Island 2014: First Trip - The Black Cat Coffee House

Monday, June 23, 2014

Dale used to hang out at the Black Cat Coffee House during his first few summers of working in northern Wisconsin. He took me there the first summer he was up way back in 2002. After grocery shopping we stopped by to find that it's still there after all these years.

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.

2003 - Photos from Brenda

1.   (Top) Brenda at the beach.
2.   Dale and Irv on the ferry to Madeline.

Madeline Island 2003

Recently I asked Brenda, Dale's mom, if she had any Madeline Island photos. She did and she sent me some - God bless her. Don't ask me why, but I didn't start snapping photos of Island visits until 2010. Thanks to Brenda I now have some from earlier years. This one is from 2003.

The photo shows what Brenda and Irv (Dale's dad) saw as they waited in Bayfield for the next ferry to Madeline. 

2008 and 2009

Due to health issues with our dog Sophie, I was not able to make it up to the island in 2008 and 2009. Of course, Dale was able to visit Minneapolis a few times each of those summers.


Photo taken June 20, 2010

Getting to the Ferry

When I first started going up to Madeline to visit Dale in 2002 I'd take Interstate 35 up to Duluth, Minnesota and then cross the bridge to Superior, Wisconsin. After going through Superior I'd pick up Wisconsin Highway 2 going East and then get onto Wisconsin Highway 13 going North and then into Bayfield, Wisconsin. I'd catch a ferry at the ferry landing in Bayfield and cross over to Madeline Island. The above photo shows the visitor center at the ferry landing in Bayfield. Photo taken in July 2011.

In the Beginning

In 2002 my partner Dale got a job that required him to be on Madeline Island for part of the summer. Initially he wasn't feelin' the love for the island that I did due to the fact that for him being there was work. For me it was a chance to relax. I'm a teacher and I have the summers off. As much as I love having the extra time in the summer, being at home still makes me feel that there is always something I could be getting done around the house. As much as I love doing summer projects at home, the Island allows me a few days to do absolutely nothing but relax, and by relax, I mean read, hike, journal, drink coffee, watch movies and have cocktails. In the photo above you see an inlet near the Madeline Island Yacht Club's marina. Photo taken in July 2011.