August 2017 - USA travels

birds at Horicon National Wildlife Refuge

Bench made of 1000 belts at Stevens Point Sculpture Park

31 August 2017 Thursday - East Aurora NY (30 miles)
Spent the day doing research in Holland and walking the cemeteries of Holland, Humphrey, Protection, East Aurora and St Joseph then afternoon walk to Roycroft Campus founded by Elbert Hubbard in 1895 as a rebellion against the industrial revolution and to promote arts and crafts....quite interesting character he was!

30 August 2017 Wednesday - Erie PA to East Aurora NY (139 miles)
Beautiful drive in the fog along Chautauqua Lake and the Western New York Southtowns Scenic Byway then stop at Sardinia Town Hall, the village in which my ggg grandfather was born but before records were kept starting in 1885....also visit to the old cemetery. I had considered camping at Three Valley Campground but it is a very crowded trailer park full of permanent residents so will hotel it.

29 August 2017 Tuesday - Marblehead Ohio to Erie Pennsylvania (160 miles)
Back on the interstate east and and got caught in the Cleveland rush hour traffic in the rain and fog but I survived! Dry and overcast in PA.

28 August 2017 Monday - Bowling Green to Marblehead Ohio (59 miles)
Hoping that the kids are in school and no one is out camping on a weekday! Slow drive east on the backroads in the fog to Lake Erie and East Harbor State Park....very large campground but found a site tucked away in the trees and walked a few miles on the trails along the lake and through the woods with heaps of birds. A friendly woodchuck visited me in the afternoon.

27 August 2017 Sunday - Grand Blanc MI to Bowling Green OH (113 miles)
The big soccer challenge in Bowling Green so heaps of kids everywhere in bright color uniforms!

26 August 2017 Saturday - Lansing to Grand Blanc MI (57 miles)
Visited with my father's distant cousin who has done heaps of ancestry research over the years......

25 August 2017 Friday - Anderson IN to Lansing MI (194 miles)
Interstate travel on I69 north to Lansing.....I am staying near Horrocks Farm Market which is great for heaps of fresh fruit and veggies and free tasting of many flavors of popcorn!

24 August 2017 Thursday - Zionsville to Anderson IN (42 miles)
A bit of respite from stays with all the rellies to catch up!

23 August 2017 Wednesday - Chrisman IL to Zionsville IN (111 miles)
Route 36 east to Indianapolis (lost an hour entering Eastern time zone) then Interstate 465 north to Zionsville.....but first stopped at Trader Joes and Whole Foods and visited the Union Chapel Cemetery to visit the Whitinger family gravesites (father's side of family). Visited with my mother's cousin Gloria and we drove to have salad lunch with her daughter Linda then catfish dinner at the Friendly Tavern in old town Zionsville.

22 August 2017 Tuesday - Bloomington to Chrisman IL (116 miles)
Heavy rain and thunderstorm and wind all night which kept me awake then morning drive east in the rain but it stopped in time to do short walks at Kickapoo State Park/Recreation Area, formerly a coal mining site with many fishing ponds on Vermilion River. Visited another newly found second cousin on my mother's side of family, sister to the one in Wisconsin. Susan and Gary have a beautiful 1800's home in Chrisman and we had fun spending time discussing genealogy then scrumptious dinner.

21 August 2017 Monday - Bloomington IL
Happy Eclipse! Dental appointment for teeth clean

20 August 2017 Sunday - Bloomington IL
Chore day! Washed clothes and my sheets and fixed Yvonne's computer and swept the patio and then enjoyed Baskin Robbins and shopped for lollies at Blain's Farm and Fleet!

19 August 2017 Saturday - Bloomington IL
Visit to Peoria IL

18 August 2017 Friday - Bloomington IL
Washed my van and visited the local grocers.....Fresh Thyme and Green Top

17 August 2017 Thursday - Janesville WI to Bloomington IL
Still raining today and very humid.....missing the nice weather of northern Wisconsin! Visiting my cousin in Bloomington IL

16 August 2017 Wednesday - Fond du Lac to Janesville WI (100 miles)
Wonderful weather for my visit to the Horicon National Wildlife Refuge and hiked a few of the trails and saw heaps of birds.....then to Juneau Wisconsin, the county seat of Dodge county. The town is named after its founder Paul Juneau, son of Solomon Juneau, the founder of Milwaukee. Paul Juneau's tragic death occurred in 1858 when teenagers who were playing with a newly found old horse pistol accidentally discharged the gun at Paul as he was leaving the outhouse behind the courthouse where he worked as the register of deeds.
Big thunderstorm this afternoon with heaps of rain..........

15 August 2017 Tuesday - Fond du Lac WI
Visited the Register of Deeds looking for my gg grandparents marriage certificate but I did not find it! Then to the library where Debbie was a great help in finding books on the history of railroads in Wisconsin....we think that my gg grandfather may have worked on the railroad so it is interesting learning about the history. Then to the County Historical Society Library located at the Galloway House and Village Museum where they have a large collection of records but still no luck finding anything but had a great conversation with Tracy.

14 August 2017 Monday - Sturgeon Bay to Fond du Lac WI (123 miles)
Early departure to follow route S along the shores of Lake Michigan passing through the lovely towns of Algoma, Two Rivers, Manitowoc and ALASKA! Visited the Point Beach State Forest but the campground was pretty full so continued on route 151 to Lake Winnebago and Fond du Lac for more research.

13 August 2017 Sunday - Sturgeon Bay WI
27th Annual Door County Classic and Wooden Boat Festival and the Sikaflex build-a-boat race where the entrants must design and build (four hours on Saturday) and race a boat (on Sunday) with very limited materials and Sikaflex adhesive (no nails).....it was a fun time for all! Arlyn and I then went to Potawatomie State Park for the views at the top of the tower then pizza in town at Sonny's.

12 August 2017 Saturday - Sturgeon Bay WI
Another very busy day with morning farmers market, Nordic festival at the church, German festival at the Heritage Village (where we will volunteer to work), then lighted boat parade on the water (only two boats though!) at the yacht club (Maritime Week) and evening fireworks......

11 August 2017 Friday - Sturgeon Bay Wisconsin
Arlyn and I went to the"Y" for her swim and my workout in the gym then all day tour of Door County Island.....Cave Point, Bjorklunden Norwegian built Chapel, Koepsels Farm Market (these farm markets are everywhere), Sister Bay, Ellison Bluff County Park, Newport State Park, Gills Rock, Door Bluff County Park, Al Johnsons Swedish Restaurant for lunch in Sister Bay (check out their webcam of their goats on the grass roof), Peninsula State Park and lighthouse, Egg Harbor then back to the cottage for salad.....heaps of Scandinavian history here.

10 August 2017 Thursday - Stevens Point to Sturgeon Bay WI (145 miles)
Drove north in big thunderstorm to visit with my second cousin Arlyn on my mother's side......wonderful cottage right on Lake Michigan which has been in their family for forty years......sleeping to the sound of the water washing ashore........

9 August 2017 Wednesday - Stevens Point WI
Finding gravestones in cemeteries has been a challenge....some cemeteries have everything online, others have a kiosk or map at the entrance, but most have nothing! I spend time trying to find the caretaker or ring in advance to meet with them then find that they have old log books or a rolled up map tucked away on a shelf.....and sometimes I am lucky and just happen to find the gravestone on my own. I met with John the caretaker of the Catholic cemetery this morning (he lived in Juneau AK in the 1980's) to find those gravesites that I could not find....then visited Portage County recorders office for more research. When I returned to the hotel, I found that my left front tire was low.....maybe I had run over something in the cemetery? So decided to be safe and drove to recommended tire place by hotel reception.....and there was half inch screw in the tire....plus this place Schierls does tire repair for free!!!

8 August 2017 Tuesday - Stevens Point WI
Happy Birthday to my father if he were still with us!
I had considered moving on to Green Bay before visiting my cousin in Door County but there is Packers game there and all the hotels are full....so will hang out another day in Stevens Point where the hotel rate is only $66! Afternoon walk on the Green Circle Trail again along the Wisconsin River and then found the Coop Market with wonderful organic goodies.

7 August 2017 Monday - Stevens Point WI
Morning visit to the Portage County records office and afternoon walk to the University of Wisconsin archives.

6 August 2017 Sunday - Stevens Point WI
Walked another portion of the Green Circle Trail to the Schmeeckle Reserve and around Lake Joanis.....just before the afternoon thunderstorm.

5 August 2017 Saturday - Stevens Point WI
Morning walk through old town Stevens Point and the farmers market then research at the Portage County public library which also houses the Stevens Point Area Genealogical Society (SPAGS). Afternoon walk on the Brickyard portion of the Green Circle Trail (a 27 mile trail that loops around the city of Stevens Point) and a side trail through the Stevens Point Sculpture Park....beautiful art tucked in the woods along the wooded trail.....wonderful treat!

4 August 2017 Friday - Mount Horeb to Stevens Point WI (150 miles)
I had considered a route through the Wisconsin Dells but it sounds more like a Las Vegas than an outdoor retreat....so drove north on route 78 via Black Earth (birthplace of my gg grandmother Sarah Hellekson) then I39 to Portage County and Stevens Point city. Visited the University of Wisconsin Archives where I had found the declaration of intent for naturalization for my gg grandfather Frank Weber who arrived here from Germany in 1873 via New York.

3 August 2017 Thursday - Mount Horeb WI
Wonderful meeting this morning with Kristin who has done heaps of research on the Perry Norwegian Church in Daleyville, where my ancestors spent time in the late 1800's and where some are buried. Big thunderstorm this morning and more predicted this afternoon but managed to do about two mile hike on the Flint Rock trail at Blue Mound State Park, the highest point in southern Wisconsin at 1719 feet.

2 August 2017 Wednesday - Rock Island IL to Mount Horeb Wisconsin (179 miles)
Easy drive north through Iowa from Illinois to Wisconsin. A woman in Mount Horeb had offered to me her extra bedroom but I decided to camp at Blue Mound State Park with the cooler weather.....quite lovely but the weather has turned to rain so only short hikes on the trails. Visited the Perry Norwegian Church and cemetery in Daleyville and the Hauge Log Church, first Norwegian Lutheran Church constructed in western Wisconsin. Mt Horeb is known as the troll capital of the world and it is also home to Duluth Trading Company, where they are now building their corporate headquarters.

1 August 2017 Tuesday - Davenport IA/Rock Island IL
Morning research at the Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock Island. The challenge with this travel research is timing my arrival when a place is open....I had to wait an extra day here to work with one of the volunteers.