Fall Getaway – Part I

We, DH & I and our son, Joe and his fiancé Kristen,  took advantage of the unseasonably warm weather we’ve been having and “got out of dodge” on the motorcycles for a few days the end of last week. 

Our initial planned destination was southern Illinois but once we heard the “warm” forecast we headed north into  Wisconsin instead.    We didn’t have a real destination other than hotel rooms we had booked a couple of days prior for Thursday night and Friday night.  Normally, we don’t book rooms ahead but in the fall with all of the “leaf-lookers” rooms tend to fill quickly.

Even though the forecast was for nice, warm days (70’s – 80’s), the mornings were still very chilly (40’s – 50’s).  We left Thursday morning with many clothing layers and we were still cold for the first hour or two.  Although, once the sun was higher in the sky, those layers gradually started to be peeled off and were stuffed away for the day. 

The further north and closer to the river we got the more the trees were changing.  Some were even already bare.

 

We rode through Amish country near Ontario, WI and stopped at a wonderful bakery where Dan & Joe couldn’t agree on one item so we purchased both an Amish peach pie & german chocolate cake.  Remember we were on motorcycles?  And how does one carry a pie and cake on a motorcycle?  Very carefully!  Where there is a will there is a way. 

I loved seeing the corn shocks in the field next to their home.

 

Wisconsin has wonderful riding roads.  Lots of curves, hills and ridge tops to ride along.

All of that riding made the boys tired.  :)  We stopped at a wayside for a snack (pie & cake – imagine that!) and the guys decided to stretch out for a few moments.  And just how comfortable is a blacktop and a parking block?  I guess it depends on how tired you are.  Any flat surface will do in a pinch!

Dinner Thursday night was at the Hungry Peddler in LaCrosse, WI.  The peddler came on recommendation from a customer of Joe’s.  Good recommendation!  The Peddler wasn’t anything fancy but was in an old building with tin ceilings and circa 1920’s ceiling fans plus the food was very good and plenty of it. With our stomachs full from the Peddler, we cruised down along the river to our home for the night in Stoddard, WI, a little mom & pop style hotel called Safe Landing.  If you’re looking for a large soundproof room or frills, you won’t find it here, but the owner was very nice, the room was clean and it was reasonable.   We all shared a room so to further tell you how small the room was…when Joe was snoring I was easily able to stretch my leg between the beds and kick him so he’d roll over and stop.  :)  After we got checked in, we had a little bit of daylight left so we took a ride down the river to an overlook to watch the sunset. 

We returned to the motel and while Kristen and I hung out in the room, the guys sat outside, read the local classified ads and plotted our course for the next day.

to be continued….