dw went to Milwaukie with her dad for a medical procedure he was getting, while I drove to Sheboygan to see the Kohler Arts Center. It was a pleasant 80 mi. drive through. Classic midwest farm country: rolling hills, lotsa corn as well as other crops, some dairy -- small towns with lovely steepled churches. Just the beginnings of fall foliage. Very beautiful in a quiet way.
The Kohler (of kitchen and toilet fame) Museum is a really nice small museum. Rather than trying to be a general museum displaying the history of art, it seems to concentrate on contemporary work and outsider art. Right now it's featuring a show of humor in art. Some I've heard of (Linda Berry, Wegman, and a couple of others) but most I haven't. I really liked most of it (couldn't take any pics -- they didn't want pics taken, and there were too many people for me to do it anyway) Anyway I'm glad I drove up there.
The toilets are something special: the men's has an egyptian motif with each sink, urinal and toilet differently decorated, and the walls and counter covered with tiles also decorated with egyptian murals. It was REALLY something. Apparently the women's is as good or better, but (naturally) I didn't get to see that.
As part of their permanent collection, the museum has a large collection of water-colors done by Kamante Gatura (he was Isak Dinesen's cook and friend) -- They're mostly pics of animals, many of "red of tooth and claw" motif. All of outsider impressionistic style. I really liked them.
A side note: we got an email suggesting we join, or friend someone (an acquaintance) on facebook. Also listed were some other people who we might be interested in friending or whatever. Anyway some of them were from our address book. I wrote Sean A. warning him that someone might have gotten into our address book, and it seemed like it was a possible threat -- virus or otherwise. Sean wrote back telling me that that's just the way facebook works, and while caution is good, basically I just met up with life in the twenty-first century. Sigh -- I just got a cheap cell-phone, and I think that should be enough for awhile. DA
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
On to Oconomowoc
We got an earlyish start this morning (departing Friendship) to have time for a stop in Madison for a brief visit with bro Steve W. and his S.O. Kay D. (if that designation is OK with all concerned). We intend to return to Madison for a longer visit.
On the way to Ocon. we stopped to see the Forevertron. The World's Largest scrap metal sculpture. The Forevertron is just south of Baraboo (with it's circus museum -- World Famousest) and across the road from a munitions factory. The munitions factory is handily located to wipe out the Forevertron and the Circus Museum should either one become too obstreperous.
We also drove through Waunakee -- The Only Waunakee In The World -- It's also the best Waunakee in the world.
Just before we left the Forevertron, D. called Steve to warn him we were coming. (They like each other -- even though Steve has retired -- so it was a safe call) And Steve asked us to stop at Ski-Hi (which seems to have nothing to do with skiing, snow, or anything else wintery) and pick up a couple sacks of apples. We also bought a sack for ourselves (cortland) and an apple pie.
Visiting and seeing the new kitchen in S & K's house. We were going to go to the Toilet Paper Museum but alas, it closed a couple of years ago. Then on to Ocon. and the seniorer W's. DA
Back home in Dairyland. Driving through the rolling hills of south central Wisconsin, it was a post card - farms, silos, corn fields, red barns i.e. very picturesque. Enough to make one forget about the frigid winters and humid summers. It has been beautiful fall weather the past four days and everyone here is enjoying it after the heat of the summer. Family visiting time for the next couple of days and nothing "weird" on the schedule unless Dennis finds something on-line. dw
On the way to Ocon. we stopped to see the Forevertron. The World's Largest scrap metal sculpture. The Forevertron is just south of Baraboo (with it's circus museum -- World Famousest) and across the road from a munitions factory. The munitions factory is handily located to wipe out the Forevertron and the Circus Museum should either one become too obstreperous.
We also drove through Waunakee -- The Only Waunakee In The World -- It's also the best Waunakee in the world.
Just before we left the Forevertron, D. called Steve to warn him we were coming. (They like each other -- even though Steve has retired -- so it was a safe call) And Steve asked us to stop at Ski-Hi (which seems to have nothing to do with skiing, snow, or anything else wintery) and pick up a couple sacks of apples. We also bought a sack for ourselves (cortland) and an apple pie.
Visiting and seeing the new kitchen in S & K's house. We were going to go to the Toilet Paper Museum but alas, it closed a couple of years ago. Then on to Ocon. and the seniorer W's. DA
Back home in Dairyland. Driving through the rolling hills of south central Wisconsin, it was a post card - farms, silos, corn fields, red barns i.e. very picturesque. Enough to make one forget about the frigid winters and humid summers. It has been beautiful fall weather the past four days and everyone here is enjoying it after the heat of the summer. Family visiting time for the next couple of days and nothing "weird" on the schedule unless Dennis finds something on-line. dw
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Friday we took a tour of Wind Cave. It was interesting with mostly box work formations. -- 6" fins mostly on the ceiling forming pigeon holes of various sizes. Few other formations. No rooms of any great size -- mostly a bunch of narrow passages. It's the 4th longest known cave @ 137 miles of explored passages -- they say they have only explored 5 - 10% of the cave.
Around Rapid City S.D. the freeway is crusted with billboards. One struck me: "Select 55. The Lightest Beer In The World" -- "You'll think it's suspiciously yellow stale water"
Further on, by the E. Vermillion River, another road-side display: Giant painted steel hammer, flowers, fish, and curiously, a 25' tall head of Hathor, the Egyptian cow god.
We spent the night in Mitchell home of the Corn Palace. the Palace is a small town arena, seating perhaps 5000 on one side of the building, with a floor area for a basketball court and a half or so, and a stage (curtained when we were there) . Corn murals surrounding the seating, activity area. The exterior was in the process of re-corning so we didn't see it's full splendor.
Mitchell is also the site of the George McGovern museum. His family doubtless cares.
The Spam museum is a Wonder. As was the subsequent spam burger -- an ordinary burger, with a mighty slab of spam instead of a patty. Perhaps too mighty, but with spam who can number the ways?
After the spam, we took a scenic side road (s.r. 16) for 50 miles. In Grand Meadow we stopped and looked at a bank building: small but very nice prairie style building. We met an Amish buggy on the road. From their body posture we guess the older couple in the buggy were having some issues on this particular day. A nice side road and then back to the freeway and on to friends in Friendship. DA
Around Rapid City S.D. the freeway is crusted with billboards. One struck me: "Select 55. The Lightest Beer In The World" -- "You'll think it's suspiciously yellow stale water"
Further on, by the E. Vermillion River, another road-side display: Giant painted steel hammer, flowers, fish, and curiously, a 25' tall head of Hathor, the Egyptian cow god.
We spent the night in Mitchell home of the Corn Palace. the Palace is a small town arena, seating perhaps 5000 on one side of the building, with a floor area for a basketball court and a half or so, and a stage (curtained when we were there) . Corn murals surrounding the seating, activity area. The exterior was in the process of re-corning so we didn't see it's full splendor.
Mitchell is also the site of the George McGovern museum. His family doubtless cares.
The Spam museum is a Wonder. As was the subsequent spam burger -- an ordinary burger, with a mighty slab of spam instead of a patty. Perhaps too mighty, but with spam who can number the ways?
After the spam, we took a scenic side road (s.r. 16) for 50 miles. In Grand Meadow we stopped and looked at a bank building: small but very nice prairie style building. We met an Amish buggy on the road. From their body posture we guess the older couple in the buggy were having some issues on this particular day. A nice side road and then back to the freeway and on to friends in Friendship. DA
We're here.... Friendship, WI
Arrived 7;30pm last night in Friendship, WI at my friends house for a weekend stay and then we will head to my dad's. Yesterday was the fabulous Spam Museum - a destination museum for sure. Two hours of entertainment including the Monty Python Spam skit and a simulation of a game show - Spam Exam. Dennis and I tied on the show - me coming from behind to make the tie. The reward - Spamburgers at a nearby restaurant. Yum. Seriously, they weren't bad except for the salt load and today I'm a bit puffy - but that's the travel experience.
Factoids: 2406 miles so far. Average 46.11 mpg (love that Honda Civic!). 52.18 gallons of gas. $150 for gas. Subway meals - 3. Italian meal - 1. Pulled pork sandwich at roadside grill - 1. Grazing for meals - 14.
Cloudy days 2, thunderstorm 1, sun 3. Fauna: One dead turtle (I thought I'd missed it). Ooops. Three live osprey in a nest, up close and personal with one buffalo (excuse me, bison), eagle - 1, hundreds of prairie dogs, a few wild turkeys and a rabbit running away from the house when we arrived. Flora: pine trees, prairies, more prairies and then a few rolling hills.
Gotta go - dw
Factoids: 2406 miles so far. Average 46.11 mpg (love that Honda Civic!). 52.18 gallons of gas. $150 for gas. Subway meals - 3. Italian meal - 1. Pulled pork sandwich at roadside grill - 1. Grazing for meals - 14.
Cloudy days 2, thunderstorm 1, sun 3. Fauna: One dead turtle (I thought I'd missed it). Ooops. Three live osprey in a nest, up close and personal with one buffalo (excuse me, bison), eagle - 1, hundreds of prairie dogs, a few wild turkeys and a rabbit running away from the house when we arrived. Flora: pine trees, prairies, more prairies and then a few rolling hills.
Gotta go - dw
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Hot Springs S.D.
We had intended to camp in the Wind Cave N.P. but after a sunny morning, the afternoon and evening has been lightening, hail and pounding rain --- so a motel it is. As a small aside, after reading all of the scare stories du jour concerning bedbugs, we have been checking the motel beds for the critters. It seems they don't carry any diseases, but they still are nasty bugs -- as I know from Mexican experience (with a nod of the head to Bob D. who is smiling to himself right now)
We stopped at Devils Tower this morning -- took the short hike around the base (note to David N. : there's STILL a line of climbers waiting to ascent the Durrance route) -- watched several groups climbing, saw a bunch of birds -- including the wily Assup Woodpecker -- and I recieved several compliments on my bravery for doing the hike on crutches. I am always suitably modest.
After the Tower, we continued on a scenic drive through Hulett (paralleling I-90). East of Hulett, we passed a graveyard for giant (6'+) tires. At the end of the drive in Aladdin (pop. 15) we stopped at the 110 year old general store. It was full of assorted food stuffs, clothing, and junque. Both Dianne and I wanted one item, but at $100 we passed. It was an old print of bambi nursing with bambi's mom sniffing bambi's ass. Now, bambi's mom was really rooting around there -- it looked like she had nosed bambi's butt clear off the ground. Priceless, but not quite $100 priceless.
And after that we stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump which was mildly interesting but not nearly as good as Head Smashed In in Alberta. We also stopped at the Wyoming info center which, among other things, had a life size, saddled, statue of a horse wading belly deep through a green mat. Should one choose, one could mount the horse for a photo op.
--- A shout-out to Dennis S --- Cows with horns were on the move. Walking and running towards the east at 1:11 P.M. Should we be alarmed? ---
Drove through Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1872. It's perhaps apocryphal but supposedly Wild Bill (after lying doggo for several years) decided to go to Deadwood to take advantage of the gold rush. He sent ahead a wire to friends and enemies that he was coming to town, and that "I still wear my hair long." Meaning that though older he was still Wild Bill, and one tough dude. Naturally, like Samson, his hair, long or short, didn't do him any good and he was shot in the back while playing poker and holding the subsequently famous dead man's hand: aces and eights.
Went on to Lead (pronounced leed) and meaning not lead (as in pencil) but lead (as the first showing of a gold seam). But if I can find a --I (heart) LEAD-- bumper sticker like we saw in Idaho, it'll always be lead (as in pencil) to me.
North of Hill City S.D. we passed the "world's largest quilt store", and south of Hill City we passed a sign advertising Red Ass Rubarb wine -- as chilling as that may sound.
In the Wind Cave Park, we got up-close with a giant buffalo (we DEFINITELY stayed in the car, although I might have driven a bit too close) The great beast was scratching it's head on a stone sign and licking its nose.
Approaching Hot Springs another thunderstorm front moved in and the largest raindrops in the world started hitting the car. Threatened to break the windshield. DA
We stopped at Devils Tower this morning -- took the short hike around the base (note to David N. : there's STILL a line of climbers waiting to ascent the Durrance route) -- watched several groups climbing, saw a bunch of birds -- including the wily Assup Woodpecker -- and I recieved several compliments on my bravery for doing the hike on crutches. I am always suitably modest.
After the Tower, we continued on a scenic drive through Hulett (paralleling I-90). East of Hulett, we passed a graveyard for giant (6'+) tires. At the end of the drive in Aladdin (pop. 15) we stopped at the 110 year old general store. It was full of assorted food stuffs, clothing, and junque. Both Dianne and I wanted one item, but at $100 we passed. It was an old print of bambi nursing with bambi's mom sniffing bambi's ass. Now, bambi's mom was really rooting around there -- it looked like she had nosed bambi's butt clear off the ground. Priceless, but not quite $100 priceless.
And after that we stopped at the Vore Buffalo Jump which was mildly interesting but not nearly as good as Head Smashed In in Alberta. We also stopped at the Wyoming info center which, among other things, had a life size, saddled, statue of a horse wading belly deep through a green mat. Should one choose, one could mount the horse for a photo op.
--- A shout-out to Dennis S --- Cows with horns were on the move. Walking and running towards the east at 1:11 P.M. Should we be alarmed? ---
Drove through Deadwood where Wild Bill Hickok was shot in 1872. It's perhaps apocryphal but supposedly Wild Bill (after lying doggo for several years) decided to go to Deadwood to take advantage of the gold rush. He sent ahead a wire to friends and enemies that he was coming to town, and that "I still wear my hair long." Meaning that though older he was still Wild Bill, and one tough dude. Naturally, like Samson, his hair, long or short, didn't do him any good and he was shot in the back while playing poker and holding the subsequently famous dead man's hand: aces and eights.
Went on to Lead (pronounced leed) and meaning not lead (as in pencil) but lead (as the first showing of a gold seam). But if I can find a --I (heart) LEAD-- bumper sticker like we saw in Idaho, it'll always be lead (as in pencil) to me.
North of Hill City S.D. we passed the "world's largest quilt store", and south of Hill City we passed a sign advertising Red Ass Rubarb wine -- as chilling as that may sound.
In the Wind Cave Park, we got up-close with a giant buffalo (we DEFINITELY stayed in the car, although I might have driven a bit too close) The great beast was scratching it's head on a stone sign and licking its nose.
Approaching Hot Springs another thunderstorm front moved in and the largest raindrops in the world started hitting the car. Threatened to break the windshield. DA
blog- Day 7 0842 MDT
Gillette, WY 58degrees heading for 83 today with 30% chance of thunderstorms (Weather Channel prediction). We are driving to Devils Tower Monument to observe the climbers and not get hit by lightning. Featured in the movie "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" I am hoping for a bit of a spiritual experience as we observe the monument. It is the first national monument - ever - designated by Teddy Roosevelt in 1906. Should be interesting.
After reading an information board about Big Horn Sheep in Wyoming (at Sheridan, at the base of the Big Horn Mts.) - they were wiped out and are being re-introduced - we turned around to see a man hunkered down behind my car taking a close up photo of my license plate. It's a Crater Lake one and looks pretty on my blue car. The photo was either a tourist thing or I had been a very bad driver. Turns out they were French tourists and he was finding the variety of license plates "very American" and taking photos. He's right, we do have very good looking license plates and European plates are just those big numbers. We stood and chatted, he interpreting for his wife, me speaking slowly and clearly as his English was all right but not fluent and finally got around to Grand Teton Park - south of Yellowstone. They were heading to Yellowstone for a first time visit and brought up the Grand Tetons. The French find it amusing because Grand Teton in French means Big Tits and they like to find out if we know what it means. We do. And now "au revoir". dw
After reading an information board about Big Horn Sheep in Wyoming (at Sheridan, at the base of the Big Horn Mts.) - they were wiped out and are being re-introduced - we turned around to see a man hunkered down behind my car taking a close up photo of my license plate. It's a Crater Lake one and looks pretty on my blue car. The photo was either a tourist thing or I had been a very bad driver. Turns out they were French tourists and he was finding the variety of license plates "very American" and taking photos. He's right, we do have very good looking license plates and European plates are just those big numbers. We stood and chatted, he interpreting for his wife, me speaking slowly and clearly as his English was all right but not fluent and finally got around to Grand Teton Park - south of Yellowstone. They were heading to Yellowstone for a first time visit and brought up the Grand Tetons. The French find it amusing because Grand Teton in French means Big Tits and they like to find out if we know what it means. We do. And now "au revoir". dw
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Gillette, Wyoming
Since we won't get to a WiFi connection each day, we won't be posting daily entries. Making this the first catch-up day.
Before we left Portland, I saw a squirrel hitchhiking. It ran under a Honda SUV stopped at a light. Light changed, Honda drove on. --- squirrel gone. No squirrel, no squirrel debris = hitchhiker.
We successfully made it past the Great Bambi Brother massacre of 2008 much to our relief. Otherwise we haven't had any stand-out moments.
A few curiosities from the road :
A few miles east of Coeur d'Alene (CDA to the cognoscenti) next to the freeway is a life-size statue of an old-time photographer with view camera. Commerates someone I'm sure but at freeway speeds, I couldn't read the sign.
The Old Mission of the Sacred Heart at Cataldo Id. A lovely Jesuit church (now a state park) built in 1853 -- All the timbers and boards were cut and shaped by hand -- post and beam / mud and waddle construction. About 1870 a local lumber company became involved and it got gussied up with some fancy wood work, hand printed linen as wall paper, some paintings, etc.
Kellogg ID has sculptures of a knight lancing a dragon, a miner, something I don't remember and a broken figure of some sort. All of the found-object, welded-stuff style -- life size and interesting in a who-on-earth did all this stuff sort of way.
Wallace ID has the Stardust drive-in with a vast array of signs, neon and otherwise and a real tin spaceship you can sit in to eat your burger. Wallace also has the 10 Commandants (6' X 4' granite slab) in front of the courthouse.
A few miles east of Wallace -- again beside the freeway-- is Elmer's Fountain. Two 1' X 15' pipes with a few circular things and smaller pipes welded on -- All planted in the ground and fountaining water. I'm guessing the whole thing was built by Elmer.
We went to Anaconda MT and saw the tallest masonery structure in the world. A smelter chimney. (It should be understood that nearly everything in the west is the biggest, tallest, deepest, richest, or somethingest in the world) We couldn't actually get to the base (which is a state park) because ARCO was doing some important stuff up there. -- ARCO bought out Anaconda Copper -- so we looked at an information kiosk and admired a couple of mountains of tailings and slag.
In Butte we stopped to see (for $2 each) the Berkeley Pit. What's left of the Richest Hill In The World. 1.25 miles long by a mile wide by 1700 feet deep. Filled with 1000 feet of red water further filling with a lurid yellow waterfall. ARCO (nee anaconda) assures us that the water is nearly harmless -- not much different from coca cola (which might be true) -- particularly if you ignore the arsenic, iron, cadmium, etc, etc, (and dead birds) in the water
A freeway reader board east of Bozeman "arrive alive -- don't text -- and drive" -- I guess it's a problem when you're driving 75+ mph.
East of Billings (we're driving on I-90) we were passed by a Mini Cooper from Alberta -- it was going 90 or so (we were at the speed limit +3 to 5 mph) Later in Wyoming we passed it while it was stopped getting a ticket from the Wyoming HP. Yes! DA
Before we left Portland, I saw a squirrel hitchhiking. It ran under a Honda SUV stopped at a light. Light changed, Honda drove on. --- squirrel gone. No squirrel, no squirrel debris = hitchhiker.
We successfully made it past the Great Bambi Brother massacre of 2008 much to our relief. Otherwise we haven't had any stand-out moments.
A few curiosities from the road :
A few miles east of Coeur d'Alene (CDA to the cognoscenti) next to the freeway is a life-size statue of an old-time photographer with view camera. Commerates someone I'm sure but at freeway speeds, I couldn't read the sign.
The Old Mission of the Sacred Heart at Cataldo Id. A lovely Jesuit church (now a state park) built in 1853 -- All the timbers and boards were cut and shaped by hand -- post and beam / mud and waddle construction. About 1870 a local lumber company became involved and it got gussied up with some fancy wood work, hand printed linen as wall paper, some paintings, etc.
Kellogg ID has sculptures of a knight lancing a dragon, a miner, something I don't remember and a broken figure of some sort. All of the found-object, welded-stuff style -- life size and interesting in a who-on-earth did all this stuff sort of way.
Wallace ID has the Stardust drive-in with a vast array of signs, neon and otherwise and a real tin spaceship you can sit in to eat your burger. Wallace also has the 10 Commandants (6' X 4' granite slab) in front of the courthouse.
A few miles east of Wallace -- again beside the freeway-- is Elmer's Fountain. Two 1' X 15' pipes with a few circular things and smaller pipes welded on -- All planted in the ground and fountaining water. I'm guessing the whole thing was built by Elmer.
We went to Anaconda MT and saw the tallest masonery structure in the world. A smelter chimney. (It should be understood that nearly everything in the west is the biggest, tallest, deepest, richest, or somethingest in the world) We couldn't actually get to the base (which is a state park) because ARCO was doing some important stuff up there. -- ARCO bought out Anaconda Copper -- so we looked at an information kiosk and admired a couple of mountains of tailings and slag.
In Butte we stopped to see (for $2 each) the Berkeley Pit. What's left of the Richest Hill In The World. 1.25 miles long by a mile wide by 1700 feet deep. Filled with 1000 feet of red water further filling with a lurid yellow waterfall. ARCO (nee anaconda) assures us that the water is nearly harmless -- not much different from coca cola (which might be true) -- particularly if you ignore the arsenic, iron, cadmium, etc, etc, (and dead birds) in the water
A freeway reader board east of Bozeman "arrive alive -- don't text -- and drive" -- I guess it's a problem when you're driving 75+ mph.
East of Billings (we're driving on I-90) we were passed by a Mini Cooper from Alberta -- it was going 90 or so (we were at the speed limit +3 to 5 mph) Later in Wyoming we passed it while it was stopped getting a ticket from the Wyoming HP. Yes! DA
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