The North Country: A Day of Snowshoeing

Day Two of this trip was the best.  After a hearty breakfast, we drove into the Nicolet National Forest. The roads were snow-covered and slippery.  Julia's Subaru was up to the task, but there were a few challenging moments on downhills where all-wheel drive is inconsequential and at the trailhead's unplowed parking lot, where we nearly high-centered.

The parking lot was off of Fournier Road, which appears on the map to the left edge just above center.  We were the first on the trail, and we did not see another human in the woods that day.  

Like a lot of trails in the National Forest, this one was lightly maintained.  We got lost a couple of times, and there were lots of downed trees to clamber over.  

We took the Butternut Trail, continuing on Ash Meadow until it looped around to the Gulch. Our plan to take Gulch to the Roller Coaster failed when we couldn't find the continuation of Gulch.  Eventually, we had to backtrack on Gulch to Ash Meadow again, where we retraced our steps to Butternut.  It was a five mile hike through some fairly deep snow.  

After a quick lunch back at the cabin,we drove across the Brule River into the Upper Peninsula.  Our destination was Alpha Michigan Brewing, which proclaims that it's the smallest village in America with a brewery. 

 

Interesting trivia, but how was the beer?  I'm pleased to report that it was really good.  After enjoying a stout and Christmas Wit on the patio (the temp was in the single digits), we took a half-growler of IPA home. 

The tap room was closed due to covid, but true northerners don't let the cold interfere with a good beer. 

 

 

Little Cabin on the Brule

Last week, Julia, Callie and I jumped into Julia's car and  drove north for a three day getaway along the Wisconsin/Michigan border.  Our goal was to get deep into the north woods for hiking and snowshoeing.  On the way to our rented cabin along the Brule River, we stopped for a hike in the Northern Highland American Legion State Forest south-east of Woodruff, WI.

This is a popular area for snowshoeing, which meant that the Raven Trail was well-packed and easy to hike in just my trail shoes with micro spikes.  No snowshoes needed here.  

 

We hiked about 6 miles.  

The one-room cabin was located on the Brule River, which happens to be the border between Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.  That blue sign to the right of the cabin is the "Welcome to Michigan sign.

The cabin was equipped with a small kitchen, so we brought all of our food with us.  That night, we dined on salad, lasagna, and a bottle of Chianti.  It was a perfect start to the trip.  On our next day we would get to snowshoe in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest.

Living the High Life

 Yesterday, we dropped Justin off at the dorms.  He was excited to be living the dorm life again.

Last year, after dropping Justin off, we flew to Aruba for our winter getaway.  This year, still in the shadow of the pandemic, we headed to the islands again:  David's Jamaican Cuisine on the south side of Madison.

 

 

Unlike some places in the southern United States, there is ample outdoor seating available at most Wisconsin restaurants this time of year.  With temperatures in the 20's, we opted to dine in the luxury of the wheelchair van. Julia had jerk chicken and ribs.  I had curried goat with Jamaican rice and cabbage.   Since this was one of our few meals outside the home in 10 months, I wanted something different than a burger.  David's did not disappoint.

 

 

We washed everything down with a Red Stripe and Dragon Stout.  It was a great way to spend a Monday afternoon in a parking lot. 

Recently, I posted a photo of a fox at our bird feeder.  We're not sure if global climate change and/or local habitat changes have these foxes on the move, but something has changed. Our fox found a friend, and we see these two around through our windows almost every day.

Off the back deck

No future big trips are planned, but we will have more time for day trips and maybe even an overnight trip or two.  Retirement has officially started for both of us. 

Sixty

I turned sixty this week.  It feels more like a milestone than fifty or forty.  Officially old, even though I feel like I can do most of the things that I could at fifty or forty.  Maybe not quite as fast and without knowing what day it is.  

This has been a family week without much time for outdoor recreation besides the daily death marches through town at sunrise.  Just kidding.  Those walks are often the highlight of my day.

Julia's dad is back in the hospital after another stroke.  Things are not looking good. The stroke affected that part  of his brain that controls swallowing.  He isn't eating or drinking on his own.  Because of Covid, no one is allowed to visit--not even his wife.

I spent part of my birthday moving some of Justin's medical equipment into his dorm room.  We keep  older worn-out equipment at home to limp along for occasional weekends and spring break.  The Hoyer lift and shower/toilet chair are too big to fit in the car, so the equipment was transported in the back of the Frontier.

After the work was done, we returned home for an excellent outdoor-grilled rib eye, tin-foiled mushrooms and onions, sauteed spinach, a lovely glass of Washington-state Cabernet, and peanut butter and chocolate frosted brownies.  After a relaxing evening, I slept well.

 

"I've been aware of the time going by
They say, in the end, it's the wink of an eye
When the morning light comes streaming in
You'll get up and do it again, Amen."    

(Jackson Browne, The Pretender)

Showing Kindness to my younger brother

 

Trading one backpack for another.

Treading Water

Not much has been happening around here for the last couple of weeks to blog about.  

We had a quiet New Year's.  Well, mostly quiet.

Julia and Allie got some cross country skiing in.

Justin had neuromuscular day at UW Hospital. Twice per year, he gets seen by just about every specialist that you can imagine.  The thing about Duchenne's  muscular dystrophy is that there are never huge changes---just small changes that add up to big ones over time.  At the hospital, they tweak his medications, update his bipap settings, prod, poke and measure.  

 

There are usually follow-up visits.  Justin's lungs are weakening, and they will have him stay overnight next week to get some more measurements.  He uses the bipap for night time breathing assistance.  Many of the young men with Justin's diagnosis use an oxygen sipping tube during the day.  They will be deciding whether he needs that at this point.  

Before he can stay overnight at the hospital, Justin needs another Covid test.   We will be doing that tomorrow. The sleep study will happen next week--before he moves back into the dorms on the weekend.   

Assuming that Justin is successfully launched at school and the caregivers are all showing up per the schedule, Julia and I will probably head somewhere in February.  I don't even want to start planning until we see where everything is later in the month.