Illinois
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Wisconsin
Sheboygan NYD
Kettle Moraine
Rock Island
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Mt. Le Conte Pics
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Sheboygan New Years Day:
In bringing in each New Year, one always wants to make a splash. My brother in law, wife and myself became Sheboygan Polar Bears.
It started with a trip to the Town Armory, for a cold beer and brat (necessary). It was 1:00 P.M., and every little bit of enthusiasm helped, so down went the Miller Lite and up went my determination. A live band also helped get the crowd pumped up. It was a great time, but the inevitable came and the whole group started the three block hike to the beach.
There was a kite club flying about a dozen kites near the lake entrance. My hats off to them, their kites were awesome!
With excitement building and skin temperature dropping, we were ready . . . .
but . . .
As we were standing in the chilly mass of soon to
be Polar Bears, we noticed almost everyone had shoes on. The sand was
literally a frozen slab. Upon asking a
native Sheboygonian, it was determined that the beach floor was partially
comprised of rocks. You'll love this part. As soon as I finished
asking "Should we go put our shoes on?", the air horn sounds and
the whole clan begins chugging into Lake Michigan. Into the water we run.
Fortunately, there were no real rocks (that my feet actually felt). With
each step, however, my toes, then legs, began to get numb. Have you ever
had a part of your body get so cold it actually feels hot? That is exactly
the feeling.
Be sure to wear shoes . .
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| Proudly displaying their flag | Numerous kites | Estimated 400 Polar Bears |
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| What a bunch of goofballs! | "Not Cold Enough" | That's me in the black shirt |
The craziest thing, stripping out of completely warm clothes and running into 45 degree water! It was our first time doing such a feat, and we loved it. We agreed to do it again next year. If you are ever in Sheboygan on New Years Day, try this or at least watch. You will surely be entertained!
I didn't get the chance to play the Disc Golf Course in Sheboygan, but it looks like it straddles a small park and eventually ends near Lake Michigan.
Biking:
For mountain biking close to Chicago, Kettle Moraine Southern Unit is the place to go. Great single track trails in a well maintained park.
Make a weekend of it and stay at the Whitewater Super 8, only ten minutes from the trails. It's a pretty basic hotel, no jumbo amenities, but they have a jacuzzi and the rooms are decent.
Right across the street from Super 8 is Randy's Fun Hunters Brewery. This is a must after a hard day of riding. Fantastic selection of beers. Try a 100 ounce beer tower of your favorite flavor. Just make sure you save room for dinner, as the sandwiches and the entrees are plentiful.
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| Orange Trail Entrance | My Chariot | Beer Tower |
Camping:
Door County:
Great trails, better views. A must if you haven't camped here yet.
Website: http://www.doorcounty.com/
Rock Island State Park:
Primitive Camping. You will need to take
two ferries to get here. You can either go with the gear on your back, or
take multiple ferry rides to the parking lot.
Book early, sites go quick. My recommendation is Site A. It is the first
remote site, with access to the shoreline below.
I went with my son, who at the time was 7. He loved it. We hiked all of our gear on one trip and he really impressed me with his ability to "go the distance". Our site (A) was about a mile from the ferry and he carried his gear with no problem.
A 15' climb down a bluff and you are in for a great trek. The rocky shoreline goes for a long distance, we got about two miles, before turning around for lunch.
The island is loaded with trails and sights. Our favorite was hiking to the Hall and playing Black Jack.
There is a pay phone and a water fountain by the ferry, but the water is pretty bad. Be sure to carry in plenty of water.
Wisconsin Links:
