October 3, 2012 - Color in Peninsula State Park, WI

 

October 3, 2012 - Color in Peninsula State Park.  We arrived last night in Peninsula State Park.  We were here in May, liked it and felt shorted when we had to leave prematurely.  The pictures say why much better than I can.  It is lovely here.  It is peaceful.  It is nature at its best.  I congratulate the people of Wisconsin for their foresight in preserving this slice of Eden. 

We biked for several hours today.  Annie's knees held up, in large part because the trails are level with few hills.  Today, I won the DOTD - Doofus of the Day- Award.  We were a mile from the campsite when I patted my pockets for my cell phone.  It wasn't there.  I checked my side pockets, my hip pockets, my thigh pockets; no phone.  "When did you have it last?" Annie asked.

"I checked my email just before we left the campsite," I responded.

"Well, it must have fallen out of your pocket.  Let's retrace our route," she said.  So, we started back to camp.  After half a mile, we stopped at an intersection to check the map.  "What's that on your belt?" she asked. 

"My phone," I replied sheepishly.  "Now, let's not waste a lot of time fixing blame for this slight detour in this wonderful bike ride.  Let's get back on the trail."  While she was sputtering and trying to grab my shirttail, I scooted away.  Mrs. Smith didn't raise any stupid children. 

We had lunch at Al Johnson's Swedish Restaurant.  The roof of the restaurant is sod and grass.  Atop the roof were three goats.  The goats are the signature of the restaurant.  Two bus loads of old people pulled up while we were eating.  The food at Al's is good, but it isn't that good.  The old people on the buses were there because there were goats on the roof.  Catchy idea Al had. 

We scheduled our day so we could go to Sweetie Pies at the end of the day for dessert.  We carefully checked the website and learned that Sweetie Pies is open until 5:00 PM on Wednesdays.  We pulled into the parking lot at 4:30 only to find the store was closed.  The sign said they closed at 4:00.  Annie was nearly inconsolable.  And, for the second time today, she was mad.  "Those lop-eared, pin-headed knuckleheads, they need to know that people look at the website and plan their day based on the information they put there.  I want to come back tomorrow and tell them that."  I want to go back tomorrow and eat a piece of their wonderful apple pie with vanilla ice cream. 

We're not sure how much longer we'll be here.  We aren't ready to leave yet.  Tomorrow will be another beautiful fall day with temperatures in the mid-sixties.  After that, it will turn cold and there are some predictions of snow.  I've never biked in snow.