Monday, September 30, 2024

Another September Delta Weekend - 2024/09/29

I didn't arrive until Friday noon (thanks Jim for delivering my afternoon students!!) but in no way did I feel short changed.  The other guys arrived Thursday, snuck some miles in that afternoon and then went whole hog Friday morning, arriving back at the cabin quite literally minutes before I pulled in.

Friday and Saturday's rides, almost 190 miles combined for me.  My route was primarily macadam and gravel, the other guys spent a lot more time in the deep, very very dry sand.

We healthy-snacked our way through Friday's lunch.

Old retired guys between rides....

 

Friday evening....



Dinnertime at the lodge....

T-shirts and shorts around the fire....end of September....Delta, Wisconsin....

 
Saturday morning.....


 In Ashland for something yummy at The Ashland Baking Company




A reminder to us all.....it's pretty tough to roller skate in a buffalo herd....



Then, a walk across the street for some Black Cat Coffee.



We go out back....

 
This mural unique compared to all of the other 'just painted' ones on the town's buildings



 
After coffee in Ashland we split up, Steve and Eric went off to find more (very) dusty sand.  Greg and I focused on paved roads to a few tourist traps.  We were early for the noon-opening of the Historical Museum at the brownstone Cultural Center so we stayed on this side of the street to visit the bookstore that Ben and Bri had raved about.




 
I looked at it, looked away and looked at it some more and then walked away.
 
Then I walked back....
 

 
You really shouldn't walk out empty....

We then stashed our treasures before walking over to the Cultural Center ....







This was really fun....I'm guessing a local person with his daughter.  I initially whispered Greg over because the gent was explaining what  he knew about the Barksdale Dupont TNT facility, a large part of Greg's and my curiosity for the visit.  By the time we got close enough he was mostly finished but not before he looked over, smiled and said, "....you're listening to me..."

A bit later, both of our attention was focused on another conversation.  The curator carried over some of her 'mystery' photos, hoping against all hope that either he or she might recognize one of the images....

"That's me!!"

"....and that's my cousin, his sister.....don't know that one......and so on...."

It was big fun.

Representing the Barksdale complex....





 
The lout.....








Greg and I stopped.....we didn't try this fishing.



Largest cabbage machine I've ever seen....

One of my planned goals was to visit Frog Bay Tribal National Park.  We made it but didn't walk out to the beach as I'd hoped.  We were both a bit leery of leaving our bikes and associated goodies alone in the isolated spot.


Then through the Red Cliff Reservation and over to the National Park Service Apostle Islands Lakeshore Little Sand Bay.


From there we worked our way over to Cornucopia, stopped in front of Peg's Grampa's boat for one more 'selfie'.  We walked along the dock, found a couple of exceptionally delightful local ice cream sandwiches and then headed south through some amazing color on FR 236.  South to Ino, back through downtown Delta and back out to the resort.

 

Another evening campfire, Eric built a dandy!  And again, sitting in the glow, wearing attire not normally worn in northern WI at the end of September.

Sunday morning, heavy fog.  Heavy enough to keep us around a bit longer than we'd have normally stayed.



Eric packing up, will be riding home instead of trailering.

Steve kind enough to help me get mine on the trailer.

Searching for the rather elusive side stand.....

Eric out and away....


All 4 machines flawlessly coped, all of them avoided sand in the ends of the handlebars.....THIS time!

You all know where we'll be at the end of September 2025.