Hello, lovelies!
I’m all packed and about to leave Wisconsin for parts unknown. The Great Trek of 2020 continues… but, before it does, I’m going to sit in the air conditioning in a coffee shop and remind myself to not 100% devolve on this adventure. I may have gone without refrigeration for a week, but I can still enjoy an iced vanilla latte.
(What? You think I can’t rough it? Just because I’m miffed I can’t wear my good leather boots in the mud doesn’t mean I didn’t find an equally expensive pair of hiking boots to tramp about in. Honestly.)
In fact, I can REALLY enjoy an iced vanilla latte at this point. I selected Grafton, WI (pop. 11,000) as a place more or less representative of civilization to visit, before I continue on to the next slice of wilderness. It seems an agreeable sort of place.
If you find yourself here, I do recommend Fiddleheads coffee- not because I endorse paying $6 for a 16 oz. iced vanilla latte (hell to the no), but because the place has a good vibe, comfy chairs, wifi, and… yeah, to be fair, you’ll never get a latte of this caliber at a Starbucks. Ever. You get what you pay for, and I paid for liquid velvet to slide over my tongue. I got it.
Thank heavens I’m a tea drinker by taste and habit, and a coffee drinker only to blend in with my surroundings. (You should see the hipsters in this joint!) How does one afford a coffee addiction? I can barely afford the tea.
Whoops. I was going to talk more about Wisconsin. Beg your pardon, pet.
Cheese curds & other Wisconsin peculiarities
Wisconsin bills itself as “America’s Dairyland.” They put it on their license plates, and holy Hannah are there dairy farms everywhere. I believe, technically, that California produces more milk, butter, and ice cream, but Wisconsin still holds the crown for cheese.
[If you could only have one for the rest of your life, which would you choose: ice cream or cheese???]
I determined to get some cheese in Wisconsin. It was pointed out to me, however, that the ultimate Wisconsin thing to try would actually be cheese curds. Behold, the Piggly Wiggly supermarket in Port Washington provided.
You know what? Aside from tasting salty as heck, they were great. I highly recommend these for when you’re trapped in your tent during massive rainstorms and need to stress eat. (My tent is so beast: I remained dry.)
The Wisconsin accent reminds me of someone trying to jam gum up their nose, inhale soda (it ain’t pop, folks), and talk all at the same time. Compared to the dulcet tones of my homeland, yikes.
Which reminds me… all that rain made me marvel at how my priorities have shifted. I was absolutely THRILLED to be dry the next morning after it came pouring down. I don’t remember the last time I appreciated how wonderful it is to have one’s nest and belongings remain dry. It. Is. The. Best.
Communing with nature
As you folks know, the first question I always ask myself when I see anything in nature is, “Say, I wonder if perchance this is edible?”
This is a habit that has served me surprisingly well over the years, mostly due to the fact that I have an iron stomach to back my curiosity up. Happily, Harrington Beach State Park has raspberries growing everywhere.
I remembered to take a decent photo or two of Lake Michigan, for your edification.
Sadly, there are large clumps of dead trees about the area. The internet has not proved terribly illuminating and the state park office is closed due to the plague, but I suspect pests/blight of some sort. The poor trees.
However, I did meet many lovely live trees who whispered pretty things to me. The birches here grow big and magnificent, and there are many cedars. It made me very glad to see the birches, indeed; I haven’t lived somewhere where they grow like this in years. There are various projects underway to protect young cedar trees from stupid deer that eat the baby cedars. I hate deer. Except in sausage.
Birches and cedars
About the campsite
I have achieved a tremendous level of expertise making oatmeal over my camp stove. (If you don’t like oatmeal, keep it to yourself.)
The prime directive of making good oatmeal: better chewy than gluey.
Two to one ratio of water to oats. Boil water. Add oatmeal and raisins. Keep bubbling for another ten minutes or until water all gone (better chewy than gluey… say it with me). Douse in maple syrup. You’re welcome.
Last night, a pack of coyotes raised a fearsome racket while I was out stargazing. I expect they caught their dinner- could have been anything from a rabbit to a deer.
I have made good progress picking out constellations in my stargazing, and I managed to spot the Neowise comet last night (it’s a bit underwhelming, but worth tracking down). The Big and Little Dippers, Cassiopeia, Draco, Lyra, Scorpius, Cygnus, Boötes, Corona Borealis, and Aquila… not terribly impressive, of course, but I am nonetheless terribly pleased with myself.
Next installment of The Constellations should be coming soon. Stay cool!
-DLR