I decided at the end of 2020 that I wanted to travel to at least one place a month. Of course that consisted of planning ideas of where to go and then procrastinating on actually going. The end of January was coming up quick and I needed to get somewhere fast. Quite a few years ago I went to the Ice Caves at the Apostle Island National Lakeshore and I thought hey lets check out that area again. And let me tell you, it was well worth the trip even though the ice caves weren’t open this year. Meyer Beach is dog friendly area which was a huge bonus. I knew I wanted to bring Herman along because I want him to accompany me on my adventures. I also figured that it would be best to try out his trail skills somewhere close to home.
Our first day in the area was spent looking at the ice caves from up above. We parked in the lot and started what I thought was going to be a nice easy hike. I was wrong. I didn’t bring cleats for my boots and the trail was pretty slick in some most spots. Between holding on to the beast and keeping my balance, I can honestly say I have no idea how I didn’t get hurt. The trail was very hilly and it took a little bit for Herman and I to get into a groove of how to navigate the trails. Herm wanted to run the entire trail. And I was looking at going a slower pace, we went my pace in the end. Good thing for us there is a short 0.7 mile trail with a slippery boardwalk before the second and longer portion of the trail started. But it was well worth the literal up and downs of the trail. We made it to the first stopping point on the trail, The Crevasse.
We stopped and enjoyed the sounds of the lake going into the caves and back out. It was peaceful time and we enjoyed the small bench that looked out on to what seemed like forever. We continued on the trail but it was getting busy and Herman was getting a little too excited. Before making it to the Bowl we had to turn around. It was also getting later and I didn’t want to be in the woods as the sun was going down. The walk back out the car was much easier. I don’t know if that was because Herman figured out he couldn’t pull me up and down hills or if it was just more familiar so we were able to navigate it better. I would like to come back in the summer and try this trail again with Herman. The hike in and out weren’t too bad despite being very hilly and some of the steps were slick or washed out when we were there. The Apostle Islands National Lakeshore is a great place to kayak and I’m hoping I can add that into my next trip.
We made our way back to Bayfield and checked into Seagull Bay Motel. I booked this room through Airbnb, message me for my link because if you use my link and you are a first time Airbnb user you can get $50 off of your first stay, and it was super simple to search dog friendly places in Bayfield and the surrounding areas. The room was very clean and they were a dog friendly place. Mollie and her husband were wonderful hosts, they answered my questions quickly and made our stay enjoyable. I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the view we had. Our room looked over Lake Superior and we could see Madeline Island. Because it was the off season finding a place for dinner was a little difficult. I ended up ordering burgers and beers from the Old Rittenhouse Inn. Because it was vacation and there was a buy two burgers and get a 6 pack of beer deal, I obviously treated myself. I tried both the Bacon Jam Burger and the Carolina Burger. They were fantastic for dinner and breakfast the next day. The mystery beer sampler really hit the spot after a long day of travel and hiking. That evening we just stayed in and watched a few TV shows. Herman loved having his own bed. Part of traveling is remembering to take time for yourself and just relax. So often we jam pack as much as we possibly can in to a few short days and end up at home even more exhausted than when we left. Enjoy the quiet hours of the evening and recharge. We woke up early to watch the 7 am ferry to Madeline Island and enjoy a cup of coffee on the deck.
We headed to the dock after checking out of the hotel and waited for the next ferry over. To my surprise the ferry left a little early and we embarked on the 20 minutes ride to Madeline Island. While Herman was allowed to get out and explore he stayed safely in the car. I think the loud noise scared him. Standing out on the deck, feeling the wind on my face and breathing in the fresh air was rejuvenating. Something I could do every morning. Maybe one day I will call the island home, there is a school to teach at, and a grocery store. Once on the island we started to just drive and see where we ended up. And the main road took us to Big Bay State Park. Because it was snowy and cold, Herman and I were able to enjoy the entire park by ourselves. We walked through the woods and on to a trail that took us along side the lake shore. We spotted a few birds, note to self get better at identifying birds, and a little red fox ran out just in front of us. At that point I saw my arm flash before my eyes because I was sure Herman was going to rip it from my body to chase the fox. The ice caves here were even more beautiful than the ones we saw the day before.
Madeline Island during the winter was more stunning than during the summer. The blanket of ice and snow brought out the beauty of the island. There was a peace that surround it. And while I enjoy the sounds of summer, I feel like I am able to do more self discovery during the silent of winter. If you are willing to be outside when it is cold then I highly recommend a visit during the winter months. Herman and I headed back into to town to just look around. There is a very nice museum in town. I have visited the museum about 10 years ago and was very pleased with it, but dogs are not allowed so I didn’t look into the hours. If you are there in the summer I would recommend checking it out. Most shops and restaurants were closed for the season as well as closed because of Covid-19. Unfortunately I was not able to get a lunch on the island which was on my to do list. I guess I will have to come back for another visit. And for another visit to Tom’s Burned Down Cafe. A local favorite for a cold drink on a hot day. For the first trip of Year 30 travels I would say it was pretty successful. I learned what I needed to do in order to be better prepared for the next trip. I enjoyed the quiet and being in nature. I enjoyed looking across Lake Superior at endless water. I enjoyed finding a little bit of me in the wild.
Rachel
henlo! herman here. she decided to let me write a little something something because i was there. IT WAS SO FUN!! minus that leash and harness that kept me close to mom. that first trail was so hilly and she was so slow. it wasn’t my fault that she isn’t good running on the ice like i am. i saw some kids and tried to give kisses but my mama told me no. we saw water and trees and sticks. i made friends with this nice old lady, she didn’t have any treats but she sure looked like she would. and she thought i was so handsome. we went back to this long house and it had two beds! mom kept calling it a hotel, whatever that is. all i know is that i need my own bed at home so i can hog the whole thing without mama getting mad. we woke up and then went on this scary metal thing. i think it is called a ferry, it should have been called a freaky because i was freaked out. that crazy owner of mine tried to get me to walk out on it and i just hid in the car instead. then we did more walking and took more pictures. i’m over my picture being taken that mama takes so many pictures. there was this bushy tailed dog that i couldn’t play with because it might have rabies. we got back in the car and headed home. i saw those big golden arches and i knew what that meant. mama got me a McChicken because i was such a good boy on the trip. can’t wait until i get to go for a car ride again. happy tails!
Herman
The Overpacked Suitcase 