Christmas Week in California

We visited Matt in Folsom from Christmas to New Years. Great time.

Matt and Jan and a eucalyptus tree in Folsom.

Penstock at the old Folsom power plant (the first in CA).

On a hike in James Marshall Gold Discovery State Park.

The town of Coloma; Sutter's Mill on the American River was on the left.

Site of Sutter's Mill.

Visitor's Center/Museum: He taught us how to play faro.

The American River in Folsom

Beginning a hike along the river.

Matt at Folsom Prison.

Some of the weapons confiscated from prisoners.

Fisherman's Wharf, San Franscisco

"Opium Den" at the Penny Arcade Museum

(The figures moved a little when you dropped in a quarter...that's all.)

Sea lions on the pier.

Us guys with Alcatraz in the background.

Chinatown

When we ordered fish soup I expected smaller pieces of fish.

Matt visited for a week in mid October, and Sarah was able to come for a three-day weekend. Great weather, great times.

Hiking in Perrot State Park (same trail
we went on in the spring.)

The Rock in the House, roadside attraction in Fountain City, WI.
In April 1995 this 55 ton rock rolled down the bluff and
into this house. Gotta pay a buck a head to look at it.

On a hike in Wyalusing State Park near Prairie du Chien and
the confluence of the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers.

Couldn't pass up this photo op.

The Mindoro Cut, hand-hewn in 1907-08. It is the second
largest hand-hewn cut in the nation.

Roadside attraction in Nodine, MN.

La Crosse area from a bluff on the Minnesota side.

Matt in front of the world's largest six pack.

The King of Beers

La Crosse from Grandad Bluff.

On a hike in Hixon Forest.
On the day Matt flew out we got to Madison with
time to explore a little, like this museum in Middleton.

I had no idea.

Park atop Monona Terrace Convention Center, designed by Frank
Lloyd Wright in 1938 (but not constructed until recently).

State capitol building from Monona Terrace.

The terrace of the student union during the afternoon
prior to the big game with Ohio State.

PdC Houses

Drove to Prarie du Chien yesterday to pick up something for a friend at the Cabela's store there. (PdC is about 40 miles south of La Crosse on the Mississippi.) Ended up driving down Wacouta Street and saw some pretty cool old houses. Next time we might just go out of our way and look for some.

A Visit to Madtown

We took a drive to Madison yesterday. I wanted to check out State Street, the farmers' market on the Capitol Square, and the campus. It's all changed A LOT in 40 plus years...still the coolest college town in, like, forEVER.

State Street runs from campus to the Capitol Square and is now a pedestrian mall. There were a lot of people out on this warm summer day. We first headed up toward the square.

The farmer's market on the square.

Looking down State Street from the capitol.

This was (back in the day) a Wisconsin Dairyland Fudge store where I worked behind this window making fudge on a big marble-topped table.

State Street Brats...where else you gonna find Lady Liberty and plastic cows??

The Armory on campus, constructed in 1892.

Memorial Union, on the shore of Lake Mendota.

The Rathskeller (aka "The Rat") in the Union.

Beer available in The Rathskeller.

The terrace just outside The Rat.

Bascom Hill

Abe still seated outside Bascom Hall

Carillon tower on Observatory Drive

Elizabeth Waters dorm.

Liz Waters again; Lake Mendota in the background.

Path along the lake...

...leads back to the Union terrace.