Last Day in Wisconsin

Jim left right after breakfast, and the weather was sort of okay, so we took the dogs to a local state park where there were lots of mosquitoes. It was cool and sometimes the sun came out a little, but that’s all, so we were able to play miniature golf while the kids napped in the car. Then we made that second trip to Culver’s, and then we went back to pack.

This was another party night on the property with lots of people from the area, door prizes, cornhole, volleyball and a beer truck. We just dodged the whole thing as much as possible. It’s a small area, though, and you could hear each and every person and activity. So we just left them to their boogying in the rain, and packed up our gear.

Honestly, it’s funny when you think of all the stuff we crammed into a week up there, and the weather sucked most of the time, and a lot of the things we did weren’t what we really planned to do.

On the road the next day, it was just like our arrival: pretty much a dead deer every mile until we hit Illinois. Both Joyce and I have lived in Illinois, and I visited there a lot, and we knew there wasn’t much to see, so we just drove straight to Springfield and because Illinois is flat and pretty dull, there’s not a whole lot more to say about it.

Next, the Land of Lincoln.

What else is there to do in this town? Dells continued.

There’s a lot to do in the Dells; it exists for things to do. For one thing, it’s the waterpark capital of the world. Or the US, at least. So, although we didn’t plan to go to one, we couldn’t help but see them all over the place, and despite the weather, there were plenty of people in them, many in wet suits. There are also indoor parks, but, owing to the presence of children, we weren’t about to subject ourselves to those. Instead, we had thought of going kayaking, but the weather was awful. Even when the sun was out, it was cold. We also planned to go on the Ducks, but not when it was pouring. So when, on the third day, which I think was Friday, the sun came out for real, we were at a loss because we had no reservations, and we did have the dogs. Lucky for us, our little old resort had a couple of pedalboats. And because they weren’t the enormous fat-wheeled tricycle kind, Joyce was willing to try them.

So we crawled into one and set out. Luckily there wasn’t much wind, and we were able to get out into the middle of the lake and see more than from the shore. We had a few slight disagreements about steering and such, but it was mostly fun. And, while we were out there, it got so hot we decided we could go swimming in the heated pool. So after limping back to shore and falling into the lake to get out of the boat, we did that, and the temperature was perfect. Having the sun out and warm weather made a lot of difference in how we felt about the whole place.

However, the very next day, the rain and cold were back. This, we felt, was our opportunity to experience Sundara. Lucky for us, they had some late afternoon slots, but once signed up, we could go over there any time. However, with the dogs, we don’t like to keep them caged more than four hours at a time, so that was all the time we could spend.

Sundara is a yoga-oriented resort and spa. Here it is:

http://www.sundaraspa.com/services/services.html

We both did the cleansing bath ritual and a Swedish massage. There was an outdoor heated pool and spa and I used them even though it was raining. Most people did, but not Joyce. She stayed in the nice quiet meditation and reading room where they served beverages and yoga trail mix. Anyway, the perfect way to spend a cold, rainy afternoon and NO CHILDREN.

Exploring Wisconsin Dells, or What the hell is wrong with these people?

In the Dells, we stayed at a very old resort which is in a nice setting on Lake Delton, which, even as we were there, was celebrating its return.



In case you were unaware, Lake Delton took an unexpected journey through its dam and into the Wisconsin River last year. Imagine that! But they managed to go get it and put it back where it belongs. Read this article for details.

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/19667219.html

And so the whole town was just bursting with pride, and anticipation, and rain, and freezing cold! Our cabin had a little screened porch we couldn’t sit on, and a heater we used a lot, and a fireplace which may or may not have worked. I tried it, and it didn’t do anything, and I left it at that. We kind of needed the space in front of it to pile up dog cages and stuff.

The day after we arrived, we went to a local 50s-themed diner, and then to get groceries at a big box store I am too ashamed to name, and I got a haircut while Joyce shopped. Honestly, I’d rather have a root canal than go shopping. So I had the unusual experience of sitting around in a hair store listening to straight women discussing . . . well, mainly stuff I couldn’t care less about. But it was still better than shopping, and I bet I, and the guy who came in after me, were the easiest customers they had all day. Short hair made shorter, the end.

Now, guess what was going on back at the resort. A pre-party for the return of the lake. It seemed to be made up mainly of people the owners knew, and, like, relatives. No guests were staying there but us, and we were invited, but it was freezing. Anyway, it was just as if we did go, because they held this party basically right on top of us. Somebody brought a speedboat and everyone went out riding in it, and water skiing, in the rain and cold. We couldn’t even sit on the damned porch wearing sweatshirts and jeans, and those people are barbecuing and playing cornhole in the rain. And they made quite a to-do over all this, with beer, screaming children and barking dogs running loose. Once in a while they’d all disappear and then we’d run the dogs out for a quick walk. I don’t know if they went to church or a sex shop or what.

Then at night they’d shriek and whoop around the firepit, in the rain. The firepit was conveniently located about 40 feet from our front door, amid the playground equipment, which the kids used, also in the rain. It wasn’t like they were keeping us from using it, and as I said, we were invited, but come on! It looked mostly like an invitation to catch a bad cold. So we declined.