When deciding on where to stay during our recent rip to Shenandoah National park, we did consider staying at either the top or bottom of the Skyline Drive, allowing for easy access. However, after consideration we decided to stay in Harrisonburg which is located towards…Read More

When deciding on where to stay during our recent rip to Shenandoah National park, we did consider staying at either the top or bottom of the Skyline Drive, allowing for easy access. However, after consideration we decided to stay in Harrisonburg which is located towards the bottom-middle of the drive, but only 20 miles form one of the four entrances to the Skyline at Swift Run Gap.

It turned out that this was an excellent choice as Harrisonburg is a very nice city to stay in and offered all the amenities we needed during our stay. The city has lots of hotels to choose from and many restaurants. The city is located right off the I81, so is easy to access.

The downtown area offers lots of quaint little shops including clothing, gifts, art and antiques. It also has museums and nice coffee shops. Apparently during the summer and fall months live music is available for all at Court Square. We did not experience this so cannot comment.

There are several parks you can visit and the Edith J. Carrier Arboretum located in the grounds of the university is beautiful and a great place to see birds.

If shopping is your thing then again Harrisonburg has it. Other than the downtown area you will also find the modern Valley Mall, which has stores such as Belk, Books a Million, Dick’s, Eddie Bauer, Express, Hollister, JC penny, Old Navy, Target and Victoria’s Secret to name but a few. Just along the road from the mall you will find stores like Kohl’s. Other shopping areas in the city include stores such as Walmart, Best Buy, K-Mart, Lowes etc.

We found navigating the city very easy and traffic and parking was never an issue. If like us you are using it as a base to visit Skyline Drive then it is perfect. Just 20 miles to the entrance makes it an easy drive (one road straight there). Also by entering the Skyline near the middle, you can chose to travel north or south without having to retrace your steps.

We would definitely recommend Harrisonburg and look forward to visiting again in the future.
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Iowa – The Great River roadIowa is one of ten states that you can drive along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. About 325 of the 3,000 total miles pass through Iowa's river cities. We joined this Great River road at…Read More

Iowa – The Great River road

Iowa is one of ten states that you can drive along the Mississippi River from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. About 325 of the 3,000 total miles pass through Iowa's river cities. We joined this Great River road at Dubuque and then kept hopping back and forth between Iowa and Wisconsin a we travelled northwards passing through Balltown, Guttenburg, Macgregor to Marquette where we crossed back to Prairie du Chien in Wisconsin.

We stayed overnight in Dubuque and visited the National Misissippi River Museum & Aquarium, reviewed on here previously.

Balltown was so small that apart from noting that the population was only 67 and pondering whether they rushed out to change that notice if someone died or was born, it was pretty much forgettable.

The next town we came to was Guttenburg which you can probably tell from its name was an area of German settlers. We spent some time at the Lock and dam No 10 watching the huge barges come through, some with as many as ten to fifteen barges attached so they had to be split to get through the lock. This was originally built in 1937 and is open to visitors with an observation platform and also nice clean toilets too which is handy if you are driving along the route as there are not many unless you go into cafes.

The views along the road are great with the tree covered bluffs on one side and often the great river itself on the other. We continued along this route stopping in McGregor which was a typical 'historic centre' town with the sort of main street that could only be found in mid USA. It is not a huge town with a population of less than 1000 a lot smaller than in its heyday in the 1870s when it was one of the biggest shipping ports along the river west of Chicago. Not a lot to see so a very quick stop and walk along the main street before heading on to Marquette.

Marquette was named after is named after Jesuit missionary Jacques Marquett. Marquette and louis Joliet ( also a town named after him) discovered the Mississippi River just south east of Marquette in 1673. This is where we crossed the Mississippi river to Prairie du Chien using the Marquette-Joliet bridge. We noticed the Lady Luck Riverboat casino moored but were not tempted to part with any money. One of the more bizarre things in this small town was the pink elephant wearing a suit and hat statue, not quite sure what that was about!

A little out of town you will find the Effigy Mounds National Park which is apparently the only national park in Iowa but as we crossed the river before that I am not sure how exciting that is.

I am not sure how many miles we covered along the route in Iowa but we went pretty much as far north as you could in that state and south as far as Dubuque so quite a way. It was not full of excitements but was very scenic and the few small towns offered us a break and something different to see and walk around.   Close

St Joseph, MichiganWe spent a few week in the USA last year driving around the lakeside states. We spent a couple of days in St Joseph exploring the shores of Lake Michigan.I don't think until you have actually seen the Great Lakes that you can…Read More

St Joseph, Michigan

We spent a few week in the USA last year driving around the lakeside states. We spent a couple of days in St Joseph exploring the shores of Lake Michigan.

I don't think until you have actually seen the Great Lakes that you can have any idea of quite how huge they are. From our hotel window seeing the beach of the lake I honestly thought it looked like the sea coast. They have waves and sandy beaches and people visit St Joseph as they would a seaside town.

We made our way along the lake shore to the Lake Bluff Park where we loved all the beautiful sculptures and we even sat on one of the park benches and enjoyed watching people walking dogs and jogging and just sitting like us looking out over the lake and the pier . We then became a bit pro active and walked around inspecting the different memorials and found a bandstand a bit like the sort in English parks. We also took advantage of the staircase that took us down to the lower street and also used the restrooms which were lovely and clean.


You can also walk down towards the little harbour which is on the river mouth and see the lighthouse of St Joseph as well. There is a large playground for children but early in the morning we saw few children on there playing.

The town centre was quaint in an American sort of way with brick paved roads. The town when we visited had a display of pirates around the town and so we had fun going around taking photos of all the different decorated pirates.

The shops offered a nice range of tourist attractive possibilities with arty and souvenir shops but I can't say we were drawn in to any.   Close

Please understand, this is purely from an observational perspective, having visited and photographed the Amish communities throughout Wisconsin for a little more than a year now . . . and after my first weekend experience doing the same with the Amish of Northern Indiana.While I…Read More

Please understand, this is purely from an observational perspective, having visited and photographed the Amish communities throughout Wisconsin for a little more than a year now . . . and after my first weekend experience doing the same with the Amish of Northern Indiana.

While I have read a lot about these communities, rich in tradition and largely holding to the beliefs of what is known as the Old Order Amish, much of what I read about cannot really be observed by an outsider. For instance, the Amish in Wisconsin generally do not have indoor plumbing and still out outhouses. Even the schoolhouses here in Wisconsin still have outhouses. In Indiana, however, many if not most do have indoor plumbing.

As I drove around Northern Indiana's Amish areas, the first thing that struck me was just how many farms and people made up their local communities. First evidenced by the number of horse & buggies seen out and about (even at 10:30pm on a Saturday night!) . . . and later realized while driving over rural roads and seeing the number of buggies in driveways and "carports".

I wasn't sure at times if I was seeing an "English" farm (non-Amish) or one that was Amish or Mennonite because often there would be buggies in the driveway along with automobiles. I was later told that the Mennonite and Amish are often social with one another, often traveling together for shopping trips into town, etc. in the vehicle belong to the Mennonite. I saw this personally at Yoder's Meat & Cheese Company in Shipshewana.

The other big difference I noticed was that the Amish people that I crossed paths with did not seem to mind if they noticed I was taking photos from afar using a long telephoto lens. In Wisconsin, even from hundreds of yards away I have found Amish children in particular will scatter if they realize I am photographing them. Here in Indiana, however, they seemed to be OK with it.

I asked about this at Amish Acres and was told that generally the Amish in these communities near tourist attractions and local Amish businesses have grown somewhat accustomed to photographers taking pictures. While tolerant of the practice from afar, however, they would be understandably offended and refuse to pose for photos. That really helped to explain a lot for me given that I had taken some photos of young Amish children (under age 12 or so) who seemed as if to unknowingly pose because they simply did not move to avoid the camera.

The use of bicycles in Northern Indiana was something else that I was surprised by. While I had seen bikes in Wisconsin, they largely seemed to be ridden on the driveways of their homes and not to school, church, work, etc. During my driving around on Sunday, the first time I saw a pair of young Amish teenagers riding their bikes towards what I knew to be that morning's church location, I was so surprised I couldn't get my camera out fast enough. I was later able to capture a couple of photos of the Amish going or coming from church on bicycles.

The other mode of transportation, even on a somewhat rainy and blustery Sunday morning, was walking. Many families were seen walking to or from church during my driving around. I especially enjoyed the one image I captured of three generations walking home together.

The last difference that I noticed during my time in Indiana is that they are required to license their buggies and obtain a "plate" (or "tag") much the same as what others have on their automobiles. The plate is numbered and specific to that buggy. The State of Indiana is reportedly the only state in the USA that has this requirement and they charge $25 to register the buggy.

The Amish, regardless of where I've seen them, have all been friendly and quick to offer a wave. I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn more about their culture and lifestyle thanks in part to the time I've spent reading and subsequent driving around amongst them. I hope to be able to return to Northern Indiana later this year to see how they live come summer and later in fall during the harvest.   Close

As I mentioned in another entry in this journal, the local CVB has produced a CD tour kit called the "Heritage Trail" which provides an audio accompaniment to aid in your driving experience through the Amish communities of Elkhart & LaGrange Counties. For those…Read More

As I mentioned in another entry in this journal, the local CVB has produced a CD tour kit called the "Heritage Trail" which provides an audio accompaniment to aid in your driving experience through the Amish communities of Elkhart & LaGrange Counties. For those who are a bit more adventurous and willing to just go where the roads may take you, I encourage you to do as I did and just get in the car and drive!

My first morning in Nappanee, IN I was up very early knowing that I could not start my tours over at Amish Acres for several hours. It worked out well that I gassed up my car and just headed out of town. Once I was about five miles out, I took the first of what would be many turns to head into more rural surrounds. To be honest, I later found out I didn't even have to go that far out to be among the Amish and Mennonite people starting their day of Sabbath. That said, I was really happy with my choice of initial directions and where the roads took me.

I ventured into one small Amish community that had several merchants and stores that served both the Amish and English communities. Garden shops, cabinet makers and woodworking were all seen in a small area. As the sun rose higher into the sky, I started to see horse & buggies out and about. Most were driven by married men, as evidenced by their long beards. On a couple of farms, I drove past men getting their buggies ready for their trip to church.

In the Amish communities, they hold church service in one of the homes of a local church district member. I was fortunate to drive by a couple of different homes hosting church service on this particular drive.

As the morning got later, I started to see more and more people out walking or riding their bikes . . . presumably to church as well. It was very interesting to see this as in the Amish communities I'm familiar with in Wisconsin, I have never seen folks using any other means of transportation besides their horse & buggy. I later learned that here in Indiana, with the large population of Amish, there are more people in a more densely populated area. There are more church districts with people closer together. In Wisconsin, the Amish farms are spread out requiring they travel greater distances to go to church.

I drove in amazement of all that I got to see on that Sunday morning . . . and later that afternoon including children playing in their yards and driveways. That evening before nightfall, I observed several gatherings of Amish teenagers in fellowship at a local home. One location had the girls bringing baskets of food prepared the day before, to be shared with the group. At another farm that I drove by, there were three or four girls sitting up on the roof of the side building attached to the main house. It appeared that they had climbed out of a window in the house to get up onto the adjacent roof. They could be heard talking and giggling as I slowed down to catch a longer glimpse of them.

I went to bed that night thinking about all of the great things I witnessed and experienced, even if I didn't get photos of most of them. It was a wonderful day!

The next day, I spent time wandering the rural roads around LaGrange County, largely in Shipshewana and Middlebury. As with the day before, I was up very early. By the time I was venturing around some of the Amish farms, many of the ladies had already washed and hung laundry. By 8:00am, school aged children were walking and riding their bikes to school. One schoolyard had dozens of kids playing before classes started for the day. Girls were seen playing volleyball, while the boys were hitting softballs out towards the highway. I drove by carefully so as to not hit the youngsters shagging grounders as they entered the road before me.

As the afternoon arrived there were several young people out tilling the land as spring planting is just around the corner. I saw mostly men working the teams of large Belgian horses, but was fascinated to see one young lady with her blue dress blowing in the wind as she steered her four-horse team and plow through the winter-hardened field.

Throughout Monday, the Amish people were out and about doing their routine whether that was working at home, in the fields or in town; children going to school; or ladies taking the horse & buggy into town for their weekly shopping trip. I saw several older Amish gentlemen riding bikes to work.

I felt so blessed to have been allowed to share in their life's experiences, even if from afar or through the lens of my camera.   Close

I had heard about the Heritage Trail while researching my trip to Northern Indiana's Amish communities. Much of what you find on the internet speaks to it being "one of the top places to see in your lifetime" by the editors of Life Magazine.…Read More

I had heard about the Heritage Trail while researching my trip to Northern Indiana's Amish communities. Much of what you find on the internet speaks to it being "one of the top places to see in your lifetime" by the editors of Life Magazine. Readers of USA Today give an equally glowing recommendation. So when I checked into my hotel in Nappanee, IN I was pleased to learn that the desk clerk had a copy that had been left by a prior guest.

The driving tour spans roughly 90 miles and covers sights of local and historical interest in the counties of LaGrange and Elkhart taking mostly rural roads through the countryside. Admittedly, as I took off out of Nappanee, I quickly became disinterested when the route took me to a more heavily traveled Hwy 19 north to Elkhart. It wasn't so much that I wasn't interested in Elkhart as I was more interested in staying on the back roads that connected small Amish farms and pastures.

I found the Heritage Trail to be the same south of Shipshewana on Hwy 5. Although I must say, I did get one of my favorite photos on that section of highway, where two Amish buggies were heading south towards me, another was heading north just in front of me, and a fourth was traversing across Hwy 5 heading east to west. In one photo, I was able to capture the hustle and bustle . . . Amish Style . . . with four horse & buggies on a Sunday afternoon.

I understand that the general purpose of the Heritage Trail marketing plan is to get people to explore the small towns that make up the framework around these Amish communities. The route takes traffic through Nappanee, Wakarusa, Elkhart, Bristol, Middlebury, Shipshewana and Goshen . . . the location of the first Amish settlement in Indiana. In each of these communities there are Main Street merchants eager to serve your buying needs. Sorry to sound a bit jaded, but my thoughts are that while shopping is a fun experience, often it is shallow in terms of cultural learning.

I also found the Heritage Trail to be very busy on the day I traveled it in and around Nappanee. Admittedly, it was a Sunday afternoon with lots of folks out and about. Because it seemed folks were following the routing provided on the CD, at times there were long lines of cars backed up behind a buggy heading home after church. There was nothing enjoyable about that sort of experience for me so I quickly diverted off the "beaten path" onto roads even less traveled and more out of the way. I was so happy that I did!

As I read the colorful brochure that is contained in the CD jacket, I was intrigued by the description of the quilt gardens that can be found along the trail May 30th through October 1st. These quilted pattern gardens create colorful quilt like designs using more than 100,000 flowers in bloom. That is something that I would like to see in the future, so perhaps a return is in order.

About the CD kit . . . it contains two CDs with the first providing an introduction plus coverage of Elkhart, Briston, Middlebury and Shipshewana. The second picks up in Goshen and heads west to Nappanee and on to Wakarusa. The driving route is in a clockwise direction with each area noted by track number. You are instructed to pause play when you are interested in stopping your vehicle or getting out to explore a particular area. Unfortunately, I couldn't find a pause button on my car's CD player so it became a bit of a hassle to try to follow along with the tour directions.

The Heritage Trail CD kit is available at the Elkhart Visitors Center and at local merchants along the trail. If you do not have a CD player or don't want to use it, you can download the tour guide to an MP3 player from their website: http://www.amishcountry.org/things-to-do/heritage-trail .

Perhaps the most valuable part of the Heritage Trail driving tour kit is the map contained in the CD jacket. I used it often, especially when venturing off the trail into more remote areas in search of a road less traveled and people out and about, not so mindful of the tourists looking to catch a glimpse of them going about their day-to-day lives.   Close

STARTING THEM YOUNGI had not really thought about it but apparently Frank Lloyd Wright’s mother was of Welsh origin and throughout the house there were small elements that paid homage to his heritage. A quote above the fireplace as you entered the house was one…Read More

STARTING THEM YOUNG

I had not really thought about it but apparently Frank Lloyd Wright’s mother was of Welsh origin and throughout the house there were small elements that paid homage to his heritage. A quote above the fireplace as you entered the house was one of these.
We were also told that his mother had been quite determined that he would be an architect and so encouraged him to play with construction toys and build things. I think she was also lucky because my children were also encouraged to play with Lego and constriction toys but my influence in this didn’t create two budding architects! I obviously was not determined enough in my encouragement!

THE MAN HIMSELF
I didn’t know anything about him prior to our visit and I learned a lot visiting the various sites we did but I also learned even more by watching the excellent TV series about the man which aired late last year (2012)

He actually was not a very nice person. He borrowed the money from his boss to build the house here and it was on the condition that he didn’t design anything other than within their company. FLW ignored this and designed quite a few houses in Oak Park and they were pretty darned obvious as the style was unique . Needless to say the boss was not thrilled and I believe he parted company with Wright.

He wasn’t much of a father either and spent very little time with his children and they were brought up by his wife it seems. He was also a pretty poor husband having affairs and he wanted a divorce for years but his wife refused. Eventually she gave in and he married his mistress of many years and built the house of his dreams called ‘Falling Water’ but that is another story.

THE PRAIRIE STYLE
I have already reviewed the house his designed in Springfield known as the Dana Thomas house in this Prairie style which was Wright’s style his was most famous for and this house is very similar but it is smaller as it was not created for a socialite but as a family home.

His inspiration for this style comes from the flat expansive prairie landscape which was where he grew up. He says of this landscape;
"The prairie has a beauty of its own and we should recognize and accentuate this natural beauty, its quiet level. Hence, gently sloping roofs, low proportions, quiet sky lines, suppressed heavy-set chimneys and sheltering overhangs, low terraces and out-reaching walls sequestering private gardens."

These are many of the elements he tried to create in his designs. He was the inspiration but in his studio he had a number of draftsmen following his instructions. I think what makes these so very different is that at the time many homes in America were designed as versions of houses in Europe and these were uniquely American inspired.

They combined simple lines with features that were not only functional and inspired by nature but were also quite beautiful too. From the outside the houses look a bit functional and there is not a lot to attract you but once you start looking more closely there are so many clever features. I particularly like the way he manages to capture outside light inside the houses.


This is a typical Prairie style house with an obvious low horizontal line created by low-pitched hipped roof, long bands of windows, wide overhanging eaves and brick courses or wood bands. It looks as though it would be very private and the windows look dark from the outside. There are often a series of layers all low with flat or low pitched roofs.
However once you are inside somehow the rooms give the impression of open spaces and the windows as well as the under roof windows let in plenty of natural light. The floor plans are quite open plan and the rooms radiates outward from a central fireplace.

FLW didn’t just design a house or building then let the owner buy furniture as they chose. The furnishing and fittings were all part and parcel of the creation. Many units are built in and integral to the building and others were designed for a specific space. They fit in the house and belong with designs on the chairs and tables to echo those in the room on the walls and light fittings.

All the construction materials and finishes are natural. He uses a lot of native wood and glass. The windows and room dividers are usually glass but with elements of stained glass designs which reflect the natural prairie with sumac ( looks like wheat grass) as one of his main ornamentation designs.

HIS FIRST HOME

The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio: The house was built between 1889 and 1898 and it was both his home and studio until 1909. He was only 22 when he designed and had this place built and the loan from his boss was for $5,000 a lot of money at the time I would imagine. He added the separate studio next door in 1898 and it is from this studio that his unique ‘Prairie style’ of architectures developed. Wright designed about 125 buildings in this famous style.

Wright was married and had six children who were born and raised in this house. This first wife was Catherine Tobin.

The house and studio is now restored and it is this house combined with studio within the house that visitors can visit. The house has been restored as was appeared in 1909, which was the last year that Wright lived in the Home and worked in the Studio.
This place was his "‘architectural laboratory, experimenting with design concepts that contain the seeds of his architectural philosophy". The studio was described by a fellow-architect as a workplace with "inspiration everywhere."

The house and studio were put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972 and then declared a National Historic Landmark four years later.

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We decided that we would hike down from Glacier Point down the Panorama trail. We planned an early start and drove up the winding road to Glacier Point. That trip up made me feel quite travel sick but it remained just feeling queasy. We arrived…Read More

We decided that we would hike down from Glacier Point down the Panorama trail. We planned an early start and drove up the winding road to Glacier Point. That trip up made me feel quite travel sick but it remained just feeling queasy. We arrived up, and made use of the restrooms, enjoyed the views from the top, topped up our water bottles and I ate some crackers to settle my stomach.

The trail down is 8.5 miles and falls 3200ft to the valley floor. There is a good reason that it is called the Panorama Trail the views were incredible on the first section was we made our way down to Illilouette Falls which is after 2 miles. This section we didn't see another soul on the path which was lovely - but any sense of remoteness was spoilt on reaching Illilouette river were we had a water break enjoy the running water for a while, but we discovered rubbish here - we each took some to carry out so that others would not have to endure such a lovely place with wrappers and empty bottles.

Having dropped into a river valley we had to climb up again. One place there was a fair amount of loose gravel that needed a little bit of a scramble and was out in the sun, and the heat of the day was starting to rise. I was glad to get into the forest for a little out of the sun. Then we were dropping down again - the forest was pleasant, lots of little streams - we only saw a handful of people until we reached Nevada Falls.

As we got near the falls the trail get very wet and muddy, and then out of the forest you come out on bare rock. You could hear the falls long before we saw them. Here you are right at the top - the view was stunning. But despite warning signs and guard rails the numbers who risked going near the water at the top of the falls was shocking. The falls were stunning but the water level was low for this time of year as there was a smaller snow fall over the winter than normal, meaning less snowmelt waters.

I found a nice shady spot under a tree and ate my lunch. There are composting toilets up here above the falls if needed. What a stunning place to have a picnic.

My plan with my ankle not being quite 100% after an earlier sprain, was that I wanted to carry on down the John Muir Trail rather than the Mist Trail which is steeper and rough rock steps down. But all the others opted for the Mist, and I didn't really want to go off on my own, so I decided to chance it. It wasn't too bad, but I needed to go slow and got left behind from my group. There were some nice views of Nevada Falls though. But the trail was quite busy and it was a constant fight to get down with so many climbing up ( and many not well prepared with little water and more footwear). The crowds increased by the time I got to Vernal Falls - and here the crowds on the trail actually made it quite dangerous. I also saw one woman take a bad tumble, thankfully someone rang and the rangers were on their way up to get her down. There are some fairly steep drops at the side of the path as well. I had to take a long break at this point, my ankle was getting really sore - but I found a perch where I could see the Falls and feel the spray.

At this point it seemed like pushing your way to get down there were so many people on this steep and narrow trail. Many ill prepared for walking on such a rough path - taking their chance to see the waterfall. I made it down to the bridge, and there is water available here, so I was glad to get a cold drink here.

While at some earlier stage parts higher up on the Panorama Trail had been tarred they were being returned to natural worn paths. But at this lower level the trail was tarmac and undulated a bit as it dropped down to the valley floor. I got down to Happy Isles, and decided my ankle was at its limit so caught the shuttle to Curry VIllage and had an ice cream.

The upper part of the hike was fabulous with stunning views and only a handful of people. But once we dropped past Nevada Falls the trail got busier and by Vernal Falls it was crazy. I'd do the trail again but not in the peak season, so as to actually enjoy the lower section of the trail rather than feel I was fighting my way, and to enjoy the beauty of Vernal Falls. It was a good hike, stretching but not too strenuous but need to make sure to carry plenty of water. Panorama is the right name - from views over the valley to the falls is was stunning.   Close

For visitors to Milwaukee or SE Wisconsin, you may want to consider a short jaunt up to Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Located less than 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, Cedarburg is far enough out of the city to give you a flavor of what life in…Read More

For visitors to Milwaukee or SE Wisconsin, you may want to consider a short jaunt up to Cedarburg, Wisconsin. Located less than 30 minutes from downtown Milwaukee, Cedarburg is far enough out of the city to give you a flavor of what life in rural Wisconsin is like while also providing for a bit of the eclectic and historical.

The Village of Cedarburg was founded in 1845 as a number of mills were being built along Cedar Creek, which runs through the center of the city today. Today several of the old buildings built, including the Cedarburg Mill, Concordia Mill and Hilgen & Wittenberg Woolen Mill remain standing and are listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

The woolen mill dates back to 1864 and operated here for more than 100 years, until closing their doors in 1969. Three years later, the original main stone building was acquired and subsequently developed into the Cedar Creek Settlement, an eclectic group of shops including art galleries, antique stores and a winery. Many attribute Cedarburg's designation as a tourist destination to Jim Pape who created the Cedar Creek Settlement with the founding of the Stone Mill winery in 1972 and the expansion with retail shops and a restaurant in 1973 and 1974.

Washington Avenue is the main thoroughfare through the historical district and is worth exploring. If you continue north, you will come to another piece of Wisconsin history . . . the last covered bridge in the State of Wisconsin.

I have been fascinated with covered bridges since seeing my first one near my grandma's Georgia farm back in the 1960's. Of course the movie "The Bridges of Madison County" (Clint Eastwood & Meryl Streep) also stirred my interest, especially when we lived in Iowa several years ago.

The Cedarburg Covered Bridge was known as the "Red Bridge" and was built in 1876 with pine and oak timbers cut and milled near Baraboo, Wisconsin. They were hauled approximately 100 miles to the bridge location over Cedar Creek where workmen assembled the 120' long by 12' wide by 13' high bridge. The bridge is a lattice truce construction, which is considered to be very rare today.

If you look at the photos attached to this story, you will see the concrete support at the center of the bridge span. It was added in 1927 in order to provide the support necessary given the advent of the automobile and the additional weight the bridge had to withstand.

In 1962 the bridge was moved approximately 50 feet from its original location in order to build a more modern bridge which is still in use today for vehicle traffic in the area. The Cedarburg Covered Bridge was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 14, 1973.

This area around the bridge has been developed into a county park, with a footbridge crossing the creek approximately 20 yards from the original covered bridge. Picnic tables and port-a-potties make this a very nice location for a picnic lunch, cookout or hike.

I hope that visitors to Milwaukee will consider a day trip to Cedarburg! Throughout the year they host many events and festivals including the Strawberry Festival in late June that attracts visitors from a four state area. Other special events include the Winter Festival (February), Cedar Creek Settlement Festival (March), Fall & Harvest Festival (September) and German Festival/Oktoberfest (October).

For more information on Historic Cedarburg including lodging, dining and other activities, check out their website at www.cedarburg, org.

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Brats is the short for "bratwurst" . . . the German sausage that literally translates from "brat" that means "finely chopped meat" and "wurst" which is sausage. Brats is what locally everyone in Wisconsin calls this grilled mainstay at picnics and tailgate parties throughout…Read More

Brats is the short for "bratwurst" . . . the German sausage that literally translates from "brat" that means "finely chopped meat" and "wurst" which is sausage. Brats is what locally everyone in Wisconsin calls this grilled mainstay at picnics and tailgate parties throughout the state. You will find them in every pub or corner bar in every town, as well as many diners and family restaurants.

Wisconsin has the largest number of people who can trace their heritage back to Germany and their immigration to America back in the mid 1800's. It is little wonder that it was here that bratwurst factories flourished as they fine-tuned recipes over the past two centuries.

Sheboygan is credited for the increase in popularity when a local butcher shop starting making bratwurst to order for daily pick-up by local residents back in the 1920's. Later in 1953 bratwurst sandwiches went national when the Major League Baseball stadium in Milwaukee began serving brats at their snack bars. (Fun fact . . . Milwaukee's baseball team in 1953 was the Milwaukee Braves. They later moved to Atlanta in 1966.)

Today you can buy brats at any supermarket as well as specialty butcher and meat shops. In planning for this particular journal, I was hoping to find a brat factory that provided public tours. Unfortunately, my contact with the three best known companies here in SE Wisconsin was a bust in terms of finding a tour to take.

If you are interested in buying locally made, authentic bratwurst as well as the many flavor variations that have been developed over the years, there are three well known companies that offer both retail and online sales.

Klement's Sausage Company (www.klements.com) was originally the Badger Sausage Company, founded in 1927. In 1956 the "Klements Brothers" (Ronald, George and John) purchased the Badger Sausage Company in order to produce their family's recipe received from "Grandpa Frank". If you have attended a sporting event at Miller Park or the BMO Harris Bradley Center, you have probably had a Klement's product.

They are also the sponsor of the world famous "Sausage Races" that take place nightly at all Milwaukee Brewers' home games! In 2003 ESPN fans around the world saw the Italian Sausage take one for the team when a Pittsburgh Pirates' player struck her with a baseball bat, knocking her and another sausage racer to the ground. Awww what great baseball history as been made here in Brew City.

Back to Klement's . . . while they do not offer factory tours, they do have a well stocked outlet store onsite at 2751 S. Chase Avenue, Milwaukee. I recently paid them a visit and purchased more than 24 lbs of meat products (brats, summer sausage and ham) for $41. Anyone considering a visit and purchase, be sure to check online for discount coupons. I was able to score a $10 off a purchase of $50 or more from the folks who publish the Entertainment Books found throughout the USA.

Usinger's Famous Sausage Company (www.usinger.com) was founded by Fred Usinger when the young German immigrant arrived in Milwaukee with just $400 in his pocket. As a "wurstmacher" (sausage maker) apprentice from Frankfort, he brought with him recipes for his favorite sausages. Working at an established downtown butcher shop, Usinger began producing products for the store that he later purchased, establishing Usinger's in 1880 as one of the premier sausage companies in the United States.

Today visitors to Milwaukee's Old World Third Street can stop into the original storefront where Usinger's Sausages began. The recipes used today remain true to Fred Usinger's original German heritage. They do operate a deli and store at their downtown Milwaukee location, as well as mail order by phone or internet.

Johnsonville Sausage, LLC (www.johnsonville.com) was founded in 1945 and is located about an hour north of Milwaukee in Sheboygan Falls. This company grew from a small butcher shop that brought their family's Austrian recipe to America in the 19th century. From all that I've been able to research on Johnsonville, they offer mail order from their website, but do not have an onsite store, nor do they offer tours. They are a popular grocery store and bulk foods (i.e., Sam's Club) brand. They have also partnered with McDonald's to offer their products on the fast food giant's breakfast menu. Thanks to placement in such outlets, Johnsonville generates the greatest sausage sales in the United States in terms of total volume.

Maybe it is all for the better than these large sausage makers do not provide factory tours, as I have heard it said "Do you really want to know what goes into sausage or how it is made??"

That said, there is nothing like a grilled bratwurst sandwich! If you are visiting or traveling through Wisconsin, you owe it to yourself to at least sample this wonderful German delight.   Close