A Taste of Wisconsin

I have just returned from a weekend adventure... Since yesterday, I have felt compelled to write about my experience--only because I experienced such beauty! Thus, I share it with you!

[Increased reading pleasure guaranteed if you can read this in a Northern Wisconsin accent!]

Thursday evening I drove from Madison to Tomahawk to visit my dear friend, Anna, from college. We had finally found a weekend where we both could get together to catch up! I arrived for a tour and then we sat with cups of peppermint tea in her cozy cottege-esque abode, catching up a bit before going to bed. Around 10:30, her landlord, Mike comes over to see if we are joining his biker group for Friday's ride...

Tomahawk, WI is where the Harley Davidson factory is. There is an annual "Fall Ride" festival in town, where over 40,000 bikers generally show up to ride for the day, have booths set up, and there is a 'parade' of bikes for 18-20 miles throughout the town of 4,000 people.

Mike and his biker group were going on a ride on Friday, and had invited Anna and I to ride along! We debated... and going to bed, we decided to go on an adventure--with NO idea what to expect or where we were going!

Friday was cloudy, dreary, and wet--in the morning. The rain cleared, although the clouds lingered overhead all day. Anna and I had borrowed some Harley gear to fit in and be warm. All geared up in boots, jeans, and layers under our smokin' Harley leather jackets and gloves, we were all set. Anna hopped on with Mike, and I rode with Brian.

We rode into town to pick up Nancy, Brian's wife, and the rest of the biker group. About 12 or 13 bikes were in the group. We rode out of town on the country roads...

Similar to my ride into Tomahawk the night before, the scenery was out of this world. This was the third time I've ever been on a motorcycle: 1st, my brother gave me a ride to the bus stop when I was in like middle school. 2nd, a friend at a party in Middle Ridge, WI took me on a moonlit loop in the country for about 30 minutes when I was in high school. And now... I was on the bike in daylight, sitting back and enjoying the sound of the bike, the feel of the motor running and the tires on the road, feeling the cool 54 degree wind on my face.

The road was flanked by trees, evergreens and deciduous, green needles next to beautiful colors of orange, yellow, gold, and reds... The gray sky above and ahead seemed to darken when passing groups of evergreens. I would look down at the road, when in my peripheral vision, something would lighten--I quickly turned my head up and saw the bright colors whizzing past, making the day seem much brighter than it was.

Within the first 15 minutes on the bike, my entire opinion of the "rough and tough" biker gangs had been dissolved. I opened my eyes for the day to learn a new world-view. I met people, heard their life stories, what they do, what they love, and why they love it. It was amazing and I garnered new opinions, new respect, for some of these strangers.

I fell in love with the feel of the air on my face and in my hair. I loved seeing everything around me, the sky above, the bottoms to the tip tops of the trees. I appreciated the unobstructed view of the land--no stains on the window and no one to tell me to keep my hands inside the car! I loved the feel of the bike moving and hearing the motor which was taking me across the world... I can totally see why people become addicted to riding. To ride a bike like that across the country seems so freeing! Much more so than a car...

Observing the beauty of the open fields and land which I passed, I couldn't help but think about the Native Americans and the first immigrants who first lived here. I was contemplating the history of this region of my roots. Although I was born in Colorado, both sides of my family have generations of roots in Wisconsin. This is really my home state. I am just realizing this and learning to appreciate where I am from! Some people seem to be born and bred with pride for their heritage and their roots. I... always want to visit the rest of the world!

Interesting, I suppose, that now as I am preparing for time overseas, I am discovering more about my home.

In any case, it was a wonderful weekend, topped off with sleeping in on Saturday, making Swedish pancakes (my FAVE!), and enjoying coffee--and ever warm chocolate chip cookies--- for breakfast, rounding out the day with a visit to a Wisconsin Winery where Anna and I sampled the entire list, had a tour, and chatted with the owners.