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9/14/2009
Is this beautiful motorcycle weather or what?
Wisconsin’s back roads enticed us to weave across the state over the weekend. Though avoiding the hard stuff (not a lick of alcohol while cycling) and sticking to root beer on tap, my husband and I enjoy unearthing the great and not-so-great maxi-, mini-, and micro-mini breweries dotting the state map (cheese factories and smoked fish too – but those are separate stories).
Nestled in amongst the bluffs of what must still be southwest Wisconsin’s glacier-free region, Potosi is mostly a quaint, couple mile-long Main Street (population 771), bounded on its east by the historic Potosi Brewery. In 2003, the American Breweriana Association founded the National Brewery Museum on the three floors of this old brewery southeast of Prairie du Chien. In 2008, both a restaurant and the revived brewery opened to the public.
Museum displays include outdoor living trellises of hops – both vertical and the “teepee” styles. Really interesting.
In addition to beautifully restored brewery buildings, this tiny town is also host to a new convention center/community building, apparently built by the Museum or its Foundation. If you’re looking for smaller meeting space than a whole mini-convention center, the 4th floor of the museum seats 40 for dinner or 60 for a reception. Fun.
Nicely done Potosi. You, the “Port of Potosi” local chapter of the American Breweriana Association and the Potosi Brewery Foundation have put together a classy, high-quality tourist attraction and educational stop. And darn good fresh-brewed root beer too.
Nanny State Citing
Somewhere on some detour or other in the southwest of the state we cycled through one of those experimental 2-lane highway sections labeled as a “Safe Highway” – or something like that. You probably know what I mean – drivers are encouraged to turn on their lights, regardless of the time of day, probably because accidents on a given stretch are higher than normal. Also seen: Sign stating “Hill obstructs vision.” I’m not kidding. We hardly noticed a hill, much less a hill any different from thousands of others on Wisconsin byways. All in the interest of safety, I guess - ???
Ok, one smoked fish story
If you try smoked carp, don’t eat the dark meat. Really fatty, really strong, The white meat was ok. It was a first for us – I don’t think we’ll try it again!
Wind Turbines
While heading home hugging the eastern shore of Lake Winnebago, we saw hundreds of wind turbines. We were obviously still in Fond du Lac County, as the farms and towns were a stark difference from identical scapes in the neighboring county to the north, where Calumet County continues to oppose the behemoths.
Whether you love them or hate them, the monstrous machines take your breath away, especially when you see tens at a time, mile after mile. Not a one was moving on the windless day. Not a one.
We stopped to chat with a man outside his porch in the small Town of Calumet. He said the turbines rotated about 85% of the time. Very rarely could he hear them, very rarely did the town or county hear a peep of disapproval from surrounding residents. All in this area were built by Vesta and are maintained by WE Energies.
I can’t say I enjoyed the majesty of the wind turbines as much as that of the bluffs of La Crosse and the sheer size and power of the Great Mississippi. But those turbines, bluffs and our rivers only point to so much beauty and majesty in this great state of ours – out there to be found most anywhere we set our sights.
Explore Wisconsin. Or “Wisconsin, Live Like You Mean It.” Or whatever….
Jo Egelhoff, FoxPolitics.net
COMMENTS
I cannot remember a September with better motorcycling weather. I rode the Triumph Bonneville with friends last week to a camping outing on the shores of Lake Superior near Sault Ste. Marie, weather perfect and beautiful setting. For riding enjoyment, however, I'd give the nod to the area Jo writes about, SW Wisconsin's 'driftless' zone with enless rural sweeping turns and hills through the Wyoming and Kickapoo valleys. The best motorcycling Wisconsin has to offer!
Tom Sladek (Mon Sep 14 10:59:06 2009)
Jo:
I didn't realize you were a "Harley Babe"! I'm astounded!
Glenn
GL Schilling (Mon Sep 14 21:30:22 2009)
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