After driving across the state of Wisconsin, I can say this much: its appeal
isn't just cheese--it has whey more than that.
Okay, no more dairy puns, sorry..
My day started around 9am and after getting a surprisingly large continental
breakfast at my motel, I set off to find the yummy Racine pastry known as
the 'kringle'. My sample at the highly-recommended O&H Danish Bakery
was delectable, but I opted for an equally appealing (and much cheaper)
tart danish. After Racine, I made the 30-mile drive to Milwaukee.
For some reason, I never got a good mental image whenever I heard the city
mentioned. Maybe it's because Jeffrey Dahmer lived there, I dunno. Anyway,
what a neat town. After taking a picture of the Milwaukee Art Museum with its
structural wings that close at night and open during the day (I'm not making
this up, people), I took a walk around the Historic Third Ward. Many cities
could benefit to learn from Milwaukee's preservation of its older buildings--
what a gem. Afterwards, I took a nice stroll down the Riverwalk and got my
picture taken with "The Fonz" of Happy Days fame! (Ok, it was just his
likeness in bronze.) I later nearly caused an accident on the highway when
I swerved to get off of the exit taking me to the Miller brewing plant. I'm not
a huge fan of the stuff but Milwaukee certainly is, so I snapped some photos
and took off. Outside of the city, I stopped at Kopp's Frozen Custard and
had one of the messiest meals of my life (though not a bad meal at all.)
Note: Custard melts MUCH faster than ice cream, so order it in a cup (NOT
a waffle cone), and under no circumstances should you take it out to your
car on a 90 degree day--the custard wont wait for you to turn on the air
(which doesn't really help, either.)
Anyway, Madison was next and I was impressed with this clean, water-
abundant town, full of bicycle lanes, green-friendly initiatives and other
progressive measures. I visited Monona Terrace, the Frank Lloyd Wright-
designed convention center, which had some great views of the two lakes
surrounding Madison and the Wisconsin State Capitol. The Capitol is a
beautiful structure, and I really haven't seen another one quite like it. I took
some great photos from the observation deck. The quirkiness of State
Street didn't hold me for long, as I had walked a lot in the heat already and
was getting cranky from not hydrating myself properly. Had a swell visit.
I ended up in Mineral Point, Wisconsin tonight--and I'm lucky that I did;
the town is one of Wisconsin's oldest, and has a fantastic historic/arts
district. I went to a restaurant called Brewery Creek and had a good meal,
followed by a walk around "Shake Rag Alley" which is a school for arts
and crafts in a beautiful setting. Ended the evening with a much-needed
soak in the motel jacuzzi. Missing my Guy, but having a good time. Hope
you're enjoying your weekend; you'd be a curd not to.
Okay, I'm done, I swear...
TOMORROW: Western WI, Great River Road, Minneapolis, MN
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