Ahh yes, it’s autumn in Wisconsin and everybody’s taking in the fall colors on hayrides, hikes, and Sunday drives. But fall is prime time for more than just tree-gazing. The months between September and December also deliver the biggest and most consistent surf along Wisconsin’s 950 miles of coastline. Yes, that’s right – surf, and Wisconsin not only has waves, it has a community of surfers dedicated to chasing them.
The best place within striking distance of Madison to see or even paddle out with freshwater surfers is Sheboygan, WI, a two-hour drive to the northeast. Sheboygan, a pleasant lakeside town of 50,000 and home to the Dairyland Surf Classic, has several good surf breaks around town, a long history of super-friendly local surfers, and some good hangouts in case the swell isn’t hitting.
The most important aspect of finding surf – or surfers for that matter – in Sheboygan is being able to read the weather and predict when “swells” in the lake will be created by winds and changes in air pressure. You can’t surf everyday in Sheboygan, only when there is a swell that generates larger than average waves which break at specific spots depending on the swell’s direction. Predicting surf is an intense science, but the big indicators for a good swell are plunging air pressure and sustained high winds coming from the north to north east or the south to southeast. Lake forecasts that call for average waves 4 ft. or higher are also a good bet. The Lakesurf website (www.lakesurf.com) has a slew of links and information on when and where to surf around the Great Lakes as well as heavily-used message boards good for picking up info on where the surf is up, finding used equipment, and asking questions.
Unlike locals at most surf spots around the world, which discourage outsiders from surfing “their” waves, Sheboygan surfers “are a friendly, laid-back bunch that just want to see people catch waves,” says Grant Davey, an Australian surfer who moved to Sheboygan ten years ago for a job. You’ll also need a warm wetsuit (4-6 mm) with a hood and booties for the chilly fall water temperatures which range from 35-55 degrees. A higher-volume board also works well since the fresh water is less buoyant than salt water. If you’re intent on catching some freshwater waves but have no equipment, don’t despair. It’s far from uncommon for Great Lakes surfers, especially those in Sheboygan, to lend a board and wetsuit to someone with either obvious knowledge of surfing or an undeniable desire to learn. Just show up at a break when the surf is up and do your best to strike up conversation.
The surf in Sheboygan isn’t a novelty. With a strong south or southeast swell and the right wind, the barreling waves at North Point (on N. Point Rd.), are occasionally dilated enough for Davey to stand up tall when he pulls inside of them. Here swells come in from very deep water and break in powerful, hollow waves over a shallow reef-like bed of limestone – perfect for rides for shortboarding. The surf is slightly cleaner and smaller near the jetties further to the north.
“The Elbow” is Sheboygan’s most notorious surf spot, named for the bend in the rock pier that the waves break near. Rather than paddle out two hundred yards through tumultuous surf from the large city beach adjacent to the Harbor Center Marina, surfers walk out on the large rock pier about half of the way to the big lighthouse and then jump off the rocks with their boards to get to the line-up. Waves at the Elbow, best for longboarders, are often head-high with a strong south swell and give long rides all the way to the beach. The large rock pier with cement sidewalk is an excellent place to watch surfers cruise by on waves, sometimes only 15 yards away from the pier.
“Black River,” just south of town off Lakeshore Dr. on N. Evergreen Rd., is a mellow beach break that is less intimidating for beginners. The sandbars here make for fun waves on north or south swells.
Two of Sheboygan’s most well-known surfers own places to hangout and eat. The Weather Center Café, located right on the water at the south end of the city’s marina, is a cozy place to get coffee, delectable baked goods, and great sandwiches and soups. Check the bulletin board for both the latest pictures of Sheboygan’s surfers and bits of Sheboygan’s surfing history. If the place isn’t too busy, which is rare, ask Teek, the café owner/freshwater surfing hardcore/proud member of Team Blatz, how the surf has been. The surf might not be much compared to other ocean locales, but the positive vibe of surfers in Sheboygan is unbeatable.
1.10.04
25.8.04
Don’t blink: LaGrange, WI
If you blink for a one second while traveling at 60 mph, you will travel 88 feet while your eyes are closed. LaGrange, WI is a town so small, it would take just one lazy blink to pass through the entirety of the town with your eyes closed.
Yeah, LaGrange may be unbelievably small, but with fabulous mountain biking, a nearby beach, small town Wisconsin charm, and an uber-unique café – all an hour’s drive from Madison – it is killer daytrip material. There are few better ways to exploit a beautiful summer or autumn day and you’ll be back in Madison by sunset.
LaGrange lies along Highway 12 southeast of Whitewater, 2 miles from the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, a beautiful swath of glacially-morphed rolling, wooded hills containing two well-maintained systems of trail loops (the John Muir and Emma Carlin trail systems) which total about 36 miles of trails for mountain bikers with even more options for hikers. Hiking is popular on the trails, but mountain biking is surely the most exciting way to experience the terrain and will allow you to see more of the forest in a day.
From the “haven’t ridden a bike since the seventh grade” types to spandex-clad all-terrain cyclo-geeks, South Kettles is a great place to go for an off-road ride. The singletrack, meaning narrow, naturally challenging trails for mountain bikers, at South Kettles twists and turns through the forest along the undulating contours of the glaciated terrain. The trails are generally made of hardpack dirt and devoid of very challenging obstacles. Compared to other area trails that are rockier and challenge the technical bike-handling skills of experienced riders, South Kettle’s well-designed singletrack is quite manageable even for a non-mountain biker that is in shape and eager to try real off-road riding, yet it still challengs advanced riders to carry their speed as they careen through turn after turn. The John Muir parking area and trailhead has a shelter, picnic tables, a fire pit, grills, bathrooms, drinking water, a hose for dirty bikes, many nearby campsites, and free trail maps.
The trails are especially beautiful when the autumnal explosion of color in the Southern Kettles paints the trees and forest floor with intense fall hues. Beginners unsure of their ability and stamina should stick to the Red, Orange, and White trail loops of the John Muir trail system, which entail less challenging terrain and more manageable distances, ranging from 1.5-5.3 miles. Those with more confidence should tackle the slightly more challenging and isolated 10 mile Blue loop, which winds through sandy second-growth pine groves, hilly hardwood forests, and meadows filled with wildflowers. Those who consider themselves expert riders in excellent condition should prove it by riding the Blue loop to the gnarled 2-way Connector Trail to the Emma Carlin trail system. After sampling some of the short trail loops there, then head back down the Connector Trail and through the remainder of the Blue loop to the parking lot for a burly 24-29 mile ride. The trails require a trail pass ($3 daily, $10 yearly) and a State Park parking pass ($5 daily, $20 yearly), both are good at any State Park in Wisconsin.
Saddled right up to the crossroads of Highway 12 and County H (a.k.a. downtown LaGrange) is the one of a kind LaGrange General Store. The General Store combines a great deli, natural foods store, café, and a great beer and wine selection with a small, full-service bike/ski shop known as Backyard Bikes. The well-worn wood-toned interior has pleasant tables both inside and on the back porch under umbrellas. The friendly wrenches (mechanics) in the bike shop rent top-quality, gender-specific Gary Fisher front suspension mountain bikes, which handle the local terrain with ease, for $29 as well as heavier-duty full-suspension mountain bikes for $39-45. They also rent super comfortable hybrid bikes to those looking for a more relaxing ride cruising the picturesque local country roads.
The wide variety of salads, soups, and sandwiches at the General Store are best enjoyed with the General Store’s “Famous” smoothie of sunflower seeds, honey, peach juice, and banana. The Southern Kettle Moraine Unit will also be host to the Fall Color Festival mountain bike race on October 2 where you can race, meet the pro’s, and attend various mountain bike clinics.
Before returning your bike rental, cruise down Highway H, then right on Kettle Moraine Drive to the nice beach at Whitewater Lake for a well-deserved dip (two miles from the General Store). To make even more use of your day exploring rural southeastern Wisconsin, stop at one of the many diner/cafés you will pass by in Fort Atkinson or Whitewater for breakfast on your way to La Grange. To end the day in style, touch down at Chef Robert Hughes’ hot new restaurant, Serendipity, in Cambridge for a nice dinner. If all goes according to plan you’ll be back in Madtown in plenty of time for a full night out at the bars, which, after such an active day, you will have earned.
Yeah, LaGrange may be unbelievably small, but with fabulous mountain biking, a nearby beach, small town Wisconsin charm, and an uber-unique café – all an hour’s drive from Madison – it is killer daytrip material. There are few better ways to exploit a beautiful summer or autumn day and you’ll be back in Madison by sunset.
LaGrange lies along Highway 12 southeast of Whitewater, 2 miles from the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest, a beautiful swath of glacially-morphed rolling, wooded hills containing two well-maintained systems of trail loops (the John Muir and Emma Carlin trail systems) which total about 36 miles of trails for mountain bikers with even more options for hikers. Hiking is popular on the trails, but mountain biking is surely the most exciting way to experience the terrain and will allow you to see more of the forest in a day.
From the “haven’t ridden a bike since the seventh grade” types to spandex-clad all-terrain cyclo-geeks, South Kettles is a great place to go for an off-road ride. The singletrack, meaning narrow, naturally challenging trails for mountain bikers, at South Kettles twists and turns through the forest along the undulating contours of the glaciated terrain. The trails are generally made of hardpack dirt and devoid of very challenging obstacles. Compared to other area trails that are rockier and challenge the technical bike-handling skills of experienced riders, South Kettle’s well-designed singletrack is quite manageable even for a non-mountain biker that is in shape and eager to try real off-road riding, yet it still challengs advanced riders to carry their speed as they careen through turn after turn. The John Muir parking area and trailhead has a shelter, picnic tables, a fire pit, grills, bathrooms, drinking water, a hose for dirty bikes, many nearby campsites, and free trail maps.
The trails are especially beautiful when the autumnal explosion of color in the Southern Kettles paints the trees and forest floor with intense fall hues. Beginners unsure of their ability and stamina should stick to the Red, Orange, and White trail loops of the John Muir trail system, which entail less challenging terrain and more manageable distances, ranging from 1.5-5.3 miles. Those with more confidence should tackle the slightly more challenging and isolated 10 mile Blue loop, which winds through sandy second-growth pine groves, hilly hardwood forests, and meadows filled with wildflowers. Those who consider themselves expert riders in excellent condition should prove it by riding the Blue loop to the gnarled 2-way Connector Trail to the Emma Carlin trail system. After sampling some of the short trail loops there, then head back down the Connector Trail and through the remainder of the Blue loop to the parking lot for a burly 24-29 mile ride. The trails require a trail pass ($3 daily, $10 yearly) and a State Park parking pass ($5 daily, $20 yearly), both are good at any State Park in Wisconsin.
Saddled right up to the crossroads of Highway 12 and County H (a.k.a. downtown LaGrange) is the one of a kind LaGrange General Store. The General Store combines a great deli, natural foods store, café, and a great beer and wine selection with a small, full-service bike/ski shop known as Backyard Bikes. The well-worn wood-toned interior has pleasant tables both inside and on the back porch under umbrellas. The friendly wrenches (mechanics) in the bike shop rent top-quality, gender-specific Gary Fisher front suspension mountain bikes, which handle the local terrain with ease, for $29 as well as heavier-duty full-suspension mountain bikes for $39-45. They also rent super comfortable hybrid bikes to those looking for a more relaxing ride cruising the picturesque local country roads.
The wide variety of salads, soups, and sandwiches at the General Store are best enjoyed with the General Store’s “Famous” smoothie of sunflower seeds, honey, peach juice, and banana. The Southern Kettle Moraine Unit will also be host to the Fall Color Festival mountain bike race on October 2 where you can race, meet the pro’s, and attend various mountain bike clinics.
Before returning your bike rental, cruise down Highway H, then right on Kettle Moraine Drive to the nice beach at Whitewater Lake for a well-deserved dip (two miles from the General Store). To make even more use of your day exploring rural southeastern Wisconsin, stop at one of the many diner/cafés you will pass by in Fort Atkinson or Whitewater for breakfast on your way to La Grange. To end the day in style, touch down at Chef Robert Hughes’ hot new restaurant, Serendipity, in Cambridge for a nice dinner. If all goes according to plan you’ll be back in Madtown in plenty of time for a full night out at the bars, which, after such an active day, you will have earned.
20.7.04
Leaving it all behind for Sylvania
It is no surprise so many people think camping is lame. For most us, childhood memories of camping consist of setting up a shitty camper or smelly old tent in what is basically a tree-dotted parking lot full of other people in shitty campers and smelly old tents, all sharing one disgusting group bathroom on the edge of a small third-growth forest. Now, to me, that all sounds like great camp conditions, for, say, a refugee camp in Sudan. However, a pristine, natural, outdoors camping experience it is not. When the urban routine is grinding you to a pulp, the best way to relax and recharge is to just leave it all behind you with an escape to some wilderness solitude.
With the Sylvania Wilderness Area lying a mere 4 hours to the north, any Madisonian with a 3-day weekend and about $75 to burn can find such sanctuary. It’s a small distance to drive to feel so very far away, and any inexperienced hack can pull it off-you don’t even need to own any camping or canoeing equipment.
In Sylvania, you can find yourself stretched out in the sun on the surreal white sand beach of a beautifully deserted wilderness lake, surrounded by record-size old growth pines complete with bald eagles circling overhead. The speed and stability of canoes make wilderness access fun and easy for those who don’t want to hike for miles with heavy backpacks.
One recent, summery Friday morning, my friend Shawn and I called in sick and headed off to Sylvania, smiles on our faces, elbows out the window and the stresses of the city fading as fast our cell phone signals. After 4 hours of driving through classic and quirky northern Wisconsin scenery, we pulled into the tiny A-frame ranger station, picked our campsites off the map and launched our canoe on Crooked Lake.
Sylvania Wilderness Area is a relatively small section of Ottawa National Forest containing about 34 crystal clear lakes connected by short “portage” paths, which allow canoeists to tour the park by paddling from lake to lake. Launching the boat at 2:30 pm, it took us about 2 hours to paddle and portage across 4 small lakes to our picturesque, penninsular “Fox” campsite, water surrounding it on three sides. We quickly collected some firewood, got started cooking our tabouli and falafel dinner. Later we opted to leave the tent in the backpack and sleep under the stars on such a clear, mild night. We took turns reading aloud Hemingway and London, pausing for an occasional sip of Daniels.
When I awoke the next morning, Shawn and the canoe were gone. Shawn strode back into camp 30 minutes later, beaming from his solo morning paddle and excitedly describing the morning mist glowing intensely orange over the glassy water in the light of the sun, still low on the eastern horizon. We breakfasted on granola, powdered milk and dried fruits, and then paddled 40 minutes before stopping again to eat our PB&J pita lunch on one of the relatively large stretches of pretty white sand beach along Loon Lake. Unable to leave the paradisiacal beach, we spent the afternoon swimming in the clear water, fishing and lazing on the beach. Another 40 minute paddle brought us to our primo “Loon” campsite on Loon Lake, where we settled in to the eerily beautiful evening calls of the waterfowl that the lake and campsite were named for. On the menu for our second evening in the bush was a tantalizing tomato and porcini mushroom orzo pasta with Parmesan, chilies and other veggies. We fell asleep early - stuffed, satisfied and under the stars once again.
Waking early the next morning, we roused some flames from the fire pit, put on our instant coffee and went for an invigorating morning swim on the campsite’s pebble beach. After eating our breakfast and reading for a while with our backs against a giant pine, we began our paddle out of the park, stopping for a couple swims and a lackluster hike to Whitefish Lake. We ate our last lunch under the shade of the only tree on a small island about a 15 minute paddle from the car, savoring our isolation and taking in the scenery before returning to The Routine.
By 5:45 pm Sunday evening we were back in Madison clinking beers over a non-dehydrated dinner and patting ourselves on the back for making such good use of our 3-day weekend and the fair summer weather.
The best time to head up to Sylvania is late spring and early fall when there are no bugs, few visitors, and comfy temperatures. We collectively spent $30 on great dehydrated foods from the Willy St. Co-Op gravity bins, $40 on gas, and $30 on park fees, bringing our total per person to $50 for the three-day trip. Sylvania Outfitters, located just east of the park entrance on U.S. Hwy. 2, rents high quality canoes, camping equipment, and is a great information resource. A complete gear outfit for a Sylvania trip, including pre-packed meals, a canoe and every piece of camping equipment you could need is only $38 per day. It’s best to call ahead and reserve your equipment (906.358.4766, www.sylvaniaoutfitters.com). Contact the park at 906.932.1330.
With the Sylvania Wilderness Area lying a mere 4 hours to the north, any Madisonian with a 3-day weekend and about $75 to burn can find such sanctuary. It’s a small distance to drive to feel so very far away, and any inexperienced hack can pull it off-you don’t even need to own any camping or canoeing equipment.
In Sylvania, you can find yourself stretched out in the sun on the surreal white sand beach of a beautifully deserted wilderness lake, surrounded by record-size old growth pines complete with bald eagles circling overhead. The speed and stability of canoes make wilderness access fun and easy for those who don’t want to hike for miles with heavy backpacks.
One recent, summery Friday morning, my friend Shawn and I called in sick and headed off to Sylvania, smiles on our faces, elbows out the window and the stresses of the city fading as fast our cell phone signals. After 4 hours of driving through classic and quirky northern Wisconsin scenery, we pulled into the tiny A-frame ranger station, picked our campsites off the map and launched our canoe on Crooked Lake.
Sylvania Wilderness Area is a relatively small section of Ottawa National Forest containing about 34 crystal clear lakes connected by short “portage” paths, which allow canoeists to tour the park by paddling from lake to lake. Launching the boat at 2:30 pm, it took us about 2 hours to paddle and portage across 4 small lakes to our picturesque, penninsular “Fox” campsite, water surrounding it on three sides. We quickly collected some firewood, got started cooking our tabouli and falafel dinner. Later we opted to leave the tent in the backpack and sleep under the stars on such a clear, mild night. We took turns reading aloud Hemingway and London, pausing for an occasional sip of Daniels.
When I awoke the next morning, Shawn and the canoe were gone. Shawn strode back into camp 30 minutes later, beaming from his solo morning paddle and excitedly describing the morning mist glowing intensely orange over the glassy water in the light of the sun, still low on the eastern horizon. We breakfasted on granola, powdered milk and dried fruits, and then paddled 40 minutes before stopping again to eat our PB&J pita lunch on one of the relatively large stretches of pretty white sand beach along Loon Lake. Unable to leave the paradisiacal beach, we spent the afternoon swimming in the clear water, fishing and lazing on the beach. Another 40 minute paddle brought us to our primo “Loon” campsite on Loon Lake, where we settled in to the eerily beautiful evening calls of the waterfowl that the lake and campsite were named for. On the menu for our second evening in the bush was a tantalizing tomato and porcini mushroom orzo pasta with Parmesan, chilies and other veggies. We fell asleep early - stuffed, satisfied and under the stars once again.
Waking early the next morning, we roused some flames from the fire pit, put on our instant coffee and went for an invigorating morning swim on the campsite’s pebble beach. After eating our breakfast and reading for a while with our backs against a giant pine, we began our paddle out of the park, stopping for a couple swims and a lackluster hike to Whitefish Lake. We ate our last lunch under the shade of the only tree on a small island about a 15 minute paddle from the car, savoring our isolation and taking in the scenery before returning to The Routine.
By 5:45 pm Sunday evening we were back in Madison clinking beers over a non-dehydrated dinner and patting ourselves on the back for making such good use of our 3-day weekend and the fair summer weather.
The best time to head up to Sylvania is late spring and early fall when there are no bugs, few visitors, and comfy temperatures. We collectively spent $30 on great dehydrated foods from the Willy St. Co-Op gravity bins, $40 on gas, and $30 on park fees, bringing our total per person to $50 for the three-day trip. Sylvania Outfitters, located just east of the park entrance on U.S. Hwy. 2, rents high quality canoes, camping equipment, and is a great information resource. A complete gear outfit for a Sylvania trip, including pre-packed meals, a canoe and every piece of camping equipment you could need is only $38 per day. It’s best to call ahead and reserve your equipment (906.358.4766, www.sylvaniaoutfitters.com). Contact the park at 906.932.1330.
15.6.04
Small town spotlight: Mt. Horeb, WI
Small town spotlight: Mt. Horeb, WI
Milwaukee and Madison function as the marquee cities of Wisconsin boasting the largest populations, liveliest night scenes, and their respective roles as the state capitals of industry and government. However, much of the best that Wisconsin has to offer can be found outside of them in the many small towns that dot our fair state. Across America, many once-distinct small towns have begun to feel like Anywhere U.S.A. as their small businesses and city centers dry up to be replaced by the same handful of chain stores and fast food joints found in every other city. Mt. Horeb, 20 miles west of Madison on Hwy. 18, is one small town that has definitely maintained its one-of-kind identity. For a sleepy little town, Mt. Horeb’s Main St., also known as the “Trollway” for its many large carved wood trolls, is still bustling with business – that is before most of them close at 4 pm. Among its other quirks the town has a strong Norwegian heritage and a strange fetish for the trolls, here’s the highlights:
Schuberts Café & Bakery Grab a table for a cheap breakfast omelet or saddle-up next to a local at the counter under the frozen, semi-creepy gaze of the many troll and gnome figures placed around the restaurant. A mainstay on the Trollway, Schubert’s has been around since 1911. Evoking scenes from It’s a Wonderful Life, the old-fashioned lunch counter still serves ice cream and “phosphates,” effervescent water with flavored syrup, for 95 cents. The bakery serves traditional Norwegian lefse (like a potato pancake), Norweigen rosette pastries, about 7 kinds of delicious pies made from scratch, as well as Cornish pasties.
Mustard Museum Fun and amusing in an almost nauseating way, the Mustard Museum is a quintessential “World’s Largest Ball of Twine” styled roadside attraction, but at least they don’t charge admission. If there’s one thing that strikes awe into the hearts of visitors, it’s that someone actually built all this to honor a food condiment. The staff welcomes you to try any of the 400 mustards from around the world that they sell and flavors like key lime pie, honey ginger, apricot, and spicy Chilean lend an idea of the kind of mustard spectrum available. Taking the tour is probably not necessary, but if you do, word is the guide sings a spirited rendition of the “Mustard Fight Song.”
Stuart Lake Swimming Hole Madison might be wedged between two lakes, but only in the most desperate circumstances is it really much fun to swim in the green murkiness of either of them. Even at a half hour away by car, Stuart Lake, used to be such a good swim hole it practically made up for the nasty water in Madison. However, with its legendary rope swing still out of commission (due to serious injury, as rumor would have it) and the water beginning to look a bit more like Madison’s, time will tell if this will remain a destination. Whether they be floating on inner tubes, diving in off the big tree near the north end, or just sucking down cans of Bud Light in the picnic area, none of this seems to bother too many locals.
Grumpy Troll Brew Pub If a Wisconsin city is only as good as it’s brewery, then the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub speaks extremely well for Mt. Horeb. Just a few yards down 2nd St. off the Main St. Trollway (but apparently not far enough to shake free of the troll theme), this restaurant and pub brews eight different beers in-house. The menu looks standard for a nice pub, minus the troll references, that is.
Sugar River Café Located in a Victorian house with a big porch on Main St. is the nicely polished country home styled Sugar River Café. The café has a full espresso bar, teas, all-fruit smoothies, Chocolate Shop ice cream, a vast array of home-baked goods, and great sandwiches from the in-house deli.
Nearby notables: For winter sports Tyrol Basin, just outside of Mt. Horeb, is the closest ski/snowboard area to Madison. A bit further down Hwy 18 is Blue Mound State Forest with lookout towers, a public pool, camping, and mountain bike trails as well as Cave of the Mounds landmark with guided trips into extensive underground caverns.
Milwaukee and Madison function as the marquee cities of Wisconsin boasting the largest populations, liveliest night scenes, and their respective roles as the state capitals of industry and government. However, much of the best that Wisconsin has to offer can be found outside of them in the many small towns that dot our fair state. Across America, many once-distinct small towns have begun to feel like Anywhere U.S.A. as their small businesses and city centers dry up to be replaced by the same handful of chain stores and fast food joints found in every other city. Mt. Horeb, 20 miles west of Madison on Hwy. 18, is one small town that has definitely maintained its one-of-kind identity. For a sleepy little town, Mt. Horeb’s Main St., also known as the “Trollway” for its many large carved wood trolls, is still bustling with business – that is before most of them close at 4 pm. Among its other quirks the town has a strong Norwegian heritage and a strange fetish for the trolls, here’s the highlights:
Schuberts Café & Bakery Grab a table for a cheap breakfast omelet or saddle-up next to a local at the counter under the frozen, semi-creepy gaze of the many troll and gnome figures placed around the restaurant. A mainstay on the Trollway, Schubert’s has been around since 1911. Evoking scenes from It’s a Wonderful Life, the old-fashioned lunch counter still serves ice cream and “phosphates,” effervescent water with flavored syrup, for 95 cents. The bakery serves traditional Norwegian lefse (like a potato pancake), Norweigen rosette pastries, about 7 kinds of delicious pies made from scratch, as well as Cornish pasties.
Mustard Museum Fun and amusing in an almost nauseating way, the Mustard Museum is a quintessential “World’s Largest Ball of Twine” styled roadside attraction, but at least they don’t charge admission. If there’s one thing that strikes awe into the hearts of visitors, it’s that someone actually built all this to honor a food condiment. The staff welcomes you to try any of the 400 mustards from around the world that they sell and flavors like key lime pie, honey ginger, apricot, and spicy Chilean lend an idea of the kind of mustard spectrum available. Taking the tour is probably not necessary, but if you do, word is the guide sings a spirited rendition of the “Mustard Fight Song.”
Stuart Lake Swimming Hole Madison might be wedged between two lakes, but only in the most desperate circumstances is it really much fun to swim in the green murkiness of either of them. Even at a half hour away by car, Stuart Lake, used to be such a good swim hole it practically made up for the nasty water in Madison. However, with its legendary rope swing still out of commission (due to serious injury, as rumor would have it) and the water beginning to look a bit more like Madison’s, time will tell if this will remain a destination. Whether they be floating on inner tubes, diving in off the big tree near the north end, or just sucking down cans of Bud Light in the picnic area, none of this seems to bother too many locals.
Grumpy Troll Brew Pub If a Wisconsin city is only as good as it’s brewery, then the Grumpy Troll Brew Pub speaks extremely well for Mt. Horeb. Just a few yards down 2nd St. off the Main St. Trollway (but apparently not far enough to shake free of the troll theme), this restaurant and pub brews eight different beers in-house. The menu looks standard for a nice pub, minus the troll references, that is.
Sugar River Café Located in a Victorian house with a big porch on Main St. is the nicely polished country home styled Sugar River Café. The café has a full espresso bar, teas, all-fruit smoothies, Chocolate Shop ice cream, a vast array of home-baked goods, and great sandwiches from the in-house deli.
Nearby notables: For winter sports Tyrol Basin, just outside of Mt. Horeb, is the closest ski/snowboard area to Madison. A bit further down Hwy 18 is Blue Mound State Forest with lookout towers, a public pool, camping, and mountain bike trails as well as Cave of the Mounds landmark with guided trips into extensive underground caverns.
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