Where I got off to for a few days...

[KC9ECI]

We left town last Thursday evening minutes after I was able to clear from an emergency management tabletop drill and hauled ass to Baraboo WI. That's where our hotel was. We were there because the youngest was competing in the nationals for gymnastics.

She won some medals and generally had a great time.

http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2022,%2011%2034%2026%20AM.jpg

They ran a very efficient event so we were out of there by noon and went to a large cat rescue place.

http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8813%20%28800x451%29.jpg
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8740%20%28800x451%29.jpg

We stopped and looked at a rock.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8905%20%28800x451%29.jpg

Then we went over to the Grey Wolf Lodge and let the kid go swimming with her friend and the wife and I had a couple cold beers by the pool and just relaxed.

Bright and early Saturday morning we packed out of the hotel and got about an hour out and had to turn around to retrieve some bags we'd left behind. Oops.
Fortune smiled on us though because as we passed a place just outside of Baraboo for the 2nd time, we decided to stop since the rain had as well.

That's where I scored this beauty for the princely sum of 25 cents!
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%2011%2007%2018%20AM.jpg

Right next door there were some metal sculptures that the kid was begging us to go look at so we gave in and stopped. Well let me tell you, the couple things by the road gave no clue as to what was behind the foliage.

http://youtu.be/wXu4R-ZlbAw

[KC9ECI]

http://youtu.be/IngMMuKRyAs
The Forevertron
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8922%20(800x451).jpg
It looks like something out of a Dr Suess book
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8941%20(800x451).jpg
An old Seagrave fire engine was laid to rest here
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8961%20(800x451).jpg
Right next to it was an old car...
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8963%20(800x451).jpg
...with an interesting plate.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8964%20(800x451).jpg
Some sort of giant bug...
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8968%20(800x451).jpg
...with eyes made out of survey markers.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8978%20(800x451).jpg
I don't know what it was supposed to be, but it had big cherries.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8984%20(800x451).jpg

[KC9ECI]

Down the road a bit we stopped in Spring Green WI. Until Saturday I'd been there twice in my life. Once in high school for a Shakespear play, and once two years ago for a funeral. There was some sort of street celebration going on.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%2012%2034%2000%20PM.jpg

We stopped in an ole time kind of ice cream shop and had a treat.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%201%2043%2057%20PM.jpg

From there it was just a short hop to Dubuque Iowa.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%203%2001%2024%20PM.jpg

We pushed on to Cedar Rapids, checked in to our hotel, and then went to the Blue Toad for supper. The Blue toad is owned by a guy that I grew up with.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%206%2010%2054%20PM.jpg

After this pit stop we looked around a bit and there was again some sort of festival going on that involved live music and smoked ribs. Had to stop!

http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%207%2016%2053%20PM%20(1).jpg
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%207%2019%2001%20PM.jpg

The kidling had a drawing done.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2023,%207%2059%2016%20PM%20(1).jpg

Then it was time to head back to the hotel for the night.

[KC9ECI]

Sunday we checked out the Amana Colonies. That was kind of fun. We had some German food, got some wine and then off to Wyoming, Iowa to drop the kid off at Bible camp for the week. The wife and I pushed on to Monticello Iowa where we tent camped at a nice little campground on the edge of town.

http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9053%20(800x600).jpg

I found some free beers had been left at the site we were assigned.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9047%20(601x800).jpg

In the morning we packed up, checked out Monticello
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9055%20(600x800).jpg

At the end of the day we found ourselves in Charles Iowa and again set up the tent at a nice little campground near the river.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9060%20(800x600).jpg

Tuesday morning we got up, I cooked breakfast using some of the finds I'd made along the way.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/Photo%20Jun%2026,%207%2042%2028%20AM.jpg

We went north through Iowa to MN.
There were some Amish in buggies along the way.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9097%20(800x600).jpg

Lots of flat and corn, and wind powered electricity being made.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9103%20(800x600).jpg

We checked out Louise Lake at Louise State park just across the border in MN.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9112%20(800x600).jpg

[KC9ECI]

Then on in to Rochester for some Indian food at a place we like near the hospital.

Along the road home we stopped and checked out Whitewater State Park.
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9122%20(800x600).jpg
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_9125%20(800x600).jpg

We're close to this one so we decided that we're going to take a few days off at some point and drag the camper over and spend some time. I think I should schedule that during a VHF contest as there is a fire tower I could climb and have a hell of a line of sight from for the contest.

Anyway, that's just a portion of the photos and videos, I won't bore you with the rest, this give a fair overview of the vacation.

[KG4CGC]

Cooool!

[ki4itv]

Great tour of the trip! enjoyed it!



Want!
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8941%20(800x451).jpg

I like! Would look great overlooking the cul-de-sac:clap:

[KC9ECI]

Sculptures by Dr. Evermor are available for purchase.

For prices and availability contact Eleanor Every at 608-219-7830

[N8YX]

Very cool. My niece is 16 - a resident of Minnesota - and is a gymnastics competitor at the national level. Her family's travel experiences mirror yours.

[w2amr]

This is way cool.:clap:
http://galesvillefiredepartment.org/kc9eci/2012/100_8963%20(800x451).jpg

[wa6mhz]

GREAT GREAT PIX!!!! That was quite an adventure, and you did an excellent job of capturing it!
That old car needs to be restored! It would be worth SO MUCH as a classic Car!

[KC9ECI]

GREAT GREAT PIX!!!! That was quite an adventure, and you did an excellent job of capturing it!
That old car needs to be restored! It would be worth SO MUCH as a classic Car!

Funny, but I was thinking the same thing about the old fire engine.

[WØTKX]

I liked the ROCK. :lol:

Really, it looks like the formations around the Wisconson Dells. Fun place, that.

[KC9ECI]

I liked the ROCK. :lol:

Really, it looks like the formations around the Wisconson Dells. Fun place, that.

We were just outside of the Dells. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Hise_Rock

[WØTKX]

Not surprised. Similar formation.

Found some great fossils there, a long time ago.