Madeline Island 2015: First Trip Day 2 - Chairs

Friday, July 3, 2015

Madeline Island 2015: First Trip Day 1 - Departure and Arrival

Thursday, July 2, 2015

Left today to visit Dale Up North. Had meant to be out of the house by noon but was on the road by 1:45. Coulda done worse, I suppose. I only stopped once between Minneapolis and Bayfield which was pretty good. 

Fran and Charlie are coming up tomorrow for the weekend which is why Athena is in the kennel. Dale thought she might be a little overwhelming for them. 

Made the 7:00 p.m. ferry so I was on the Island by about 7:25. Dale's thinking that by tomorrow they'll be running the ferries pretty much nonstop as it gets pretty crazy up here for the 4th of July holiday.

Dale and I went to the Pub for dinner. We both had the whitefish and it was delicious. I ordered and old fashioned for a cocktail. Our server asked if I wanted brandy in it (the Wisconsin version) but I told her I better start with the familiar and go the bourbon route. For my second one I told her I'd go with brandy. When we left I told her I liked the brandy version better. "See," she said, "You must have just enough Wisconsin in you."

Dale Arrives

Dale left this morning. Here he's waiting on the ferry in Bayfield for the ride over to the Island.

Madeline Island 2015

Can't believe it's this time of year already. In just over two weeks Dale will head up north and I'll finish school.

Reconnaissance Mission 2015 Part 3

Monday, May11, 2015

Photo taken by Dale while waiting on the ferry in the Bayfield harbor. The land in the distance is Madeline Island. Had it been winter, there would have been an ice road and an easy 10 minute drive.

Reconnaissance Mission 2015 Part 2

Another journal entry of Dale's from Sunday, May 10th:

"So close and yet so far. I drove 4.5 hours to Bayfield, WI today to catch the ferry for the three mile ferry ride to Madeline Island with a minivan packed to the gills with work related items. I was shooting for the 7:00 pm boat but realized mid-way through the drive that if I really pushed it, I could catch the 5:30 pm boat. These are the last two trips of the day. 

Well, I pushed and I pushed and I drove onto the ferry dock at 5:34 and they had just brought up the gate and started off. Oh well, I thought, I’ll get some dinner and wait for the 7:00. I had noticed during the drive that it was pretty windy. What I didn’t realize is that there is a gale warning for this part of Lake Superior and that 5:30 was the last boat before they closed down because of the gale. They’re not sure they’ll be running any boats tomorrow.

From my vantage point in the hotel in Bayfield I am stuck in, I can almost see my office on the island. Three miles. Might as well be 2,000. 

At first I was frustrated but then I kind of let myself enjoy the idea that, for all our technological and mechanical advances, the weather can still trump all of that. I took an exhilarating walk in the gale, finally walking out on the town pier where a wave broke on the pier directly in front of me, soaking me with 36 degree wind-blown Lake Superior water. I scurried back to the hotel, stripped and took a hot shower, appreciating the technological advances that make it possible for me now to be warm and dry and posting the story of this ridiculous day on the inter webs."

Reconnaissance Mission 2015 Part 1

Dale went on his yearly pre-camp reconnaissance mission on Sunday, May 10th (a week ago today). Here is his journal entry for that day:

"Later today I will make my first trip to Madeline Island to prepare for the camp season, and will be moving up there in early June for five weeks.  I have been so busy preparing for the trip that I didn’t stop to think about how I feel about actually making the trip.

While I like being on Lake Superior and on the island and am looking forward to the complete silence and dearth of people that comes with a trip there in mid-May, I know the craziness that is yet to come.  I know I will rally and enjoy it, but right now I wonder how I can possibly do this for the umpteenth time.  I also wonder what June is like in Minneapolis.  I haven’t spent a June here since 2001.  I may be getting a little fatigued with all of this.  Ah well, plenty of time to think about that on the drive!"