Annual Bald Eagle Trip: Da Tub-- Da Steakhouse-- Da Playoffs,--Part 2

In the past, we had to take these eagle trips according to school holidays, but NOT NO MORE!!! Being RETIRED certainly has its advantages. This used to be a three day trip, but now can go as long as we want it. It had to coincide with the MLK holiday.

The next day, Sunday, I went on the internet on their complimentary computer and sat in a barber chair to eat the complimentary breakfast. We went to the Don Q's pool/hot tub area. You can actually swim outside to the great wide open (today with snow still falling and sticking to the trees as nature does her painting). Stuck the toe into the poll and with a shiver said that that wasn't going to happen. We had the place to ourselves.

Always a treat, especially when we don't have to put up with screaming kids. For some reason, kids just start screaming whenever they hit the water. One nice thing about the Don Q is that the adults are usually in the fanta-suites and it is not likely they're going to be out and about. Then, with a $55 room rate for the regular ones, this is a great deal.

Went across the street at noon to Thym's Steakhouse which dates to the 1960s. This was their first time with breakfast buffet, and they did an outstanding job on it. The place was packed and plenty of delicious food. Wisconsin folk sure love their steakhouses.

Drove downtown Dodgeville and watched the Chargers upset the Colts and the Giants do the same with the much-hated Cowboys. Those were two big upsets.

Come On Packers and Chargers. --RoadDog

Annual Bald Eagle Trip--Da Trolls, Da Q, DaPack-- Part 1

We just got back from a road trip out to the Mississippi River to see the bald eagles. We've been doing this for about ten years. You never know if you'll see any or not. One trip, we only saw one eagle. Other trips, we've seen 20-50.

These trips used to coincide with the three day Martin Luther King holiday, but, now, we can go anytime and stay as long as we like.

We took US-12 from Spring Grove all the way to Madison, Wisconsin. Then, we got on US-18/151 and went to Dodgeville, Wisconsin, stopping along the way at Mount Horeb where we drove the Trollway, ate at a Norwegian restaurant, and toured the Mustard Museum after being searched upon entering for any illegal condiments like mayonnaise and ketchup. We sang a rousing Poupon U fight songs to the tune of those from Univ. of Wisconsin and Notre Dame.

Mount Horeb was originally settled by Scandinavians, especially those from Norway. The whole length of the main street has carved wooden trolls.

Spent two nights at the unique Don Q Inn in Dodgeville. This is an amazing place with lots of heavy wooden beams in the three and a half story lobby, complete with barber chairs around a huge circular fireplace. The Q also features the fanta-suites, but we always stay in the regular rooms.

Drove into town and watched the Green Bay Packers start off horribly, but come back to bury the Seahawks. What better place to watch DaPack than in Da Cheesehead Land?

Next: Cornish Pasties, Bald Eagles

Took a Drive Up to Lake Geneva, Wisconsin-- Part 1

Yesterday, Liz and I took a trip to Lake Geneva to see those beautiful lights at Grand Geneva, close by Wisconsin 50/US-12. We like to do this every year, and it is a magnificent display with over a million lights.

In keeping with our 40th Anniversary "Trip Down Memory Lane," we stopped at Dilar's in Richmond for lunch. We stopped at this place many times while dating in high school and college. At that time, and, until about seven years ago, it was Mr. Sitka's. They had some excellent pizza and very reasonably prices for modest high school and college budgets.

At the time, we were living in Palatine and it never would have entered our minds that one day we would be living only about six miles from it. That drive north on US-12 seemed to go on forever.

Still has excellent food, especially their broasted chicken, and a whole meal with chicken, potatoes, vegetables, rolls, and salad came to $8.25.

We then drove past the Wisconsin border on the four lane US-12 speedway. Speed limit is 65, but you'll get run over if you adhere to it. My favorite place along this stretch of road is where they have signs for "Airplane Crossing" and "Watch for Low-Flying Planes." This is not what you'd expect to see on a road. There is a subdivision at this point where one of the roads is a landing strip. These folks fly to their jobs.

It was still light, so we stopped at the Lake Geneva Lanes on Wi-50 and played NTN. It has 12 lanes and a great little lounge done up north-woods style with exposed timbers.

More Tomorrow. --RoadDog