Living Large in Rapids

After a second straight day of rain, Julia and I needed to get out of the Scamp.  We were feeling a little claustrophobic.

A new brewpub opened up in Wisconsin Rapids, a short drive away, and we knew nothing about it.  It was called 2 Doors Down Brewing.  Their beer was served at B's Taphouse.  We had hoped for food too, but the offerings were limited to pizza.  

I had a Scharzbier, a black lager with good crispness and malt.  Julia had a brown ale.  They had other dark beers available, but quite high-octane in the imperial realm.  Our bartender was a young woman who was very beer-knowledgeable and offered multiple tastes of different beers until we found what we liked.  

We then wandered up the street to Jennings and Company, a self-described brewpub  with food.  Actually, it would be better identified as a restaurant or craft beer bar.  I couldn't find any beers that were made in-house. The chosen taps from other breweries were good, and the food was Wisconsin fare.  To start, we had deep fried cheese curds that were both delicious and full of fat.  I had one bite that literally squirted a small puddle of grease on my hand.  Definitely not something to have too often, but oh so tasty.  

As if we didn't have enough fat, the delicious cheeseburgers came with homemade potato chips and thick dip.  Over 60% of Wisconsin residents are either overweight or obese.  Some of us are eating meals like this too often.

With the water still rising, it was time to head home on the next morning.

North Wood County Park

On a rainy Wednesday morning, we drove an hour or so west to our next campground:  North Wood County Park, about fifteen minutes south of Marshfield, Wisconsin.  We had reservations for a nice waterfront campsite in a mostly empty campground mid-week.

I had my happy face on while setting up camp in the drizzle while Julia waited patiently in the truck.

On Wednesday and Thursday, we spent most of the day reading inside the Scamp.  We did venture out on Wednesday afternoon to the Blue Heron Brew Pub in Marshfield for lupper and a couple of beers.  

They ran out of the in-house stout but offered Shutdown Stout, a guest brew from nearby Mosinee Brewing Company.  Julia had Friar Frisch, a Belgium Dubbel.  

The beer was excellent, and the food was well above-average also.  The forecast was for more rain.  I took a growler of stout to-go.

North Wood County Park did have a pair of blue herons fishing on the water during our stay, but they refused to pose for a good picture.  

Ice Age Trail: Plover River Segment

We parked at the Hwy 52 trailhead for the Plover River segment of the Ice Age Trail. Neither of us had ever hiked this 11.36 mile in/out trail. 

By parking in the middle, we effectively cut the trail in half. we started with the north half first.

Most of this trail was dry and through heavy forest. The trail rose up along ridge lines. Hundreds of wildflowers were sprinkled along both sides of the trail.

The southern half was wet at best and deep mud at its worst. We made slow time, jumping from rock to board to root.

We encountered few people and only leashed dogs. It was our first successful longer hike together in many years. 

The elevation wasn’t 15,000 feet, as Peru will be, but that elevation doesn’t exist in Wisconsin.

Dells of Eau Claire County Park

 

Julia took a trip back in time at this 28 site campground along the Eau Claire River near Aniwa, Wisconsin. On a Monday night, we were one of four rigs present. An Ice Age trail thru hiker came in late on Tuesday night and was breaking camp in the rain early Wednesday morning. 

Sites are $21/night plus the $7 required  Reserve America tithe. All sites were electric. No generators permitted. A water spigot is available at the firewood station. No dump station. 

Julia’s family tent camped here several times when she was a child. She remembers bullhead fishing, and her Grandpa doing a big fish fry.

We were here to start training for longer hikes in preparation for the Inca Trail trip later this year. The Ice Age trail has a segment in the park and another segment only a few miles away. That hike will be the topic of the next post.

The Dells of Eau Claire are a set of rocks and rock walls through which the river runs. The rock formations were beautiful. The water quality appeared  less than ideal with soapy scum piling up in places.

Gone camping

 

No internet service. Camped along the Eau Claire River and hiking the Plover River Segment of Ice Age Trail

Puerto Vallarta: A State of Mind

From November 2021

I'm an early riser, so I was up before dawn on our first morning and sat out on the dark balcony watching the city start to wake up.  Puerto Vallarta is smaller than Madison, Wisconsin, but has the feeling of a much bigger city.  

Tourism is the biggest industry, and Americans/Canadians outnumbered Mexicans on many of the streets close to the beach.  English is widely spoken.  I rarely needed to use my Duolingo Spanish, although it was helpful at times.  Our condo was in the Zona Romantica, a/k/a Viejovallarta (Old Town).  This neighborhood is known for tourism and open arms for the LGBT community. There's something here for everyone:  restaurants, art galleries, beach sports, and shopping.

 

Puerto Vallarta has a Malecon (paved walkway) along the beach that is about a mile long.  There's always something going on there: live music, street performers, paragliding, food/drink carts, etc.   

Beyond the Malecon to the south are beautiful rocky beaches with tidepools.  

View to the South

 

Sea Urchin

By the end of our first day, we felt completely comfortable and relaxed.  Did I mention that I really like Puerto Vallarta?