Day Trips – The Solo Traveler

August 29, 2020August 29, 2020

New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm (July 31, 2020)

Sometimes being a Solo Traveler doesn’t necessarily mean to travel across the globe, but may simply mean exploring your own backyard. Who knew I would find lavender in my backyard. Well, actually I don’t have a literal backyard as I live in a condo, but I do have a very large figurative backyard around the Madison, Wisconsin area. In fact, I am finding my backyard really is extending to include the whole state. Since I have not been able to do much long distance travel to far away exotic places, I decided to enjoy what I have right here. So a few weekends ago, my backyard travels took me to a wonderful New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm. Thanks to Aron and Laura for opening up their Lavender Farm over four years ago. After talking to both of them, I realized their dream was beyond growing lavender and making lavender products, but truly wanted to be a respite for the local community. A place to sit and enjoy a sunset or some lavender ice cream while overlooking the wild flower fields.

I took an afternoon to drive up to Baraboo, Wisconsin (about an hour drive for me) and enjoyed their wagon tour. The tour started with a short video on the farm, the processes, and the family and then Aron led us outside to hear a few fish jokes by Gracia near the pond. A short walk from the pond was the first set of lavender fields where we learned about the types of lavender (the culinary species versus the fragrant product species). I didn’t even realize there was a difference. The fragrant species (English Lavender) definitely had a more potent “menthol” smell versus the culinary species (French Lavender) had a more grounded “spice” smell. On to the wagon where we went moseying around the property, learning the history of the farm, the design of the farm, and the closed environment maintained on the farm. When I say closed environment, it is really a sustainable design, meaning the family keeps bees which pollinates the lavender and feeds off the nectar supplied by the wild flowers and whose thirst is quenched by a man-made drinking hole. The family is quite well versed in all things lavender. At the end of the tour, be sure to partake in the complimentary sample of lavender cherry pie.

After the tour, I highly recommend grabbing some handmade lavender ice cream, sitting out on the porch swing by the fields and take a moment to just be. Take a long moment as I did. I have been working hard the past few months so really wanted to treat myself to something special; something unique. The New Life Lavender and Cherry Farm was just that: a special slice of uniqueness, found right in my own backyard.

I couldn’t quite leave just yet though. I would be remiss if I didn’t buy a few gifts to take with me. I love the reusable dryer sheets and car sachet that I discovered. As I am checking out, I notice more food on the menu that I had not seen when I ordered my ice cream. So when the woman saw me looking, she asked, “Did you want something else?” How strange that I was thinking it but wasn’t really going to get anything until she asked. Good marketing or my subconscious taking over? Either way, it was a win-win because I had THE BEST strawberry lavender lemonade ever.

Thank you to all on the farm for your hospitality, your caring, and your engaging conversations.

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

Alli L

For all the photos, go to @TheSoloTraveler50 on Facebook

August 22, 2020

Cave of the Mounds, Mt. Horeb (July 18, 2020)

Along the same theme of exploring in your own backyard, here is another little trip that I had taken by myself. The day didn’t start out by myself, as I enjoyed a 15 mile run with some friends in Mt. Horeb on the Military Ridge State Trail. One gets hungry after a 15 mile run, so we ate together at the Skål Public House which was just around the corner from our start/finish line. After a tasty Avocado Toasted Cheezer sandwich, I departed from my friends and decided to explore the Mt. Horeb area a little more. Might as well since I was already there.

Mt. Horeb is a cute little Norwegian themed town known for its many varieties of trolls decorating the landscape. But, Mt. Horeb is not actually a Norwegian name. The town was named by an Englishman, George Wright, in 1861, who sought guidance from the bible.

One of my “been wanting to go in stops” was back around the corner to the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub. All I wanted was a pint glass with the Grumpy Troll logo. If you are looking for a nice cold beer, Grumpy Troll is the place. Pint glass in hand and off to mu car I go for my next stop, Cave of the Mounds, which was only a 10- minute drive from the main streets of Mt. Horeb.

Every time I went to the Military Ridge State Trail to run, I always passed the signs for the Cave of the Mounds, but never stopped. I thought, today is the day. I had brought a change of clothes, so stop on in at the caves.

Cave of the Mounds is a National Natural Landmark that is privately owned and operated after its discovery in 1939. Blasting for a limestone quarry had revealed a deeper opening into the earth. Blasting stopped and tours started, in a matter of about a year. The cave has been an educational playground ever since. You may think, don’t all caves look the same? In concept yes, but when you walk around all the formations, each cave system is so very unique. This cave had some “bacon” and a six foot fossil of a giant cephalopod (relative to the squid). Pretty amazing to see!

If you are looking for something to do when it is hot outside, I highly recommend the Cave of the Mounds, which stays a constant 50F. While the cave tour is the most popular attraction and well worth a few hours spent, there are a few more activities outside for the whole family like mineral sleuthing and fossil digs. As the cave staff says, “Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints, kill nothing but time.” That is exactly what I did.

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

Alli L

For all the photos, go to @TheSoloTraveler50 on Facebook

July 7, 2020August 2, 2020

Coleman, Wisconsin Day Trip (March 7, 2020)

So being a Solo Traveler does not always mean a far away destination for weeks at a time. You will get to read more of those stories soon to Tanzania, Romania, and Iceland, but for this next adventure, I only drove 2.5 hours away, spent a matter of 30 minutes at my destination, then turned around and drove back home. Where in the world is such a place that is worth a 2.5 hour drive just to spend 30 minutes? Well, it is a town called Coleman, Wisconsin. Yes, I had to look it up too to find out it is north of Green Bay and only a population of 836; no not thousands, just 836 people.

What in the world could have driven me to such a small, not much going on kind of town? A town with what is called a Main Street, but there is nothing main about it. It is truly one of those towns that if you blink, you will miss it, as I did. I was in search of one building. I looked left when I should have looked right, then next thing I know I am out of town headed for some farm land. Had to turn back around and creep through town, looking for that one structure. Not even sure it was a whole structure by itself, as it looked like it was connected to another building.

Finally, I saw it; the red door that was the entrance into the reason I was there. I had found…wait, wait. I should probably tell you a bit of the back story first.

When I travel, I love to find the local thing, the local product whether it is local food, local drink, or local event. That is what makes the trip even more special, is to indulge into the local flair. As you can see from my Wisconsin Rapid trip, I indulged in “craneberries”. So what is in Coleman, Wisconsin for one to indulge in? How many times can I say indulge in one paragraph? LOL.

I have a fascination, a curiosity to a particular liquid drink. Wherever I am in the world, I research to see if there is such a liquid drink factory in the nearby area. Most areas so far have had such a factory from Flensburg, Germany to Negril, Jamaica to the island of Mauritius. So living in Wisconsin, home of beer, brats, and cheese curds, AND cranberries, of course, I wondered, could there be such a factory in Wisconsin? It didn’t even dawn on me to look the first year I was here, as I thought the state was flooded by beer only. I soon learned that bourbon is also a thing here with the Old Fashions. Bourbon does connect Wisconsin to my Kentucky roots. I do not like the taste of bourbon though.

So, here I am wondering around in Woodman’s (the locally employee-owned supermarket) and notice they have a liquor store off the main drag. Go in there just to see what kind of liquor beverages are “on tap” and what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a bottle of Smooth Sailing Rum, but no tiny reindeer. It was like one of those moments when all is right in the world. RUM! That is my jam!! The bottle has an anchor on it with a rope, NOW you have my full attention. I was a Navy Sailor once upon a career, and me and anchors go way back. So, I was thinking, didn’t matter what the rum tasted like, I wanted it. I needed to add it to my collection.

But, getting back to buying local, just because rum is in a grocery store doesn’t mean it is from the area. I turn the bottle over curious where it was made, and another AHHHHH, all is right with the world, it had a Wisconsin address; Coleman, Wisconsin to be exact. So where in the heck is Coleman? I googled right then and there to find out Coleman is only 2.5-ish hours away. It was 4pm, so not going to happen today, I thought. It was Wednesday. Could I wait for the weekend? Did I need to take a day off work to go to Coleman? I decided to do some more research. Was it an active distillery? Did the company provide tours? What was the company that distilled it? Is toffee the only flavor (as indicated on this bottle) that was distilled? So many questions, so I emailed the “contact us” link. Had a wonderful chat with Curt, the owner, who is so busy and pretty much a one-man show, who also said he doesn’t have time for tours. Thanked me for my 24-year Navy service and said I could find Smooth Sailing Rum in just about any liquor store or grocery store; just had to click on the location link to find where sold.

I thanked him for his time and then mapped out where Coleman is and how to get there. Hmmmmm, even though no distillery tours and no retail shop, still had in my mind that in order to truly enjoy Smooth Sailing Rum from Coleman, Wisconsin, I must drive to Coleman, Wisconsin and see for myself. I needed to experience Coleman with its 836 population, take a driving tour, and stop at a local liquor store to buy my rum. So, on Saturday, I fueled up my car and headed north. Fortunately, it was a gorgeous day for driving and I had no other plans than to drive, oh about 5 hours round trip, in search of rum. Found out it is made by The North Woods Distillery and so on I drove, past Appleton, past Osh Kosh, past Green Bay, and many other little towns in between, and then the sign of Coleman came into view.

And now you know the rest of the story, almost. Yep, drove right past the red door because I was looking to my left instead of right, turned around, and ahhhhhhh, there it was, the North Woods Distillery sign above the little red door. Yep, it was closed as it is truly just a distillery with no tours and no retail shop. Not that I thought Curt was lying to me, just wanted to see it for myself. I parked, took some pictures (in a Chevy Chase type Vacation moment), hopped back in my car, then drove to the nearest liquor store (which was inside the Cougar Shell gas station) to purchase my bottle (okay I bought two bottles because I thought I would have the first bottle empty in a matter of weeks). LOL

Bought my two bottles, and headed home!!!!

Got home and had my first taste of this awesomeness called Smooth Sailing Rum (Toffee flavor). My oh my, no other ingredient needed. You can “smooth”ly take a shot without burn or after taste. The toffee really makes it a drink all its own, but yes it makes a great base for mixed cocktails as well.

I took it to a party, which started a chain reaction of friends buying their own bottle or two. Pretty sure I am responsible for selling about 15 bottles!!!

So, a toast to The Solo Traveler who goes 5 hours out of their way for a perfect bottle of rum!!!

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

Alli L

For all the photos, go to @TheSoloTraveler50 on Facebook