Madeline Island 2022 - The Knowles-Nelson Trail

Saturday, July 30, 2022

Having coffee on the porch with Dale in the morning is something I love. 

Worked on some ancestry stuff for a while...

...and then took a brief walk from the house up to the road. 

Dale was finished with work shortly after noon. After getting some lunch in us we decided to take a drive to the north of the Island. On the way back we stopped at the Knowles-Nelson trail for a little hike. 

Dale's always thought it's funny my grandparents lived in a small community yet had a cabin that was only 10 miles out of town as a get-away. I think my grandpa especially liked maintaining the place as a hobby but I also think both of them loved being enveloped by the woods. There is something that is incredibly peaceful about it. It's something you just don't get when driving on paved roads through wooded areas. 

The Knowles- Nelson trail goes from the road down to the lake. It's manageable in that it's quite short. Despite parts being quite steep it's overall pretty  manageable. 

Approaching the lake is like having a curtain pulled back...

... and it's very dramatic the closer you get to the dock. 

What you see on the other side of the water is not the Wisconsin mainland but Hermit Island which is another of the many Apostle Islands. 

It's been so nice to be up north. 

Hermit Island. 

The coastline is beautiful.

Madeline 2021 - First Trip: Muffins, Motorcycles, and More! (Saturday)

Saturday, June 26, 2021

After yesterday’s unsuccessful attempt to obtain one of Marie’s marvelous muffins at Mission Hill Coffee I gave it another go today. Success! Muffins happen.

On my morning walk I noticed how overgrown the Madeline Island putt putt golf course is looking. 

It’s like a ghost town. 

Could it be a Covid-19 business fatality?

Dale got home from work around 12:30 p.m. We went to the Beach Club for lunch and were able to have a nice talk about all the stress in our lives.

After lunch Dale had to go back to work. I sat on the deck and lit up a cigar. By the way, he’s back in his old apartment which he hasn’t been in since 2018. In 2019 he was in a cabin on the lake and in 2020 there was no camp due to Covid. That brings us up to the present day. 

Dale came home around 4:00 and took a bike ride while I took a nice walk. While out and about I happened upon a bejeweled car outside Tommy’s Burned Down Bar.

I’m guessing they’ll use it as a float in the 4th of July parade. Here’s a view of the back.

And a slightly more close up version of the front. 

Also, there’s some kind of motorcycle gathering this weekend so motorcycles are parked everywhere.

Dale had to go back to work at 6:30.

While he was gone I got some more walking in and then got cleaned up.

Dale didn’t get home until late. We had a late dinner of pizza and watched Family Guy.

Madeline Island 2020 - Dale's Home!

Friday, August 21, 2020

Dale joined me on the deck upon return from work.

Madeline Island 2020 - Cigar Time

Friday, August 21, 2020

Another great afternoon for a stogie on the patio. 

Madeline Island Trip 2020 - Athena on the Loose

 Tuesday, August 18, 2020

Dinner at Maggie and Cindi’s. Bloody Mary for cocktail hour. We played a few rounds of some really intense Uno. Gabrielle made tacos for dinner. Michael and Emma also joined us.

Madeline Island 2020 - And We're Off!

Monday, August 17, 2020

And we’re off!! Photos taken at a stoplight shortly after our departure. Athena’s ready for the ride! She’s always been good in the car.

Madeline Island 2020 - Getting Ready to Go

Monday, August 17, 2020

Due to camp being cancelled this year I have not visited Dale on Madeline Island in June and July. However, he has to check on some buildings so we're making a trip up. On the way we're going to stop by and visit our friends Maggie and Cindi at their cabin near Bruce, Wisconsin. 

Dale wrote the following in his blog yesterday: “And in what would in a normal year be almost not worth mentioning, tomorrow Joe and I are headed to a friend’s cabin about two hours east of the Twin Cities in Wisconsin, then up to Lake Superior for some business meetings I have mid-week. I figured out today that the last time I didn’t sleep in my own bed was October of last year. I don’t think I’ve been home this long without a break since maybe, well, ever in my life. Gee thanks global pandemic! Still, I’m feeling pretty grateful for the most mundane of getaways!” 

For me it’s been since this past November that I’ve been out of town when Mom and I went to visit my brother Pete and his family in Virginia for Thanksgiving. During a normal summer I would’ve been out of town three or four times at this point to visit Dale on Madeline Island but due to Covid that didn’t happen this year. In the top photo Athena and I are getting back to our house from a walk just before leaving on our trip. She’s stopped because she’s just noticed Dale doing some last minute texting before our departure. In the bottom picture she’s seen waiting patiently in the yard to board the van we’ve rented for the trip.

Island 2004 - Joe and Dale at The Beach Club

Island 2018 - Cigar Time

July 11, 2018

Island 2018 - Second Trip Third Day: Cocktails

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

Had planned on heading to the Beach Club for happy hour but changed my mind. I mean why sit inside on a gorgeous day? Instead I headed to Lori's Store and picked up some rum and Diet Coke, headed home and sat on the deck. Dale was on a bike ride but eventually joined me. Oh, and cool Hawaiian shirt I picked up in Ashland, right?

Island 2018 - First Trip Fifth Day: Cigar Time

Monday, June 25, 2018

Afternoon cigar time. Got a little journaling in too. Dale arrived home just as I was finishing up.

Island 2018 - First Trip Second Day: Afternoon Shopping

Friday, June 22, 2018

After lunch I did a little more shopping. I stopped at the Bell Street Gallery and picked up the piece pictured above. I love the dragonflies.

I also tried on some sunglasses at the beach store around the corner. They didn't have a mirror for their outdoor display so I took a selfie to see what they looked like. I didn't buy them as I thought they looked a little too big.

Also stopped by the Island Store for a brownie...

...and this little guy. Just because.