Remember the good old days when you could just hop in your boat of a sedan and drive to wherever without having to take out a second mortgage to fill the tank? Not to mention worrying about climate change stranding poor polar bears in open ocean looking for ice. Sadly, it seems the days of the classic, petroleum-fueled American road trip are coming to an end.
Let’s face it. With gas up to (gasp) $4 a gallon, the road is suddenly looking like the shortest route to the poor house. Small wonder so many drivers are getting stranded after trying to run the car on fumes. So what is a poor, vacation-starved Milwaukeean to do?
With that problem in mind, we looked for a way to turn lemons into lemonade, to find all the fun to be had a little closer to home – specifically, any round trip of about 350 miles or less. And what we found surprised us. There’s an abundance of adventures covering a wide range of interests: Museums, fishing, antiques, music festivals, canoeing and kayaking, cheese tours, classic baseball, great golf courses, soul-changing meditation and lots more are all within one squeeze of the gas pump. Most could make great day trips, but we’ve also included recommendations for where you might stay overnight, to make it a real, if short, vacation.
A Date With Bait
If fishing is a religion, Musky Mike’s bait and tackle shop is the church, at least to the true believers of Lake Country. The downtown Okauchee fishing shop loads up customers with lures and leaders and good advice, then sends them out to some of the best fishing spots in metro Milwaukee.
Leeches or minnows? Slipbobber or wacky rigs? The shop sells bait for the average fisher, but also provides high-end customers with musky baits, custom-made rods and handmade leaders. Mike’s also hooks up anglers with licensed local guides. Chris Terry, a fisherman since the mid-1980s, leads full-day on-the-water fishing trips ($250 for up to two people) and half-day trips ($175) on some 17 lakes in Waukesha County. Terry is a “multispecies” guide, and good at chasing out bluegills, bass, Northerners, walleyes – and muskies, of course. His biggest muskellunge was a 48-incher he pulled out of Okauchee Lake in 2004.
Terry’s advice: He prefers Silver Lake for catching bass. For walleye, Lac Labelle. But his all-around favorite is Oconomowoc Lake because of its clear, weedless water and abundance of small-mouth bass, walleye and musky.
These make fine day trips, but to make it a vacation, spend the night in a tent or under the stars. Lake Country’s largest public campground is in Naga-Waukee Park near Delafield, a 10-minute drive from Musky Mike’s. With access to Lake Nagawicka for fishing, swimming and boating, the park has 33 family campsites, five group sites and hiking along the Ice Age Trail. Musky Mike’s, N50 W34844 Wisconsin Ave., Okauchee, 262-560-1189, www.muskymikesbaitshop.com.
And click over to waukeshacounty.gov/page.aspx?SetupMetaId=”11022&id=11202″ for camping information.
– Kurt Chandler
The Cheese Tour
The thing that makes Wisconsin artisanal cheese a gourmet’s delight is our terroir, a French word that covers everything from flora and fauna to soil and weather patterns. What better way to take in the terroir, learn the industry’s history and sample award-winning cheeses than by making The Great Cheese Loop? It’s 357 miles and best done over two days.
Start with the village of Theresa in Dodge County, 50 miles northwest of Milwaukee. The main attraction here is Widmer’s Cheese Cellars at 214 W. Henni St. (widmerscheese.com). Look at the guest book and you’ll see just how famous Wisconsin cheese is. There are names from Arizona to New Jersey, even Europe and Australia.
Not far from the birthplace of the real American original Colby (in Colby, Wis., where else?), Widmer still makes Colby the old fashioned way – filled with tiny pinprick holes, not the light cheddar that passes for Colby in grocery stores. But Widmer’s own claim to fame is another Wisconsin original, this one invented in 1875 and made by Joe Widmer’s Swiss grandfather: brick cheese. With more than 60 types of cheese, you’ll want to pack a cooler. Widmer’s shop/factory opens at 6 a.m. Monday through Friday (7 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 10 to 4 Sunday) with free plant tours weekdays at 9:30 a.m. (888-878-1107).
From Theresa, head northwest 103 miles to La Valle, Wis., home to Carr Valley Cheese Co. (S 3797 County Trunk G). The state’s most award-winning cheesemaker, Sid Cook, the fourth generation of his family in the business, is a prolific cheese inventor, with 20 American originals to his credit. His specialty is mixed-milk cheeses – goat, sheep and cow milk. In 2004, his triple-milk Gran Canaria, aged two years in olive oil, won Best of Show at the 2004 American Cheese Society competition. His Cocoa Cardona, a semisoft goat-milk cheese aged and rubbed with dark cocoa and a dash of black pepper, took the 2003 best of class. Carr also offers a cooking class in La Valle. Book ahead at 608-986-2781.
Next, drive south 79 miles to New Glarus, home to immigrant Swiss cheesemakers since 1845. Here, have a Swiss fondue dinner, then enjoy the Swiss-styled accommodations, breakfast included, at the Chalet Landhaus Inn (801 Hwy. 69, 608-527-5234, $89-$140).
In the morning, take the 20-minute drive south to Green County, home to the state’s largest concentration of master cheesemakers and to Roth Kase (657 Second St. in Monroe, rothkase.com), the only U.S. manufacturer of gruyere cheese. Winner of over 100 international and national awards, Kase sells over 75 varieties of cheeses, including neighboring Monticello master cheesemaker Bruce Workman’s Edelweiss Swiss, the only 180-pound artisan Emmentaler Swiss made in America. Before stocking the cooler for the 109-mile trip home, enjoy a view of the operation from the central observation hall that runs right through the middle of the plant. Now you can proudly wear your Cheesehead.
– Mary Van de Kamp Nohl
Have a Ball
Wisconsin’s best baseball diamond – certainly its largest – isn’t home to the Milwaukee Brewers. It’s spread all over the eastern half of the state, and mapquest.com says you can round the bases in 337 miles.
Begin with Miller Park (home plate, if you will). Then, at first base, it’s Appleton’s Fox Cities Stadium, home of the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers. Manning second, Madison’s Warner Park, known as the “Duck Pond” for the Madison Mallards. And at third base is Beloit’s Pohlman Field, where the Beloit Snappers play.
The Rattlers and Snappers are in the Midwest League, a Single-A level of the minors where youngsters taste their first full 140-game season of pro ball. You never know when you’ll see a future All-Star (like 1994, when Alex Rodriguez was in Appleton, or 2002 and ’03, when Prince Fielder played for Beloit). The Mallards belong to the Northwoods League, which technically isn’t a professional circuit, but features top college players spending the summer refining their skills. This year, UW-Milwaukee standout Josh Groves is there.
Sure, you can always catch the Brewers, but the idea is to get out of town. Baseball is a far more intimate and unpretentious experience in the minors, bringing fans closer to the action and giving them face-time with players. But hurry: All three teams are home during a stretch from late July to early August: the Timber Rattlers July 26-Aug. 3, Mallards Aug. 1-6 and Snappers July 29-Aug. 3.
If you want the full minor league experience (and with most minor league tickets under $10, you’ll have plenty of money for hotels), why not stay overnight where the visiting teams do? In Beloit, the Snappers’ opponents stay at Econo Lodge, 2956 Milwaukee Rd., Beloit, 608-364-4000 (rooms $65.99-$79.99). In Appleton, the Timber Rattlers’ rival teams stay at Microtel Inn & Suites, 321 Metro Dr., Appleton, 920-997-3121 ($74.95-$84.95), and teams playing the Madison Mallards stay at Grandstay Residential Suites, 5317 High Crossing Blvd., Madison, 608-241-2500 ($109.90-$149.95).
(Fox Cities Stadium, 2400 Casaloma Dr., Appleton, 920-733-4152, timberrattlers.com; Warner Park, 2920 N. Sherman Ave., Madison, 608-246-4277, mallardsbaseball.com; Pohlman Field, 2301 Skyline Dr., Beloit, 608-362-2272, snappersbaseball.com.)
– Howie Magner
Chicago Sounds
Hopefully you didn’t blow all your gas money at Summerfest this year, because Chicago’s Lollapalooza festival, held in beautiful Grant Park, packs more notable music into three days than just about any event imaginable. Considered to be one of the most important music festivals on the planet, Lollapalooza (Aug. 1-3; $205 for a three-day pass, lollapalooza.com) is a showcase for the most cutting-edge acts. This year’s headliners include Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine and Kanye West (below), but perhaps the most interesting selection is found around the festival’s seven stages earlier in the day. This year’s nonheadlining gems include: Broken Social Scene, The National, Explosions in the Sky, Stephen Malkmus & The Jicks, and Battles (to name a few). Save gas by taking Amtrak ($42 round trip) from Milwaukee or by driving to Kenosha and taking the Metra train ($7.05 one-way, a short walk to the festival from the station).
The Ravinia Festival, held in Chicago’s spectacular Millennium Park, is also well worth the trip. The series features A-list classical, world, Broadway, jazz, blues and pop acts, and runs almost every night in August. This year’s acts include Willie Nelson, Joshua Bell, Dave Brubeck Quartet and Feist. Prices vary depending on the act (ravinia.org or call 847-266-5100). The venue is just steps from the Metra train station. If you choose to stay the night for either festival, consider the W City Center (whotels.com/chicagocitycenter; $189-$2500) or Hotel Monaco (monaco-chicago.com; $129-$759). Both are just a short walk from Grant and Millennium parks.
– Mario Quadracci
Sweet Retreats
You can buy a candy bar anywhere. Why drive five hours to get your fix? Ahh, the primordial thrill of the hunt. The road warrior in you longs to blow past verdant fields and roadside signs that read “Honk for the Pack.” After 170 miles of mating with I-94, you’ve earned that box (at least!) of hand-dipped caramels.
In a day’s drive, you can hit six shops – from Manitowoc to Green Bay and southwest to Appleton – that ply the worthy trade of handmade candy. Here’s your itinerary:
A retro honey of black-walnut trim and chest-high glass display cases, Beerntsen’s in Manitowoc feels like a place where you’d see Jimmy Stewart buying cherry cordials for Donna Reed. From the shop’s repertoire of confections (some handmade, some not), there are the famous amoeba-shaped suckers (heart-fluttery butterscotch) and an array of dipped and molded chocolates. 920-684-9616, beerntsens.com.
Forty miles north in Green Bay, the Packers get all the ink. But there’s a long chocolate tradition here, illustrated by three shops. Kaap’s Old World Chocolates, whose chocolate-covered Mello Puff elevates the marshmallow to something brilliant, dates to the early 1900s. A blandly pleasant, carpeted space replaces the original Main Street location. The surroundings don’t matter once you pop a meltaway (peanut butter, mmm!) or dipped butter toffee in your mouth. 920-430-9041, ottokaap.com.
The Green Bay Beerntsen’s (sharing the name, but not the owners, of the Manitowoc shop) is a candy store-cum-gift shop. The store carries the famous homemade suckers and every kind of dipped chocolate confection you can think of, peanut clusters to maple creams. 920-437-4400, chocolatecandies.net.
In Seroogy’s stark-white, suburban DePere store, you’ll pass racks of greeting cards and nostalgic packaged candy (while suffocating elevator music plays) to get to the chocolate counter. There, clerks in green caps and shirts can box up treats, including (my fave) the cashew snappers. 920-336-1383, seroogys.com.
Treat your roller coaster blood-sugar ride with more loot as you coast southwest to Appleton (20 pounds heavier, perhaps). The well-stocked Vande Walle’s Candies (and Bakery) has picked up State Fair blue ribbons for its creamy caramels. 920-738-7799, vandewallescandies.com.
Always end a road trip on an up note, especially when you’re facing two more hours on Highway 41 back to Milwaukee. Wilmar’s, the apple of Appleton’s eye, is that up note. A small corner shop with a tin ceiling and faux gilded cash register, this 52-year-old excels at truffles (Indian spice topped with candied ginger equals divine), dipped toffee and meltaways that take your breath away. 920-733-6182, wilmarchocolates.com.
– Ann Christenson
Just You and Rover
For dog lovers, what could be better than a nice day trip with Fido? Lure Coursing Fanatics is the first all-breed lure coursing club in the U.S. Located in Somers, just off I-94 in Kenosha County, it’s perfect for dog lovers who get bored merely walking their pet. This two-acre field, about 200 yards long, lets dogs chase a plastic bag and white bunny tail tied to a pulley system. Owners Lauri and Mike Stromberg control the lure’s speed by a motor system.
Lure coursing was invented to test the skills of sighthounds, who hunt by sight rather than scent. “But we discovered almost any dog can try this sport,” Lauri says. As a dog takes the track, it’s soon hooked by the sight of the fuzzy tail racing around the grass. Before you know it, the pooch is off and running at its own pace.
Oh, and did we mention it’s cheap? Anyone interested can visit the club’s Web site, lurecoursingfanatics.com, and sign up for a particular day and time. It’s $5 for one run or $40 for a 10-run pass. The course is attracting dog owners from Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota and Iowa. 7725 12th St., Somers, 262-859-2369.
– Nicole Miller
Blossom Time
Yes, Milwaukee offers wonderful gardens, indoors at Mitchell Park horticultural conservatory or outdoors at Boerner Botanical Gardens. But if you love flowers, try some flower-filled day trips.
Southern exposure: One of the country’s most visited gardens is the Chicago Botanic Garden, located north of the city in Glencoe, Ill. (1000 Lake Cook Rd, 847-835-5440, chicagobotanic.org).
Southwest: Rockford, Ill., has two standouts. First, the Anderson Japanese Gardens is a must-see, with traditional and contemporary displays reflecting authentic Japanese values (318 Spring Creek Rd., 815-229-9390, andersongardens.org). And just 10 minutes away you can find the Klehm Arboretum and Botanic Garden, with seven different displays and bur oak trees more than 300 years old (2715 S. Main St., 815-965-8146, klehm.org). And then, heading back into Wisconsin, try Janesville’s Rotary Botanical Gardens. This 20-acre plot has gardens with specific international focuses (1455 Palmer Dr., 608-752-3885, rotarygardens.org).
Fox Valley: Paine Art Center and Gardens in Oshkosh is a two-for-one, with a historic estate that includes museums in the mansion and 20 garden displays outside (1410 Algoma Blvd., 920-235-6903, thepaine.org). And the Gardens of the Fox Cities in Appleton are worth a look, offering educational programs year-round (1313 E. Witzke Blvd., 920-993-1900, gardensfoxcities.org). Finish with the Green Bay Botanical Gardens (2600 Larsen Rd., 920-490-9457, gbbg.org), which prides itself on including plants that can survive in all four seasons. Hmm, would that include frozen tundra?
– Nicole Miller
Putting Along
As co-author of Golf Wisconsin: The Official Guide to the State’s Top 25 Public Courses, Jeff Mayers has driven – and hit drives – all over the state. Here’s his choice of five top courses that are worth a one-tank trip. Some of them – but not all – are pricey, and each is open to the public.
The Straits at Whistling Straits: “You just can’t talk about golf in Wisconsin without talking about this course,” says Mayers. “It’s about as close as you can get to playing in the British Isles without flying over there.” Nestled on Lake Michigan’s coastline and designed by Pete Dye, it’s home to past and future PGA Championships. Like the pros, you’ll walk the course with a caddy. Just don’t expect to score like them. N8501 County LS, Sheboygan, 800-618-5535, whistlingstraits.com. Where to stay: Inn on Woodlake, $154-$378, 920-452-7800, 705 Woodlake Rd., Kohler, destinationkohler.com.
The Links at Lawsonia: “In terms of the history and the setting, it’s unlike any other course in the state,” says Mayers. Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson played there. German POWs lived there. A classic links course and a windswept wonder. W2615 S. Valley View Dr., Green Lake, 800-529-4453, lawsonia.com. Where to stay: Bayview Motel and Resort, $95-$105, 439 Lake St., Green Lake, 920-294-6504, home.centurytel.net/bayview.
Erin Hills Golf Course: “The course layout goes with the land. It’s really a beautiful tract,” says Mayers. Opened in 2006, nature did most of the design work. Dirt was moved on just four of 18 holes, and it’s in sight of Holy Hill, so feel free to pray before you swing. 7169 County Hwy. O, Hartford, 866-724-8822, erinhills.com. Where to stay: Delafield Hotel, $250-$800, 415 Genesee St., Delafield, 262-646-1600, thedelafieldhotel.com.
Riverside Golf Course: “One of those muni courses where people travel to play it,” says Mayers. You’ll spend more on gas than greens fees, because a round costs less than $30. But with flowering crabapple trees and shots over ravines, the course doesn’t play cheap. 2100 Golf Course Rd., Janesville, 608-757-3080, janesville-golf.com. Where to stay: Holiday Inn Express, $109, 3100 Wellington Pl., 608-756-3100, ichotelsgroup.com.
The Brute: “You never think of Wisconsin as being a site of the Playboy Club,” says Mayers. “You go past the old Bunny dormitories on one hole.” Sorry guys, the girls are history. But they left behind a sexy – and difficult – layout. Get too distracted by their memories, though, and the course will make you pay. 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, 888-392-8000, grandgeneva.com. Where to stay: Grand Geneva Resort, $229-$439, 7036 Grand Geneva Way, Lake Geneva, 888-392-8000, grandgeneva.com.
– Howie Magner
Short Strange Trips
Looking for pure kitsch or weird fun? Wisconsin obliges.
Mars Cheese Castle: For over 50 years, the neon sign has beckoned to all who travel I-94 in southern Wisconsin. But you’ve never stopped, have you? Well, it’s time. Because be it a curd or round of cheddar, exotic jerky or smoked sausage shaped like a beer bottle, the Castle has everything a Wisconsinite could want. Yes, even beer (800-655-6147, marscheese.com).
Mount Horeb Mustard Museum: In the immediate wake of the Red Sox blowing the 1986 World Series, Wisconsin Assistant Attorney General Barry Levenson consoled himself with a trip to the nearby supermarket and its condiment aisle. Suddenly inspired, the following year he opened The Mount Horeb Mustard Museum. Today, the museum is home to more than 4,400 types of mustard from more than 60 countries, in addition to hundreds of pieces of mustard memorabilia (100 W. Main St., Mount Horeb, 800-438-6878, mustardweb.com).
House on the Rock: The king of kitsch in Wisconsin, the House has been amazing and dismaying visitors for more than 60 years. A constant work in progress, it consists of a seemingly endless array of unique knickknacks and collectibles, all focused in themed attractions. Like “The Heritage of the Sea” exhibit, which features nautical artifacts and a model depicting a fight between a 200-foot sea monster and an octopus that sings “Octopus’s Garden” by The Beatles. You really do have to experience it yourself (5754 State Road 23, Spring Green, 608-935-3639, thehouseontherock.com).
Tommy Bartlett’s Exploratory: Until his death in 1998, Tommy Bartlett was the greatest showman in Wisconsin. While he’s best known for his water ski stunt show (long held on Lake Delton, which is dry as we write this), his exploratory museum is every bit as exciting. Home to more than 150 hands-on science and technology exhibits aimed to entertain and teach, it even has a module of the Russian MIR space station on display (560 Wisconsin Dells Pkwy., Wisconsin Dells, 608-254-2525, tommybartlett.com).
Spinning Top Exploratory Museum: The name says it all. With thousands of tops, yo-yos and gyroscopes, the Spinning Top Exploratory Museum also offers hands-on games, demonstrations, classes and even a day camp (533 Milwaukee Ave., Burlington, 262-763-3946).
– Evan Solochek
Antiques Road Trip
For decades, Cedarburg was Wisconsin’s antique mecca. Nowadays, the action has moved north to the small town of Princeton. Antiquers stream into town early on Saturdays for the state’s largest weekly flea market, held at Princeton City Park, a shady square block on Hwy. 23/73. Country Living magazine calls this one of the 100 best flea markets in the nation. It makes for a nice weekend trip.
Princeton, a ways west of Oshkosh, is just eight miles from Angel Inn Bed and Breakfast (372 S. Lawson Dr., Green Lake), a good place to spend Friday night, as the flea market opens at 6 a.m. The Greek Revival mansion offers rooms with lake views, private baths, fireplaces and therapeutic spa tubs, plus a full breakfast. Admission for the flea market is free, as is parking.
By lunch, you’ll have worked up an appetite. Try Once in a Blue Moon (538 W. Water St.), a little eatery on the main drag open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m. You’ll find hearty homemade soups and delights like crème brule banana oatmeal, Cajun crab Benedict and the café’s famous bread pudding.
With your stamina restored, its time to head to some of the antique shops. One of the best in town, Strong’s Landing (441 W. Water St., strongslandingantiques.com) offers 15 rooms of quality art and antiques from around the world. There’s a room filled with ship paintings, another with jewelry and early-20th-century wedding dresses, a gentleman’s room and a display case full of British royal family items dating from Victoria’s reign. We found a 1650s English dowry chest and the jester-like tunic ($1,900) worn by Bing Crosby in the 1942 film comedy Road to Morocco.
Across the street you’ll find Old Abe (440 W. Water St.), a storehouse for old toys, military collectibles, African-American memorabilia and Native American artifacts. Jo Von’s Vintage and Antiques (102 W. Water St.) features fine china, kitchen collectibles, and vintage clothing. And Woolbright’s
River City Antique Mall (328 Fulton St., rivercityantiquemall.com) specializes in antique furniture, glassware, decoys and Up North décor. The owner’s collection of African-American memorabilia is great – but not for sale.
Down the block, you’ll find our favorite shop – Johnny Crow’s at 103 W. Water St. – with a fine assortment of quality decorative antiques, ranging from primitives to one-of-a-kind Victorian-era pieces. Finish the afternoon with a relaxing cocktail at Buckhorn (531 W. Water St.), a unique tavern with a porch and deck overlooking the Fox River.
– Mary Van de Kamp Nohl
Medication Vacation
Do those hectic excursions away from home leave you more stressed out than before you started? Plan your trip around a yoga or meditation practice and you’ll rediscover your inner calm.
In Green Lake, Heidel House Resort’s Evensong Spa offers small yoga classes in a studio with three walls of floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the woods. You can stay at the Heidel House or just spend the day at the spa. For $20, spa access includes use of the labyrinth (a meditative pathway you can walk through), locker room with waterfall whirlpool, steam room and relaxation center. Yoga classes are $15, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m., Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 a.m., or set up a private class. Make it a trip and stay overnight ($149-$199 for a standard room, 800-444-2812, heidelhouse.com).
If you’re looking for a spiritual sanctuary in Madison, try the drop-in classes (Tues-Thurs; 7-8:30 p.m.) or the family dharma classes (10:30-11:30 a.m., second Saturday of the month) at Akanishta Buddhist Center (608-661-3211, meditationinmadison.org). Or learn about Buddhist philosophy at Deer Park buddhist center in Oregon, a temple run by Tibetan spiritual master Geshe Sopa and visited by the Dalai Lama (Thursdays 7:30-9 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.-noon, 608-835-5572, deerparkcenter.org).
Commune with nature at Yoga in the Gardens, Monday evenings and Thursday mornings in Madison’s Olbrich Botanical Gardens, taught by a certified Kripalu instructor who specializes in gentle, stress-relieving yoga. And on Sundays from 9-10:30 a.m., Meditation in the Gardens is a unique combination of tai chi and heart rhythm meditation, which helps increase mental clarity, balance and a sense of well-being. Both classes are walk-in, $10 per session (608-246-4550, olbrich.org).
Want more? Stay overnight at the Holy Wisdom Monastery run by the Benedictine Women of Madison. The monastery’s private guest bedrooms “provide the perfect setting for a quiet, contemplative experience,” you are promised. Rooms run $43-$48 per night. You can buy wholesome, homemade meals and also have a session with a spiritual guide (suggested payment, $30-$50 an hour). Nirvana. 4200 County Hwy. M, Middleton, benedictinewomen.org/retreats.htm.
– Julie Sensat Waldren
Paddle Pleasures
If you’re looking to spend time on the water without all those pesky fish interrupting your fun, try paddling a canoe or kayak.
In the Milwaukee area, a favorite put-in is the DNR canoe landing on Lower Nemahbin Lake in Waukesha County. Take I-94 to the Sawyer Road exit and head south for half-a-mile. The secluded, tree-covered lane on your left is Sugar Island Road. As you approach the lake, you’ll see a small DNR lot on your left. Carry your boat down the woodchip path, launch at the DNR dock, and enjoy the shallow, clear water.
For those a bit more adventurous, it gets better. From this same put-in, paddle north under the twin I-94 bridges and you end up on Upper Nemahbin Lake. Explore and daydream about which lake home would be yours if money were no object. Want to see more? Keep paddling to the northwest corner of Upper Nemahbin and look for a “secret” causeway too shallow for power boats. It leads to Lower Nashotah and another lake to explore.
Still got wanderlust? Paddle to the north end of Lower Nashotah and find the gently sloped tunnel under the road with a trickle of water running through it. You can either carry or drag your boat through the tunnel to Upper Nashotah Lake to complete your chain-o-lakes quadfecta. On this relatively secluded lake, you’ll think you’re really Up North. Tip: Carry a compass or a GPS to retrace your route. By the time you return to the put-in, total voyage distance will be about six miles – two to three hours for most paddlers.
Canoe and kayak rentals, including pads and tie-downs for your car roof, are available from Laacke & Joys, 414-271-7878, laackeandjoys.com. And if you want to make it an overnight vacation, head to the Naga-Waukee Park camping spot mentioned in “A Date With Bait.”
– Ken Braband
Two-wheel Tours
How about a day – or overnight – trip that gives you plenty of exercise?
Wisconsin is home to hundreds of miles of great mountain bike trails, highlighted by nine mile west of Wausau and blue mound state park in Iowa County. Both have campgrounds nearby, if you’re so inclined. Closer to home, the mountain bike trail at lapham peak (south of Delafield along Highway C) is good for beginner to intermediate riders. If you need a soft place to crash, the gently rolling hills are covered with soft prairie grass. Turn your Lapham Peak ride into an overnight outing by calling 262-646-3025 to reserve the park’s one backpack campsite. More advanced single trackers may prefer the challenge of the john muir trails and nearby emma carlin trails, both in the Southern Kettle Moraine forest near La Grange. If you want to tackle them both, there’s an excellent 5.5-mile connector trail.
Hybrid and road bikers prefer their trails to be of the paved or crushed limestone varieties, and Wisconsin obliges. The granddaddy of all “rails to trails” is the elroy-sparta, but riders of any level can enjoy a similar experience (minus the cool spooky tunnels) on recreational trails in the Milwaukee area. The ozaukee interurban (interurbantrail.us) is a 30-mile paved trail that spans the length of Ozaukee County. The glacial drumlin (glacialdrumlin.com) starts in Waukesha and runs 52 miles west to Cottage Grove. Also in Milwaukee County, the oak leaf trail (county.milwaukee.gov/oakleaftrail8289.htm) loops through some of our city’s most beautiful parks via 100 miles of off-road trails and city streets.
If you’d rather watch bikers, there are two races that should provide excitement for spectators. Fresh off the International Cycling Classic, the Alexian Brothers Tour of Elk Grove (Aug. 1-3, Elk Grove Village, Ill., tourofelkgrove.com) offers a time trial and a road race along with a children’s festival, live music and fireworks. A couple of weeks later, head just south of Chicago for the National Criterium Championships (Aug. 16-17, Downer’s Grove, Ill., dgcycling.com) and watch the male and female USA Cycling champion get crowned.
– Ken Braband and Evan Solochek
