Patricia Lake, Minocqua, Wisconsin

As we left the Duluth area and skirted the southern shore of Lake Superior, the shoreline changed from ragged cliffs to pebble beaches. We came across a wonderful Lake Superior interpretive center, which was SO well-done, and SO informative.

We stopped in Ashland, WI, which is right at the southern end of Chequamegon Bay off Lake Superior. We noticed a swim beach (kids were actually swimming in the cold lake!) with two life guards and a diving board at the end of a pier. One of the life guards told us that their summer ran from "the middle of June to the middle of August". She said this beach would have life guards until August 26, and then "everyone was on their own".

This is a decommissioned ore dock, now a public swim beach

We have stumbled into the Lakeland area of Wisconsin, and it is a little piece of Heaven. We all know that Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes, but Wisconsin has at least that many, seemingly all within 5 miles of our camp site. As I look through the trees surrounding Irv (our fifth wheel I-R-V, get it?), I catch glimpses of Patricia Lake. She is just a small lake, but has three or four piers or docks, a couple of swimming platforms, and several canoes, kayaks and row boats around the perimeter. It's lovely here.

Patricia Lake

We took a long walk on the Bearskin Trail today. It is one of many "Rails to Trails" across the USA. When rail lines become unused (or unusable), the Rails to Trails program obtains the land, removes the train tracks and recycles it into a biking and hiking trail. This particular trail is 18 miles long, through beautiful woods and wetlands, across trestles spanning lakes, past lovely homes...including the home of Ray Nitchke, Hall of Fame former middle linebacker for the Green Bay Packers.

A trestle on the Bearskin Trail across Lake Minocqua

Lake Minocqua

After watching a family (try to) catch fish, we strolled down the lake to an inviting pub with a deck overlooking Lake Minocqua. We sat outside, each with our beverage of choice, and OF COURSE, Jack immediately struck up a conversation with an older gentleman seated nearby. He is a retired professor of psychology, who splits his time between Chicago and the Lakelands, and has done so for the passed 60 years.

Soon, three young people (well, 30... that's younger, right?) also from Chicago joined us.  One was a cop, two worked in PR. Jack and I got some great hints as to what to see, where to go, and where to eat when we get to Chicago.

Jack on the deck of the Laughing Whale, Lake Minocqua, WI

Tomorrow we head south, towards Chicago, but will stop half way in the town of Chilton, along Lake Winebago. (Has anyone out there ever read Dr. Seuss's "Thidwick the Big Hearted Moose"? "On Lake Wine-bango, on the far northern shore, lived a large herd of moose, about 30 or more...")

Yes, we are in Paul Bunyan territory