October Recap Part Two: Devil's Lake and Scoping Out My Inheritance

Less than a week after my pilgrimage to Aldo's old stomping grounds, I embarked on yet another trek across Wisconsin.  While my Leopold trip had been on my list for several years, this next journey of mine had its beginnings thirty years ago, when my father purchased five acres of land nearly 300 miles north of Prairie du Chien, in Langlade County, where there are "populated places" instead of towns and beauty as far as the eye can see.  The acreage was developed as far as making a "driveway" in the loose sense of the word, pulling up some of the big rocks that characterize the landscape and clearing a few trees to make room for a fire pit.  After my parents and older sister moved to Kansas in the '80s, trips to see the land became far and few between. 

In the past few years, there has been some slight discussion as to the future of those five acres, or what my family refers to as The Property.  My parents made an excursion up there recently and put in a fence, and moved an abandoned truck in the process, but the question remained, What are we going to do with it?

Without ever having seen it, I knew I wanted that piece of Wisconsin to stay protected in the family.  And while selling was never seriously considered, I had it worked up in my mind that if my parents saw that I, too, was connected to that piece of land then that would vanquish all thoughts, however small, of relinquishing the land to some one else.

This trip called for an overnighter, and I settled on staying in Wausau before driving the last sixty or so miles to The Property.  It wouldn't take more than a few hours to drive to Wausau, meaning I had time to check out another place on the way: Devil's Lake State Park

Beaches and bluffs? I'm on board for that.

Devil's Lake is near Baraboo, and is a glacial lake situated between huge bluffs.  After another beautiful scenic drive (where you see the kind of pretty causes insanity) along the Wisconsin River I finally made the turn into the surreal drive leading to the park entrance, complete with falling yellow leaves from the poplars and maples that was so picturesque I was yelling "THAT'S SO PRETTY!" to myself in the car. 

After paying my way and scoring a stellar parking spot - beating the lunch crowd by minutes - I took a stroll down the sidewalk next to the beach, looking for the trail head to the West Bluff Trail.

Yet another thing to add to my bucket list

The trail goes up the western bluff (duh), all the way across, and back down, then links up with the Tumbled Rocks trail that takes you back to the beach. While the "trail" itself seems to be a line of asphalt that cuts its way through the scraggly pines and chunks of rock, there were some spectacular views.

500 feet of stairs like this up, 500 feet of stairs down. Calves were
a tad shaky... 

Not at the top yet, but what a lovely photo/friend-making opportunity

 


Yeah, I know.

  

Oh yes.

 

Look at me not plummeting off the cliff!

Made it down off the bluff, and onto a dirt road that takes you to

the Tumbled Rocks trail

This is the kind of beauty I'm dealing with at this point.

The trail name is quite literal.

By the end of my hike, I was shocked at how much my calves hurt.

Solution? Find relief by wading into a frigid glacial lake in October.

Almost there. 

Sweet bliss.



So yeah, Devil's Lake was worth it and then some.  If you are ever anywhere near this state park, you need to go!!  I already want to go back and explore the other side where there are supposedly some cool rock formations and more vistas!

But onto the next destination: my hotel in Wausau.  Thanks to some unforeseen road construction, I got a bit lost in this particular city.  Also got the rare chance to enjoy going the wrong way down a one-way street, which really, I think everyone needs to experience at least once in their lifetime just to know what panic feels like.  But I got there, safe and sound, and with a bit of a swagger due to finding the hotel only by my wits, a bit of map reading, and the knowledge that the sun sets in the west.  In your face, GPS units of any kind!

The next morning was THE morning.  Getting an early start on the last hour of the journey up to The Property I drove through patchy fog that lent an ethereal quality to the tall stands of oak and pine that lined two-lane highways. 



October 10, 2011: The day I came home.

 I spent a few hours out there, wandering among the woods, weaving my way around dormant saplings and granite rocks.  I meant to explore every inch of the land, but sudden eruption of gunfire from some hunter's rifle sent me running back towards safety.  That's one adventure not found on my bucket list. 

Evidence of my time there can been seen only in the cutting of a few maple saplings and smaller trees around the old fire pit.  I made sure to call my parents while I was there, stepping on nail during that phone call which gave me an excuse to practice my first aid skills.  Luckily, the soles of my rubber boots were thick enough, and injury clean enough, that I could justify not going to the emergency room.  Over a month later and the wound is healed and I'm showing no signs of tetanus!

Post-almost being shot, pre-stepping on a nail

All in all, it was one of my favorite mornings.

I reluctantly left The Property around lunchtime, and wandered into Antigo, WI where I had it on good authority there was one amazing bagel place - KC Bagels.  The rumors were true and after having some kind of turkey-bagel-sandwich deliciousness with chicken gumbo stew I walked out of there with a bag full of various flavors of bagels, from pumpkin to french toast to mixed berry to rye.  Mmmmm....

I had one last stop I wanted to make before turning my car homeward to PdC: The exact center of the northwestern hemisphere.

Once again, after a few missed turns, some impatience, and back-and-forthing on dirt roads I threw victory in the face of high-tech navigation systems and pulled into a grassy square located in a cornfield. 

Undeniable proof that my pink shoes and I stood at the center
of the NW hemisphere

Yup.  Good trip.  Thanks Mom and Dad.  I'll do my best to keep the dream alive.