Trip # 3, Horses, Cows And Hogs, oh my!
Not all storms come to disrupt your life; some come to clear your path.
-Unknown
Well, summer rolls on, mostly hot and humid- thunderstorms were with us for three of the five nights of this trip. But that’s summer in the Midwest; sometimes hot and sticky, constantly changing, night skies so often decorated with flashes of light from lightning and fireflies, the smell of sunscreen, bug spray, and campfire smoke mixing in a familiar blend. This trip consisted of four stops in five days, a whirlwind of people, animals, and places, and we found ourselves quickly making friends and memories as the miles accumulated.
We started our latest adventure on a bright sunny afternoon at Aspire Ranch near Merrill, Wisconsin.
We were met by the owner Kristin and were directed to park in a nice grassy and level spot next to the horses.
This old schoolhouse now serves as an antique and gift shop selling artwork, soaps, clothing, cards, and refreshments.
Here are two of the three horses we met at Aspire Ranch- Bella, a Friesian mare on the left, and Digger, a Quarter Horse gelding on the right.
Wanda, with her new bestie, Bella.
Digger and Bella getting in their daily exercise.
And as the hot and bright day cooled into a soft and pleasant dusk, we were offered a special treat.
What are the chances we would meet a Dulcimer player at a horse ranch in the middle of rural Wisconsin? Cal, another Harvest Host guest, offered to play for us. He was good, and it turned out to be a pretty special evening.
Live music behind an old schoolhouse under an old oak tree, this is what I’d hoped Harvest Hosts would be—unique and unexpected experiences breathing life into life.
It was a special night. The beautiful music, my beautiful wife, a beautiful sunset and even our rig in the background to give context, it was one of those nights when it all came together.
Here is a better picture of the sunset behind us during the performance. It was one of those times in life that felt timeless, meant to be, and almost choreographed, yet it was about as far from planned as can be, which made it all the more special.
The next morning dawned cool and crisp but warmed quickly into a beautiful mid-summer day.
Digger and his bigger buddy, Gus, a 2000 lb. Belgian Draft Horse.
Giving Digger some love with Adam, one of the owners of the ranch.
Gus looking pretty.
Look at that size difference—what an impressive beast Gus is.
George looked on with indignation when he couldn’t participate in the activities.
Beautiful, elegant, regal, grand, majestic…all of the above.
And so closes another HH visit, again with a great sunset. If possible, I have made it my mission to get a sunset pic from every locale we visit. I’ve been lucky so far.
Our next stop was about 50 miles to the southeast. Cedar Creek Ranch is a small grass-fed beef farm that also raises and sells pasture-raised pork, goat, and lamb. In addition, there were geese, turkeys, chickens, and rabbits running all around; it was quite a menagerie. But even with all that to see, the weather would steal the show at this location.
Country road, take me home—the street scene in front of Cedar Creek Ranch.
We set up on a hill next to some hay wagons with a great view of an expansive, freshly cut hay field.
Wanda, holding court with two girls who live here, and George, of course. These kids were an absolute hoot- friendly, curious, and anything but shy. They were so eager to share their world with us. Notice the lack of shoes on the younger one, Charlie. She ran around the farm barefoot the whole time, which I can’t imagine. She looks pretty comfortable in my chair, which she casually commandeered when I wasn’t looking.
Wanda has taken up painting rocks as a hobby, and she leaves one at every stop, making an even exchange if she can find any paintable rocks in the vicinity. At Cedar Creek Ranch, she let Charlie pick one out for herself, which made her so happy she ran home to show it off. I think it’s pretty cool Wanda is leaving a part of herself at various locales throughout the upper Midwest.
Charlie showing Wanda a young bunny.
This guy seemed to know we’d just purchased some delicious grass-fed rib eyes from the onsite store.
After a hot and sunny afternoon, storm clouds began to gather.
We made dinner, got cozy, and watched the show from the safety of the trailer.
A couple of hours before this storm, the owner told me how a tornado had cut a path right through her property just a few weeks earlier, damaging a barn. After some discussion, we figured out it was likely the same tornado that just missed us on our very first night camping in West Salem, over 150 miles away.
For some time, I stood amongst the distant booms and flashes and swirling wind, gazing up at the atmosphere so fiercely in motion. It was awesome in the truest sense of the word.
After an intense but short-lived storm, the clouds parted, creating yet another incredible sunset.
As we lay down to sleep, a still calm returned to the land as if nothing had happened.
With our next stop only 40 miles away, we had time in the morning to get some fuel, water, and ice in the nearby town of Wittenberg, the home of world-famous Nueske’s smoked meats. A family-owned business since 1933, if you can name it, they have probably smoked it.
Wanda in the Nueske’s gift shop, perusing the many goods made from the owner's alpaca herd. She didn't buy anything because we hope to visit an alpaca farm soon. Looking around in little shops like this is her happy place; because of that, it is mine too.
RV’s have come a long way since Bob built his “Fancy Camper”.
So, for our next stop, something a little different. Doc’s Timeline Saloon, BBQ, Harley Davidson dealer, classic car museum, art gallery, and zoo in Bonduel, Wisconsin, just west of Green Bay.
Remember, I did say it was a little different.
Instead of being surrounded by nature, we camped in a driveway in front of one of the garages on the property. I must admit I did a heck of a job backing that sucker in there. More heavy thunderstorms were forecast, so being on a solid surface was not a bad thing. It was so hot.
This bison was eyeballing me the whole time as I set up the camper. One of two Doc keeps on the property; he was no more than 25 yards away. Imposing for sure, but also beautiful.
Eclectic might be the best descriptor of this place and the man who created it.
It is not as comfortable as it looks.
For our last stop, we stayed overnight in a traditional campground. We like to end these adventures where we can empty our tanks (ala Christmas Vacation) and refill with water if necessary. And with full hook-ups, it is nice to have all the comforts of home for an evening.
This was a pretty little campground near Shawano. You can almost feel how hot and humid it is with the thunderheads developing in the distance.
This is not a high-quality image, but I thought with all that is going on in the world, which we so easily (and thankfully) forget about when we do these trips, a full rainbow over a peace sign would be an apropos way to conclude this blog entry.
Our love to all.