January 28, 2021 – Washington County, WI – After a year-and-a-half hiatus I figured it was time this ole gal gave her new hip a whirl. The adventure will include bicycling from Miami to the historic Hemingway House on the coast, a search for the storied 6-toed cat, pedaling the Seven Mile Bridge and the other 35 in between, and a one-day diet of nothing but key lime pie.
In an attempt to pedal 500 miles and share stories from the road I’m also throwing down a challenge to raise $10,000 for Alzheimer’s music and exercise programs at Cedar Community in West Bend; 100% of the money raised will go to Cedar Community so you will be able to see your donation at work.
HOW TO GIVE:
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
CLICK HERE to donate securely online. (In “comments” section” add the note “Judy’s Bike Ride”)
Thanks to Lee and Sandy Stehling from Ace Canvas for kicking in the first $200. I’m currently working on a $10,000 match should the challenge goal be reached.
Thanks, also, in advance for your kindness and support; adventure suggestions are welcome on the 2021 tour of the Florida Keys.
Town of Trenton, WI – Pedaling the side roads across Washington County and discovered a trend towards local artwork that really adds personality to the landscape.
Quite a few neighbors find unique ways to show off their colorful flowers.
There is also the very midwestern roadside stand for sweet corn and in the Town of Trenton an artist used every inch of an old tree to carve a tribute to wildlife.
The primary sponsor for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is Cedar Community. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 20, 2020 – Washington County, WI – The annual Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is currently under way with WCI editor Judy Steffes pedaling through beautiful Washington County and beyond. Cedar Community is the primary sponsor for this year’s Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 20, 2020 – Town of Trenton, WI – Pedaling the side roads across Washington County there is a trend towards a lot of local artwork that really adds personality to the landscape.
Quite a few neighbors find unique ways to show off their colorful flowers.
There is also the very midwestern roadside stand for sweet corn and in the Town of Trenton an artist used every inch of an old tree to carve a tribute to wildlife.
The primary sponsor for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is Cedar Community. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 20, 2020 – Washington Co., WI – Jamming a lot of historic landmarks into this little bike tour.
Coming out of the Town of Hartford I climbed Powder Hill which is just south of Highway 60 and noted to be “the highest point in town.”
According to the Washington County Landmark Commission the hill was named after the owners “Pulver” which is German for Powder.
After that hill it was time to tackle Holy Hill in the Town of Erin. The Basilica of Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary is on the National Register of Historic Places, it is the highest hill in eastern Wisconsin at 1,409 feet above sea level.
”The first chapel was started in summer 1862 and finished on Good Friday 1863.”
Just up the road on Hwy 167 and north on Hwy 83 is the former Tally Ho Tavern.
“Built in the late 1870s as a hotel, general store and saloon. Over the years it served as a post office, dance hall, telephone office and tavern.”
Passed through Slinger a couple of times and was lucky enough to find Brian, the owner of the old Slinger Creamery building. He led a tour that included a couple old creamery signs.
Located just south of the railroad tracks, Brian said there was once a railroad spur that backed right into the building.
Found some signs of the seasons changing as I pedaled out of Slinger on Cedar Creek Road.
Local historians will be able to tell us where this little gazebo used to sit. Steve Awve moved it in 2015 and ran into a bunch of headaches including a low bridge clearance under Highway 45 (Awve was forced to reverse course. That prompted a police escort out of town.) Then some wires on Eighth Avenue and Chestnut forced him to remove the cupola from atop the bell.
An easy tilt of the 2-foot cap … if only Awve had known about the bees.
The other cool thing in Cedar Creek is the old post office known as the Maxon-Wright House, 3709 CTH C.
The stately White House is well hidden by mature trees and a long driveway. The tree closest to the road is marked “Do not cut – century tree.”
The primary sponsor for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is Cedar Community. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 18, 2020 – Town of Erin, WI – Head south on Highway 83 and take a right on Mayo Road in the Town of Erin and you will come upon a subdivision that had very interesting intentions.
The subdivision on Sconfinato Drive was started in the 1960s by a man named Bob Caldart; he wanted to fill the area with unique homes. Also interesting to note, this is the only road in Erin without an Irish name.
Nine people jumped on board right away and the wooded lots started to be filled with homes that featured unconventional shapes and unusual designs.
On first blush it’s a little Cat in the Hat with a flair for cardboard toilet paper roll (said with the best of artistic intentions.)
”Bob was an art teacher and his partner was an architect and they had this idea to build all these weirdo homes,” said Bob Blankenheim, a neighbor currently living in the subdivision.
Blankenheim is a building inspector. He spoke about the history of the area after being interrupted while mowing his lawn with a cigar in hand.
“The homes they built were not constructed to last long,” said Blankenheim, referring to one house as “the golf ball” and another as “a box standing on a corner.”
“Caldart’s intention was to create a subdivision of these exotic homes,” Blankenheim said.
After nine homes were built, interest began to wane. The covenant of the subdivision expired after 20 years and new owners started to remodel and build homes with more conventional designs.
“You‘ll see there are nine of the weirdos still in here and 26 regular homes,” said Blankenheim. “There’s no market for this kind of stuff; it is just built-in maintenance.”
Caldart also built a pottery studio in the subdivision where he would create in his workshop and then hold an open house, sometimes twice a year.
While Caldart had more plans, his neighbor said, he grew ill and died. His wife passed as well and the son recently sold two properties that were in the family including the pottery shop.
Just an interesting nugget of history if you’re driving the Rustic Roads and touring the Town of Erin in Washington County.
The primary sponsor for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is Cedar Community. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 15, 2020 – Town of Addison, WI – Finding a beer cave in Fillmore earlier this week sparked my interest and rumor was there was another in the Town of Addison.
Yellowstone Trail is the old road that winds back through Addison Center.
The Addison House used to be tavern and brewery.
The northeast corner was Addison’s general store and post office with a brewery and cheese factory added in the early 1900s.
Suzanne Fish is the owner of the Addison House, previously run as a bed and breakfast. She turned over a flashlight and pointed in the direction of the beer cave. “Railing, stairs, beer cave,” she said. “Just let me know when you’re back so I know it didn’t collapse on you.”
The beer cave was exactly what you would suspect to find in a Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mystery novel.
A rickety railing, inviting wooden stairs, tall grass and weeds, a random cement mixer and an open entrance with spooky anticipation written all over it.
The arched entry was made of brick; even rows and solid. The entrance was particleboard with a hole big enough for a human. I lit my torch and looked inside. It was like a gold mine of adventure, however, I was far from being the first one ever inside.
Aside from the metal pony keg in the corner the rest of the experience was vintage; dirt floor, old crate, box of dusty beer bottles and a big wooden beer barrel. It was empty.
The walls were a mix of stone a brick. The back wall, about 20 feet deep, was full of dirt from caving in.
A little wary but giddy with excitement I ticked off my list of things that would drive me out: no bats, no rats, no mice, no snakes, no big spiders nor any skeletons.
No full bottles of beer either in said beer cave but very much worth the adventure on my Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s – Touring the Townships of Washington County.
The primary sponsor for the Amazing Ride for Alzheimer’s is Cedar Community. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 14, 2020 – Washington County, WI – The annual amazing ride for Alzheimer’s has officially commenced with a swift pedal by Judy Steffes through Washington County. Your partnership in this event will help to provide unique events and special activities for seniors at Cedar Community – right in your own back yard.
Cedar Community is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and is therefore supported solely by the gifts and contributions of friends like YOU. All gifts are tax-deductible to the extent of the law.
August 14, 2020 – Town of Farmington, WI – Touring the Townships of Washington County was an idea presented by my friend Mary Moll. She made it super simple by handing over 15 maps courtesy of the Washington County Landmarks Commission.
Following a memorial Mass for my father on Thursday morning at Holy Angels I struck out for the Township of Farmington in the northeast corner of the county.
The Lake Lenwood Campground was my first stop; paging through the old fishing photo album was a step back in time.
Big catches, blue-jean shorts and dated t-shirts were part of the entertainment.
The cozy campground was super busy as parents and kids took advantage of the sunny weather and warm temps to splash in the water and enjoy the waning days of summer.
Next, I headed east on Highway A and rolled into Lizard Mound which is home to prehistoric effigy mounds.
There are 25 mounds in animal and geometric shapes that are preserved in a woodland setting. If you visit Shalom Wildlife Zoo up the road David Fechter has a lot of information on the Native American heritage in the area.
Further east on Highway A was the hamlet of Cheeseville. The field stone structure at the corner of Hwy A and Trading Post Trail is the old Cheeseville Dairy building that dates to 1881.
Kitty corner to the Dairy is an old schoolhouse that is now a private home. The brick building was constructed in 1912 and it was the second schoolhouse on the site and the first in the county to have indoor plumbing.
On a side note, I will always remember this intersection as the one where the mouse ran across my feet. I saw him coming. He wasn’t a small guy but he was determined to skitter across the road and nothing stood in his way.
Made a quick jaunt off course and glided east into Fredonia and Ozaukee County to visit my friend Tom Schwai. He was busy making pepper jack cheese brats and hollerin’ at his grandson.
Tommy is gearing up for Schwai Fest on September 12, so mark your calendar and save the date. There will be food and “maybe some beverages” according to Tom, and music by Downtown Harrison.
Love being able to stop and capture some of the classic Midwest markers on the side of the road.
The Flag Day Museum is in the old Stony Hill Schoolhouse. The museum is open by appointment only but one of the caretakers was on site and had a key to let me in to explore.
The old classrooms were full of military and local memorabilia including the rich history of businesses from years ago like the button making factory, box-making shop and the old grocer Baumann’s Food Market famous for its Luxembourg cabbage sausage.
The big event through the years has been the Flag Day Parade held the second Sunday in June.
The 100-unit parade is a longstanding tradition In Waubeka.
Getting back on the township track, Highway H pulled me right into Farmington and past the Saxonia House in Fillmore.
The authentic timber-frame building was put up in 1854 by German immigrants. It was built by Ernst Klessig for $3,000 and was once the “focal point of an 89-acre tract called ‘Spring Brook Farm’.”
The German architecture is visible under the cracked stucco. According to the History of Farmington book “the spaces between the hand hewn and pegged timber walls is filled with soft bricks.
The best part of the property is found south of the home down a freshly mowed path. “Dug into the hillside is a cave-like cellar that once stored cooled kegs of Klessig beer.”
The cave is 70 feet deep and has two chambers. It is made of field stone with an arched entryway. Flat slate-like stone makes up the flue.
That beer cave has been one of the best backyard finds so far on the tour.
It was a 33-mile day on Thursday. Friday’s adventure heads west to the town of Wayne and then a quick jaunt south to Allenton and the big fish Fry challenge as the Allenton Fire Department tries to churn out 1,000 fish dinners in four hours. Come join us!
