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Starkweather Beer Company

 When I moved back to Madison to attend law school in 1987, we moved to a crappy little apartment near the banks of Starkweather Creek on the unfashionable east side.  Today, the east side is booming, and one of the newer brewpubs is called Starkweather Beer Company. It was Saint Pat's Day.  While Guinness is a decent light-bodied stout, I opted for Starkweather's dry Irish Stout, named "Jamestown Jackdaw." Coming in at 5.9 ABV, it had a malty chewable backbone.  It's a new favorite stout for me.  Julia had Late Winter Haze, a New England IPA that didn't have as much fruitiness as she likes in a hazy.  It was still well-executed. We walked down the street to the Harmony Bar, where Julia enjoyed a complete corn beef and cabbage dinner.  I opted for the Reuben sandwich.  Mine was washed down with an Edmund Fitzgerald porter from Great Lakes Brewing.  Julia enjoyed her Chaos Pattern IPA from 3 Sheeps Brewing.  Both are great beers. Justin update:   After a long h

Humble Pie with a Side of Mud


As readers to my blog already know, the Gibraltar Rock Natural Area is one of my favorite places to hike.  It's the baby brother hiking destination to Devil's Lake State Park, which is on the other side of the bluff in the photo above-- across the Wisconsin River.  Devil's Lake draws three million visitors per year.  If I see a couple of people on a weekday at Gibraltar Rock, it feels crowded.  Gibraltar Rock is a ten minute drive; the state park is about 45 minutes drive.

Gibraltar's Rock's trail rises to an elevation above 1200 feet.  That's nothing for people used to mountain ranges, but it's a big deal in the Midwest. Yesterday, hiking conditions were fluid.  The snow was mostly melted.  The ground has been freezing overnight.  The sun softens up the sunny part of the trail during the day, while the shady parts remain firm.


  I tend to be a fast hiker.  I've always been a fast walker. Thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail during my younger years taught me a lot about foot placement that became ingrained over the years when covering terrain.

I was feeling at the top of my game yesterday.  Callie and I cruised to the top and then jogged down the back side.

Fearless Callie
 After power walking up the old closed road, we took a few minutes to sit and enjoy the view.


I admired the old cedars, hanging out at the edge of the 200-foot sheer cliff and thriving.  We took off fast down the trail back to the truck.  I guess I was daydreaming about future destinations when Gibraltar Rock reminded me to take her seriously.

I was walking on a frozen leaf-covered trail when my left foot slid on a soft spot exposed to the sun.  No problem.  I've caught my balance many times in similar situations.  Unfortunately, my right foot was no help, as it was sliding too.  My body was out in front of my sliding feet.  Suddenly, I was flying through the air on my way to a face-plant on the trail.

There wasn't much I could do at this point, but I did manage to twist my body so that I landed on my side, which slid through about six feet of soft mud.  When I came to a stop, Callie looked up at me as if to say, "What was that?"  I picked myself up, established that nothing was broken, except my pride.  My left side was covered with mud from my shoes to the top of my hat.

I would have taken a picture, but my hands were full of mud with no way to clean up.  Let's be honest.; there was no way I was taking a photo.  I trudged slowly back to the truck, drove home and threw everything into the washing machine.

Today, my body sore, Callie and I hiked on city sidewalks.  Maybe we'll head back into the woods tomorrow. 

Comments

greg said…
Ahh yes. Been there, done that. Have the scares, physical and mental, to prove it.
MFH said…
Phew!! That was a close one.

I envy you power-walking....and jogging on the way back.

A friend of Michelle's stopped by today. She had her right knee replaced two months ago. The pain keeps her awake at night; the tramadol does nothing. She turned 70 on her last birthday.

I turned 237 pounds the other day. (YIKES!)...amd will turn 67 in a couple of weeks.

Everyone says the key is to keep moving, but no one's offered me any energy-in-a-jar.

Nice photo of the cliff edge. And a SPLENDID dog!





John said…
My ribs are still tender.

I turn 59 next month. Time keeps on slippin, slippin', slippin' into the future. I don't have energy in a jar, but I do have Fearless Callie who requires a long daily walk and some retrieving playtime on my hill. She is the most demanding dog that I've ever owned, but I agree that she is splendid and makes my life richer.

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