Beaver Dam, Wisconsin

After leaving Indiana, I enjoyed a pleasant drive through the greater Chicago area and made a quick stop at the storage facility to unload some extra gear. The very cleaver Illinois Toll people were able to detect that I was towing a trailer while using my I-Pass (EZ-Pass) so instead of a normal $1.40 toll, they charged my anywhere between $4.00 to $7.50 based upon whim. Thankfully there is no ability to question or protest as that would require caring. Bless their hearts.

Once I unloaded the extra gear I made my way to Beaver Dam. I have not really explored this area of Wisconsin for Big Foot and I wanted to be thorough. Plus since I had already looked at the most unlikely place, Shipshewana, this seemed reasonable. The county park was quite lovely and sparsely populated until the weekend when the tourists came. That is the biggest downside of campgrounds; the weekends when people visit. Of course, the biggest upside is electricity and flush toilets. Once Sunday comes though  I have the park to myself.

Private park once the tourists leave

Amy's parents D and S came to visit to see how an adventurer and his hounds live. Thankfully they also brought lunch as adventuring and Big Foot seeking does not pay well and the Illinois Toll authority has an insatiable hunger for my money. We had a lovely lunch and they enjoyed the serenity that the adventurer life style provides. The park was very nice and is clearly in an expansion phase so they can handle bigger trailers (my trailer and truck barely fit) which is probably a good idea. There were no sightings of Big Foot at the park but there was one interesting sighting. On Friday mid-morning, a middle aged gentleman wearing only a pink string bikini (top and bottom) was walking through the park. This is rather unusual as there is not a beach in the park and between the bugs and the amount of skin showing, there would need to be a lot of sunscreen and bug spray. Most people wear more clothes to avoid that issue. I feel the need to mention that this gentleman had no beard and was follicly challenged. Clearly not dressed like a Big Foot adventurer (where the dress code is shorts and Hawaiian shirts).

The hounds and I decided that we needed to go for a ride so we checked out Green Lake. That was a lovely area but it was too warm for the hounds to hang out in the truck while I checked the local establishments for Big Foot. I made a mental note to return better prepared next time. 

There is a microbrewery in Beaver Dam, Ooga Brewing so I made a stop to verify Big Foot was not on site. There were various seating options but no bar to sit at which is my normal hangout. If you have not had the pleasure of being out alone a lot, the bar is a great place to sit as often you can strike up a conversation with a stranger and learn some interesting information. Alas, no bar so I was forced to sit in a separate seating area away from others in comfy chairs. It was not as social so I could not learn if anyone had seen Big Foot recently but it was a very pleasant way to drink my beer.

View from comfy chairs

I had a recommendation to check out a local drive-in in Fox Lake as a potential Big Foot hangout. Mullins was an old fashioned drive in with actual car hops. They were friendly and the place was packed on the multiple times I drove passed it. I did get a burger and it was so filling that I didn't need to make dinner that night. Unfortunately there was no Big Foot. 

Ok, the sign looks a little sad but it was a cute place

I made a return trip to Ooga Brewing to verify that Big Foot had not come in my absence. Still no Big Foot but since I was already there I got my growler filled. That is a 64oz bottle that holds several days of beer which is really convenient. Alas, they did not have caps and I could not find mine so I had to consume it in a shorter time frame. I failed to complete it but I gave it the old college try. I also ordered a new growler that doesn't need a cap and some extra caps for the growlers I do have so that won't happen again. I would hate to get a reputation for drinking too much. I also took the advice of the beertender and stopped at a local restaurant, La Tapatia for some tacos (al pastor). They were quite delicious but the advice was admittedly biased since it was his family that owned it. Biased or not, they were excellent and went well with the beer but Big Foot was not found at that restaurant either. Apparently I will need to look for more vegetarian and vegan options to improve my odds of finding that wily creature.

I shipped back the bike's Big Foot booster system for service work while in Beaver Dam. I will have to get the company to ship it to a camp ground in my future travels but at least I have done my part. I also had some minor service work done on the truck. More needs to be done but that will need to wait for another day. 

I was able to do laundry and I am developing a real appreciation for random laundromats. This one was the highest rated in the area and was really busy for a Monday. Of course that means it was also a bit messy as apparently candy wrappers and used dryer sheets are stored on the floor. Unlike this time, I generally have found Monday's to be slower which is why that has become my laundry day. I also check in and check out of campgrounds generally mid week as that avoids the inevitable crowding around the dump station. Little tips for those thinking of this lifestyle.

I decided to actually measure the square footage of the trailer versus estimating it. It is officially 85sqft. I figure I spent the best years of my life in a cubicle smaller than this so the small space is not too bad. As I mentioned in my last post, I still debate looking at other adventure platforms. I might revisit the trailer decision as the hounds would prefer exploring with me and I can't just leave them in a truck to bake. Plus the truck is a great vehicle and is only 12 years old but I do have the occasional concern with odd noises. Both the van and truck camper option are still small so I would still be stealthy. I also have booked out campgrounds through mid September. I head to northern WI next and then move slowly towards the Dakotas before looping back to WI before heading south for the winter. 

I realized that I promised more camper pictures. Here are a few more. As you can see there is often stacking needed to make room but the over all feeling is quite spacious due to the curved ceiling. Of course that means not all 85sqft have the same height as it does taper in the back (like a tear drop). 

Kitchen view. I removed the microwave and I am using that tote for food storage. Microwave is now in the back of the truck. 

Kitchen table. I sit on the one side and the other holds a basket of cooking spices, dog food, and garbage can. That’s a Nespresso machine on the table; just like George Clooney. 

Wet bath with sink in the down position. It folds up to give more room. Shower curtain lines the inside to keep cabinets and toiletries dry. 

In case anyone is curious or concerned, I do enjoy the adventure traveling that I am doing and don't miss work at all. Of course, I do miss the people but the people were really the best part of any job I ever had so that's not surprising. I have no idea how long I will do this, but I have not set any deadlines so I will continue adventuring as long as the mood strikes me. I am still considered mentally competent but the bar is quite low. Off to Eagle River next. 

Thor

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