On The Road Again, Winter 2011-2012

We have begun our journey south for the winter.  After spending a wonderful weekend with Erik, Becky and the kids (and celebrating early birthdays for the boys), we packed up and headed south this morning.  We got a late start as planned.  We left a little after 10 and drove until we were ready to stop.  We  had a leisurely lunch at a Flying J truck stop (Denny's) in Utica, Illinois.  We fueled up and were back on the road by 1:40.  After travelling I39, we took I74 and then hit I57.  Our journey was rather slow due to traffic (trucks!) and some road construction.  We averaged about 62 mph more or less.  We ended up for the evening at a very busy Flying J in Effingham, Illinois--only about 340 miles from DeForest.  Tomorrow, we expect to be on the road much earlier and put more miles behind us.  Destination: stay tuned.

Wisconsin Small Town Celebrations

This summer and early fall we have attended many small town celebrations throughout the Madison area. We've been to the Sun Prairie Corn Fest and found several unusual and corny specimens

We made our way to the  Sun Prairie Art Fest, Middleton Good Neighbor Days, Marshall River Fest , Waterloo Wiener and Kraut Days (yum?)

De Forest Dragon Fest

etc., etc .

But even more unusual than seeing grand kids milk a giant Holstein and much more interesting was Indian Summer at Ashippun.  Ashippun is a small community northeast of Watertown which celebrates living history organized by the Ashippun History Committee. 

The event included the "Voyageurs," who were licensed by the French to transport furs and other goods between points A and B in North America.  These travellers were limited by the French in order to maintain profitability of the fur trade.  Even several Lemkes got into the act on this hand made 18 passenger canoe similar to the ones used on the rivers during the fur trade heyday:

Also displayed was a domed, round shelter or Wigwam as well as a Tipi village.  Included was a drum circle and stone prayer circle.

I thought it was somewhat unusual to find a golf cart within the village, but then what do I know? 

Included in the event was a Civil War encampment:

The event also included a cook shanty (the :Dirty Ketl"), a trading post, buckskinners, and demonstrations of knife and hawk throwing and "atlatl," or spear throwing.  We also came upon this young buck reposing in a buckskinner's tent:

We had a good time walking through the large exhibits and talking with the people who were living in the tents for the weekend event. 

Some of us even got a carriage ride pulled by "Sky:"

It was a n intersting event and a quick summer here in south central Wisconsin.