Sat, Aug 18:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  I tossed and turned all night and so didn’t get up until after 10:00!  By the time I showered and dressed, Mike had a fire going.  So I made myself a cup of tea and joined him.  The fire felt good, since it seems to have cooled down somewhat.  After lunch I updated my spreadsheet of expenses for this trip.  It’s really expensive to dine out here.  Even more than the Keys.  That’s okay.  The food is really good.  Tonight we go to see “Dairy Heirs” at the Northern Sky Theater in Peninsula State Park.  Should be good.  Planning on dining at Lure in Sister Bay.  They specialize in fish.  Hope they have lake perch on the menu. Mid-70s today I think.  Noticeably cooler than yesterday.

Cute little cottage right on the lake in Sister Bay.

Barns of Door County

Fri, Aug 17:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  After breakfast Mike got the new grill out and set it up.  We also got the bikes down.  After lunch we biked over to Rowley’s Bay and through the little residential area past the resort.  Great place to have a house. It’s at the end of the road, quiet and in thick woods.  Parked our bikes by the marina and walked out to the end of the dock and sat on a bench and looked out over the lake.  It is so peaceful and quiet on this side of the peninsula.  Looking at the water I decided we should go over to the little sand bay just around the corner and go for a swim.  So, back to our site.  We donned our bathing suits (yikes) and water shoes, grabbed a couple of beach towels and off we went.  Not too busy there.  The last time we were here there was just Mike, me, and two little girls who kept following me out in the water.  The water felt so cold at first, but once you got in it felt wonderful.  I couldn’t really swim with my water shoes on, so I just hung out there for a while.  Mike didn’t get in all the way, but at least he got in up to his thighs.  After drying off, we drove back to our site.  A couple of cocktails later, Mike fired up the grill and we had hot dogs and Door County sweet corn for dinner.  So good!  Another perfect day.  82 today.  We’ve had such good weather so far.

A little cottage just past Rowley's Bay Resort.

Rowley's Bay Resort, Restaurant, and  Swedish Bakery.

Looking out from our bench on the dock.

Some camps on the lake.

Thu, Aug 16:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  After breakfast this morning, Mike sat outside reading while I watched another episode of Downton Abbey on my computer.  Such a good series!  After lunch we headed out to buy tickets for the play Dairy Heirs at the Northern Sky Theater in Peninsula State Park.  Bought tickets for Saturday night.  Did our grocery shopping and then decided to check out Headlands Bluff County Park.  The trail there was steep and full of roots and rocks,, so we drove around for a while.  Ended up at Garret Bay where the Schooner Fleetwing ran aground and sank just off Garret Bay in the late 1800s .  The wreck is just off shore and you can snorkel out there and see it.  The first time we were out here the water was flat and crystal clear.  Today it was choppy and murky.  Back home and were talking about eating the rest of our left-overs until Mike said, “It’s prime rib night at Rowley’s Bay,” so screw the left-overs and off to Rowley’s Bay.  Stuffed ourselves and back home.  Mixed sun and clouds today.  82 degrees.  Nice!

Little magnet I bought for our refrigerator.

View from Garret Bay.

Wed, Aug 15:  Wagon Trail Campground, Rowley’s Bay, WI:  FINALLY!!!  Our slide is fixed.  They just had to find the controller.  We had to empty the outside storage compartment because they thought it might be there.  So, we cleaned that while waiting for the guys to show up.  Had the ladder out, so we brought it inside and cleaned the mirror over the island in the kitchen and cleaned the screen in the Fantastic Fan.  Then, we washed the windows on the outside.  They finally showed up around 1:30 and all they had to do was push a button to reset the thing.  Turns out the controller is in the kitchen cabinet.  We actually worked harder than they did.  After putting everything away and cleaning up our site, we headed to the Blue Ox in Bailey’s Harbor to celebrate and had an early dinner.  The Blue Ox is run by some friends of ours down in the Keys.  They manage the restaurant at the Sunshine Key RV Park.  Back home and played spades for a while. 

The Blue Ox
Bailey's Harbor, Door County

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