Main Street Madeline Island 2012 - Main Street

There is a lot to see on Main Street.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 3 Part 2: Time to Go

Dale and I both had a great time recreating with our friends Mike, Charisse, and their daughter Shayla. But alas, all good things must end. Charisse snapped the above photo of Mike and me while waiting for the ferry to take us back to Bayfield.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 3 Part 1: Decorative Beach Towels

Coffee with Dale on the deck this morning. The railing has been decorated with these colorful beach towels since yesterday afternoon. Although I've been to Big Bay Town Park at least a couple of times, I can't believe that in all the years I've come up here I've never gone swimming or even sunning there. I'm glad Mike, Charisse, and Shayla got to go yesterday. They said they had a wonderful time.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 4: More from The Beach Club Dock

Second Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 3: Dinner at the Beach Club

Dinner at the Beach Club helped make for a lovely evening. The ducks on the lake shore in front of The Beach Club seemed to be having a nice time too.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 2: Happy Hour

Glorious evening for cocktails on Dale's deck. Mike and I drank martini's.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 1: Coffee Time

Coffee on the Dale's deck this morning. Mike joined me followed by Charisse. That feeling of not being bound by obligations is finally starting to set in. Sometimes, and this year is a prime example with my graduate class starting right after finishing up teaching, you just need to get out of your natural habitat to be able to relax. After coffee I took a walk to Mission Hill and got a raspberry scone.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 1 Part 2: Dinner at The Pub

We had a lovely dinner at The Pub tonight. Afterward we spent some time skipping stones while bathed in the glorious setting sun. Anyone who thinks paradise can't be found this far north is wrong. The bottom photo is of Dale.

Second Visit 2012 - Day 1 Part 1: The Drive Up

Back on the road again, this time with our friends Mike, Charisse, and their daughter Shayla. Stopped for lunch at the River Street Family Restaurant in Spooner, Wisconsin. That was some rib-stickin' good food. Our server had E.S.P and knew that Charisse wanted an Arnie Palmer for a beverage before she could even open her mouth. Now THAT'S good service...

First Visit 2012 - Day 3 Part 2

Not too much going on today before we left. Said goodbye to Dale and then Alyn, Chris, Ellis, and I stopped at Maggie's in Bayfield for lunch before the long journey home.

First Visit 2012 - Day 3 Part 1: Morning Walk

Woke up to a gorgeous sunny morning. Had some coffee on the porch with Dale and then went on a walk down to the marina. The beautiful boat pictured above is anchored off Joni's Beach.

First Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 5: Winding Down

After dinner at the Beach Club, Dale and Chris took Ellis home while Alyn and I went to look at wood carvings. When we got back to the apartment the grown-ups had gin and tonics while Ellis played with his toy train. Sadly, Dale had to go to a work event tonight and could not join us.

First Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 4: Dinner At The Beach Club

After our adventure tracking down shipwrecks we joined Dale for dinner at the Beach Club. I had the fried whitefish sandwich which was quite delicious. The service in tourist areas like this one is always spotty especially early in the season as new workers are still getting trained-in. Chris asked for for a certain drink at the bar tonight and was told he'd "have to go to The Pub to get one of those."

First Visit 2012 - Boat Tour Photos

Top photo: Basswood Island
Bottom two photos: Hermit Island

First Visit 2012 - Day 2 Part 3: Glass Bottom Boat

Chris and Alyn obtained tickets for a lake tour in what was billed as a glass bottomed boat. They, Ellis, and I (Dale had to work) boarded the boat in Bayfield around 2 p.m. We left shortly thereafter and quickly headed past the islands of Basswood and Hermit. Our destination was Stockton Island where we saw remains of a boat that sank back in 1895. Although the entire bottom of the boat was not glass there were a couple of glass bottomed sections near the front that offered views of what was underneath.

2012 First Visit - Day 2 Part 2: Art of Ellis

Ellis drew this picture of me using crayon and colored pencil. 

2012 First Visit - Day 2 Part 1: Morning Coffee

Beautiful sunny morning. Had coffee on the deck with Dale. It was nice to catch up. I haven't seen him for three weeks which is the longest we've ever gone. That's all due to my being in school this summer. I took a very nice walk after.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 4: The Pub

Dale, Alyn, Chris, Ellis, and I had dinner tonight at The Pub. I started out with a Tanquerey martini and then had the maple glazed trout with shrimp. We had a little discussion about the pronunciation of Wisconsin. Alyn, a native, said that non-natives pretty much say it like it's spelled while natives tend to go with "W'scansin" leaning toward a short a.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 3: Evening Sun

Top photo taken from Dale's deck at 6:43 p.m.  Middle photo taken from inside The Pub at 7:07 p.m.  Bottom photo taken from outside The Pub at 8:45 p.m.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 2: Ferry Ride

Stopped for groceries in Washburn, Wisconsin which is about 12 miles outside of Bayfield. As we drove to Bayfield we told Ellis that we'd have to have to take a ferry to get over to Madeline Island. He asked how we would do that. We told him we'd just drive the car onto the ferry. He responded with "Do we drive the car on her head?". We then had a little talk about the difference between ferry and fairy. Despite this conversation Ellis still asked the gal selling tickets if she was the fairy.

2012 First Visit - Day 1 Part 1: Norske Nook

Began our drive up this morning with our friends Chris and Alyn and their son Ellis. Stopped in Hayward, Wisconsin for lunch at the Norske Nook. Yummy food. (I had the hot turkey sandwich and the blue ribbon winning peach pie.)

The Center of It All

Another photo posted by Dale today with the following caption:

"I took a few pictures around the island on my afternoon off on Wednesday. I can't believe I've never played tourist in the 11 years I've been coming to Madeline Island. This shot is right in the bustling center of downtown La Pointe."

Tom's Garbage Service

Dale posted this photo on his blog today with the following caption:

"Foks on Madeline Island are a little... different."

I'm assuming this display is at Tom's Burned Down Bar.

Walker Recall

Tommy's Burned Down always displays some very interesting art. When I snapped this shot in 2011 I didn't make the political connection but still thought the idea of a walker recall was funny.

Island 2003 - Madeline Island Motel

Irv and Brenda at the Madeline Island Motel.  The building is no longer in use as a motel. It is now used to house Island staff for the summer.

Island 2003 - Irv and Dale

I love this photo of Dale and Irv hangin' out in Bayfield.

Island 2003 - More Photos from Brenda

1.  Dale's mom and dad, Brenda and Irv, on the ferry to Madeline Island.
2.  Dale and Irv waiting in Bayfield for the ferry to Madeline Island.
3.  Dale on the ferry as it pulls away from Bayfield.

Island 2012 - Dale's Up for the Season

Dale left for the Island this past Thursday. I can't believe the 2012 season has begun. He recently posted the following picture on his blog with the caption: "On the ferry back to the mainland from Madeline Island for supply shopping in Duluth. It's a bit windy - going to be a rough crossing."

He also blogged:

"I moved to Madeline Island for the season this past Thursday and I'm finally feeling like I'm hitting my stride. This is the 11th year that I've done this but every year it takes a few days to feel like I'm not in the Twilight Zone. This little island, about the size and shape of Manhattan, has about 800 people and I'm reminded every year what a city boy I am. I took a run yesterday morning about 6:15 and saw absolutely no one the entire 4.5 miles even though I live 'downtown'. Plus it was 34 degrees..."


"I do love the nature that's just outside my door, but I am  little bit afraid of some of the wildlife (my man card is disintegrating as I write this). While running yesterday a fox sauntered onto the road about 100 yards ahead of me. I kept running toward it thinking it would run off. Yeah, not so much. By the time I was 50 feet away and he was just sitting there looking at me, I got a little scard that it would attack me if I ran by it. So I blinked first and made a quick left onto a different route. Like I said, City boy."


I added a note to his blog saying "Dale, I'd rather see your man card disintegrate than have you lose your common sense!"