“Roughneck Grace” book excerpt from Michael Perry
It is rare for me to track down an author to his home, but that happened 14 years ago, to interview a guy in New […]
Reader mail: national parks, Germany, Twin Cities, Ephraim
Readers, thanks for filling the mailbag. Here are excerpts. We have two winners in the challenge to write about your favorite national park experience in […]
Take Ten: Best of Marshfield
Near the geographic center of Wisconsin is Marshfield, population 19,000 and unusual because the city sits in both Wood and Marathon counties. The long-ago railroad […]
Chicago overnight: a frugal mix of spontaneity, research
Where to next? My reply to that frequent question inevitably prompts this follow-up: For business or pleasure? “Both” is almost always my answer. Almost all […]
U.S. Bank Stadium: Athletics meets art meets Vikings
A 17-inch December blizzard tore the puffy roof of the Minneapolis Metrodome in 2010, and three years later the Teflon-coated dome would collapse for the […]
Take Ten: Biking rails-to-trails, events
Fifty years have passed since abandoned railroad tracks were converted into the 32.5-mile Elroy-Sparta State Trail, the first U.S. rail-to-trail project, and now at least […]
Holy Hill, Trek Travel, Dorf Haus, historic hotel news
Running out of ideas about how to spend precious leisure time during these waning days of summer or beyond? My “in” box contains no shortage […]
Meet State Fair’s competitive bakers, recipe makers
In the world of competitive cooking, baking and recipe making, Patti Flaker of Wausau is a bit atypical. She had never attended the Wisconsin State […]
Summer camp for adults a rugged nirvana
Before morning yoga begins, the teacher asks for introductions. On the sand and facing Little Hills Lake are a chemist, investment counselor, engineers, lab workers. […]
Take Ten: supper club nibbles
Ask who is responsible for the revival of interest in Wisconsin supper clubs, and I’ll point a finger toward Ron Faiola, a multimedia entrepreneur in […]
Wolfenbuttel, Kenosha: sister cities since 1970
The GPS has us driving in circles, so we park and approach the first person we see. Yes, she speaks English. Yes, she knows where […]
Germany’s natural world: Spreewald, Hainich
Our captain maneuvers us like a gondolier, standing as a pole propels his flatboat through a maze of canals that gingerly pass tree canopies, tiny […]