While Vacationing in the Dells.....

After covering much ground in the past few years I decided to take a friend on a tour "above the Dells" with Fly High Helicopter Tours.

The fall colors had not arrived yet but I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all of my kayak routes from above as well as Devils Lake and the ski areas nearby. There was a lot to see and it was a very smooth, fun flight!

This is Witches Gulch and just north of it is Holiday Shores where I used to keep my kayak. One of my favorite routes was from Rt. 82 to the dam in downtown Dells on an early summer morning.

On one of my first trips out on the Wisconsin River early in the summer of '07, I appreciated sharing the navigation with my husband as we went down the river south from Holiday Shores to the dam for the first time. It's a pretty active area. Holiday Shores, where we house our travel trailer, is near the tourist attractions "Stand Rock," "Witches Gulch," and then, as you continue on, the various cliffs of interest along the way. While Vacationing in the Dells Slideshow

HOLIDAY SHORES

I really enjoyed staying at Holiday Shores. I'll never forget first trying to get the tour of the place earlier that year just after the Dells had been dumped on. I was planning to go snowshoeing in a few days and, well, it was not easy to see the resort as Frank Ward Sr. took me about. He is the nicest man. Something about his big smile and courtesy. I would also see his virtues rubbed off on the staff as they'd address him with "yes sir." I also like my neighbors there.

Holiday Shores does some neat things for the children and makes a great family environment I appreciate being around. Travel Wisconsin, "Holiday Shores Water Sports Center"

LOUIS BLUFF

Letting the pups cool off on a sandbar for awhile..... That's LOUIS BLUFF behind me. I just found out that there is a hike on it while reading about the River Alliance of Wisconsin. Sounds gooooood.

According to the Dells Events editorial(6/07), ".... The Weinholds have protected the bluff for many years and this will protect it for years to come. It will not be another spot along the river developed for condominiums or even campgrounds.The Weinholds have set a precedent not only for landowners along the river, but also for others with property that should be protected.This area needs its own land trust foundation that could buy conservation easements or even property that should be protected. Not all the land that should be protected is along the river either. Not so well known sites away from the river need preservation, too, to keep them as is for future generations, and not split into residential lots."

VERTICAL ILLUSIONS' TOURS

By the end of the summer, this is it.... my $1000.00 picture. I "finally" got my own kayak. That's Easton Dreher and his friend Elliot (picture)"putting me in." I purchased my kayak just that week at his business Vertical Illusions . Easton's mission at Vertical Illusions is to guide a person into a lifestyle by using fun adventures to “Live Your World”- VI.

MISSION ACHIEVED. Thanks Easton for the great classes and tours since we first met in '06. I certainly have changed some of my habits since I stopped in.

STEWARDS OF THE DELLS

Since April 2006, the Stewards of the Dells of the Wisconsin River has sought to protect the 15 miles of shore frontage along the Upper and Lower Dells from Nine Eagles to the Rocky Islands, including such famous landmarks as Stand Rock and the Rocky Islands of the Lower Dells, by supporting the work of the DNR, local and county governments, businesses, landowners, and civic groups and concerned citizens with an interest in preserving the beauty and environment of the Dells of the Wisconsin River.

EAGLES

I was able to watch some eagles dive for fish one day. This is Ed; a Bald Eagle renown to one of our kayak tours. Interestingly, the Bald Eagle eats fish, while the Golden Eagle eats small animals including cats. On another day, while running down River Road near Witches Gulch, a Golden Eagle swooped down across the road in front of me for road kill.

The Stewards of the Dells recent meeting discussed the eagle population in the area and came up with about four good reasons for why the eagles like the area: 1) open water caused by the dams, 2) the bluffs for a place to sleep at night and watch for fish, 3) underdeveloped shorelines, 4) agriculture areas. "Eagles Return to Dells, Just Like Tourists"

Our travel trailer backs up to a hiking trail in Holiday Shores not far from Witches Gulch and we get some neat birds in our backyard. Here's the Turkey Vultures sunning themselves first thing in the morning.

I was able to break our family tradition of vacationing at a lake in Iowa every year to give the Dells a try. The family found, as we have, that the beautiful natural area behind the water parks is truly a gem.

APOSTLE ISLANDS

Now, with my own kayak, I had the "freedom" to explore the river and I also had to practice for my upcoming Apostle Islands trip.

The Apostle Islands are as far north as you can go in Wisconsin in Lake Superior. The water of the lake there is crystal clear do to its cold temperatures which don't allow much plant life to grow in it. Except for the very hot part of summer, most kayakers wear wetsuits. We wore them for more than half of our trip. I went up with a great group from Geneva Kayak. The Geneva Kayak Center offers spectacular paddling trips for beginner to advanced paddlers, and has the most complete line of boats for rent.

Their goal is to promote the sport of kayaking to the greater Chicago area and the Midwest through safety and education. "Whether you want to enjoy an afternoon on the river or are preparing for a two-week expedition, we believe the sport of kayaking can be enjoyed by all." GOAL ACHIEVED! Thanks Ryan for the great kayaking classes and trips in '07.

I took my boys and their friends to a class that fall and it was great. The instructors are not only great kayakers, but a lot of FUN.

The leaves where just beginning to change and my Wisconsin kayak adventures had brought me to some new heights, or should I say "distances," as I covered over 60 nautical miles on my six-day back country camp and kayak trip in the Apostle Islands.

DEVILS LAKE

I took the pups for a few hikes and took a few more photos of the the great fall colors. My "out of water experiences" proved to be just as rewarding. To the south of the Dells, Devils Lake was spectacular in its fall glory. Glacial Wisconsin

ROCH-A-CRI STATE PARK

Finally, I couldn't resist checking out the views at the Roche-A-Cri State Park which is minutes from Friendship Mound. The French name refers to the 300-foot-high rock outcropping that is the central feature of this quiet park. Glacial Wisconsin