Heading Up North

I was not able to get any internet connection until Labor Day, so this is a bit of backtracking.........

Pat flew in from Colorado on Thursday afternoon.  We were already aware that Deb probably would not join us on the start of the trip, but hopes to hook up with us along the way. 

Pat put her bike together as that had been shipped the week before.  Everything went together just fine!  We also put up Barb and Rebecca's new tent in the front yard to make sure everything was there.  It was just purchased from REI on Monday........................ Nothing like waiting until the last week to get a new tent!  Pat recommended that we get an additional vestibule as there was a rain fly included, but it only covered one end of the tent.  Rebecca stopped at REI on the way home to pick one up.  We left the tent set up over night as a storm was predicted and we--well Pat mainly--wanted to be sure it would handle it.  The rains did not come, but it was windy and the Taj Mahal, as Pat refers to the tent, was still standing!  Pat was able to get everything back into the tent bag--tent, rain fly, new vestibule, stakes and footprint.  She said that would be the last time everything went into one place!

 Pat is pretty sure rain would enter this end unless we got an additional item--a vestibule.

 

 Pat is probably right! 

Barb and Pat spent Friday getting organized for the trip. One trip to the grocery store, a trip to Sherper's--a store with camping items to purchase a few extra tent stakes, along with the necessary toaster for the top of the camp stove.  We then took a trip to our friend Claudia and Kitty's house to "shop" in their basement for additional camping items--lantern, folding table, grate for the fire ring and a second camp stove if Deb did not bring hers.  Even though she was not going with us, Deb did volunteer for us still drive her Suburban.  She came over Friday afternoon to trade out for my CR-V and she brought some camping gear--the especially needed coffee pot! So--Pat and I were set to begin to load the vehicle.  We did "try" to pack lighter, but it seemed the when Rebecca got home, the Pickleball rackets and net made its way into the car!

We finished loading the car Saturday morning with all of the food (and spices) along with two coolers--one for food and one for beverages.  The tailgate was shut and the bikes were added.  We used our bike rack with had a long tray so we could take the tandem, along with Pat and Rebecca's single bikes.  We were set to go!

 

 

We took a selfie before heading out, and Rebecca is hold "Deb" in the background!

 

 This was our breakfast before leaving--muddy sweet cakes with mango and banana puree on top.  Pat had to have a picture of this!

 

 

We left Waukesha around 10:00 and headed north to St. Croix State Park, outside of Hinckley, MN.  We stopped in Bloomer, WI, for about 15 minutes to see Gloria, a friend of Rebecca's.  We arrived around 6:00 or so and set up camp.  Two tents, the Wisconsin canopy over the picnic table and we were set! 

 

Pat provided out cocktail attire for tonight:

 

 

We had a pretty weak campfire as we had no kindling, but campers next to us heard us comment on how nice their fire was, so they brought us a couple of fire-starter-cupcakes.  They worked!  Add to the list in the future, some newspaper!