Father Son Road Trip Part Three: Montello

Dad and I woke up in Portage, WI the next morning. Why did we go to Portage? It certainly isn't the fastest way to Neenah. Well I requested that we go here, because I wanted my version of a trip down memory lane. Dad wanted to stay at this motel he likes in the Dells, but this is the stereotypical "cheap motel" so I shot this plan down in favour of staying in Portage. Not that there is much to see in Portage, but when we first moved to Wisconsin, Portage was where we went to do the shopping. It was the nearest proper store of any sort and so it was a common destination for us.

The Super8 here cost a bit more, but it also had a much better breakfast so I think it was worth it. We didn't spend any time in Portage however. We instead took the back roads to Montello. I have to say that Dad did not seem thrilled by this leg of the trip. However, I was much too keen to see my home town to let that get to me.

Here's me at the Waterfall right by the only stop light in all of Marquette county. Yes, Montello is in a place that rural.

Before we left town, I had dad stop at the Church. I suppose there isn't a lot to say about it. For me it's more about the memories, and so the fact that I didn't get in nor did I really take any pictures make much of a difference to me. Although I imagine it's not all that interesting to hear about.

We continued out of town until the turn towards White Lake. The farmer guy who has the lot right on that corner finally got a new sign advertising the sale of firewood. I remember whenever Noel, our first dog, was riding with us somewhere this is the part where she would start to get excited because she knew we were almost home.
We turned onto White Lake Ct. It looked mostly as I remembered it. Before we got to the house, we turned off to go to the White Lake Ponderosa which was the private beach that was reserved for us (when we lived there) and our neighbours. The water was high, but the water was crystal clear over soft white sand. The weeds were gone. It looked just like it had when I was a kid.

I wanted to take some of the sand home with me, but I would have needed a little bottle and a stopper. Maybe someday I'll go back and take home a bit of the beach.

After we left the beach, we drove past the old house. My Mom always called it a Frank Lloyd Wrong... The dopey thing was corbelled together and it had this awkward piece meal architecture. But I loved its quirkiness. When we lived here, there was a camp fire almost every night in the summer. Endless rides on the golf cart in the back woods and I would make elaborate mazes out of raking pine needles. When it was ours it was blue, but it still felt like home.

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I miss my room in the attic the most.

Before we left White Lake, we stopped by Scharenberg's, the resort on the lake. They are famous for keeping peacocks and we were lucky enough to be there in mating season.

When we lived here, occasionally they would wander through our yard.

Our last stop was by the Vaassen's old house. I took pictures of peanut pond. When we were little. Cameron, Kaleb, Tom, & I would spend hours catching tadpoles and frogs and playing made up games. In a small way, some of these games inspired several of my writing topics later in life.

Although you can't see all of it, the pond is shaped like a Peanut. I don't think the pond has an official name, but that's what we always called it.

Father Son Road Trip Part Two: Down the Mississippi

The night before we found a Super 8 motel in Red Wing, MN. The room had avocado coloured walls large pictures of what looked like the north woods of Canada hanging above the beds. The room was cheap enough and it came with breakfast so that's a plus.

Once we were checked out, we made our way into the town so that Dad could show me the St. James Hotel.
We crossed the street and went into the hotel, which was quite a big deal back in the early days of the town. Although it has been renovated and modernized they still have retained or restored much of the classic Victorian charm.

Here's dad across from the St. James Hotel.

Here is the classic lobby of the hotel with it's front desk.

This is a drawing room complete with a collection of beautifully old books.

When we were done we wandered around town for a bit before circling back and visiting the UFFDA Shop.
A long time ago, my whole family had made a similar road trip and so right away I recognized the UFFDA Shop where we had bought some Ole and Lena books. If you don't know who Ole and Lena are then you're probably need to take in some Scandinavian culture.

This link goes to a joke that is well worth anyone’s time:

The L.C.

Also in the shop we found these glasses.

The fun part is that your glass get's sloshed before you do!

While still in Red Wing we decided to go down by the river, strolling through a park and looking out at the water. On our way back to the car we stopped at the old train station which hosted an art gallery painted by local artists. Some of the colours and paintings used were simply stunning, and that's coming from someone who could probably live without visiting an art gallery.

We eventually left Red Wing (although we had a fair amount of difficulty in actually achieving this goal), but once we did we were treated with the picturesque views of the bluffs that boarder the Mississippi on both sides.
By the time we made it to the next town, Lake City, it was time for lunch. We found a bar advertising "The best burgers this side of the Mississippi" considering the bar was situated a mere 50 ft from the bank of the river, we thought they were a bit cheeky (although admittedly I'm the only one who phrased it like that).

The bar actually was a bank once upon a time, and they really did serve a good burger. 

After Lunch we went to some thrift shops, because I like thrift shops and more than that I love old books. It took two shops and several miscellaneous antiques later, but eventually I found a book that tripped my fancy.

With Answers!

From here we continued on past Lake Pepin and crossed the river to make it to the "Damn Saloon" formerly known as Freddy's Float.

For the record, I did not encounter Danger, Romance, or Fish. However, I was already on an Adventure so  1 out of 4 isn't terrible.

I seem to recall this place as well on the aforementioned previous road trip. However, I appreciate the place quite a bit more this time. We had a drink out by the water and watched the fish swim up to the surface. I was getting fairly tired by this point, and the alcohol wouldn't help, but we trudged on. I knew I would catch another wind eventually.

Our next stop was Winona... or rather Garvin Heights. Its a bluff that overlooks the city on the Minnesota side. There are roads to the top with a small park that are designed to maximise one's ability to get up to the edge and look out without falling the nearly six hundred feet to the city below.

I ran back to the car to get my omnoculars from my jacket. This would mark the only time I had ever actually used them to any real effect.

It was late afternoon now, but we still had a fair bit of travel to do. Our original goal involved at least LaCrosse so that was our next stop. According to my phone, LaCrosse has the world's largest Six Pack. For the record, it does not surprise me in any way that this is in Wisconsin.

The sign explains that this six pack has enough beer to give one person a regular sized six pack a day for 3,351 years. I am doubtful as to the state of this recipient's liver.

LaCross has a great many more things to offer than my Dad and I saw. It was late in the day, and so most of the shops were closed. Even still we wandered around the place for a while before we stopped at a place called The Bodega Brew Pub which boasts over 400 different kinds of beer. Is anyone else noticing a theme here. Anyway, I had a Strongbow on tap which pleased me to no end.

Father Son Road Trip Part One: Surprise Road Trip

“I think we should get going back,” Abby says, now that we’re standing up again anyway. “It would be bad if your dad got to town and we were stuck out here.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” I say, even though I’m not exactly ready to leave.

We turn to face down stream where we mutually remember that we had climbed a waterfall to get here. With a small sigh, I go down first, using the hand holds from the way up. The spray from the south fork of the Kinnickinnic splotches my knees and elbows as I lower myself to the rock at the base of the fall. I point the hand holds out to Abby, only moments before my phone begins to ring. It’s dad; he’s off the high way and on his way to River Falls. Looks like Abby has good timing. I tell her so after she joins me on the rock.

The hike back to Glen Park is rushed, but even still Dad calls again to say he’s ‘here’ by the time we make it to the swinging bridge. So we begin to climb. At the top we say our goodbyes while we wait/look for my Dad’s car. After several minutes, he calls but he’s on the wrong side of the park. It’s a short jog from here, so I tell him to stay put. I’ll be there soon.

I see him on the bridge that overlooks the largest fall. So I jog the rest of the way over and throw him into a hug.

“Some view,” he says gesturing to the waterfall.

“I know a better one,” I say smiling. “Wanna jump a fence?”

“We did that last time I was here,” he reminds me, “but sure we can do that.”

So we walk off the bridge and along the seemingly private land that leads to the short fence with a locked gate. Maybe I’m impressed easily but a 61 year old man hopping a fence has got to count for something. Anyway, we walk down the narrow path towards the best view in town. The cliff is probably 60 feet in the air overlooking the Kinnickinnic River glimmering in the late afternoon sun.

“So what do you want to do?” Dad asks once we’d settled on the rocky ground.

“I don’t have anything planned. I told everyone that I’m effectively gone as soon as you get here,” I respond.

“Would you want to road trip back?”

“Yes,” I say without hesitation. I haven’t gone on a road trip in ages.

There is an old friend of his, from his days in the band, that plays in Minneapolis, so we’re going to see if we can drop in for a show. We climb back over the fence and make our way to Kasey’s apartment via his car. I had been living here all summer, and although it never really felt like my place (because it wasn’t), I was certainly going to miss it.

When we walk in the door, Kasey is potting a collection of stolen baby spider plants in various stages of growth. She seems to have two of each developmental stage. Earlier today, she told me of her plan to see if letting the plants watch Rhett & Link influences their growth. I wonder if she’ll vlog about it.

Anyway she is surprised to hear that I am leaving tonight. The plan was that I would stay there until Thursday morning. However, I had packed my whole room up that morning so I suppose even my subconscious knew that I wasn’t going to stay there. The three of us are quickly able to load my stuff into Dad’s vehicle. All of my clothes and personal effects fit into a small backpack and a shoulder bag. That would have been it, but over my time in River Falls I had somehow managed to accumulate several (well four) very large bags of books.

It feels wrong how unceremonial Kasey and my goodbye was.  There was a tight hug and generic well wishing, and although I do not know what could or should have been added. I can’t shake the feeling that there should have been more to it. Maybe it’s just because I come from a family that takes forever to say good bye.

All the same, I will miss my roommate and best friend. I hope she doesn’t go ahead and finish Sailor Moon without me.