A Tale of Camping in Trempealeau

For the second annual Fourth of July weekend getaway we decided to do another camping trip in Wisconsin.  It worked to our advantage that Monday was off so that we could do our long run on Saturday before heading out to still have two nights of camping.  We picked a campground that would provide lots of opportunity for activity with tons of hiking options, canoe rentals on site, and a nice hilly background to get us outside of the flatness of northern Illinois. 

This year we invited our friends Darren and Lisa to join in on the camping adventure.  It brought a whole new element to the planning phase and being the planner that I am, I couldn't help but create a shared google doc for us with the menu, activity options, and packing plans.  This stressed out Dan a bit but made me more comfortable... what does this say about our personalities?  Ideas were running on high with visions of homemade marshmallow & graham crackers for smores, bocce ball to canoeing to hiking for activities, and hammocks for naps.

So Saturday bright and early, we headed out for our long run... it was hard!  We were both drained from an impossible week (work had been rough) and it was pretty hot even though we got an early start.  I thought for sure that we had added a couple minutes to our pace but we were actually faster than usual!  So then, after a little cool down walk with the dogs, we started packing everything up.  Food was pre-chopped, clothes were closely edited to just a backpack each, and things were forgotten and/or cut as we tossed it all into the Jeep.

Then we added D&L's gear to the mix and all piled in for a cozy 5 1/2 hour drive.  All the way there the weather was beautiful, the traffic was easy, and good ole Martha gave us the favored driving word of the trip - projectile (in her article about traveling with dogs and using doggy car seats so they don't become projectiles).

Excitement was high as we reached the little bay area off of the Mississippi River and drove up the hillside to our forest-like nest for the weekend.  Tents went up without a glitch.  Darren figured out a way to MacGyver up his hammock with motorcycle tiedowns.  Tecate gave us the energy to fit in an evening hike.

The area of Perrot State Park is quite pretty.  Tree covered hills abound, marshy like riverbed, and even a field of wildflowers filled with coneflowers, black-eyed susans, queen anne's lace, etc... of course there was also poison ivy which had me completely freaked out that we were all going to get coated in it (ugh, that would be a disaster).  And our "foil dinners" (chicken breast, mushrooms, summer squash, zuchinni, red bell pepper, onion, garlic, basil, lemon zest & juice, and olive oil) turned out perfectly.

Saturday morning we awoke to some pretty heavy rainfall so snoozed in the tent until there was a little break.  Then we realized that we did not pack enough water or a pot to heat up water for coffee (oh the agony of being non-caffinated).  After a continental breakfast of homemade granola bars, brownies, graham crackers, and bananas (no one was spry enough or hungry enough to actually cook) we ventured out in the rain to Winona MN for Target (where they conveniently have Starbucks along with the few items that we needed). Winona is a pretty town; it has a feel of being in the foothills. 

Back to camp.  More rain.  More snacking.  Eucker. Gin Rummy.  Bullshit.  Drizzle to full on showers.  20 questions. Top three vacation spots discussioned.  A bug-filled walk along the river to stretch our legs. One pouts in the hammock and another in a tent.  A tossed out idea of packing up and going home. 

More rain.  A fire built in the rain (I am an awesome firemaker if I do say so myself).  Roasting corn on the cob and hotdogs in the rain.  One gives up and goes to the tent at the mention of more card games.  The sleeping bag is getting damp.  Another one toss out the idea of packing up.  A look at the weather radar on an Android phone.  The rain is just going to get worse.  Packing up camp in a full on rain shower.  Checking into a cheapy hotel with visions of a hot shower and a bed softer than the ground.  Driving nearly 8 hours in rain + traffic.  At least I only got 2 bug bites dispite being surrounded by mosquitoes.

Ending it all with an evening of streaming tv show "rentals" and pizza and the discussion of maybe next year a cabin would be the way to go.

We may be getting too old for sleeping on the ground and trying to wait out rain showers under easy-ups.

Long-Short Getaway to Los Angeles

In March we decided that it had been way to long since we had traveled.  It had been since Costa Rica.  Way to long.  We also were due for a get-out-of-Chicago trip.  A steep discount for a hotel in LA presented itself and the place was picked.

 

 

 

 

 We laughed a lot.  We people watched.  We dined slowly, out doors, with no rush.  We noticed how very bright the sun shown.  We relaxed.

We layed by the pool.  And picked on the unassuming pool companions.  We accidentally got sunburns.  And drank the most expensive coronas ever.

Skipped going to Sprinkles Cupcakes.  Drank Sofia Champaigne.  Felt like kids in a candy shop at the produce section of a grocery store.  Found a restaurant were the bartendar made his own blood orange bitters and had spiced lined up ready to craft an individual drink for his patrons and were the waitress clearly found us to be very unimportant.

We took a LA public bus to Santa Monica.  Walked and had dinner on Melrose Avenue.  Went into an Oliver Peoples shop and walked right back out.  Considered going to Rodeo Drive just to go into a shop and say "Big mistake.  Big. Huge."  Decided to skip Rodeo Drive.

Walked along the beach.  Walked along palm tree lined streets.  Ran through Beverly Hills.  Thought about how lame it would be to have such tall walls around your backyard.  But how amazing it would be to have such perfection in climate.

Thoroughly and completely enjoyed every single minute.  And we are still singing Beverly Hills, thats were I want to be!

Camping at Wildcat Mountain

For the past several years we have tried to plan a camping trip.  Usually we wait until summer to plan this (we live in the season we are in) and thus are not able to find an open space.  This year we were determined that it would happen so we reserved our camp space at Wildcat Mountain back in early April.  We found the book The Best in Tent Camping Wisconsin to be incredible helpful as they review which camp sites are more private than others, which are next to the RV spots, and what the campground is like.  Dan poured over the book and picked out a great spot.

After our last minute trip to REI for a few more supplies, we packed up and headed up to Wisconsin.  The spirits where high for both us and the dogs as we headed down little country roads and into the heart of the countryside. After arriving at the campsite we had super wild dogs as we set up our tent (we are so glad they have made them super easy to set up these days), gathered some kindling to get the fire going, and started the camp food feasting.

I might be inclined to say that our camping trip was about relaxing, eating, and quiet time... We did a little hiking, a little reading, a little chatting, a little observation of nature, and lot of roasting marshmallows...

Everyone completely disconnected from the distractions of everyday life and relaxed.  Going back to the basics of needing to gather and break down our fire wood, keeping the fire going, and preparing each meal was simplicistic and non-stressful.  And simple dishes like peach delights (grilled peaches with a few marshmallows and almond cookies) cooked over a fire are such unbelievable comfort foods.

It was a fantastic little getaway and fun way to spend the Fourth of July weekend.  We are hoping that we can plan to do a camping trip next year for the Fourth as well.