Camping – The Solo Traveler

It started off as just a typical “Let’s go camping weekend”, but it soon turned into a “Let’s see how much of Door County we can squeeze in in a weekend!”

The Solo Traveler invited a few friends on this journey as we traversed the Door County area. Where is Door County? Imagine the state shape of Wisconsin. See the “thumb”? That is where Door County resides, between the Green Bay area and Lake Michigan. This past weekend, the weather was so perfect for not only camping, but running, and sipping cherry drinks outside. Yes, seems wherever I have gone lately there has been some adult beverage involved. The funny thing is, I don’t even drink a lot, but when I do, I enjoy the local flavor of the area. This area is known for cherries: cherry pie, cherry lemonade, cherry mimosa, cherry jams. This time of year, the cherry blossoms have gone, but the fruit is now visible. Red dots covered the orchards on the roadsides.

So, one of the best parts of traveling with friends, is traveling with friends who know the area. This is how we squeezed a week’s worth of stuff into one weekend.

We arrived on Friday night, around 9pm to our campsite, thanks to me for taking the long away around Peninsula State Park in Fish Creek. Got settled in rather quickly, then enjoyed a small fire. Off to sleep so we could wake up refreshed the next morning, because with any vacation, one must run. What better way to see the park than to run 13.1 miles of it. We stayed to the bike trail and enjoyed views right by the water’s edge.

After the run, a quick lunch, but delicious homemade pizzas. Thanks Jessie for whipping that up so quickly. Absolutely hit the spot, so we could be on our way for some Door County Tastings!!

First stop, Door County Distillery. They offer six samples of wine/spirits for free. I still can’t believe it. I kept asking, are you sure this is free. I felt so guilty that I went ahead and purchased a Cherry Lemonade Moonshine to help cleanse the pallet in between tastings. Tip on the moonshine, be prepared if you indulge in the moonshine saturated cherry that tops off the drink. Just sayin’!

Stopped in at the gift shop to make some Christmas gift purchases, then drove just a little ways north to the One Barrel Brewing Company. Now, I don’t like beer, but this was a nice place to sit a spell outside in the gorgeous, gorgeous sunshine and munch on some pork rinds. Those that know me, know I don’t eat pork, so don’t fall off your chair. These pork rinds were plant based and absolutely delicious. I just had to try them and see if they were any good. Yep, ate the whole bag.

It is now nearing late afternoon, so we head back to Fish Creek to do some window shopping. Okay, I did buy a few things. I couldn’t help it, there were anchors everywhere. We took in the little shops that lined the town, before going to our next adventure/experience, a fish boil. Have you ever been to a fish boil? I hadn’t and boy was it amazing. Luckily, I got to watch the demonstration twice because the first time I was in so much amazement, that my eyes couldn’t take it the “explosion” in its entirety. The second time around, I watched while filming in slow motion so I could go back and let my eyes take it all in slowly. The fish boil is highly recommended at Pelletier’s.

We thought we were done for the night, but remembered ice cream. We went in search of, had some great places to choose from, but alas, we were still so full from the fish boil (two pieces of fish, potatoes, onions, bread, and a piece of cherry pie), that we postponed that part of our meal.

Now, it’s time to drive back to camp so we can pick up our chairs? Why? The sun is about to set over the water, and it is not to be missed. Do remember a chair though, as the as the benches can only hold so many people. And many people view the sunset. The sun sets right into the water and is so relaxing to sit in the comfort of a camp chair and take it all in.

We skipped the fire on Saturday night as we pooped from the day and tomorrow will be another packed day of fun.

Sunday morning, oatmeal breakfast, packed tents, and more to see. Off to see some goats. These are not just any goats. These goats live on a roof of a Swedish restaurant called Al Johnson’s in Sister Bay. Now that is a sight to see. I would definitely recommend visiting there. Be warned, to get a table, the line may be a bit long, because who doesn’t want to eat where goats live above on the roof. Make sure to give yourself time in Sister Bay because the town is cutesy for sure. Cute shops line the street as well as a small walkway lines the shore. We stopped for breather here; one last deep breathe before heading back home.

The route back home had other detours along the way, because we were so close to Northport (the furthest point on the Wisconsin “thumb”), might as well drive there. Northport led to Gills Rock that led to Bailey’s Harbor, where we stopped for lunch. How many cute little towns can Door County have? Every single one is cute! Lunch was found at Harbor Fish Market and Grille: great outdoor seating overlooking the water with fabulous service. After lunch, a little window shopping, then back on the road to home.

Speaking of home, we made one last detour to Algoma. Where is and what’s in Algoma? It may not be a typical tourist stop, but when your friend used to live there, you just have to go see her home. Thanks Jessie for sharing with us where you grew up. Algoma is a cute town and guess what? It has a winery. We had to stop in at the von Stiehl Winery, Wisconsin’s oldest licensed winery, and partake in a tasting. I found a few favorites despite the fact that I usually don’t like wine. I do like the sweet versions so found an Orange Muscat, a Sweet Cherry, and a Sparkling Crimson Royale. I may or may not have bought a few bottles; to support the local economy of course. A bottle or two may or may not be given as a Christmas gift this year. A bottle may or may not get drunk before that. Who knows? LOL

The beauty of traveling solo is that you can detour and zig and zag at will. Usually, when you are traveling with others, these opportunities are lost. I have to say though, this trip, we zigged, we zagged, and we LOVED it.

If you are looking for a long week or a jam-packed weekend, Door County is the place to be. Go to relax, go to drink, or go to be active. Door County has everything. Thank you Door County for the hospitality!!

Go where you want, when you want, for as long as you want:

Alli L

For all the photos, go to @TheSoloTraveler50 on Facebook

Looking for that picture perfect getaway? Look no further than Munising, Michigan. Never heard of it? What about Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore? To say this area is extraordinarily beautiful would still be an understatement. The colors, the layers, the formations are truly picture perfect, especially by kayak. Where are Munising and Pictured Rocks? It is in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or the UP as locals call it. Once you have been on the waters of Lake Superior, you will understand how the lakeshore got its name.

If you don’t know where Munising is, you may want to look it up, as it is as far north as one can get in Michigan without a boat. We were literally on the north side of the land bridge that connects Michigan to Wisconsin above Lake Michigan. The drive for us was about five hours, and was a beautiful drive hugging the coast line of the great lake of Michigan crossing into the peninsula, and eventually landed on the land mass that separates Lake Michigan from Lake Superior. Did you know that Lake Superior is the largest of the Great Lakes? Did you know that Lake Superior is the coldest of the lakes? Did you know that Lake Superior has a depth of over 1300 feet in some locations? There is a volcano under all that water. Well, I now have 1001 facts about Lake Superior and the Great Lakes, but like with the cranberries, will not share them all here. You’ll just have to stop in and gather your own facts. I just kept learning more and more as we paddled along the lakeshore of Pictured Rocks on our 11 mile kayak journey.

But wait, let me back up just a bit as we didn’t just drive up and jump in our kayaks. We drove to the Bay Furnace campground, which is part of the Hiawatha National Forest, where we set up camp for the weekend. Where is that you say? In Christmas! Yep, there is a town called Christmas, population 1071, and the Bay Furnace is located right there. A big Santa statue greets you on your way in, but don’t blink, or you will miss Christmas. Cute little town with a casino and a couple of local favorite restaurants.

Having a long weekend was just the right amount of time for this trip. Left Friday morning, drove the five hours through small towns and beautiful scenery with a few stops along the way. Thankful for Escanaba as that was the last “big” town before hitting the UP. Make sure you gas up there, not only your car, but yourself as well. We actually stopped at a sandwich shop, then drove to the State Fair Grounds nearby to have a picnic style lunch at the park’s gazebo. Perfect place to stop and stretch the legs before getting back into the car and heading to the campground.

Once at the campground, we were thankful the rain held off, so we could set up tents and go on a short walk around the area. Lake Superior borders the grounds with a beautiful view of the massive body of water. Time to take some selfies and explore the area. Nearby is the namesake of the campground where iron ore was smelted so many decades ago. Did you know that glass rock can be found along the shoreline? But as researched has shown, it is obsidian or is it iron slag? Obsidian is made by the forces of volcanic nature while slag is made by the forces of man. Go do some exploration of the shoreline around Bay Furnace and see what you think. Is is Obsidian or slag?? Since both volcanic activity and iron ore activities took place in this same area, it could be either!! Curious to see what everyone else thinks.

Now time to walk back to camp for some dinner and to rest up for our paddling adventure the next day.

Saturday comes and it is rainy, but after all is said and done, rain should not be a show stopper, because kayaking in and around this lakeshore was so worth it. This is the part of the story where I became that Solo Traveler. My friends were already coupled up, leaving me to be the solo rider in a tandem kayak. I didn’t know all the kayaks were tandem. So that changed the dynamics, but to my benefit, I got to partner up with the tour guide. SCORE!! I got all the touristy info and then some, and some really cool backside photos. Logan was so well versed in Pictured Rock geology and history, it was awesome to have him in my kayak spitting off fact after fact. You know, all those 1001 facts about Pictured Rocks and Lake Superior. But sorry, you don’t get all the facts here, so you will just have to plan a trip with Uncle Ducky and hear the facts for yourself. I can tell you though; Pictured Rocks is nothing like I have ever seen. The colors that literally paint the rocks are fascinating with the reds and oranges of iron, the browns and blacks of manganese, the white of limonite; and if you are lucky, the teal/blue of copper. Going through split rocks and small caves to sandy beaches was just so amazing. The landscape of the area is hard to put into words. Is hard to paint a picture (huh pun on words). Pictured Rocks is truly a must see to comprehend. So, go ahead and plan your next trip to Lake Superior and Pictured Rocks. I promise you will not be disappointed. Well, you might be disappointed if you are not an outdoorsy person, so keep that in mind, but if you love kayaking, exploring nature, and geological wonders, then definitely plan your next trip to Munising.

And yes, while Munising is a small town, there are plenty of restaurants, like Foggy’s, where we gorged after the all day water ride. Oh, oh, and you must have a Pasty (rhymes with nasty)!!! What is a Pasty? I had to ask the same question. It is best described as a crimped pastry filled with goodies like meat, potatoes, vegetables, or any variety thereof. There is also a few breakfast versions with sausage and eggs. My friends recommended I try one as it is the UP thing to do. I did. I loved it. It was a great complement to the six mile run a few of us had done on Sunday morning before packing up and leaving.

Yes, if you are a runner, the trails that border the lakeshore are simply gorgeous. Early morning run with the mist coming in off the lake is truly peaceful. Thanks to Dr. J for running with me and sharing in the Terabithian experience!

Thank you to my friends who made this trip so special, as I hung up my Solo Traveler hat briefly and embraced the value of friendship.

Go where you want, when you want, for as long as you want:

Alli L

For all the photos, go to @TheSoloTraveler50 on Facebook

Category: Camping

Door County Weekend Road Trip (July 10-12, 2020)

Pictured Rocks Weekend Camping (June 19-21, 2020)