Tue, Aug 14:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Off to the Viking Grill in Ellison Bay this morning for breakfast.  I ordered a regular breakfast of bacon and eggs and ordered two of their wonderful Swedish pancakes on the side.  Mike ordered a regular breakfast of bacon and eggs along with their homemade corned beef hash.  We left there stuffed.  Headed south on Rt. 42 to Fish Creek, parked and walked around.  Stopped at a clothing store and Mike bought a hooded sweatshirt and I got a top which was on sale.  Left there and walked around some more.  A beautiful, warm day.  We walked back to the truck and drove back up the peninsula to Ephraim and stopped at the Water St. Gallery and talked with our favorite artist, Fred Briedenhagen.  I have several of his prints and one of his original oils which Mike got me for my birthday several years ago.  He is a really nice guy and is built like a Packers line backer.  Talked with him until he got busy and then went back to our park.  Such a beautiful, warm day.  I wanted to don my bathing suit and go over to the little park near us and go for a swim.  But Mike was waiting for a couple of phone calls, so we played the waiting game.  It was 90 up here today.  Toasty!  Tomorrow the mobile RV repair guy will be here.  Hope he can help.

Fred Bridenhagen

Mon, Aug 13:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Just before lunch today we went for a walk down to the trail to the forbidden bakery.  Got talking to a couple from Chicago who have a fifth wheel up here.  They keep it here all year and just come and go as they please.  They have a beautiful labradoodle, Rowley.  Such a sweet, friendly dog.  Hope to have them over sometime before we leave.  Dined al fresco tonight at the Viking Grill in Ellison Bay.  Beautiful, balmy evening.  Home for wine and spades.

Wild Flowers of Door County

Sun, Aug 12:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Up fairly early this morning and did the laundry here in the park.  They have a nice laundry room here—albeit a small one.  Got that done and drove up the road to the resort at Rowley’s Bay and had their Sunday brunch.  We were starved by then and stuffed ourselves.  This resort is just up the road from our campground and in fact the road dead ends there.  After our brunch I walked back and Mike followed in the truck.  He beat me by only a couple of minutes.  The little trail over to the resort (and our favorite bakery) leaves right from our park.  It goes through the woods for only a short way and then you have to walk on the road for a bit.  I’d rather it be all in the woods.  Anyway, tried playing a DVD on our blueray player which didn’t work.  Jeeze, what next!  Another nice day today.  79 I think.

This old barn is now an art gallery.
Old Stage Road--Door County

Barns of Door County

Sat, Aug 11:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Sat around all morning reading our books trying to decide whether or not to drive into Fish Creek.  It’s the weekend, so it might be busier than usual.  I thought, well, we’ll go after lunch.  I was sitting at the picnic table enjoying my lunch when a little frog comes hopping into our site, with a snake in hot pursuit!  We were rooting for the frog, but the snake got him (sigh).  After that little drama we drove to Fish Creek, and sure enough, it was slammed.  Just kept on going.  Stopped on the way home to pick up some more fire wood.  We had a great fire last night.  A beautiful night with lots of stars.  83 again today.

I bought this photograph of Rt. 42 between Gills Rock and Northport.  The picture I took of it didn't come out very good because it glared off the glass in the frame.  But you get the idea.

This is the one I took a few years ago.  It is a neat stretch of road.

The beach at Fish Creek.

Fri, Aug 10:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Another nice day under a blue, cloudless sky.  Around 2:00 we ventured in to Sister Bay for a late lunch.  Then drove up to the tip of the peninsula at Gills Rock and then Northport and the Porte Des Morts (Door of Death—hence Door County).  It’s called Porte Des Morts because of all the shipwrecks there.  Cars were lined up to take the car ferry over to Washington Island.  We saw a huge tanker off in the distance.  Back home, taking back roads only.  Which, by the way, are way better than the so-called interstate highways.  We will stick to county roads most of the way home.  Will not go back the way we came, which is a shame since our highways are supposed to be safe and well maintained.  At least they are in Missouri.  83 today.

Historic Wilson's Restaurant
Sister Bay

Historic Boat House on the pier at Sister Bay.

 

Thu, Aug 9:  Wagon Trail Campground Rowley’s Bay, WI:  A beautiful, sunny morning greeted us.  Guess there was quite a thunder storm last night, but we were oblivious after our exhausting day yesterday.  While I was in the shower, Mike called the outfit in Sturgeon Bay, but they won’t be able to come out until Wednesday!  So, we headed to Sister Bay to pick up some groceries, since we can’t get to most of our food, and Mike had to buy a new coffee pot.  At least we’ll have some food to sustain us.  In the meantime, there are a plethora of excellent restaurants here.  We had breakfast at a little local place in Sister Bay.  I had steak and eggs and Mike had a pork chop and eggs.  We were both starving.  After going back to our site and putting everything away, we drove to Egg Harbor and walked around.  This is a wonderful place to summer.  We’ve been coming up here for years now, but in 2010 we spent the whole summer here.  It is a beautiful and unique place.  Back home and relaxed at our site reading for a while.  Thought we might have a fire tonight, but I think we’re both beat.

Our site tucked into the trees.

The recalcitrant slide that won't go out.

We're lucky it went out 6 inches or so, which enabled us to squeeze in there.

We can get into the refrigerator, but not easily into the freezer.

The crystal tree in Egg Harbor.

View of Egg Harbor.

Wed, Aug 8:  KOA, LaSalle-Peru, IL, to Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  Not a good travel day today.  We got an early start and stopped right away to top off the tank and have breakfast.  We were on the road by 9:00.  Continued north on I39 and the road was still terrible.  Thought it would be better when we got into Wisconsin, but it’s even worse.  Took Rt. 43 out of Milwaukee.  Thankfully, Mike was driving.  Going through Milwaukee was horrible—between bad highway, construction, and traffic.  Our fifth wheel and truck took a beating for sure.  Got off I43 and onto I42 which is a county road and in much better condition.  I took over driving after Mike drove for 3-1/2 hours.  We didn’t get here until almost 4:00 and got into our site easily and set up with no problems.  Except the kitchen slide would not go out.  One side would go out but not the other, so it was cock-eyed.  Had a guy here in the park look at it, but he couldn’t do anything.  So tomorrow morning we’ll be on the phone with a mobile RV outfit in Sturgeon Bay.  So, until then we can’t get to our pantry and most of our food.  Fortunately, we can get into the refrigerator.  I made a bunch of goulash before we left, so we have that anyway.  The only good news is, our little wi-fi gizmo works!  Yes!   

So many beautiful wild flowers in this area.

Washington Island