Wisconsin

A Momentary Lapse

by Ingrid

We truly enjoyed our visit to Devil’s Lake, but had commitments necessitating we pull up jacks and start rolling north toward Marshfield, Wisconsin.

Baraboo Wisconsin
Baraboo, WI Farmer’s Market

Between the hiking, the crane foundation, and the Baraboo farmer’s market, we had a wonderful stay at Devil’s Lake State Park and wouldn’t mind returning some day.

It is however Wisconsin’s busiest state park and even though I booked our reservation five months in advance, I was still unable to secure a site over a weekend.  During the week, there did appear to be plenty of open sites available for drop-ins.  (We stayed here during the middle of August)

friendship
driveway camping at a friend’s home

Al’s best friend from college and best man in our wedding was eager for our arrival.  We fit comfortably in Roger’s driveway and set up house within minutes.  Even though we only stayed in Marshfield the weekend, we managed to get in plenty of catching up.  That Sunday was preseason football and the Green Bay Packers were playing.  This is serious Packer Land and Cheese Land.

cheese head
Oh no, this Bronco’s fan has been turned into a ‘cheese head’

Roger planned a tailgate party at his house which included a bunch of people we hadn’t seen in years.  Even though the Packers lost, it was a super fun day.  We loved visiting with everyone and the weekend flew by.  I may have worn Packer green that day and been turned into a cheese head, but I assure you, it was a momentary lapse and I’m back to wearing the orange and blue of the Denver Bronco’s.

Lambeau FieldBut there was more impending fun with the guys to be had …. for hubby;  a fishing trip on Lake Michigan.

The day after the football game, we packed up the RV and headed to Algoma, Wisconsin.  But first, a stop at Cabela’s to empty the holding tanks was necessary and a cruise by Lambeau Field (home of the Packers) was in order, for posterity.  After all, we were Green Bay Packer fans for a day.

PepeLePewPulling into the Green Bay Cabela’s was easy.  Quite a few Cabela stores offer a dump station free of charge. Not this one. (for all you non-RVer’s, this talk is about the not so fun and stinky part of RVing. Our holding tanks contain our waste water, including potty waste and when we’re not staying in an RV Park with full hook-ups we need to find a place to clean out our tanks before they fill up).

There was a $5.00 charge to access the dump station or free if we bought something.  Hmm!  We stepped inside the store and quickly purchased some chocolate walnut fudge.  We took our receipt to the customer service counter and were given a number that would unlock the dump cover.  Let’s see – they gave us fudge and we gave them shit …. literally!  Sounds like we got the better end of the deal 🙂Wisconsin

With clean tanks and plenty of fresh water on board, we continued the drive from Green Bay to the little town of Algoma, Wisconsin.  The rest of the fishing gang wouldn’t be showing up until late the next day allowing Al and I to have a day to explore Door County.

Door County
Door County, Wisconsin

Door County is a popular tourist destination especially for residents of Wisconsin and Illinois, boasting 300 miles of scenic shoreline, 5 state parks, and 19 charming communities.

With our RV comfortably parked in Algoma, we set off on a scenic drive that had us skirting up County Road B, along the waters of Green Bay.  It didn’t take long for Al and I to realize why this is such a popular place for vacation homes.  Homes of varying architectural styles are nestled in the woods along the shores of Lake Michigan’s Green Bay.  Most homes enjoy their own private dock for easy watercraft access.  As we approached the quaint town of Egg Harbor, we were greeted by plenty of old fashion charm.  This would be merely the first of several such communities we explored that day.

Door County, Wisconsin
quaint shops offering locally grown and handcrafted products.

We saw plenty of unique shops, eateries, brew pubs, wineries, art gallery’s, and marina’s, but what stuck out to me the most were the beautiful gardens.Door CountyEach business seemed to take the extra effort in the gardening arena, adding more character and ambiance to an already lovely place.

Door County
How could I resist stopping here? That sidewalk going through all those flowers was irresistible.

Considering this is Wisconsin, I shouldn’t have been surprised with all the lush and beautiful vegetation.  The rich, black soil makes it easy to grow just about anything.  All those flowers did continually captivate my attention to the point hubby asked jokingly, “How many more Black Eyed Susan’s do you have to look at?”

And then there’s the orchards…. apples, cherries, and berries oh my!   Up next.

Green Bay
An overcast day along the shores of Green Bay

Door County Outdoors: A Guide to the Best Hiking, Biking, Paddling, Beaches, and Natural Places
Door County Coffee Single Serve Cups for Keurig Brewers (Almond Toffee, 12 Count)

35 thoughts on “A Momentary Lapse”

  3. We enjoyed our week stay at Door County last year and I remembered all those colorful and flowery stores. But missed all the orchards so looking forward those yummy fruits.

    What a barter you’ve got, a fudge for a poop dump 🙂

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    1. I totally forgot you were in Door County. It’s so pretty but I’m glad to be back west. Yep, we managed to get the better of that deal 🙂

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  4. Love that photo of you wandering in the cornfield as a cheesehead! We had such a great time in Door County a few years back. So many great little shops and restaurants, and the flower gardens are spectacular. 🙂

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      1. There are lots of places like that, aren’t there? We really love Door County. We bought our first Mobile Suites off a young couple who bought a place in Door County, and went by for dinner while we were there. 🙂

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  5. The photo of you in the cornfield is so cute! Door County is definitely on our list for when we ever manage to make it to Wisconsin. Love little towns with beautiful gardens and galleries.

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    1. I knew I wanted a photo of me wearing the cheesehead, and the cornfield across the street from Roger’s home seemed like the perfect backdrop. I know it had him laughing.
      A tour around Lake Michigan or Lake Superior would be filled with beautiful and quaint sights. These two Great Lakes look like the ocean and the shorelines are very diverse.

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  7. I would have been looking at the flowers, too! And a tailgate party is always a fun time.

    You picked a much better time to visit Green Bay and Door County than we did. We were there in early April in 2007 and got snowed on as we set up camp. It was too early in the season for anything to be open on the Door County peninsula and of course nothing was growing yet. We still had fun seeing all the lighthouses and of course we stopped by Lambeau Field. Thanks for bringing back memories of that trip.

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    1. Burrr… that part of WI can still be pretty cold in April and then there’s always the ‘lake effect’. The colors were just starting to change at the end of August and I was sporting a sweatshirt half the time. I’d like to return sometime for the fall colors but all those flowers won my heart 🙂

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  10. Several bloggers have been to this area in Door County and it always looks and sounds so neat. We enjoyed our visit to Wisconson but didn’t get that far north. I love when communities, especially businesses, help create a beautiful surrounding.

    We did the tour of Packer stadium while in that area. It was such a great tour and facility. There was a such a personal feeling. While the facility isn’t as flashy as the Colts facility, I enjoyed the surrounding so much more. Love your photo…so “corny!”

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    1. Haha, corny indeed! Door County was just an hour northeast of the Packer stadium and worth exploring. I was hoping to stay in this part of the country for fall colors, but we’re bee lining back to CO to assist the daughter in a big change!

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    1. I think you guys would really enjoy Door County. Each quaint town offered plenty of unique shopping opportunities along with tasty eateries.

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  14. I love the photo of you in the cornfield – great composition and super lush color! The flowers and vegetation in that entire region is really beautiful. I’m really enjoying following your travels. 🙂

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