Adventure

Charmed in Little Switzerland: A Day in New Glarus, Wisconsin

September 3, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs Leave a Comment

The photo above kind of looks like it belongs in Europe, and that the building is a couple hundred years old.

It’s not in Europe, and it’s not old.

This is one of the many old-style buildings at the gorgeous New Glarus Brewing Company in New Glarus, Wisconsin, where we met several friends for a day this last weekend.

This is their tasting courtyard. Also not old, also not in Europe.

If you’ve not been to New Glarus, you probably have no idea that it’s a tiny little tourist town in the middle of south-central Wisconsin, about 35 minutes from Madison and about 45 minutes north of the Illinois border. Named “America’s Little Switzerland,” New Glarus was settled in 1845 when settlers from Glarus, Switzerland made the town their home. The heritage is much-celebrated, and the town embraces its identity each year with the annual Wilhelm Tell Festival. There are Swiss-inspired shops, a Swiss Hotel, and plenty of Swiss-inspired fare throughout town.

Less Swiss, but equally awesome: New Glarus Brewing Beer Soap.

We took a short, self-guided tour of the brewery. It was nice to wander around at our own pace, but we honestly didn’t learn much without a tour guide. My suggestions would be to go on a Friday for their hard-hat tour.

The excellency of this photo-bomber is to be celebrated.

In town, we stopped at Maple Leaf Cheese & Chocolate Haus and tried some Swiss-inspired fudge.

And then let the kids in us run wild about a New Glarus playground. As you can see, Scott is the only human alive who can frown while on a teeter-totter.

Also in New Glarus is a pretty hard-core garden and gift store, Brenda’s Blumenladen, where we wandered and shopped and admired that late-in-the-season flora and fauna.

We capped off our New Glarus adventure with fondue at the New Glarus Hotel Restaurant. It was delicious. And awesome. And totally worth an hour drive from Illinois, right guys?!?

New Glarus, Wisconsin: where every night is polka night.

Have you been to New Glarus, Wisconsin? If so, what did you see that we missed?

50 Hikes in Wisconsin: #33 Indian Lake County Park

August 18, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs Leave a Comment

I think this was my favorite hike we’ve done yet as part of the #50HikesWI project.

Hike #33 was Indian Lake County Park, just outside of Cross Plains, Wisconsin. In addition to being a lovely day – not quite too warm, and just enough breeze – the hike was a combination of prairie, woods, hills, and meadows, and all set next to a sparkling blue lake.

The hike was just over 4 miles total and went up, down, and up again all in one big circle. The hiking trail doubles as a cross country trail in the winter, and I am not entirely sure how those skiers make it up the slopes that we hiked up – they were intense!

I think the photos here pretty much speak for themselves:

This was hike 6/50 for us – looking forward to ticking a few more of the list before the weather gets too cold.

Do you have a favorite hiking spot near you? I’d love to hear about it! Especially if it’s nearby Wisconsin.

50 Hikes in Wisconsin: #31 – Governor Dodge State Park

August 11, 2015 by Abbigail Kriebs 4 Comments

Scott and I were so excited to go hike Governor Dodge State Park.

We’d been talking about going for years, and I am not exaggerating. The park is not quite an hour from our house, so just far enough away that we could never do it spur of the moment, which is always when we have time to go hiking. But it’s also not so far that we weren’t a little ashamed of the fact that we had never been in the nine years we have lived in Wisconsin.

So we finally made it: we headed out on a Sunday afternoon just as the temperature was starting to break so it would be a bit cooler for our hike.

And then we got to the park, walked up a little hill to the trailhead, and discovered that the trail we had been waiting so long to take was closed.

Closed.

We had driven an hour to hike a trail that was closed.

So what does my husband do? Walks over the little trail closed barrier and keeps on hiking.

And I followed.

And we had a lovely time hiking up the cliff and taking photos. Until we went to find the trail to head back around the other side of the lake and we couldn’t. There was no trail. It just did not exist.

So, we hopped on an ATV service trail, knowing it had to take us to some form of civilization.

And we walked, and walked, and walked.

At this point, I got a bug in my eye, was sweating so badly my sunglasses were accumulating condensation, and was curious if we were heading in the right direction or not. Nature 1,000,000; Abbie 0.

Scott adamantly declared that he was sure that the ATV trail connected with the horse trail in just a little bit. He was sure. As the ATV trail kept swinging east and south, unlike north like I wanted it to, I had time to think. And worry.

Much to Scott’s credit, we did butt up with the horse trail not long after, and as soon as we knew we were headed back in the right direction, I realized what I had been worrying about.

I was not worried that we would run out of water.

I was not worried that we would actually stay lost.

I was not worried we’d run out of food or daylight.

No. I was worried that we would be caught. We would be caught, and we would be punished and we would never be allowed to hike in state parks in Wisconsin again.

This is what I learned about my self that day: I would rather BE LOST IN THE WILDERNESS FOR DAYS than be found a rule breaker.

And this, dear readers, is the sum of my childhood, my young adult life, and even my adult life until this point.

I am a rule follower.

So, the hike that could have ended in true mortal disaster only gave me anxiety because I thought we’d get caught.

At least the finale was lovely?

What about you? Are you a rule breaker, like Scott, or a rule-follower like me? Any specific instance in life where you knew undoubtedly which one it was?

P.S. I’m pretty sure this reinforces the fact that I am the real-life Hermione Granger.