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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

Fort Robinson State Park, Nebraska

 After almost a week in the Badlands of South Dakota, we were both ready for a shower, laundry, and dump station.  We hitched up early on the morning of May 31st and drove to Fort Robinson, which is in the Nebraska panhandle.  

Julia and I have talked about how each campground has its pros and cons. Fort Robinson was no different.  There were showers and laundry, electric hookups, and a number of trails available for hiking.  On the con side, it was kind of expensive:  approximately $60 for a two night stay plus another $16 in state park entry fees.  For that amount, I expected more.  The garbage dumpsters were overflowing onto the ground.  The sites were tight, and there were a lot of people camping mid-week.  

On the first day, we cleaned up and got our chores done.  Then we took some time to hike the nearby trails.  Unfortunately, we got into some tall grass near a lake which resulted in numerous ticks attaching themselves to us.  More showers ensued.  

Fort Robinson has numerous "historical" signs around the premises.  I know from taking college history courses many years ago at the liberal University of Wisconsin that the contents of historical accounts are filled with the biases of the historians.  And what isn't in historical accounts or how the information is related is also dependent upon biases. 

Let's see.  This is where Crazy Horse surrendered and then was killed while "resisting imprisonment."  

I've heard that history doesn't necessarily repeat itself, but it definitely rhymes.  The accounts that I have read describe how Crazy Horse surrendered voluntarily but didn't understand that he was going to be imprisoned.  When he realized that he was being taken to the guardhouse, he resisted and was run through with a bayonet by an army private.  Maybe they needed a bigger sign for a more complete account.

A second historical sign commemorates the Buffalo Soldiers at Fort Robinson.

I almost missed the sign because it was located next to the tennis courts and was apart from the other signs.

On our second day at the Fort, Julia and I hiked the Lover's Leap Butte via the Wagon Wheel Trail. We encountered no ticks, and it was a great hike.

 

The trail starts off with a gradual rise through the grass. We were headed for that rock formation off to the right.


The weather was hot and dry, but there were wildflowers along the way.

The views were worth the climb.


On the way down, a small herd of pronghorns ran across the trail below us.  Callie got a little excited.

Standing Tall on Her Rear Legs

With the weather getting warmer, we were headed for Wyoming's higher elevations.

Comments

Bill said…
Agree on the biases. Like the genocide of the Native Indians and justifying it as "manifest destiny."

The next time you are in Nebraska head further south to the progressive sanctuary farm with a mini peace trail. Not on the scale of a state park, but we do have full hookups and a garage bathroom w/shower. No cost. Nearest so-so craft brewery 15 miles away and short drive to either Lincoln or Omaha.
John said…
There's a good chance I'll be headed across Nebraska again during the late summer across I-80. Do you have a link or town/directions? The only one I found was a Prairie Peace Park that recently apart according to news accounts.

https://nebraskanewsservice.net/news/prairie-peace-park-now-lies-in-pieces/

As an aside, we had planned to stop at Toppling Goliath on the way home from this trip, but it didn't work out because we had to pick up Justin earlier than planned from college. However, one of our largest liquor stores in Madison now carries its beer. I'll be trying some this weekend.
Bill said…
I was referring to our 4 acre farmstead. We have a mini trail in the tree line around the place. We live 20 miles north of I-80 and you'd be welcome. Will Julia be with you?
Brewed Journey said…
Ohh, I understand now. Thanks so much for the invite!. I think it would be great for Julia to meet you too. I probably shouldn't put specific plans in the comments. If you email me, I can let you know what we're planning and give you my cell. Brewedjourney is my gmail.

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