Day 7: Wisconsin Trip 06/13/2017 Photo Album
Jane and I typically rent an audio book from the library to entertain us while making long road trips, and on one previous excursion we listened to The Bone House by Brian Freeman. This novel unfolds in Door County and the protagonists reside on Washington Island which is located north of the Door County peninsula. The story took place in the same area that we were now visiting, and it mentioned Schoolhouse Beach, Death’s Door, and the ferry that transports cars and residents between the island and the mainland. We visualized these scenes in our minds, but now we had the opportunity to see them first hand. Tuesday was our designated day to visit Washington Island.
We targeted the 12:00PM ferry departure, and this provided a window of time in the morning to do some additional sightseeing. We filled out the morning by visiting yet another state park, Newport State Park. Newport State Park is located on the southeastern corner of the tip of the peninsula, and the drive from the park to Gills Rock was short. The dock at Gills Rock is the departure location for the Washington Island passenger ferry.
Ferns Reach to My Shoulders
The 2.4 mile Lynd Point/Fern Loop Trail required an hour to complete, and the highlight was the Lynd Point segment which followed the shoreline of Lake Michigan. Jane and I hiked on a short spur to some rocks overlooking the water, and as I gazed at the unending expanse of the lake, a huge fish leaped completely clear of the water’s surface. The fish was definitely some form of trout or salmon, and I anxiously told Jane of my observation. She turned to look where I pointed, and miraculously the same fish cleared the water a second time. I estimate it was a fat salmonid in the 20 – 30 inch range. I now had a witness to my first sighting of a fish in Lake Michigan.
Near the Spot Where I Saw a Salmon or Steelhead
When we returned to the car we hustled to reach the ferry launch and quickly parked in a grass lot at the top of a hill. We unloaded our mountain bikes and cruised down the hill and purchased our tickets for the crossing to Washington Island. An elderly gentleman piloted the ferry, and within ten minutes we commenced the crossing. The band of water that separates the peninsula from Washington Island is named Deaths Door, and our pilot/guide informed us that it claimed a large number of vessels over the years due to its difficult currents.
Waiting for the Ferry to Depart
Lunch on Washington Island
Once we docked on the island a ship’s mate unloaded our bikes, and we found a convenient picnic table next to the dock. We munched our lunches, and then we pedaled a short distance to Lobdell Point Road which connected with Main Road. Main Road was the main artery, and we followed that for five miles to Schoolhouse Beach. We paused at the park and beach which was relatively crowded with recent arrivals from tour groups. The beach was comprised of white round stones that are on average three inches long by two inches wide and shaped like an egg.
Smooth and Round
We rested at the beach and watched tour visitors toss the round rocks in the lake, and after fifteen minutes we were anxious to escape the insanity of humanity and return to the peaceful rural roads of the island. We completed a loop by traveling east on Jackson Harbor Road and then looped south and west until we reconnected with Main Road. The island seemed sparsely populated, although most the of the lakefront lots seemed occupied. We returned to the dock with nearly an hour to spare, so we climbed back on our bikes and completed a short loop that circled around a small peninsula that jutted out from the southwest corner of the island.
What Is Up with the Leg Raising?
The ferry arrived at 4PM, and we departed and arrived at Gulls Rock within thirty minutes. On the return trip we traveled on route 42 along Green Bay and passed through the classic lakeside resort towns of Sister Bay, Ephraim, and Fish Creek. For dinner on Tuesday night we returned to Fish Creek where we feasted at the Bayside Tavern. After dinner we stopped at the Egg Harbor Fun Park and enjoyed a game of miniature golf. Actually Jane enjoyed the match more, as she edged me by two strokes on the Door County themed course.
Tuesday was a fun day in Door County highlighted by a ferry ride, a cycling loop, and miniature golf. Only one day remained in our Wisconsin road trip.