Back from the Great Northwoods

[MikeTangas]

Been gone on a little vacation to the Northwoods of Wisconsin. Weather was great, a little hot (for the locals) on a couple days, with a couple exciting thunder storms too. Spent most of the time out at the cabin, located on an island, just fishing and relaxing and watching the kids play in the water. From the minute we arrived, both of the girls were in the water, I mean we arrived about 6 p.m., and the girls were in swimsuits and in the water by 6:05, stayed in until almost 9 p.m. when it began to get dark.

The front of the cabin is almost at the waters edge, like 10 feet.



here's a shot of the 6 year old learning how to handle a kayak. About 3 hours later, she and Mom set out for a trip around the island. The six year old now considers herself a true kayaker!



After a couple days R&R I set out for the property we bought last winter. Spent about three hours labor and put a gate in at the road. Became very popular with the neighbor (about 3/4 mile down the road) when I gave him the OK to continue hunting the property in my absence. He'd been hunting it for nearly 40 years, so I saw no harm in allowing him to continue, plus it always helps to have an extra set of eyes on the place. In return, I was given permission to use his boat and dock on the lake his house is on, when ever I'm in the area.



Once the cement had fully cured, I came back and installed the last pieces of the gate. To mix the cement, I had to carry in almost 200 pounds of water (two 18 gallon barrels), the holes are deep and have multiple bags of cement to try and beat the frost heave. Look how thick the woods are. Damn good deer country, saw three while stomping the boundries. The east edge of the property buts up to the marshland of the lake the neighbors house is on, so it is almost a "lake lot".



I did see a few MB's around town, but not that many. Most are likely up from the city. There was one W123 with Euro lights that might have been a local's, I saw it almost everyday. On the day I stopped to check it out it was gome. When I had passed it earlier in the week I could have sworn the trunk badge read 300E. Anyone know if there was a 123 300E euro model?

I did see a M Class with personalized plates that read "BLITZEN". I started to chuckle, starting wondering if the owner might hang out here, and completely forgot to check if it was an ML55.

I really wanted to get some time to run down to Madison in hopes of meeting up with Ted (W126) and Gilly, but the time never seemed available. I ended up spending the last 4 days of my vacation driving a well for one of my Dad's neighbors. Drove the well the old fashioned way: rope, pully and a 150 pound drop hammer. Drove the well to 32.5 feet, making something like 1/4 per hit, on a good hit. The first 3 feet and the last foot were the hardest, with the last foot taking over two hours to drive. What a good workout, and to think some folks pay good money to get that type of workout in a gym.

I also wanted to try to hook up with Kuan again in Minneapolis, but we didn't get in to town early enough to try. Barely made our flight as it was. We had no computer on the island, so I was unable to try and work out any meet-ups, and while I did have Kuan's phone number with me, my digital cell phone didn't work due to lack of signal (I did regain signal around Wausau). I do go up to the Northwoods on a regular basis, so there will be plenty of opportunity for us all to get togather in the future.

One last vacation shot to share. I tried to get a shot of the sunset from 37,000 feet.



Now back to playing catch-up with all these pages of new posts I have yet to read.

[jamesnj]

MikeTangas that report was so refreshing and just the right length. That area is beautiful. I went to camp there when I was 14 and I remember it was very humid. Living in NJ I thought no place that far north could get as uncomfortable as NJ in the summer.

Is that a beaver lake? I guess not if your kids swim in it. One other thing I remember about camp was that our cabins had mice.

By the way, what does your neighbor hunt. Did you get a chance to sample any of the Wisconsin pasties?

[MikeTangas]

Ted,

Nope, not Door County...too close to Big City Green Bay, Oneida County is where we're at. My Dad's home is near Rhinelander, the cabin is on Squirrel Lake Island on Squirrel Lake just west of Minocqua and my property is just south of Minocqua in Hazelhurst. Squirrel is known for it's Musky population but them buggers seem to evade me at every turn. The DNR has shocked the lake every few years to get a read on the population, and there is supposed to be a 60 incher in there, but the DNR folks won't begin to say what part of the lake (1300+ acres). A little too early for the blackberries this trip, but there will be a bumper crop of wild blackberries this year.

Next years plan is for me to drive up and spend a couple weeks, with the family flying in later. The cabin needs to be leveled and I'm gonna do it for my Dad. All he has to do is get his hands on 4 screw type jacks, I'll do the rest. If everything works out I'll be able to slip on down to Madison then.

James,

Not a beaver lake. There are a few beaver lakes in the area, but this isn't one of them. It does get a mite humid once and a while, but nothing like the Gulf Coast where I grew up. The neighbor hunts deer, usually with a bow. He showed me the two best he'd gotten off the property (had the heads mounted), and they were nice ones. He even gave us a stick of venison sausage from last years kill. They do sell Pasties there, but Pasties are a UP Michigan treat, and yes I've had them (but none this trip).

[RG5384]

you forgot to tell us one very important detail: what car did you take? the 560???
Ryan

[MikeTangas]

Ryan, Ryan, Ryan...

The last pic should have told you I didn't drive , 37,000 feet is hard to attain even in a Benz . We flew this year and rented a car, actually a Dodge Durango. Next year, if I drive I have to choose between the Suburban or the 560 - it all depends on how many tools I'll need to bring for the house leveling project.

[RG5384]

did i ever mention i'm not the observent type???
Ryan