Road Trip 2013: Fanning mill

Friday, 8/30.  Still parked in Amherst, Wisconsin.

Zoey and I took a two mile walk around Amherst in the early morning, as we did yesterday also.

Dave is a sculpter, while Ann paints.  They both continue to produce work.  Ann has a studio in their home, while Dave works in his shop, where he has a collection of antique gas engines.  They have a huge garden, and use solar panels to produce some of their electricity.

Dave's project today was to clean some of the barley he scored from his friend Bud.  Dave prides himself on making things from scratch, and beer is no exception.  Sometime in the last year he bought a fanning mill at a yard sale.  A fanning mill is a hand crank operated machine that cleans the chafe from grain.  The mill Dave has is probably 100 years old and is in great shape.  We had a great time dusting it off and trying it out.  I made a video and posted it on You Tube here.

The hot and humid weather finally cleared, and by afternoon it was sunny and pleasant.  I lolled away the afternoon by lounging in a lawn chair and reading.  I even found time to slip in a nap.  :-)

After dinner, we went to the Central Waters Brewery.  On Friday and Saturday nights the brewery opens its doors and serves the community.  They open up a bar right in the brewery building.

Later we went to a bonfire at friends of Dave and Ann.

Looks like we are going canoeing and kayaking on Saturday...................

Road Trip 2013: Point Brewery and Irish Music

Thursday, 8/29: still camped in the Wright's driveway in Amherst, Wisconsin.

Another hot and humid day here.  Thank goodness I had an AC installed in the camper before this trip.  We planned three adventures for the day.  First was to visit the Point Brewery in Stevens Point for a tour.  Next was a jam session of Irish music with a group of friends that Dave and Ann meet with weekly.  Last on the list was an evening walk, after the temperatures cooled down a bit, to Skunk Lake with Dave's brother (who's nickname is Crow) and his Black Lab.

The Stevens Point Brewery is a regional, craft brewery.  It has been in continuous production since 1857, and even remained open during Prohibition by producing soda.  The three of us were the only ones scheduled for the 2:00 PM tour, so we basically had a private tour.  Of course, after the tour we had to sample.

Aging vats

Keg filling station

Fermentation vats

New bottles ready to be filled

Cans ready to be filled

Bottling line

Packaging line

Next up was the music jam session.  Dave and Ann love to play Irish music, as do a group of their friends.  Every Thursday they get together are one of the homes and play.  This session was at the studio of Rick Foris.  Rick is a potter who specializes in Raku ceramics.  I tried to upload a short video of a tune, but the file size was to big.  So I uploaded it to You Tube.  Here is the link to hear them play.

Irish music jam session

The final activity of the day was a hike with the dogs to Skunk Lake. The last time I was on Skunk lake was in January when Dave and I ice fished.   Crow's dog Buddy and Zoey raced and played for a good hour.

We ended the day by grilling steaks.  Stay tuned............

Road Trip 2013: Eldridge, Iowa to Amherst, Wisconsin

278 miles.  Camped in the driveway of long time friends, Dave and Ann Wright, Amherst, Wisconsin.

Eldridge, Iowa to Amherst, Wisconsin

The home and Dave and Ann Wright, Amherst, Wisconsin

I left Eldridge about 9:00 AM.  Like yesterday, I didn't wander today.  I wanted to get to Amherst as soon as possible, so I took the four lane roads.  They are not as scenic, but they do get you there the fastest.  I arrived at the Wright home about 2:30.  I last visited them in January when Zoey and I were here for several days and, among other things, went ice fishing.

About 5:00 we packed up and went for a pot luck picnic at nearby Sunset Lake.  For over 30 years, a group of folks have been gathering here every Wednesday for a pot luck dinner.  Sometimes the crowd is only 10 or 12, while at other times there will be 30 or 40 people there.  Tonight, there was a huge crowd.  Maybe it was the hot weather, or maybe it was the last Wednesday of summer before Labor Day.  I have met some of the crew in the past, and it was fun catching up with them.  It was a great evening.

Pot luck picnic on the beach at Sunset Lake.

Sunset on Sunset Lake.

I'm going to hang out in Amherst over the Labor Day weekend.  On Monday I'll start my mad, four day dash to Mt. Shasta, California.

Road Trip 2013: Summit Lake to Eldridge, Iowa

Tuesday, 8/26:  365 miles, camped at home of high school friend, Steve Randall, Eldridge, Iowa

Summit Lake SP to Eldridge, Iowa

Steve Randall's drive way

Zoey and I went for a three mile walk, and then packed up the camper to leave Summit Lake State Park.  The water was calm and and the air slightly foggy.

Morning mist over Summit Lake

The drive to Eldridge was uneventful.  I was in a hurry, so I was willing to put up with Interstate traffic.    Corn and soybeans!!  That's all you can see for miles and miles.  It's easy to see why agriculture is so important to the economies of Indiana and Illinois.

Windmills in a soybean field.

Corn as far as you can see.

Soybeans as far as you can see.

Crossing the Mississippi River

It was a sweltering 95 degrees when I pulled into Steve's driveway in Eldridge, Iowa.  The local radio station said the heat index was 101.  Am I ever glad I had air conditioning installed in the camper a couple weeks ago!!  Steve and I had a great evening grilling steaks and catching up.

On Wednesday I head for Amherst, Wisconsin.

Road Trip 2013: WV to Summit Lake SP

371 miles today and camped at Summit Lake State Park, New Castle, Indiana.

Site B31 at Summit Lake SP

I left Matt and Jamie's about 8:00 AM.  Today I actually meandered a bit.  I was surfing around with google maps, and I came across this park called Serpent Mound.  Low and behold, after a quick search, I discovered it is the remains of some prehistoric cultures and was built somewhere around 1070 AD, or the more politically correct term, I have learned, is CE.  Supposedly this mound is the largest serpent effigy in the world.

Look closely to see the serpent.  The mound varies form one to three feet high.
The asphalt walking path is to keep visitors from walking on the mounds and destroying them.

I ended the day at Summit Lake State Park.  I actually camped here for one day back in 2009, and would you believe, my name was still in their computer system.

Sunset over a bay at Summit Lake State Park

Tuesday I hope to end the day in Eldridge, Iowa at the home of high school and college friend, Steve Randall.  More later...................

Road Trip 2013: West Virginia Weekend

August 24th and 25th:

I have had two wonderful days with Matt and Jaime and family.  Kaylin had a two year birthday party on Saturday.  Jaime's parents and her three siblings and their children all came over.  It was cousin chaos as six of them, ranging in age from three months to five years old, tore around the house and yard all wired up with sugary birthday cake.  What a blast.  It was a wonderful weekend.  While not an exotic travel adventure, the time spent with family is priceless!!

Monday I leave West Virginia and head west.  I hope to camp at Summit Lake State Park in New Castle, Indiana Monday night and reach Eldridge, Iowa for Tuesday night.

See ya...............

Road Trip 2013: First stop, West Virginia

Well, its time for another road trip.    I'm heading for Oregon again.  I left Friday, August 23rd, and will return October 1st.  This trip is a little different in that it a destination trip rather than a journey.  What I mean by that is that I have certain stops and visits to make, so I will rush from point A to point B, and then stay awhile.  Then rush to point C and stay awhile.  Get the picture?  Not as much time meandering on two lane roads this time.

The stop today is to spend the weekend with son Matt and family in West Virginia.  Matt and Jaime have two wonderful children, Chasen and Kaylin.

After West Virginia, its on to see a high school/college buddy Steve Randall in Iowa, and then to friends Dave and Ann Wright in Wisconsin.  I'll hang out there until Labor Day, and then make a mad dash to California to meet up with my sister Karen and her significant other, Bob, in Mt. Shasta.  From there  its on to Oregon to hang out with son Cory and his girlfriend Molly for a couple of weeks.  My significant other, Judy, is flying out to join me for the 12 day return trip.  The drive back east will include Crater Lake National Park, Arches National Park, Rocky Mountain National Park.  Then we have scheduled a tour of the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, Colorado and will stay with  friends Betsy and Stan Johnson.  From there its back to Amherst, WI, for a second really short visit with Dave and Ann.  Then its on to my sister Mary Ann and her husband Eric in East Lansing, MI, and finally, on October 1st, HOME!!!

I'm traveling with my truck camper and my trusty blond and petite companion Zoey.  For those who don't remember, Zoey is not another girlfriend, but my seven year old Golden Retriever.  :-)

Stay tuned...........