Blue Lake. Last Day

Got the zoom working

 Sunrise, 6:06.  Back to bed.

 On Blue Lake at 8:36

Canvas cover off the boat shelter. Winter is coming

 I looked at this contraption and first thought I had never seen one before.

I have, on Bulow Creek

November, 2005

If the zoom was working you'd get a better view of the mermaid

Pete stayed here, years ago.  No kayaks or wi fi, so not for me.

The last two pictures probably should be earlier. Like an hour.  This is what happens when taking pictures with to cameras, with one on Standard Time, one on Daylight Savings Time.

I see the pale loons in Florida during the winter.  Never the beautiful dark ones. 

Bottoms down

Saw an otter. Unable to get a photo.  Good thing for the otter, or this eagle may have had breakfast

Loons sing to eagle

Same eagle. I think. Different tree.

 The zoom worked, one picture at a time. Take pic, zoom, repeat.

 Final tour of the grounds, then to Paul Bunyan's for breakfast

The statues of Paul and Babe are some of the few changes since my first visit in 1967.

No line on a Tuesday morning after most visitors have gone for the winter.

 Can't beat the ambiance

Or the amount of food.  On the plate, pancake, potatoes, ham, sausage, ham, egg.  Sugar donut above.  Also had kielbasa, and biscuits and gravy.  Coffee and juice is included.

Jackie and Pete

 Second, empty, dining hall.  The whole place shuts down at the end of October.  Wonder where the snowmobilers eat.

After a ride on the Bearskin Trail.

 We walked off breakfast

Deerskin

Looking back at the Minocqua trestle from the Kawaga trestle

 Did not see the beavers.

 Jackie's shirt

Little museum

 Colorful Pete.  Almost 2 PM when I got on the road.  I had told Mom I'd have her car back at 6.

 Passing one of Dad's favorite places.  Whittman Field in Oshkosh.  Home of the EAA.

Made good time until about 20th and Capital Drive.  Utility work in Shorewood cut 2 lanes to one and traffic was backed up for 2-3 miles.

 The ped bridge was not there when I left Shorewood 25 years ago.

 Site of my early outdoor adventures.  Boulevard in front of the house where I grew up.

 Lakefront Oktoberfest at the North Star Bistro.  I told Mom I'd rather take out gyros from Oakland Gyros.  She said this was for her enjoyment as well as mine.  As she was buying, I did not argue. I had the beef short rib

Eileen and Jack joined us.  I told my 7th grade nephew I was glad he was in shorts, T-shirt and tennis.  Like me.

 At 6:07 AM Central time, Wednesday morning, the pillars at Billy Mitchell look like half barrels

I am going to do this again next September.  For the entire week of Labor Day. Perfect time.  Weather is good, but with kids back in school, lots of lodging available and quiet lakes.