THE ADVENTURES OF PLATY AND THE GANG Ice Age Trail 2020

(click on pictures for a larger view)

We arrived in Hartford, WI. on 9/7 and started hiking with Ruth and Dan on 9/9 in the rain. 236 miles to go to the Eastern end of the trail.  
On 9/10 they started the Loew Lake section and everyone assumed the normal pose. 
Holy Hill monastery can be seen in the distance in this section.

Leaving the campground at Pike Lake on 9/11.
Dan and Ruth had a family emergency and had to return back home.  On 9/13 Judy had to assume the pose alone.  Their company will be greatly missed.
Had to do a little detour around the tunnel unless she wanted to get her feet really wet.
On 9/14 184 miles to go.
Starting along a gravel road on 9/15 near Hoeft's Resort where we were staying.
One of the shelters along the trail.
On 9/16 we moved to a new campground at Sheboygan County Marsh. While she was hiking I packed up the RV and met her at the parking area where she ended for the day.
When we arrived at the campground it was empty but the road to our site was blocked.  We had to wait while they loaded their equipment from the construction site for a new education center.
The site was large and we were alone untill Friday when as is normal for Wisconsin campgrounds it became full for the weekend.  The park has a nice restaurant where we ate two times.  Judy enjoyed the humming bird feeder attached to the window at our table.

On 9/17 she started on trail in the La Budde Creek section and encountered some new boardwalk and ended on some roadwalk.

9/18 started the Walla Hi section with some road and some trail through a county park.

Along the road she met 2 ladies hiking the opposite direction.  They had only hiked that county and were just beginners.

9/20 was a moving day where she started at a county park.  I went on to Seagull Marina and Campground in Two Rivers.  Our site is facing the inlet to Lake Michigan across from the Coast Guard Station.

It was 9 miles of roadwalk to the Manitowoc River section and then into town.

9/21 was walking through Manitowoc and along Lake Michigan. The wind was stirring up the waves.

The trail leaves the nice bikepath, cuts behind a hospital through a lovely garden and into the Dunes section.

9/22 started out crossing the dunes for a beach walk and then through Point Beach State Park.

9/23 was a roadwalk into the town of Mishicot.   While going through the town park she came upon a group of about 30 fishermen around a small pool below the dam.  After reading the display there we found out they were after chinook salmon.  I watched as a guy caught  one over 36" long.
 
After crossing the covered bridge and the rest of the town it was more road walk and a couple of small trail segments.
While she was hiking I visited the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc. You can see museum pictures here.

9/24 started out with a few miles of roadwalk and then entered a section of trail with a stream crossing.
Then through the woods for some more roadwalk.

After hiking and lunch we moved to Kewaunee RV & Campground.
9/25 was all roadwalk. All cows and corn fields...no pictures.
9/26 was hiking on the Ahnapee Rail Trail into Kewaunee.  The leaves have started to change.  It's good she has only 37 miles to go after today.

Along the way she passed the Bruemmer Park Zoo.  It's a small county zoo and picnic ground. In talking to the owner of the campground where we are staying I learned he does metal sculptures and made Melvin the giraffe for the zoo.
 
The trail and the day ended at the worlds largest grandfather clock.


We then ate lunch at the restaurant across the street right on the water.  We sat outside on the deck and watched the fog roll in and the temperature drop. Fall has arrived.

This is the boat you can see outside of the restaurant.  The restaurant is to the left in the picture.

9/27 was more roadwalk with still more cows and cornfields.
9/28 started with roadwalk but moved to a railtrail in the town of Algoma where we had lunch on both days.
Lots of fall colors and flowers.

9/29 started with returning to the Ahnapee Rail Trail in Maplewood.
After 6 miles it's onto the streets and parks in Sturgeon Bay.

Along the waterfront in Sturgeon Bay.

And into Potawatomi State Park.

Finishing the trail at the Eastern Terminus.  Total of 1137 miles!!!

Send Email to: bob@bgeisler.com