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The Cruise--Details

I didn't include more details in the prior "The Cruise" post for two reasons. 1)  I didn't think anyone would be interested; and 2)  This trip didn't include much of the normal topics:  good beer, good coffee or John-style travel. But there are details, which may be useful to some people contemplating how such a trip is put together. On the first day of the trip, we drove three hours to pick up my mother in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.  At 85, she isn't comfortable driving for long distances and hadn't flown for many years. We then drove 3 1/2 more hours to Chicago, where we checked into the Wyndham, where you can get a room that includes the cost of parking for up to 12 days.   We were up early on the hotel shuttle to O'Hare, where we then boarded the a non-stop American Airlines flight to New Orleans. Here, we checked into a Hampton Inn near the port.  My mother was pretty tired, so Julia and I went out for a Cajun dinner and live music.   Rememberi...
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Seeing Things in New Light

One of the reasons that I like to travel is in order to see and experience new things.  It's easy to forget that there are still a lot of new things to discover close to home.  

There's a town just east of Lodi called Poynette, which isn't that different from Lodi.  The two towns have a lot in common. Most of the people in both towns are conservative Republicans. Both have a Piggly Wriggly grocery store.  Both are small towns surrounded by a lot of natural beauty.  

However, many people choose to focus on things that separate us.  

Callie and Elvis, barely tolerating each other


 

Our schools are better.  Our sports teams are better.  Those folks are rednecks.  These are some of the things I've heard over the years. 

This week I went to Pauquette Park in downtown Poynette to start my daily hike.  Somehow, despite visiting that park countless times, I never noticed the small stone next to the parking lot.


Huh.  Poynette should have been Pauquette, except for someone's bad handwriting.  When I got home, I got on the Wisconsin Historical Society website and found out a few things about Mr. Pauquette.  He was half-Indian and born in Missouri in 1796.  Pauquette moved to Portage, Wisconsin in 1818.  For several years he worked for the American Fur Company and operated a trading post.  He was fluent in French, English and several Indian languages.  Serving as a translator for General Dodge, Pauquette was killed by an Indian in 1836.  

Pauquette Park leads to the trailhead for the Rowan Creek Fishery property.  It was a beautiful day, so I was concerned that the trail might be more crowded than I liked.  As it turned out, I didn't need to worry.  Recent rains left significant parts of the trail underwater.  


 

But the trail was better than it looked. Once I tiptoed through the water and mud, the ground rose a bit and was mostly dry.  We didn't see another soul during the entire hike.  We did see something else that I have never seen before, despite hiking this trail dozens of times.  

In my defense, there was no sign or stone to mark the spot.  There was an unmarked path that I probably never noticed when the foliage was full.  Even with the leaves fallen, I almost didn't see it, blended in with the trees.

I have no idea what the story is with this wood carving in the middle of the woods of this public property, but finding it made my day.  We hung out for a bit there and then here.

Another great day for a hike.


Comments

greg said…
It's amazing how fast what is really pretty recent history can disappear. Years ago I was hiking in an area that within the past 100 years had hosted a small community of about 300 with school, store, and blacksmith. I went off trail and managed to stumble across a foundation, but not enough of it remained that I could figure out what it had been for, except that it wasn't a forge. I just got back from a trip to that same area but had no luck finding that foundation again this time.
November 9, 2020 at 4:18 PM
Bill said…
That carving was a great find. One can only hope it lasts and some nimrod doesn't destroy it.
November 9, 2020 at 4:34 PM
MFH said…
That's beautiful! What a find!

How far off the main trail is it?

Any ideas of who to ask to learn its maker? It'd be interesting to see what else they've done.
November 9, 2020 at 6:28 PM
John said…
The carving has very little graffiti or damage done to it. On the chest, there are a pair of owl eyes that look to be original. I don't know anyone else who hikes or maintains that trail. It is state-owned property that primarily exists as a trout fishery. There is a sign that indicates the Poynette High School Outdoors Club conducts activities on the property. If I ever find out who the maker is, I'll do a blog post on it. Without revealing too much, the carving is less than a two minute walk off the main trail. I was surprised at the lack of any signage by the carving because the main trail has lots of educational signs and posted maps of the property/trails.
November 10, 2020 at 9:56 AM
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