BK Olson, Travel Blogger

Tag: Rock Island

  • More of the Door: Finale

    More of the Door: Finale

    This post will conclude my blogs from several visits to Door County over the summer of 2015. Although I have been there many times before, I never took the time to document those trips, so this was a little different. I really enjoy the “having a reason to take lots of pictures” because in the past I would take them, but they were rarely seen by anyone and sometimes they’d get lost in the shuffle. Hopefully you enjoy them – either when reminiscing about a trip you’ve taken or when thinking of new places to visit.

    Last summer my husband joined me for a long weekend in August, but I was alone for the rest of the week. I went solo in October as well, to take in Washington Island and Rock Island, where I thoroughly enjoyed my solitude, with no feelings of uneasiness as I ventured out on my own. No one was going to rob me and then wait for the ferry to putt them back to the mainland. It was a totally laid back experience and I can’t wait to go back again, so I can do it all over, although next time I might travel with hubby, a daughter or a friend.

    If you’re new to this blog, be aware if you hover over most photos, a caption will pop up that will give a location where they were taken. Sometimes, especially when just photographing random barns along the way, I don’t have a clue where it was, so if there’s no caption, that’s probably the case.

    Last post we finished up in Peninsula State Park, so I’ll continue heading north on the western side on Highway 42 and start this blog in Ephraim. The photos above (and two below) were taken in Ephraim – pronounced with a long E. Ephraim is by far the most historic of all the towns in Door County, with an historical foundation, several historic buildings, a gorgeous church and of course, the shopping and eating that you’ll come to expect from all towns up and down the peninsula.

    “The Ephraim Historical Foundation (EHF) preserves and sustains the history of Ephraim through its historic collections and its buildings. Several of these buildings, including the Anderson Store, Anderson Barn, Pioneer Schoolhouse, and Goodletson Cabin, are regularly open as museums during the summer and fall. The Iverson House is open for special events and programs.

    Visitors can also learn about Ephraim’s history through the EHF’s tours, including the Classic Tram Tour, the Historic Walking Tour, the Heritage Tram Tour, and the Moravian Church and Iverson House Tour.”  – READ MORE at the Ephraim Historical Foundation

    The red barn-like structure above is an art gallery and the exterior is decorated with graffiti. Read about it below.

    “Founded in 1962 by the Peninsula Arts Association, the Hardy Gallery is a not-for-profit community gallery committed to address the needs of the local artist community, the creative enrichment of local youth, educating the public and promoting the visual arts and artists of the Door County Peninsula. Located in the old warehouse on Ephraim’s historic dock that dates back to the 1850s, the Hardy is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The exterior of the Hardy is covered with graffiti left behind by visitors.” – from artistsnetwork.com

    Next up is Sister Bay. Another great town, this is home to the restaurant with the goats on the roof that I spoke of in my Washington Island post. A gentleman on Washington Island wanted to have goats on his roof as well, but was almost sued. Apparently Al Johnson’s Swedish Restaurant & Butik wanted to be the only restaurant with such an attraction. It is pretty cool… I guess.

    Ellison Bay is home to Ellison Bluff State Natural Area which is very beautiful. Wills Park is another nice area, complete with an Inukshuk. I’ve seen a lot of rock stacking going on all around the lakeshore, but this is actually in the likeness of a human, so it’s officially an Inukshuk and not just stacked rocks.

    “The Clearing is a folk school founded in 1935 by landscape architect Jens Jensen. This “school of the soil” is nestled within 128 acres of Door County forests and meadows and overlooks the dramatic Green Bay shoreline. It was built as a place where ordinary people could, as the name implies, “clear one’s mind” by reconnecting with nature and with one another.” – READ MORE about The Clearing

    The Clearing is not the only place in Door County to learn about or participate in art. A lot of the galleries offer classes and Hands On Art Studio in Fish Creek, as the name implies, offers a hands-on experience with ceramics, glass creations, metal work and spin-painting. No matter what type of art you’re into, I’ll bet you can find an outlet in Door County.

    Linden Gallery along with being a gorgeous building with beautiful landscaping, displays wonderful collections of Asian art. You won’t believe some of the fabulous things in that shop. It’s definitely worth a stop for the historical value alone. “The enchanting 6,000 square foot gallery is dedicated to rotating exhibitions of leading Asian artists, antiquities, and Asian objects of art. The gallery is open from May-October each year.”

    The photo above left is the Door County Maritime Museum in Gills Rock. It doesn’t look like much from the outside but my husband will vouch for the quality of its interior with interesting exhibits and some cool old ship equipment.

    The Northport Pier Visitor Center and Ferry Landing in Northport is the place to buy your tickets if you’re heading to Washington or Rock Islands via the Washington Island Ferry. There are several options, depending on your schedule. You can take the people ferry, but with over 80 miles of paved roads on the island you might not get far on foot. Of course you can rent bikes or mopeds. Tour busses are an option, or you can take the car ferry and take your own tour of the island. I would suggest spending a couple nights on Washington Island so you can tour it one day and then take another ferry to spend another day on Rock Island. Check out my blogs about my experience and I may just convince you to make a trip of Washington Island and Rock Island.

    My final Door County photo is close to the end of the road (literally) near Northport, Wisconsin. I will quote a fellow blogger for the great synopsis of the “who and why” of this great road:

    “At the town of Liberty Grove, at the very tip of the county, town road commissioner Walter Kalms says his grandfather complained that “whoever laid out that road had something wrong with his head.”

    But Kalms, and deputy clerk Janet Johnson, actually do know the reason: The road was designed by an artist, not an engineer.

    Johnson says famed landscape architect Jens Jensen had a hand in laying out the end of Highway 42 to enhance its scenic beauty. Jensen, a Danish immigrant, designed parks in Chicago and Madison before coming to Door County in the 1930s to create The Clearing, a school to train landscape architects.

    Jensen, who had a near-mystical belief in the civilizing power of nature, would probably scoff at my hurry to get to the island so I could start relaxing.

    Next time, I’ll appreciate the curves that were put there just so I’d slow down and see the beauty of Wisconsin.”  – READ MORE

    If you started somewhere in the middle of my Door County posts, click for Rock Island to continue.

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • Newport State Park

    Newport State Park

    Since I started my Door County blogs way up north with Rock Island and Washington Island, I may as well stay way up north and east in the peninsula at Newport State Park. The pictures in this post were taken the end of August in 2015, so this will be a nice break from the bare trees, snow and ice that going on outside my window now. Not sure where you are reading this, but I hope it’s nicer than here! This was a fabulous day and Newport State Park offers lots of great trails and some awesome Lake Michigan views, as well as a beautiful lighthouse.

    We have been to Door County quite a few times over the years, but have never been to this Park. I hope that this post encourages you to visit if you are a nature/trail lover. It is really quite beautiful!

    “Newport State Park, northeast of Ellison Bay, is Wisconsin’s only formally-designated wilderness park. With 2,373 acres and 11 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline, the park offers quiet alternatives to bustling Door County. Explore 30 miles of hiking trails with hike-in campsites. There are evergreen and hardwood forests, wetlands and upland meadows.”  – READ MORE

    We’ll start with Fern Trail (above) which, as the name implies, was a great walk in the woods with some dense and lush greenery and a pretty easy trail. Somehow we got turned around, so I don’t think the pictures of Lake Michigan (below) are still on the Fern Trail, we may have switched trails to the Europe Bay trail mid-walk, but we didn’t care. It was a great day and the trail was easy on the legs and full of beautiful scenery and no bugs – which we were kind of expecting. It was a great day all around.

    As you’ll notice in these pictures and a few of the next, the Lake has risen, so a lot of the trees seem to be growing in the water. Not sure how long they can withstand that “over-watering”, or whether the Lake will be lower next year, but I’m sure some things will be a little different on our next trip here. The sun was intense as it glimmered off the water, but wow, what a fabulous day.

    The pictures above are of the lake right next to the causeway to the Cana Island Lighthouse, a dilapidated building on the grounds (my favorite kind of photos) and our first glimpse of the lighthouse. I have seen pictures of this lighthouse at night, even though the sign at the entrance clearly says it closes at dusk, I think. The pictures are stunning, but take great caution if you plan a trip after hours as the causeway is a little tricky to maneuver even during daylight hours sometimes. It was definitely wet and the waves were crashing pretty close as we passed by, but it wasn’t too bad on our visit. I just love the picture of the lake above. It was the most beautiful shade of blue and the contrast with the whitecaps and the vegetation growing along the shore was really something.

    “Travel back in time and explore one of Door County Wisconsin’s most popular lighthouses that’s been standing watch on the shore of Lake Michigan for more than 140 years.

    Investigate the entire 8.7-acre island that includes the 89-foot-tall light tower, the original home of the lighthouse keeper and his family, and the oil house where fuel for the light was stored.

    The highlight of any Cana Island visit is climbing the 97 steps of the tower’s spiral staircase to reach the gallery deck. The outside deck delivers a sweeping view of Lake Michigan and the Door County peninsula.

    While the ascent is fun for visitors, imagine the lighthouse keeper’s job as he trudged up and down the steps each night, carrying heated lard to keep the light burning!”  – READ MORE

    Out front of the lighthouse was a wonderful natural fence that beckoned us to check out the lake. Our shoes crunched on the beach of millions of tiny shells that had washed ashore. The views of the lake were fabulous from this vantage point with the “floating” trees and the lighthouse behind us.

    We decided there was time for one more trail, so we decided upon the Upland Trail, which was close to the entrance to the Park and only about 2 miles long. Similar to the Fern Trail, it was green and lush but also had lots of mushrooms and a wonderful root cellar that was pretty great.

    Almost immediately as we entered the trail, there was a sign about Poison Ivy (above). “Leaflets Three, Let It Be” was the sign that warned us of its prevalence on the trail. Funny, growing up in Iowa where every summer included at least one slathering of Calamine Lotion, I was never really sure what it looked like. So there you have it!

     

     

    As we left the park, there was a great farm with a couple spectacular barns and a barn quilt. As much as I like the bright red barns, these were just great, giving off that “lived-in” vibe that I love so much.

    Wisconsin – with its nature and barn quilts, cows and dilapidated buildings, cornfields and Lake Michigan – can add up to one of the prettiest states around. Door County has a little bit of all of those things – along with some great cherries, yummy wine and great fish boils (we’ll talk more about that later!). I can’t wait to return ASAP!

    Next up: Baileys Harbor

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • Washington Island

    Washington Island

    We’ve been to Door County many times, but have never gone to Washington Island. I set my sights on changing that and decided to stay two nights on the Island, which would allow most of my travel day for exploration here and one day to take the ferry to Rock Island (my previous blog). There are many ways to take in Washington Island. Since it’s a little expensive for a day trip to take your car along, some people opt to take the people-only ferry at Gill’s Rock or Northport. Once there, you can rent bikes or mopeds, just hang around the harbor or maybe catch the Cherry Train, which is an open-air tram that will give you a nice overview of the Island on its 2-hour tour. For a little more info on Washington Island, click HERE.

    With over 80 miles of paved roads on the Island, I opted for the works. For $65, I got round trip tickets for the car ferry to Washington Island and the passenger ferry to Rock Island and also a ride on the Cherry Train tram tour. In my opinion that was the way to really get a feel for the laid-back state-of-mind you’ll get on both islands and see as much as I could during my time there. The Welcome Center at Washington Island was steps from the ferry and offers a break from the wind and some very pretty surroundings. Bike rentals are close-by as well. But don’t get the idea that you can walk the Island, because from the ferry landing to Downtown is three miles and Jackson Harbor (where you catch the Karfi to Rock Island) is eight miles.

    You can’t miss the Cherry Train, with it’s bright red pickup truck and equally as red tram-cars. Our tour-guide was very knowledgable about the Island and offered lots of history and a few funny stories. Even though you may have been told there is no such thing as a stupid question, be careful if you ask one – because you will be the butt of her jokes for years to come.

    Today was quite brisk, so thankfully I had many layers of clothing in my car. Remember that, if you come without a car since you’re sitting in the middle of Lake Michigan/Green Bay and it can get quite nippy, especially if the wind is whipping.

    First stop is Mann’s Mercantile (above, behind the gnome). It seemed like a strange stop to me, since we were only there for about 15 minutes and I can’t imagine stocking up on hardware while on the island, but they did sell yummy fudge and other snacks and the buildings to the right of the mercantile were quite interesting. Across the street was a bar. I suppose I could have slammed something that would have warmed me up, but I thought better of that idea.

    Pictured above, you’ll notice the grass on the roofs. Apparently they tried to have goats grazing up top, but were almost sued because another establishment in Door County (to be covered in another post) took offense to them stealing their idea. I guess it all worked out anyway, since one roof was too steep and the goats would fall off and the other was too low and the goats would just jump off and run out into the road. Since they had to abandon that idea, a gentleman now has to go up and mow the roofs, which seems like a dangerous line of work to me!

    Next stop is Washington Harbor and Schoolhouse Beach, which got its name from a log schoolhouse built here in 1850. If you’re not a fan of sand in your shoes, this is the beach for you. This is a beautifully smooth limestone beach, so bring some hard-souled shoes. And don’t take the rocks or you’ll get slapped with a $250 fine – for each rock. According to our driver, limestone beaches have the cleanest and clearest waters and there are no biting flies, which makes this the perfect place for an afternoon of relaxation. The water gets deep quickly so diving and snorkeling are good. Away from the water there’s a great place for picnics in a beautiful wooded area.

    Several beautiful blue signs near the beach read:

    “The smoothly polished stones are an integral part of the Schoolhouse Beach experience… By ones and twos, by pocketful, purse full, by box full, trunk full or truckload, the limestone gems so beautiful to look at, so soothing to hold, are being taken from their natural environment… Marvel at the grandeur of Schoolhouse Beach and please leave the stones as you find them.”

    “The big ships and docks are gone now, along with the early settlements and those who eked out a living on the harbor shores. Yet Washington Harbor remains a magnet for visitors and a cherished heritage for the descendants who still make the Island their home. This place of natural beauty has a magical quality with its mirror smooth surface evoking quiet reflection both physical and spiritual.”

    Next up is the Farm Museum. Pictured above and below, this was a great stop. With lots of old rusty iron objects to photograph, cute wooden horses and loads of history, I couldn’t have loved this stop more.

    “Farm buildings from various locations on the Island were re-assembled here along with old-time farm tools and implements. There is special emphasis on the period from 1870 to 1940.” – READ MORE

    We slowed down as we passed the Downtown area while our driver told us the story of Nelsen’s Hall.

    “Nelsen’s Hall Bitters Pub is the largest purveyor of Angostura Bitters in the world, according to the Guinness Book of Records. Why are they famous for serving up a shot that makes many cringe? The answer dates back to Prohibition, when the United States (quite unsuccessfully) banned the sale, production, and transportation of alcohol from 1920 – 1933. Tom Nelsen, a Danish immigrant built the hall in 1899 and wasn’t about to close his doors. He applied for and was granted a pharmacist license to dispense bitters as a “stomach tonic for medicinal purposes.” Since Angostura Bitters is 90 proof, it’s safe to say that it served as more than a cure for stomachaches.

    The hall remained open during Prohibition, making Nelsen’s the oldest legally continuously operated tavern in the state of Wisconsin. The tavern also served as a movie theater, dentist office, ice cream parlor, and of course, pharmacy.” – READ MORE

    I couldn’t find anything about the significance of The Bitter End Motel – right next door – other than it must have been pretty handy to be so close to a motel after drinking 90 proof shots. I just loved how the grapevines looked on the side of this historic old motel, so I included it here.

    Next stop was a bonus! The Cherry Train lady said that she didn’t want to get our hopes up, so she didn’t tell us about this stop. Sometimes the parking lot and area around it is so packed with people you can’t get through in our allotted timeframe. Good thing we came on the “off season”, we made the stop and WOW, it was great.

    The Stavkirke Stave Church on Washington Island was built to honor its Scandinavian heritage. Built at 3/4 scale, this church was designed after a church in Borgund, Lærdal, Norway, built in the 12th century and is a medieval wooden Christian church building of post and lintel construction – a type of timber framing.

    After we said goodbye to the Cherry Train, back at its depot (the Welcome Center), I headed back to see some of the other things on the Island before I found my accommodations for the next two nights, with my first stop at Little Lake.

    Right next to Little Lake was the Jacobsen Museum, which was chock full of natural and historical artifacts of the region, with a tour given by a woman who used to know Jens Jacobsen when she was a young child. For more information, read the info in the picture below. This sign was near the entrance to the Museum.

    People’s Park was just up the road. A beautiful day, a beautiful park with awesome views, plenty of picnic tables and a gnarly old tree.

    Below are pictures of the Bethel Church (1865) – the first church on the Island and St. Michael’s Chapel. The building that now houses St. Michael’s Chapel has worn several hats. Originally constructed as the Washington Harbor School in the 1800s, was also a General Store before it’s transformation in 1964 to a Chapel. Although open to the public, no services are actually held here.

    The Art & Nature Center was one of the schoolhouses used when Washington Island had multiple school districts. Now it is the center for the display of works by local Artists. It also is a place for people to view the island’s unique ecology with plant and animal displays. Visit the website for the Art & Nature Center. Right next to the Center is a Memorial to the World War II Veterans.

    One last stop at the Mountain Park & Lookout Tower sends you up 186 steps to the top of the Island to enjoy majestic views of the land and water. Wow, what a sight!

    I decided to stay for two nights at the Sunset Resort, because of it’s great location on the sunset side of the island and because it had private bathrooms, which are rare on the Island. What I found was a beautiful location, a great resort and some very friendly people who have run the resort for years. Traveling alone, it’s nice to feel welcome and safe. Overall it was a great couple of days.

    Phyllis was very friendly and helped me to find a place where I’d feel comfortable dining alone. The result was a fabulous meal, chatting with a fabulous bartender at the Sailor’s Pub, which is close to the ferry landing. I tried a new martini that Alex dreamed up that day (with pear juice, yum!), and my meal also provided left-overs for the next evening, which I stored in the guest refrigerator at the resort.

    I was very excited to see my first sunset on Washington Island and then catch some ZZZs. I was pooped after such a full day. But as it turned out, there couldn’t have been a more boring sunset had I ordered one up. Good thing I got to bed early and then rose early, because the sunRISE was something to see.

    Washington Island

    The Sunset Resort has over 25 flags from different countries around the world. There are four or five that are permanent fixtures in the front of the resort and more in the back, near the water that they switch out. The first night, I met a couple at the resort from Wales and when I said I was from Belgium, we all laughed that we had such a worldly group there that night, even though our hometowns of Wales and Belgium were both in Wisconsin.

    It always pays to chat with the folks “in the know”, because the next morning, I asked the purveyor how he decides which flags to put up each day. He wasn’t sure, he thought it was just random and mentioned that today’s flags were Belgium (left) and Germany (right). It may have been random, but I like to think that it was just for me. They must not have owned a flag from Wales.

    Thanks to Lee, another of the outstanding folks at the Sunset Resort for helping me get a little more information on the limestone rocks that come ashore on Schoolhouse Beach. I always make a habit of taking a quick photo of any placards or DNR information that I can reference when I get home and start on the blog. One of my photos was cut off and I couldn’t see the last of what was written. I called the resort and Lee made a stop and emailed me pictures, so I could finish the quotes about the Limestone rocks. Thanks so much for the pictures, and for the wonderful stay Lee! I will be back!

    Next up: Newport State Park

    Happy trails,
    Barb

  • Rock Island

    Rock Island

    OK, the plan was to start in southern Door County and work up to the northern point, but I just can’t wait. I’m starting at the top with Rock Island and will work my way down instead. I know, I know you should save the best for last, but hey – it’s my blog and I want to apologize for a lapse in posts. Real (paying) work has put a crimp in my free time for blogging. I say that with lots of mixed emotions.

    From Washington Island, it’s only about six miles to Rock Island – by ferry of course. Most of its 912 acres are owned and managed by the Wisconsin DNR as Rock Island State Park. Rock Island is Wisconsin’s most isolated park – very wooded and largely undisturbed. There are about 40 pretty rustic campsites. With no cars or bikes allowed, there are about 6-1/2 miles of well-maintained walking trails all the way around the island, as well as another 6 miles that zig-zag across it.

    A little history.
    In 1910, much of the island became the summer estate of Chester Thordarson, a wealthy inventor who made his fortune as a pioneer in the field of high-voltage electrical equipment. Born in Iceland in 1868, the Icelandic community on Washington Island must have felt a little like home, so he purchased 775 acres on nearby Rock Island for $5,375.

    In the 1920’s he built the Viking Hall and Boathouse. With its massive presence and beautiful red roof it makes quite an impression as you approach from the water. He built many other fabulous structures from local limestone, but the mansion that he planned for his wife on the east side of the island was never built. He was a nature lover and left the greater share of the island untouched. Wisconsin acquired the island in 1964 from his estate to become Rock Island State Park. I have pictures of some of the buildings and a little history, as well as a tale or two.

    Onto the ferry!
    Because my trip was so late in the season, the first ferry to Rock Island – Karfi Ferry – was not till 10am and there would only be three ferries returning to Washington Island at 12:15, 2:15 and – since I didn’t bring my camping gear – 4:15. I’m not that fast of a walker these days and I knew I would be taking lots of pictures, so I knew that 6-1/2 miles was not going to get walked by me today. Just how much of this island I would be checking out remained to be seen.

    The day started out cloudy, cold and VERY windy. As I boarded the open-air ferry for Rock Island with my four layers, I was thinking about heading for my trunk for a fifth, but put on my gloves instead. The ride over was freezing and very choppy and I had doubts about my decision to make the trip at all. Once on the other side, things changed considerably – and it turned out to be a fabulous day.

    The pictures above (notice the blue skies?) were taken after our return. Quite an improvement from when we left. Although still pretty windy, at least the sun was shining. The area around the ferry landing was really quite beautiful.

    Since Rock Island is relatively close, you can see the boathouse from Washington Island. I had heard a lot about the boathouse, but I’ve seen a lot of boathouses. What could be so great about this one? Check out the picture at the top for a glimpse, but I’ll go with my normal m.o. and save the best for last.

    First sights were a cool urn-full of flowers on a wall of rock and the Ranger’s Residence, which sits quite beautifully up high for a bird’s-eye view. And looking back – there’s that boathouse again!

    Next up is the water reservoir. Chatting with a maintenance man at the boathouse, apparently this building with it’s reservoir replaced the water tower that still stands on the east side of the island. I guess Chester and his wife wanted to build their house on the eastern side of the island, but then thought better of that once they realized it was much closer to Washington Island from the western side. I didn’t make it that far, so I have no pictures of the water tower, but this building was really cool.

    Just past that is all that remains of a Japanese Garden that Thordarson had built. Apparently quite lavish at the time, he had it bulldozed after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor.

    The walk to the lighthouse started out a little steep, but leveled out nicely.

    The Pottawatomie Light is a lovely sight. The original lighthouse – lit in 1836 – is the oldest light station in Wisconsin and on Lake Michigan. The existing structure replaced the original in 1850 after some crumbling began. In 2004, the “Friends of Rock Island” restored it, painting walls with cheerful colors and adding furnishings that were typical in 1910. Even though the lighthouse opened many years earlier, 1910 was when there was finally a well on property, which meant no more trips to the lake for water. The “Friends” recruit volunteer docents to live there for a week at a time in summer and keep it open for tourists. Since I’m a little pokey, the larger group of folks went through just before me. When I arrived, I had my tour guide all to myself. It amazes me the dedication of the lighthouse keepers – and their families – working so hard to keep ships safe in the treacherous waters of Lake Michigan.

    “Rock Island Passage, bounded by Rock Island on the south and St. Martin Island on the north, is the widest passage connecting Green Bay and Lake Michigan. In 1832, thirty Detroit merchants, masters, and owners of vessels petitioned Congress for a light to mark the southern side of Rock Island Passage claiming, “There is no point on the Northern Lakes, where in the opinion of your Memorialists, a light house is more imperiously required than this.”” – READ MORE

    Manning this lighthouse also meant keeping track of the number of ships that traveled through the passage between Rock and St. Martin Islands. Although sometimes a little further to travel, this passage was wider and way more appealing than the route that passed between the tip of the mainland and a group of islands, which includes Washington Island. Known as “Death’s Door” (also known as the Door of Death), that passage gave Door County its name.

    Just to the right of the lighthouse, there was a trail that lead to the beach. I took the rock and log stairs and the trail to the steps, but waves were crashing below, so I opted to skip the actual steps that went down to the lake. The view from above was very pretty and good enough for me! Just a note: the trail continues past this view to another scenic overlook and a cemetery, which would have been great. I went back to the lighthouse and back out to the trail thinking that was the way to those stops, but it wasn’t, so that will leave something else to see when hubby comes next time.

    Since toodling to the lighthouse, with a tour and stops along the way took me TWO hours, I decided to head back down the way I came for a while and catch one of the shortcut trails. I found access to a beautiful sandy beach, which was a very nice stop past a rutabaga field of all things!

    I had thought about spending the entire six hours exploring, but I was feeling it at about hour three and decided to finish up at the boathouse and catch the 2:15 ferry back. I have to leave some stuff to see when my husband comes with me next time, right?

    The closer I got to this infamous boathouse, the more impressed I was. Since Chester Thordarson was born in Iceland, he built this fabulous Viking Hall Boathouse to stand as a monument to a rich history of Icelandic folklore. I’m not gonna say another thing, just show you the pictures! Hover over the photos for a caption, if available.

    And that about does it for this day. We have been coming to Door County for years and have never gone to Washington Island, let alone Rock Island. I am so glad that I started this blog. I have good reason to explore the places I’ve never been before. And I hope you find a good reason to visit as well!

    Next up: Washington Island

    Happy trails,
    Barb