Traveling America By Van: Heading To West Bend
By: John Kumiski
We'd left the Badlands, heading east on Interstate 90. Coffee! I want coffee! Starbucks are few and far between in this part of South Dakota. Siri directed us to a gas station. Gas station coffee is uniformly disgusting, but this gas station had a satellite coffee shop within. It was popular, and the wait was long, but we got some delicious fuel to keep us going.
Late lunchtime found us in Sioux City. Siri (How did we travel before smartphones?) directed us to a Mexican restaurant. Until this point, all our driving this day had been on I-90, moving at a cool 80 MPH. After the Mex we finally and happily got on back roads again and visited Canton (not the Ohio one), where we camped at lovely Newton Hills State Park. We could almost see Iowa from here! Lots of families, lots of kids, everyone having fun. The folks camped next to us were from Florida, though- go figure.
Morning found us driving on arrow-straight roads through Iowa cornfields. Turns were all 90 degrees. Very square geography there. I couldn't make a good estimate on how many corn plants we passed, but it was certainly in the millions! And coffee! I want coffee! Siri wasn't so much help here. She doesn't help where there's no service.
The Mississippi River from Great River Bluffs State Park. This is not the small river I thought it might be!
In a lovely little town called Sibley, we found both coffee and lunch at a coffee shop in the tiny downtown. We had to take out, because the establishment was about to close. A neighborhood park was nearby, with swings and slides and pavilions. We took both our lunch and our coffee under a pavilion, enjoying the sunshine, each other's company, the food, and the smell of freshly cut grass. No laughing children could be heard, though- other than us the place was deserted.
Lunch finished, we stuffed our foam to-go boxes in the trash, then got back on the road, taking Highway 60 into Minnesota. Back to interstate 90!
One of our stated goals on this journey was to not take interstate highways. We wanted to see America! But one can only take so much of the corn monoculture. So, we traversed the southern portion of Minnesota on the interstate, for the most part a straight-line shot, only getting off to find Great River Bluffs State Park in Winona, at which we intended to camp.
We were glad to get to the park- it had been a long day in the van. We took a short hike to see the Mississippi River. From the top of the Great River Bluff, of course! I had a notion the river would be small this far up. Wrong! There was a marked channel, and wing dams, and barge traffic. And apparently advisories against consuming fish from the river, which was sad. I'd considered fishing here, but those thoughts evaporated when I saw the size of the river. It did not look fly-fishing friendly.
Show off your selfie skills here!
Now, the campground in the state park did not have water at each site. There was a single water spigot. It was right behind our campsite. As a result, we had no privacy, people constantly coming and going. We were hoping to spend two nights there to rest up after the long drive, but after a single night we had seen enough. Back on the road we went!
Back on I-90, we crossed the Mississippi into Wisconsin. It was a short stay on the highway, though. We got off at Tomah, and once again got on a back road. Our goal this evening was Wildcat Mountain State Park, in Ontario. We spent two nights at this delightful park.
Sandstone bluffs along the Kickapoo River.
Ontario advertises itself as headquarters for paddling the Kickapoo River. Paddle liveries galore! I spent $50 for a tandem kayak rental and shuttle from Drifty's, and Susan and I paddled the 'poo.
Although they were tricky to navigate at times, the Kickapoo’s twists and turns are what make it really beautiful. Sandstone cliffs line the banks in spots, and all along the route wildflowers and the just-beginning-to-change leaves made for a beautiful paddle. And in some places, rising trout made me wish I had brought a fly rod!
Susan paddles on the Kickapoo River.
We took a few walks here, too. Hiking trails traverse the park, with views of the surrounding countryside coming at rock outcrops. There were lots of flowers - both goldenrods and Heliopsis - blooming profusely. Gorgeous!
After two nights, though, it was time to go. Dave and Beth were expecting us, and few things in life are as pleasurable as a reunion with old friends you haven't seen in a long time. We stayed on back roads, driving through farm country. There was still lots of corn, but there were lots of open pastures, lots of dairy cows. The roads were hilly, with twists and turns, and new views opened up constantly.
The goldenrods...
We discussed what to bring to our friends' house. I said, "We'll stop at a farm stand and see what they have." We didn't see one for a long way. When we did, it was quite an operation, with a petting zoo and a playground for children, and a corn maze, and various other frills. What it did not have was reasonable prices. Eight dollars for a watermelon? We got back in the van and continued driving.
...and Heliopsis were blooming, signs of impending autumn.
Wisconsin calls itself America's Dairyland. We stopped at an establishment called Schultz's Cheese Haus. Oh, yes, this is what I'm talking about! What a place! What got my stomach-centered attention first were all the samples of cheese and crackers they had. Delicious cheese. Delicious crackers. Wine, not quite as delicious, but at least I didn't have to buy a bottle to find that out. The display cases were a gourmand's delight- all kinds of cheeses, and sausages, and aisles with crackers, and jellies, and honey, and nuts, and more. We loved this place, and we spent quite a few dollars here.
Now armed with gifts for our hosts, we continued to West Bend.
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