What a magical day. sunny, bright, chirpy, happy, windy, exciting, busy. I was up by 6:15 and decided to go for a walk. Ran into Al and Mary Ellen and grabbed a tea/coffee next door to Greunke’s. Then we ran into others and all went to the very popular Eggtoss Bakery Restaurant. It was getting full already at 7:00am. I saw why it was so popular. The choices were fabulous. I had an omelette with smoked trout, spinach, tomatoes, etc. Wow!
After breaky, I took a collection and tried in vain to contact the Big Top Chautauqua to get tickets for the night’s show – Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. I was more successful when I borrowed Greunke’s land line and bought 11 tickets for $24 and $32 (plus tax). During that episode, a woman drove by in a convertible with a big shaggle dog - with goggles!. Picture Time!!!
I got on the ferry ($17/return with a bicycle) at 11:30 with a number of other riders. It’s a nice 25 minute float to the community of LaPointe on Madeline Island. The wind picked up dramatically in the last hour, so the water was choppy with white caps.
First we checked out the remarkable wood carving/natural shaped tables and benches. Then chatted with some of the participants who were entered in the P4 quadathlon – pedal, paddle, plod, plunge. The water was cold and the wind was high. It was not a picnic. People from as far away as Minneapolis took part.
I talked with them so much that I lost the other riders. Only Doug stuck around. We took a route that is not noted as being one to ride on bike called South Shore Road. It was awesome. Nicely wooded, but you can see through the forest, sometimes all the way to the lake. There was almost no traffic (and the little traffic there was moved real slow), paved and smooth, and sheltered from the wind. What else can a cyclist ask for?
Photo: Doug on South Shore Road
We came out on Middle Road and headed to Big Bay State Park (free for cyclists). There are quite a few people riding rental bikes or rental mopeds. We checked out the beach. The water was cold, cold, cold. I don’t know how the quadathloners swam 250 yards in the water this morning..
Big Bay Town Park was much busier than when we visited it during the woman’s ride. But today was sunny, warmer, and a weekend. A bunch of our group was there earlier, and Gordie and her friend Susan were still relaxing on the beach. I got the nerve to fully immerse myself in the water, only because Doug did it first, and I heard that Ken and Diane did it as well. As I was gathering my courage to jump in, Theresa and Louise appeared all excited because they rented mopeds. Wait did I write Theresa and Louise? Maybe it should be Thelma and Louise!
Doug and I rode towards Tom’s Burnt Down Café. As we left the beach, we noticed underwear and swimming clothes on the side of the road. What happened? Maybe fresh lake air brings out the wildness in its visitors.
Tom’s was buzzing, 75% of the people were our riders. It was such an exciting stop. There was a two man band playing very familiar old and newer tunes, with some of dancing. I didn’t see it but the word is that Doreen was pole dancing. I was able to play a couple of tunes with the band. It was great. Tom’s is a must see. The eclecticness of it will attract
people. The others were tourists, pleasure sailors, and hippy types. All the nuggets of sayings posted in every corner will have you laughing, crying, and saying “that is so true!”.
I searched out Tom but could not find him. It was difficult to tear myself away, but the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tickets were purchased earlier, so we had to get back to the mainland to see the show.
We came out on Middle Road and headed to Big Bay State Park (free for cyclists). There are quite a few people riding rental bikes or rental mopeds. We checked out the beach. The water was cold, cold, cold. I don’t know how the quadathloners swam 250 yards in the water this morning..
Big Bay Town Park was much busier than when we visited it during the woman’s ride. But today was sunny, warmer, and a weekend. A bunch of our group was there earlier, and Gordie and her friend Susan were still relaxing on the beach. I got the nerve to fully immerse myself in the water, only because Doug did it first, and I heard that Ken and Diane did it as well. As I was gathering my courage to jump in, Theresa and Louise appeared all excited because they rented mopeds. Wait did I write Theresa and Louise? Maybe it should be Thelma and Louise!
Doug and I rode towards Tom’s Burnt Down Café. As we left the beach, we noticed underwear and swimming clothes on the side of the road. What happened? Maybe fresh lake air brings out the wildness in its visitors.
Tom’s was buzzing, 75% of the people were our riders. It was such an exciting stop. There was a two man band playing very familiar old and newer tunes, with some of dancing. I didn’t see it but the word is that Doreen was pole dancing. I was able to play a couple of tunes with the band. It was great. Tom’s is a must see. The eclecticness of it will attract
people. The others were tourists, pleasure sailors, and hippy types. All the nuggets of sayings posted in every corner will have you laughing, crying, and saying “that is so true!”.I searched out Tom but could not find him. It was difficult to tear myself away, but the Big Bad Voodoo Daddy tickets were purchased earlier, so we had to get back to the mainland to see the show.
Photos below: Bibiguam player FireFoxFly outside Greunke's and Inside the ferry from Lapointe, Madeline Island to Barfield
Some of us ate dinner at Greunke’s. It’s funny that many of us never really thought of eating dinner there. I think it was because most of us wanted to explore other venues. Well, dinner was a pleasure. I had to try the white fish livers that were made famous by Greunke’s in the mid 1900’s. They tasted like regular liver but smaller and easy bite sized. Doug ordered from the fish boil which was white fish, onions and potatoes.
At precisely 7:15, two small busses came to Greunke’s to take us to the Big Top Chautauqua. I was so excited because I heard of the Big Top way back in 1992 when I rode my bike around the entire Lake Superior. I did not go because I was unsure of the darkness. This time I was with my friends that would help me out.
The tent holds 900 people. If they sell out, then people will be allowed to sit outside the tent and look in. The high cost seats were sold out so we got middle cost tickets ($32) and got row S. The others of our group paid the lowest price ($24) and got the bleachers which were actually kinda better than row S. They were able to stand and dance in their place without hindering the view for anyone.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was hot. They had five brass instruments, a drummer, steaming piano player, an extroverted base player, and a lead singer/rhythm guitar player. They played a mix of their original hopping songs and tributed Cab Calloway. He’s the writer of the famous Minnie the Moocher – the Hidey, Hidey, Hidey Hi song. We all echoed those words when they played it. The brass players (saxes, trombone, horns, occasional clarinet), had a lot of fun moving around as they played. They’ve been together (from Minneapolis) since the early 1990’s and it shows (er… sounds) because they are so tight. Even though there was one main singer, most of them had the chance to sing a few notes and were quite impressive as well. I wish there was room to dance.
On the way back, only some of us got on the busses before they were filled. After waiting about 30 minutes, another came back for us. We thought we were forgotten. One couple that was waiting with us said that they indeed were forgotten at a previous show.
Back at Greunke’s there was a gathering of people in our room. Wine and Bud Light Lime and tail-gate cheese and crackers and tostidos and salsa were out. I also dipped into the cookies. As we chatted into the night, the room slowly diminished with people and we fell asleep watching the Tour de France. I awoke the next morning still in the position lying horizontally at the end of my bed.
Another great day.
Some of us ate dinner at Greunke’s. It’s funny that many of us never really thought of eating dinner there. I think it was because most of us wanted to explore other venues. Well, dinner was a pleasure. I had to try the white fish livers that were made famous by Greunke’s in the mid 1900’s. They tasted like regular liver but smaller and easy bite sized. Doug ordered from the fish boil which was white fish, onions and potatoes.At precisely 7:15, two small busses came to Greunke’s to take us to the Big Top Chautauqua. I was so excited because I heard of the Big Top way back in 1992 when I rode my bike around the entire Lake Superior. I did not go because I was unsure of the darkness. This time I was with my friends that would help me out.
The tent holds 900 people. If they sell out, then people will be allowed to sit outside the tent and look in. The high cost seats were sold out so we got middle cost tickets ($32) and got row S. The others of our group paid the lowest price ($24) and got the bleachers which were actually kinda better than row S. They were able to stand and dance in their place without hindering the view for anyone.
Big Bad Voodoo Daddy was hot. They had five brass instruments, a drummer, steaming piano player, an extroverted base player, and a lead singer/rhythm guitar player. They played a mix of their original hopping songs and tributed Cab Calloway. He’s the writer of the famous Minnie the Moocher – the Hidey, Hidey, Hidey Hi song. We all echoed those words when they played it. The brass players (saxes, trombone, horns, occasional clarinet), had a lot of fun moving around as they played. They’ve been together (from Minneapolis) since the early 1990’s and it shows (er… sounds) because they are so tight. Even though there was one main singer, most of them had the chance to sing a few notes and were quite impressive as well. I wish there was room to dance.
On the way back, only some of us got on the busses before they were filled. After waiting about 30 minutes, another came back for us. We thought we were forgotten. One couple that was waiting with us said that they indeed were forgotten at a previous show.
Back at Greunke’s there was a gathering of people in our room. Wine and Bud Light Lime and tail-gate cheese and crackers and tostidos and salsa were out. I also dipped into the cookies. As we chatted into the night, the room slowly diminished with people and we fell asleep watching the Tour de France. I awoke the next morning still in the position lying horizontally at the end of my bed.
Another great day.
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