Tammy Nara

The summer was almost over and I still had not done an overnight hike. We spent a weekend in northern Wisconsin and that was going to have to be good enough for this crazy year. Compromise. Being ok with compromise is essential. Surrounding yourself with people who will not take advantage of your willingness to compromise is also essential. It is a two way street. I am grateful for travel companions that were willing to compromise for me and in turn I compromised for them. I know there are many people who hike solo and good for them. If I hiked solo I could cover more miles and spend more time in contemplation and paint more. Instead I saw waterfalls and a museum and also hiked. It was a good weekend.

My first thought for an overnight hike was the Superior Hiking Trail on the north shore of Lake Superior but I don’t like crowds. Every State Park campground was booked which means lots of people all over the north shore. My brother mentioned he wanted to see the south shore of Lake Superior in Wisconsin. We selected a trailhead near Salon Springs for our hike. The first trailhead we saw was out in the open. Walking across a field is not as pleasant as a walk in the woods. We decided to drive to the next trailhead. It was much nicer. We hiked in about a mile and decided to set up camp at the first campsite. There were actually two sites. One was right on the trail and the other was down a spur trail like most of the campsites on the Superior Hiking Trail. It was a beautiful site with a little bit of a view over a valley. After a brief rain, the sky cleared and we saw billions of stars and the moon was bright enough to see our way around the campsite. That time was magical.

It was not as long of a hike as I would have liked, but seeing the sights in Superior, Wisconsin was fun, too. When my husband said he wanted to see the Bong Museum I was a little surprised until I saw the full name of the place, and then it made sense. The Richard I. Bong Veterans Historical Center is a gem of a collection of WWII artifacts with connections to the area. An item that held my interest a long time was a book where visitors shared their stories. So many very different experiences. Human beings are endlessly interesting. Handwriting is often hard to read but I would not want that book any other way. Additional wordless information is included in the way people make their marks.

Next week I will write about the tallest waterfall in Wisconsin. Until then, enjoy these photos of a short section of the North Country Trail.

If there is one thought I would like to spread to everyone reading this, it is that learning to see a situation from the other person’s viewpoint is a skill that will serve you well as you travel your chosen path.