Bluff and provides great views of the Wisconsin River and the surrounding area.  

Fall is a great time to get outdoors and explore.  And the Driftless Area provides plenty of opportunities to view fall colors in their glory.  

And today I'll switch it up a little bit, instead of a John Muir quote to end this post, we'll reflect on Aldo Leopold.

"Our ability to perceive quality in nature begins, as in art, with the pretty.  It expands through successive stages of the beautiful to values as yet uncaptured by language" Aldo Leopold

Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail in Southern Kettle Moraine Forest

Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

What a perfect way to enjoy a fall weather like day but to head out for a hike on the Ice Age Trial in Southern Kettle Moraine.  Heading out from the Forest Headquarters, I hiked to the Horse Riders campground.  

Heading out from the Forest Headquarters I took the Ice Age Trail west to the meadow hoping to find some fall wildflowers in bloom.  And that I did.  Goldenrod was still in bloom.  I watched it dance in the breeze as it called to the monarchs that were flying around in the meadow.  

Monarchs on Goldenrod on the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

As I hiked on I watched the native grasses of the meadow flow in sync to the breeze and watched the big billowy clouds float in the sky.  After 1 1/2 miles I hit the Blue Springs Lake Segment and felt myself looking forward to the rest of my journey today.

Prairie Grasses on the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

Blue Spring Lake Segment - Ice Age Trail

Heading into the Blue Spring Lake Segment via the Emma Carlin side, I walked through the forest looking for signs of fall.  I didn't find any fall colors coming out yet in the forest, but what I did find was mushrooms.  Now I admit I don't know anything about mushrooms, but today I was intrigued with all the different types and colors of mushrooms growing along the trail.  So today's hike ended up becoming more about what would I find next and taking pictures of them.  Once I arrived home I did a little research to find out what I saw during my hike.

Giant Puffball Mushrooms

The first mushroom that caught my eye on the trail looked like a brain, and was about the size of what I assume a brain would be (or maybe bigger).  These were huge mushrooms.

Giant Puffball Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail

Giant Puffball Mushrooms along the Ice Age Trail

Giant Puffball Mushrooms.

False Chantrelle

Many of these along the trail.  They are yellowish orange in color and were still holding water from the rain we had on Friday.  Very pretty.  But not edible.

False Chantrelle Mushrooms growing along the Ice Age Trail

More Wisconsin Wild Mushrooms

Here's a few more that I found along the trail today.  I'm not sure what these are, so if anyone knows please leave a comment at the end of this blog.  I would love to know what I found.  

Mushroom growing alongside the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

Mushroom growing alongside the Ice Age Trail - Southern Kettle Moraine

I also found these flowers(?) growing along the trail.  The only other place I've ever seen them before was when I was hiking up to St Paul Lake in the Cabinet Mountains of Montana.  I've heard them called "Corpse Flowers" but am not sure if that is the official name.  Again if anyone knows please leave a comment at the end of this blog.

Flowers on the Ice Age Trail (corpse flowers?)

Another beautiful day hiking.  Another beautiful day in the forest.  Feeling rejuvenated.  

 “In every walk with Nature one receives far more than he seeks.”   John Muir

Today this was true, I went for a walk in nature looking for wildflowers and found something else of interest - mushrooms.  Unexpected and a learning experience.  I now feel a little smarter.

Door County Wilderness - Off the Beaten Path

Traveling to one of Wisconsin's most popular locations - Door County, one doesn't expect to find area's protected as Wilderness.  But that's exactly what you'll find when you head to Newport State Park on the tip of Door County.

Newport State Park

I am somewhat fond of this state park because of it's Wilderness declaration (it is the only state park in Wisconsin that is designated as a wilderness park), but also because this is where I had my first backpacking experience back on May 1st 2010.  I've camped since I was 6 months old, stayed on hike in campsites, but never took my pack and gear and did a backpacking experience.  And when I finally did it, I didn't just grab my gear, but also enough gear for two dogs.  And in early May, in Door County, and directly on Lake Michigan.  Yes, it was cold as I remember.

Backpacking at Newport State Park

Newport State Park does not allow campers.  All 16 campsites in this park are backpack sites.  With the craziness of Door County and all the tourists, you can escape that easily at this park.  It's one of the reasons I make a point to take at least one trip each year back up here.  Very rarely when I'm hiking the trails do I run into another person.  (There's about 30 miles of trails in the park.)  And so far since 2010, I've made another four trips.  Each time, experiencing a different time of the year.  Spring, Summer months, Fall - and it doesn't matter when you go, it's always quiet and beautiful.  

Newport Beach State Park - View from site to Lake Michigan

One of the things I really like about this park is how you can go from a beach shoreline to a rugged shoreline.  All within a short hike.  And with the wilderness designation, you can see and experience all types of wildlife (be careful of the porcupines).  

Rocky ledges @ Newport State Park, Door County, WI

And because of the lack of people - I think it's one of my dogs favorite parks.  They run off leash and get to swim in Lake Michigan.  It's so fun to watch them run and chase the waves on Lake Michigan.  And then after dinner, they're pretty much done for the day.  

Then once they're done - I can relax and watch the moon rise over Lake Michigan.  Eventually turning in for what is typically the best sleep I get - outdoors and in a tent.  Sun, fresh air, hiking and peace and quiet in the wilderness.  What else can one ask for?  

Moon rising over Lake Michigan @ Newport State Park

“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”   John Muir

Inspirations... Friends, Training and the Unknown

It's hard to believe tomorrow is already March 1st.  Less than two months away from my big adventure to climb Mt. Whitney, the highest point in the contiguous 48 states.

The journey so far has been very inspiring for me.  What's inspired me?

• My absolutely amazing friends and network of support.  Because this adventure is also a benefit climb to support Big City Mountaineers through Summit for Someone, I'm really finding out how absolutely amazing my friends are.  When initially selected by Backpacker Magazine to join them in this journey, my biggest fear was not the actual climb itself, but rather the thought that I was going to have to go out and raise $4,000 for the benefit.  My friends have supported me through this by donating both their hard earned money and talents through having their bands play a benefit.  I'm just humbled by all of this.

• Training - Getting ready for an adventure requires a lot of dedication and training to prepare for the trip.  Inspiration for training comes from a number of sources, including
• My fellow climbers and I've never even met them yet. 
• Again, my absolutely amazing friends.  Joining me on snowshoeing trips.  Asking me how training is going.  Training yourselves (that always makes me want to push harder.)   

• The Unknown - 
• Having done ice climbing, hiking, snowshoeing, rock climbing, backpacking, etc - but never having to do all of it on the same trip, inspiring.  
• Getting ready to meet a group of people I've never met before who all love to do the same things I do, inspiring.
• Knowing I'll help at-risk youth I'll never meet to succeed in life, inspiring.  

There are so many unknowns with this trip, as with most trips, but that's part of the adventure.  And what is life without any adventures.  Adventures are what inspires me.  

Hiking in the First Snowfall

This December again seems like crazy weather.  Last weekend it was warm enough to camp in my 3-season tent with my dogs.  This weekend it was cooler and north of Milwaukee there was snow.

Snow

Yes, I said snow.  It may have rained all day in Milwaukee, but when I woke up in the morning, I knew that there would be snow today in Wisconsin.  Like a kid waiting for Santa to come, I jumped out of bed, went straight to my computer and Intellicast.com and looked at where the snow line was.  West or north?  Kettle Moraine North or South?  Where was I going to hike today was all I could think of.

Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest

Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest it was.  Snow would be there.  Yeah!  After breakfast I threw the dogs in the car and off we went.  Old hiking boots, Gore-tex jacket and pants, and blaze orange in the car.  Driving to NKM I was a little nervous.  The snow line seemed to not be where it was on the map.  As I drove up 41/45 it kept raining and the thermometer in the car said 37 for quite a while.  Finally after the 41/45 split and passing Cabela's I started to see snow in the farmer's fields along the side of the road, but it was still raining.  By the time I hit West Bend though - there it was SNOW!

By now I was giddy with delight and the dogs were still sleeping in the car (probably thinking I was crazy).  I was going to get to go hiking in snow today.  So I opted to head to the Mauthe Lake area and head out from there on the Ice Age Trail, probably my favorite trail to hike in Wisconsin.  I was not disappointed when I go there.

Ice Age Trail in Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest

I love hiking in snow.  Snow always seems to make hiking seem magical and peaceful.  Today's hike was no different.  I never saw a person until about 2 1/2 miles into my hike and then I never saw another person again.  The majority of the time I was breaking the trail in the snow while listening to the snow fall off branches and the birds sing.

Fresh snow on the Ice Age Trail

The streams that I crossed were just beautiful.  Catching the freshly fallen snow.  I could have just sat there all day watching the snow fall on the water.  Each snowflake melts into the water and moves on to another place, just magical.

One of the streams on the Ice Age Trail in Northern Kettle Moraine State Forest

What a great day I had with the dogs hiking.  Nature is just an amazing thing and winter nature is the best.  There's no better place to be than in nature, taking in the fresh fallen snow, the sounds of the birds and the peace and tranquility it provides.  Especially when it's the first snowfall of the season.

In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.  John Muir

Camping in December

When I think of December, I think the start of the holidays, cold days and SNOW.  Not camping with my dogs.

Camping in December

Who would have thought that on December 1st, 2012 I would have gone camping because it was warm.  Yes, warm enough to camp in December.  Too bad when I made my decision at the split for I39, I90 and  I94 that I decided to go to Devil's Lake instead of Governor Dodge State Park.  As I pulled in to Devil's Lake and saw the campground I remembered they were doing construction during the winter.  My choice was to camp in the group campground with a full house or head up to Mirror Lake.  Even though I decided I wouldn't go to Mirror Lake again, I decided it was a better option.

Camping in December at Mirror Lake State Park

And thankfully, I was right.  It was quiet with only 5 of us camping in the entire campground.  The dogs and I hiked there on Saturday and saw one of the other camper and then Sunday morning we had the trails to ourselves.  What a beautiful way to start the day.

Mirror Lake @ 7:30 in the morning with a little ice.

After packing up - I did drive back to Devil's Lake State Park and do the loop around the lake.  What a great day it was.  The park was dead, but it was warm enough for even some climbers to take on the cold stone walls of Devil's Lake.  (Of course, this was the first time I went there and left my climbing gear at home - stupid me.)  So if I can't have snow in December, I guess weather warm enough to take the dogs camping will do.

Autobiography Title - In Search of Snow

A friend of mine put a post on Facebook asking "if you were writing an autobiography, what would the title be?"  Of course my answer was In Search of Snow.  And I started to wonder, why am I so fascinated by snow.

Snow Fascination

As far back as I can remember I've always waited for the snow to come.  And once it came I was like a kid in a candy store.  Growing up my parents provided us an appreciation (whether they know it or not) of the outdoors.  And I think I just appreciated the time more when there was cold weather and snow on the ground.  We camped, we snowmobiled, we ice fished and more.  I remember building snow forts, snowmen, sledding, and ice skating.  What other time of the year could you be so creative?

Snowmobiling in Northern Wisconsin

As an adult, my love of snow has continued.  I may no longer build forts or ride snowmobiles (prefer quiet sports now), but I still build snowmen and camp and now snowshoe, hike and more.  (Who knows, maybe this winter I'll build a fort.)

Snow Packed Vacations

Since around 2007/2008 snow and glaciers have been a major influence as to where I take my vacations.  Probably 95% or more of my vacations have been to places where I will be in or see snow and/or glaciers.  And now that we're seeing the melt off of our glaciers and snow packs, it's all that more important to me to find these areas.  Capture their essence in my memories and hopefully introduce their importance to others.

Fitz Roy & Torre Glacier - El Chalten, Argentina

I also find spending time outside in winter with the snow one of the greatest ways to unwind and relax.  It's one of the best ways to let your mind open up and let the freshness and newness around you in.  Maybe that's why it fascinates me.

Yes - my autobiography would be called In Search of Snow - and now I feel it's time to start planning that next search.  And then maybe ponder actually writing my autobiography.

Perrito Moreno Glacier

Mother Nature's Paintbrush

Changing of the seasons

I think my favorite time for each season is when it changes into that season.  It seems like that's when you get the most vibrant and vivid colors.  Spring brings on the newness of green, summer the vibrant colors of the flowers, winter brings on the beauty of white and fall brings colors of all.

Fall in Wisconsin

This year I've been chasing the "mountains" of Wisconsin and the Driftless area of Wisconsin.  This fall I'm "Chasing the Rainbow" as Skittles would say and viewing Mother Nature's Paintbrush at work.   The colors of fall - the reds, yellows, oranges and even the browns - make you amazed at what nature can do.  It makes you take a step back and just pause to take it all in.

Fall Colors @ Peninsula State Park in Door County, WI

For me it just reminds me of being young, raking leaves and then running and jumping in the piles.  Makes you wonder what happened to those days.  Today I visited a store in Door County, WI on my way home and saw a sign that really made me think.  I can't remember exactly what it said, but I'll paraphrase.

As a child we learn to play and have fun.  Playing and fun do not go away when we get older, but live on inside of us.

Or something like that.  So if nature can change - I think we should too.  Take time to view those colors, build a pile of leaves and bring that child that is inside of you out.  Go jump in a pile of leaves!

Fall Colors at Peninsula State Park in Door County, WI

And if you need to know where in WI to find the color - here's my little secret (probably not so secret).
Fall Color Report (Travel Wisconsin).

I plan to take my own advice and go out and search for more of Mother Nature's Paintbrush and the fall colors next weekend.  This time, I'll combine my search for "mountains" in Wisconsin and the colors.  Because what better place to see fall colors than from atop a "mountain?"

Camping and Dogs

Another weekend of camping done.  This weekend my dogs, Jasmine and Wailea, and did a little backpacking at Newport State Park in Door County, WI.  This is a great state park because not only is it located on Lake Michigan and in Door County, but all campsites are wilderness sites and you have to hike it in.  This alone makes it a very quiet and private park. 

A four hour drive from Milwaukee always makes hiking in on a Friday night fun since I always end up hiking in at sunset.  This weekend was no different.  The dogs and I hiked it to the site (2 miles from the parking lot) with our full pack and set up for a weekend of enjoyment on the Lake Michigan shoreline. 

Lake Michigan at Sunset from Newport State Park

One of the other nice things about this park is there are only 16 campsites spread throughout the park so no one is camping one top of each other.  My campsite this weekend was #7 and we were alone in our stretch of the park and therefore had our own shoreline on Lake Michigan. 

Shoreline of Lake Michigan in front of my campsite.

It was a great way to let my dogs be dogs and just let them play in the lake.  They have in the 11+ years that they've been around so far, taught me a lot about life and how to slow down and relax.  Now that they are over 11 years old, I'm learning how to just enjoy my time with them.  I know they won't be around forever so these weekends away camping with them are a great way to just enjoy them. 

Jasmine and Wailea playing on the beach at Newport State Park

Jasmine and Wailea have grown so accustomed to the weekend camping getaways that I think they can count the days and know when Friday is here.  By Friday morning they are anxious and always ready for the next car ride.  They never know where they're going, but they know they're going to get to run in the woods, play in water and sleep in the tent.  And by Sunday they're done and ready to hit the car and sleep on the way home.  Dreaming dreams of their next weekend getaway.

Jasmine and Wailea - done after a day of playing on the beach and in Lake Michigan

Continuing to Explore the Driftless Area

This year I continue to explore the Driftless Area's of Wisconsin and Iowa.  The more I explore this area of southwest Wisconsin and northeast Iowa, the more I like it.  Being someone who loves being outdoors and in the mountains, but is stuck living in the midwest, this is the closest I can get to feeling like I'm in the mountains.

So far every weekend since May 12th and one weekend in April has been spent in this area exploring different state parks and state forests.  This includes backpacking as well as car camping.  The Yellow River State Forest in Iowa was definitely a surprise.  I had no idea this was here and was quite surprised at how hilly this region of Iowa was.  Backpacking into and up the hills to find a perfect campsite was a great opportunity to explore the area.  In a full day of backpacking I saw 2 guys who were back camping in the designated backpack camping area I selected and a group of boy scouts.

Trail up to Schulz Camp - Yellow River State Forest, IA

Another surprise so far this year was the Black River State Forest in Wisconsin.  Day 1 of hiking here revealed a couple of things:  this state forest is also allows 4 wheelers (thankfully they have their own trails far away from the hiking trails) and has trails for them and the bad management of how to clear a forest (the eastern edge of the Wildcat Trail left plenty to be desired).  But Day 2 also showed an absolutely beautiful ridge line that runs on the east side of the forest hiking trail area.  And I learned that you can backpack in to this state forest as well.  This area is on my radar to visit again this fall for a backpacking trip with the dogs.

View from the Ridge Trail west - Black River State Forest,  WI

As I've been exploring I've been visiting new state parks in the southwest region of Wisconsin.  So far I have learned

• Mirror Lake State Park is a little too close to I-90/I-94.  When the park quiets down at night, all you can hear is cars / trucks traveling on the freeway.  And one of the trails there basically has you following the edge of the freeway.  Will not visit this park again.
• Wildcat Mountain - if reserving a campsite here, be leary when ReserveAmerica.com states it as a "fully" shaded site.  I learned this is not the case as I woke up with the sun turning my tent into a sauna and had to get out of it by 5 am.  

          But I did learn that you can backpack into the Kickapoo Valley Reserve just down a few miles from Wildcat Mountain State Park.  I also have this on my list of things to do this fall once the trees turn colors.  This area is beautiful and full of big hills and valleys that are all green.  

View out over the Kickapoo River Valley 

Beyond that I've also explored Roche-A-Cri State Park which is a nice, smaller park in the Driftless Area.  The center of this park has the Roche-A-Cri mound which has a stairway to get to the top (300 stairs).  The view from the top is pretty amazing as you can see for miles in every direction.  The morning I climbed the stairs I got to watch a storm in the distance with the sun trying to break through the clouds.  What a beautiful way to start the day.

View from atop Roche-A-Cri Mound - Roche-A-Cri State Park, WI

And lastly I've been to Governor Dodge State Park two times already this year camping and Devil's Lake for camping and hiking.

Governor Dodge twice because in April it's one of the few parks in that area that has the campground open year round.  And then again a couple of weeks ago to try out one of their backpacking sites.  The backpacking sites are actually quite nice, but are only a short 1/2 mile hike from the parking lot.  

So that's just the start of the year of exploring the Driftless Area's of Wisconsin and Iowa.  More to come and a lot more to explore yet.

Why I Love Winter

With the extreme temperatures this week in the upper midwest I remember why I love winter.  This "feels like" 100+ degrees in Milwaukee, WI is crazy.  Today (Thursday, July 21, 2011) is day 4 and will still be cranking out the heat.

Reasons to love winter:

• Comfortability -  not feeling miserable in the heat
• Layering - add layers of clothing to warm up
• Hot chocolate
• Sleep - it's much easier to sleep in the winter than in the extreme heat
• Snow - big fluffy snow
• Icicles - and the reflections from the sun
• Fleece
• Going outside without sweating

Just a few of the reasons - but right now I'm wishing it was winter and not a hot / sweaty 84 degrees at 6:30 am.  That only means it's going to get worse as the day goes on.

Heat - go away, let winter come this way!