Florence

We went camping in Florence with the VonOepens. Phil grew up there.

We didn't arrive until early afternoon, as Jamie had football in the morning. We stopped for a geocache on the way over.

After setting up camp, we went to tour the area by GPS. The kids loved the boxes of treasure, the adults loved the fall splendor, and Phil loved the rush of memories.

In the evening, the big guys went to visit Phil's buddies and cousins at an establishment showing the Badger game.

In the morning we split up. We went into da U.P. for lunch, then headed back to Wisconsin to see some more sights.

We stopped to find a cache in Niagara, and a local stopped to see what we were doing.

Our last stop was Dave's Falls.

Phelps Drive

Top to bottom:
Twin Lake, Highway 17 North, two of Smokey Lake.

How was your day?

A nice day to be out and about.

(Vilas County Highway E, between Phelps and Land O' Lakes)

This morning I received an email telling me there was a new geocache (star on map) put out in my delivery area. I would be driving right past today, and I should have five minutes free.

I didn't have my GPSr, but with the cache listing and log info I read, the knowledge of the maps and area, and my tracking skills (thanks Dad), I was able to notice the subtle trail of the two parties who had been there before me.

This evening, while I prepared the carrots and beets that Mom & Dad had given us from their garden, I listened to a TTBOOK program about Jack Kerouac and other Beat artists.

Click here to listen.

(Pickerel Lake boat landing)

I'm Winning

My teams won.

Jamie and I finished another project.

And the kids and I completed our complex geocache.

As you can see, the firewood can be loaded from below the deck, and accessed from the interior of the home without bundling up to go outside. And the partial shelf, which keeps the snow off of the wood, doubles as a cooling shelf after dinner in the winter.

Sunset along the Pelican River east of Rhinelander.

Hello, sportsfans

Jamie and Kayla were at friends' houses last night. Jamie returned in time for Pop Warner.

After his game, Shelly, he and I had some BK while we watched the Badgers. As the game progressed, the feeling to work on a project on Saturday afternoon kept gnawing at me.

But we have enough sheds.

But we also have a puppy that inhales cat food when he gets the chance.
Jamie and I built a raised cat station behind the bar.



When Kayla returned, the kids and I took Loki, the GPSr, and the 12-gauge into the woods.

We marked points for a complicated geocache that we'll finish implementing tomorrow. I'll post the link when its published. (Flushed a few grouse, no shots.)

The 43nd Annual Mad-City Hodag Hunt

Since I live in Rhinelander, and used to work in Dodgeville, you'd think I would have heard of this before.

from Rhinelander to Wisconsin Dells via Green Bay

Loki seems to be doing well.

He had a good amount of energy through the weekend, he's eating well, and today he was chasing the cat around.

(The picture is morning fog in a valley near Green Lake.)

Friday we drove to Green Bay, then Dave and I drove to Wisconsin Dells at 5:00 Saturday morning for his brother's bachelor party.

We golfed, rode one of the Original Wisconsin Ducks, and went out for a night on the town.

On the drive back on Sunday, we found some geocaches. I've found over 200 now.

Shelly, Nicky and Angie went to the Packer game, a good one.

Jamie had his 9th birthday party with his cousins, and is now armed with a light saber, sling shot, and air-plastic-pellet guns.

Say hello to my little friend

Saw this fellow out on Military Road, north of 70.

I had to stop as he ambled across the road, so I figured I'd take his picture.

On other news of other fellow beings, sadly Loki is sick. He was vomiting all day, so Shelly took him to the vet. He has Parvo virus. Prognosis from vet was not heartening, but online I found that with treatment, there is an 80% survival rate. Shelly got a regimen of medications, including IV, (dehydration is the endgame.) It seems that if he makes it a few days, he should be OK.

Again tonight

Hot again today.
Went swimming at Crescent Lake after placing a new geocache.

say goodbye, to the summer

Well, it's still in the 80's.

Friday Dan & Charity and their kids came for a quick visit. Steve came over, and we had pizza and a campfire.

Saturday morning Dan & I went to golf 9 holes with, and against Dad & Uncle Paul Scobey. They led the first three holes, back and forth in the middle, and we came on strong in the end. Dan finished with pars on 16,17, & 18. And after finally taking his new driver out of the bag on 18, drove pin-high to the greenside bunker, 330 yards. We earned a beer in the clubhouse.

The Baxters headed to visit Charity's sister's family in Wausau (they came to our house via Green Bay) around noon.

That afternoon I went to work at the KC food booth at Rhinelander's Oktoberfest. Their first try on Labor Day Weekend. I think they'll repeat the plan. It was quite busy. An excellent festive atmosphere.

After I stayed to help through Dad & Uncle Paul's shift, we stayed for a few beers and songs.

Sunday we played in my coworker's family's horseshoe tournament, always lots of fun. The SpeeDee families' members made a strong showing this year.

Monday the kids and I headed over to geocache around Ogema and Westboro, and we returned to have an end-of-summer dinner out at The Friendship House with Shelly.