Urban Campgrounds

No pictures today.  Just a memory from camping this summer in Wisconsin.

There is a community living both in and at the edges of the campground that is not visible to most of us.  They travel back and forth to the campgrounds that charge about $30/night for a campsite and permit stays of up to two weeks.  There is one particular family that has been in a neighboring site at two of the campgrounds that we have stayed at.  

It started off with what we thought was a mom and dad and three kids from ages 3 to 8.  "Dad" yelled a lot. The kids, especially the older boy, were out of control.  We suspected some abuse was going on, but never directly observed any so couldn't  report it.  I consulted with a couple of government officials who I talked to at unrelated events,and was told that no one was going to do anything. The family lived in two tents and a screen house. 

There was garbage all over the site:  dirty dishes, dirty diapers, beer cans, half empty food containers.  They stayed up late and slept in late.  During days when temps were in the 90's with high humidity, they disappeared in the late model car.  When their reservation ended, and it was time to move to the next campground, the "dad" rented a U-Haul van, had the kids throw all of their gear and belongings into the back, and moved to the next campground.  We saw this happen three times in two different campgrounds.  The campground hosts seemed to largely ignore what was going on.  I don't know how the family was supporting themselves;  no one seemed to be working.  The "parents" appeared able-bodied.  

Eventually, we didn't see "dad" anymore. It was just mom, and she let the kids run wild while she hung out with the people below.

These were the druggies.  Single guys with beat rv's hanging around all day.  Cars  pulled over , banging on the doors, and exchanges made. Spongebob on the big tv  visible through the camper's windows. Partying late into the night, sleeping late into the day.  Taking the sites just beyond the sight of the camp host.

Finally, there were the cars parked outside the campground but within the park.  During the day, they moved around a lot.  There were three or four regulars.  Sometimes we saw them parked at the truck stop.  Generally, they found a spot overnight in the park around sunset and were moved to a new spot by dawn.  I don't know how they sustained themselves, mostly men but a a couple of women.  Technically, no overnight parking is allowed in the park, but resources are spread thin, so I don't think anyone is checking this summer. And they weren't causing any trouble.  In fact, they were largely invisible.  

Camping with Elon?

 This interesting rig was in our campground last night.

The trailer appears to be a prototype from a California start-up company.

Devil’s Lake

 We spent today climbing the East and West Bluff at Devil’s Lake State Park.

Merrimac Free Ferry

East Bluff

Mid-July Update

We have been bouncing back and forth at Madison urban campgrounds, taking advantage of all the great restaurants and music venues.  But it's been hot!  With the heat index, the combined humidity and temps into the mid 90's have  made it hotter than Tucson. Additionally, in the last week, the wildfire smoke from Minnesota and Canada has completely socked us in.  Basically, it's like sitting at the campfire with the smoke blowing in your face all the time.  

With a front coming in yesterday, we have a respite today with better air.  But the forecast is smoke tomorrow.  Temperatures are supposed to return to the 80's and even the 70's later next week,which will be a relief.

Allie is in the air, as I write this, flying to Wisconsin for a week to spend some time with us before continuing to Connecticut to spend time with her boyfriend and his parents.  She now shares a new apartment with the boyfriend at the Wharf in S.F.  He works in banking. 

Today, I'm playing in a pickleball tournament in Madison which is somewhat of a Chinese and American cultural exchange.  There will be 8 doubles teams from each group.  I missed the informal one held a couple of years ago.  This is a more formal tournament with advanced players.  I feel like I've improved since moving to Tucson, but this will be a good test. My doubles partner is recovering from a sprained ankle, so it will be a test for his ankle.  I hope we both pass.

Music on the patio at the High Noon Saloon

Summertime, and the Living is Easy (Sometimes)

We are settled into our routine in the Madison, Wisconsin area for the summer. We lived thirty minutes north of Madison for thirty years, and it was a frequent destination for breweries, restaurants and music.  Summer is the best time of year to be here with many festivals and outdoor beer gardens to sample.

Two nights ago, we went to Octopi Brewing's patio and heard a band called "Don't Spook the Horse." Clouds threatened rain all night, but it never rained.  The band's motto was every third song must be a train song (half-joking, I think).

Last night we went to La Fete de Marquette, an annual festival for Madison's Marquette neighborhood and its 20th anniversary.  Los Lobos was the headliner last night.  They might be old, but they can still rock.

The best thing about all of these festivals and bands is that they are free.  Well, the beer isn't free, but the music is.  

 

 

With friends Steve and Trish

 

We won the Lottery!

Not the kind of lottery that makes a fellow rich in Trump meme bitcoin.  On our second try, we won the lottery for a Grand Canyon National Park Backcountry Permit. Looks like we may be hiking down to Bright Angel Campground sometime in November.

Time to get our backpacks out this fall and do some training. Julia has never backpacked before.