by Lisa From
Early in the summer, Que and I began tossing around the idea of going camping. Neither of us had roughed it in a tent since our younger days. The days when we didn't have "grown-up" responsibilities. So early one morning, dew still clinging to his rusty truck, Que and I tossed bins filled with cooking supplies, a tent, sleeping bags, pillows and clothes in the bed of Big Blue Bertha (yes, he named his truck). Deciding to don Que's hat, 'cause I was feeling a little bit sassy and a little bit country driving that monster, we took off down the road.
Our first destination was the Apple Hut, just outside of Beloit. We got there shortly after opening, and the smell of fresh-baked apple cider donuts had our stomachs begging for some sugar. Unable to resist, we purchased a half dozen, plus a bag of apples for the pie we were going to attempt to make in the campfire that night. After quickly downing a couple of the still-warm donuts, we ventured off to explore the orchards.
Neatly-rowed as far as we could see, many species of apple trees quilted the landscape. The air had a slight mist to it from the early morning hour and the ground was speckled with the occasional fruit that didn't make the cut. The sounds of workers could be heard somewhere in the distance, and our hike was a peaceful one. Secretly, I was searching for the perfect apple. Not to eat (we weren't allowed to pick them) but to admire. Eventually I found my apple, and Que captured it with his camera as a memento.
In due time we wove our way back towards civilization and Bertha. At my insistence, we drove through the small town of Belleville, one of the two cities in Wisconsin claiming to be the UFO capital. Regrettably, we missed the alien display in the local auto repair shop.
A few hours, and several photo stops later, we arrived in Mt. Horeb. The main stretches of road were decked out with trolls carved out of tree stumps, making us giggle and cringe. At a grocery store we bought the essentials. Steak, corn on the cob, potatoes, eggs, bread, milk, and two frozen pie crusts in addition to emergency canned goods in case Que turned out to be a poor fire-builder.
Next we ventured off to The Grandview. It was tricky to find but definitely worth stopping at. As outdoor sculpture parks go, this one is simultaneously quaint, bizarre, and at times a little creepy. Made by Nick Englebert out of cement and broken glass, the mosaic structures represent fairy tale characters and animals in an interesting light. The house itself is covered in intricate designs to boot. Quiet and well-gardened The Grandview was one of my favorite stops.
At last it was time to make our way towards Yellowstone Lake State Park. Upon arriving, the two of us, in what would have undoubtedly been comical to an outside observer, set up the tent and arranged bedding. I was eager to go fishing, which was one of the main reasons for the trip. We bought night crawlers from a little shop, and settled ourselves on a dock.
With sunset was rapidly approaching, Que was antsy after casting part of his pole off into Yellowstone Lake (never to be seen again). I let "the one that got away" continue to get away as we found we ought to head back to prepare dinner.
Que would have made an excellent caveman. The fire was huge and warm. We shucked the corn, seasoned the meat and wrapped it all in foil. He finished making dinner, while I began peeling and slicing apples at a frantic rate so they wouldn't brown. I mixed the apple bits with sugar, cinnamon, etc that I had pre-measured and put in Ziploc bags the day before. I dumped the sweet concoction into one of the piecrusts and we used the other as the top crust. Wrapping the whole thing in foil we put it in the campfire. Our dinner was delicious, and our campfire pie impressive. We feasted and admired the full moon out that evening.
In the morning I was greeted by Que's demonstration that, yet again, he can build an excellent fire. He made us French toast and eggs for breakfast. Wishing we had another day, we decided to take our time meandering back towards Beloit. The day was spent leisurely stopping to admire the view and waving back to folks as we drove by their farms.
Believe it or not, we discovered a place called Butts Corners, and being (occasionally) a tad immature, we stopped to take our picture beneath the road sign. This filled us with merriment I should not be proud of, and yet I am. One of our last stops was Magnolia Bluff park. We sat on an outcropping and took in the beautiful, and a little frightening, view. After hiking a bit and enjoying the formations we rallied our spirits and drove to good old B-town. We were not enthusiastic to return to everyday life. Our trip had been peaceful and I enjoyed time in the country more than I originally had expected. Even though it was only one night, it made me think about my childhood and reminisce, while making new memories too.
The Apple Hut
1718 W Walters Rd
Beloit, WI, 53511
Belleville
www.belleville-wi.com
Mt. Horeb
www.trollway.com/
The Grandview
www.kohlerfoundation.org/nick.html
608-967-2151
7351 State Road 39
Hollandale, WI, 53544
Yellowstone Lake State Park
www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/land/parks/specific/yellowstone/
608-523-4427
8495 Lake Rd
Blanchardville, WI, 53516
Magnolia Bluff
www.co.rock.wi.us/Dept/PublicWorks/parks/mag_bluff.htm
608-757-5450
3715 Newville Rd
Janesville, WI, 53547