The ferry crossing from Bayfield over to Madeline Island is only about 20 minutes or so. The skies were overcast and the water was choppy. In all directions the lake horizon was dotted with sails. It was a good 15 knot wind. Ok, here’s where you should smirk because I don’t really know from knots. It just sounded nice and nautical. Let’s just say it was windy.

La Pointe is not a very big place. It’s a ferry wharf and a few shops and restaurants. I’m sure it bustles in the summer time but I have to guess that there are a lot of browsers and souvy hunters that are let down. There is a great museum for history buffs and down the road a ways is a golf course and marina.

You gotta love a joint like this.  Complete with food truck.  Near as I could figure out, the name of the place was Power Ranger’s Headquarters.  You can’t make this stuff up. 🙂

The first white people, French Voyageurs, came to the island in about 1650. The Native People are Ojibwe. A few settlers gradually migrated to the island but the first missionaries didn’t come ‘til almost two hundred years later.

The weather was threatening but I came to the island determined to take a nice bike ride in a beautiful place. The road out to Big Bay State Park is nice and wide with bike lanes. The other couple of roads on the island are narrow with no shoulders. I lost count but I must have seen 30 white tails on my way out to the park. One young buck came crashing out and crossed the road right behind me. Scared the you know what out of me.

While I was riding around in the park it started to rain. The rain was light but looked like it was going to last for awhile. I waited some in a big wood shed but eventually just bit the bullet and set out on my return leg. On the way back I didn’t see a single deer. They apparently have the sense to not be out in the rain. By the time I got back to La Pointe I was soaked.

The ferry ride back to Bayfield was cold and very choppy on the water. This was mainly a vehicle ferry so inside shelter was limited and full so I just sought shelter out of the wind. The movement of the ferry was accentuated by the swaying of a big tour bus parked on the deck. (Yup, a tour bus). I caught myself wondering if there were some seniors on the tour bus needing the bathroom for motion sickness. I was thankful that the ride is fairly short and that I had a semi dry hoodie from my backpack to put on over my wet shirt. When I got back to my truck I had a dry shirt and vest to put and dry running shoes. I just had to live with my soaked sweat pants so it was serial itchy butt all the way back to camp.

My discomfort didn’t stop me from stopping at one of the first places I came to in Bayfield for a beer and something to eat. The place is called Gruenke’s, a bed and breakfast/bar and restaurant that was well worth the stop. Had some great tomato basil soup with tortellini and a BLT with a broiled whitefish filet added. Nummy.  The twin son and daughter of the owner were on duty, and because it wasn’t busy, my meal was laced with a wonderful conversation with them.  Everything felt better after that, the itchy butt notwithstanding.

If you haven’t ever, make the trip to Bayfield and Madeline Island. It’s a beautiful area and not a long drive from the Twin Cities. With all due respect to my friends who have school age kids, come in the fall after the summer crazies have left, and if a tour bus drives onto the ferry, take the next one. 🙂