The year was 1967 or maybe it was 1968; you know what they say about the 60's: "if you
remember the 60's you really did not live through them." Fran and I had just started dating and we were going to a Judy Collins concert but the real attraction was the opening act, Arlo Guthrie. He stole the show and of course sang Alice's Restaurant. This year is the 40 anniversary of that song and Arlo has a 40 anniversary tour. A stop on the tour was in Bayfield, WI. No joke, now stay with me. There is a tent show up there operated by Warren Nelson, that other Nelson's cousin. Anyway he gets these big name acts to come up to this little town on the Bayfield Peninsula and perform in his big top tent. Arlo Guthrie has been up there several times just like Cousin Willie and many others you would recognize. When we got the notice in the mail that Arlo Guthrie was going to be in Bayfield we bought our tickets; three of them, one for Fran, me, and one for Sammy. We were figuring it was about time to introduce our grandson to a finer genre of music like folk. So the trip was planned. We would leave with enough time to explore on our way up
and Sammy's folks would meet us on Sunday after the concert.
We left at the crack of dawn on Thursday morning and our goal was a state park just south of Ashland, Copper falls. We were trying something new for supper that night. I had prepared a seasoned pork tenderloin with veggies and put it in a 12V crock pot, plugged it into a 12V outlet in Chummy and let it cook while we drove. I got to tell you the smell was delicious and we were all hungry throughout the day. The drive was sumptuous as well. Once we left the interstate at Tomahawk and found our way on route 13 north through all the interesting little towns I really began to enjoy the driving. This was the first long trip we had taken since putting the new engine in Chummy and I was very pleased with the way he performed through the hills in this region. We reached Copper Falls just at dinner time and not a minute too soon. Having the dinner cooking all day just a few feet away had my mouth water for that pork tenderloin. We quickly set up camp and got out the dinnerware. The food tasted as good as it smelled. This experiment is certainly one we will repeat.
Following dinner we went searching for the falls. We could hear them from our campsite and
knew they could not be to far away. Copper Falls State Park is made up of ancient lava flows and deep gorges. There are several waterfalls in this very scenic park. Along the many paths is the North Country National Scenic Trail which is a trail that will eventually span across the northern states of the US much the same as the Appalachia trail now spans the eastern states. The log buildings were built in the 1930's by the Civilian Conservation Corps. We found the path to the falls and Sammy led us to the first and largest of the copper falls. They are called copper due to the tannin in the water from the many fallen trees. The falls were spectacular and we were able to find paths that led us to see them from many different views. Sammy was a real hiker, we put on
about three miles that night up and down the bluffs and never heard a complaint. He was so
excited each time we turned a corner and discovered yet another waterfall. We eventually found our way back to Chummy even though I thought I knew a shortcut; how I thought that when I had never been here before I will never know. But we did get to see a side of the park that most people would never see. Copper falls State Park has a beautiful maintenance area plus a nicely maintained recycling station, gravel repository, and wood chip pile. Anyone who is visiting this park and would like directions to my shortcut please let me know and I would be happy to give them to you.
The next morning we drove to Bayfield. Bayfield is on a peninsula sticking out into lake Superior and is the farthest north you can go in the state of Wisconsin. The county has no franchises, no fast food, supermarkets, shopping centers, motels with more than one story, or crowds. Yet. It does have real estate developers, condos, antique, craft, souvenir, and a t-shirt store. It also has spectacular views of Lake Superior; the Apostle Islands just off shore; the oldest history in the state of Wisconsin; and unbelievable snow falls in the winter. This is the second time we have been to Bayfield and I will not be surprised if we come up here each summer. We love this area. It is still unspoiled, the people are genuinely friendly and there is so much that we like to do. Explore, and we got right to it. The only draw back is that there is no state park and the county parks are not very nice. We are forced to use a private campground but at least there is a nice one just on the edge of town. This campground also offers a shuttle service to the tent show for the concert so we don't need to drive for that event. All we did when we checked in was drop off the little trailer and then take off in Chummy to start exploring. I had remembered a nursery, from last year, I wanted to visit again.
There is a large circular loop of roads which surround Bayfield and make up what is called the apple orchard tour. Among the many orchards there are several nurseries and I thought for sure I would find the one I was looking for. Instead we found the entire loop and somehow missed the nursery but being on a mission I returned and this time found the elusive nursery just where I had left it. They have many interesting plants along with hybrid Lupids which I bought last year and planted in my garden, they did quite well and I wanted more. Sammy found a hammock, then a self operated kick yourself in the butt machine which he thought was just the greatest. Inside the old barn they had a lookout from the top of the hayloft which spanned the bay looking over Lake Superior and Madeline Island, quite a spectacular view. We stocked up on plants, preserves, and kicks.
The next morning we took off for the far reaches of the peninsula and the town of Russell which is adjacent to Sand Bay. Here the National Park Service operates a marina, boat dock, museum and a casting off place for kayakers who are going to spend time on one of the Apostle Islands. We were in time to watch a group of about fifty or so getting their instructions and readying themselves to leave on the trip across the bay to the closest island which will be their home for several days. The three of us stood and watched as they paddled out into this icy cold water until we could only see spots of color going towards the islands. We were also there when a group returned after spending a week on an island. They really looked tired, dirty and happy to be back on real hunk of land. Sammy had a great time talking to the people, making sand angels and eventually trying out the water for himself. Only a three year old could find the temperature of Lake Superior acceptable for swimming. We toured the old fishing boat exhibit and played the many interactive games inside the natural history museum. Sam got a walking stick with a bell on it to scare away the bears while he hiked the paths.
That night was the Arlo Guthrie concert. This was the first big time concert we had taken Sam to and were hopeful he would like it. He was very excited when he saw the guitars and keyboards plus we had played Arlo tapes for the past several days so he was ready. When Arlo came on stage he was thrilled and when he started singing just as he did on the tapes he was even happier. The concert was as good as all the other twenty or thirty we have seen over the years. He has more grey hair and I have less hair but other than that there was not much change. The people around us look a little older than they did thirty five years ago but they were just as enthusiastic. Plus we were not the only ones there with a grandchild. I was heartened to see many young kids, clapping and singing along with Arlo. This was a long concert. More than two hours and Arlo sang several songs after he thought he was finished. Sammy stayed awake for the entire event and never got restless. Afterwards while we were waiting for the shuttle bus I saw a line and at the
head of the line was Arlo. I took Sammy and we got in line and soon we were standing there
talking to Arlo Guthrie. I introduced him to my grandson and told him how Fran and I had been going to his concerts since the Judy Collins one back in 67 or 68. He laughed and said his memory was fading too. He signed a CD I had bought and told me how he came to record it. I was thrilled.. Sam said he wanted to meet the young lady who played the fiddle so we went searching and found her on the other side of the table; she was happy to meet Sam and gave him a hug. The night was complete and he fell asleep on the shuttle bus returning to the campground. Folk music is created and sung by real people and I am happy to have met Arlo and to have given Sam the opportunity to do the same. He still listens to Arlo's CDs whenever he camps with us and has his favorite songs.
The next day the Stolpes, Rachel and David drove up to meet us. David had gone to college at Northland in Ashland which is only a few miles from Bayfield so he was aware of the area and excited to show Rachel the sights. Fran and I were ready to do some adult exploring without a three year old tagging along. Yes, I admit it Sam can wear me out. God's perfect plan is for us to have children when we are young and able to keep up with them. When we get older and start to slow down we become grandparents and only have the young kids part time. Fran and my part time had come apart and we were ready for a rest. Rachel and David took Sam south and Fran and I took the ferry over to Madeline Island.
If you close your eyes while crossing over on the ferry to the town of la Pointe and open them when you arrive you can truly imagine that you have lost a century or so. True there are cars and trucks and an electric light bulb but the cars are doing different things than you are used to seeing plus the cars are really strange. Look over there at that old truck, and did you see that rusted car with all the signs painted on it? These vehicles hardly ever leave the island which is the size of Manhattan only four million people less as the natives say. La Pointe is the only town on Madeline Island. Our first stop was the Historical Museum which is a wonderful depository of the 300 year history of settlement of this island and town. I need to be sensitive to the word settlement since the Indians had settled here thousands of years prior to the French settlers. There are some ancient artifacts but the indigenous tribe will not allow an archaeological excavation on the island. Interestingly this island once supported a population of about twenty thousand Native Americans prior to the coming of the French. Then at one time it had a population of almost ten thousand white people before the end of the fur trading. Today it has a year around population of about 220 people which balloons to about 2500 in the summer. There is a K-5 school with an enrollment of 15 students. The ferry is the life line during open water but when the bay freezes a road is constructed on the ice and islanders drive back and forth to the mainland. The island remains unspoiled, for the most part, if you can ignore the country club and newly built condos.
We spent the better part of the morning in the museum, I need to read each exhibit and make certain there is nothing unseen. Fran finally got me out of the building and we were able to enjoy the absolutely beautiful day. We walked the distance from one edge of the town to the other, which is really no great feat. There is a interesting weaving and craft shop we stopped in and Fran got herself some locally made jewelry. We had lunch on a deck overlooking the harbor, I dined on whitefish. All and all it was a wonderfully relaxing day. It was very enjoyable to spend the day walking and not have to drive or worry how we are going to get somewhere, plus the pace on the island is slow and we were ready for a slow day.
The time had come to leave Bayfield for this year and we packed up our campsite and took off driving South. Our goal was a county park in Langlade County just outside of Antigo. We knew nothing about the park other than it was about half way home and it was on the map and it was on the way. We reached the park about 3:00 and the young lady said there were several spots open until Thursday and she recommended spot #1 which was "really" big and close to the lake. We took it. I drove Chummy down the windy road to the campground and we started to look for #1 and after winding around several numbered paths we spotted the spot. It was very secluded and really big, she did well in choosing our spot. We set up camp and changed into our bathing suits and discovered that indeed the path to the beach was right in front of our camp site. The lake was fresh and clean but the best part was no motor boats, or those annoying ski things foaling up the water. The lake was clear and we had a ball swimming for quite a few hours. This is one of the nicest camp parks we have stayed in. The draw back is that we saw people coming on Wednesday to set up a small tent to keep a spot for the weekend since they have no reservation system. The ranger said they are filled every weekend and since the fee is so low, $6.00 per night with
electricity, people will just put up a tent and leave to "reserve" a sight. I wish they had a reservation system we would certainly return here.
Every good trip has to come to an end and this one has its end as well. The Stolpes had there fill of following us the day before so they drove off at highway speeds this morning. Fran and I plodded along at our 55 talking about the good times we had this past week and planning our next trip. See you down the road.
