Day Fourteen

                                                                                                                                        

We pulled out of the hotel parking lot around 7:30 this morning.  Ken Miller led the meditation time this morning.

Only minutes away we stopped at Amnicon Falls, a beautiful site with both upper and lower falls.  They were not as large as some of the others we’ve seen but just as beautiful.  A stand of birch trees provided the perfect backdrop for pictures.  A sheer drop-off of approximately fifty feet border the river on one both sides.  The more adventurous among us found a steep footpath down to the water.  Actually, I think Larry Lamp is the only one who had the fortitude to do that.  A covered bridge, rugged and beautiful covered the ravine, another great photo spot.

We stopped for lunch at the Pizza Ranch.  A sumptuous buffet was enjoyed by all courtesy of Green Country Tours.  The pizza strudels were especially delectable.  When we were heading across the parking lot we witnessed a fender-bender.  Let’s just say, if you plan to back into another vehicle and then leave without reporting it you’d better hope there’s no Pioneer bus nearby. The man’s license plate is probably the most photographed in the state right now.  And Miss Verna promptly positioned herself between the car and the escape route.  Needless to say the driver meekly got out and went in to the restaurant to find the owner of the van he had just plowed into.  We waited to make sure he found him.

We spent some time at the Paul Bunyan Logging Camp Museum in Eau Claire, WI.  It was very interesting to hear about the raw grit, determination, and total disregard for personal hygiene the loggers displayed during their time in the camp.  Supposedly, their attempts to discourage lice included turning their underwear inside-out at night because it kept the little critters busy trying to decipher which way was in to the skin.  Our tour guide, a young little blonde, embellished the facts somewhat, or just made them up as she went.  According to her, each logger ate 20-30,000 calories every day, or the equivalent of 150 Big Macs.  Somewhat skeptical, someone looked it up and it was actually 8,000 calories, a still very impressive number.  She also claimed they slept as many as four in a bed.  I’m really hoping that’s not true.  What IS true is that they felled huge trees using only axes, crosscut saws, and blood, sweat, and tears. And there were many more deaths from being crushed by trees than by disease.

Paul Stutzman, who joined our party yesterday, spent a little time sharing about his time on the Mississippi.  It’s a story of grueling hardship and danger and I’m sure he will be speaking more about it as time goes on.  We are so glad to have him with us and are thankful for God’s protection and provision that was surely evident in how our paths crossed on our separate journeys.

Several games on the bus confirmed there are no geniuses among us.  As the scriptures say, I am among “the least of these.”  Ok, I’m mangling the context but you know what I mean.  Here’s a sample question which I actually got right: “What is it that occurs once in a month, once in a second, once in a century, but never in a week or a year?”  I’m ashamed to say I totally bombed the question on the Ohio state bird and flower.  Paul, who is Canadian born, got both of those right.

Our next stop was at the Humbird Cheese Mart in Tomah, WI.  Wisconsin, like Holmes Co. Ohio, is well-known for its cheese production and this store was not unlike many of those at home.  After chomping down all the cheese, beef sticks, crackers and ice-cream we all bought I doubt anyone will be too hungry for supper. It’s like one of the ladies said last night: she’s looking forward to being hungry again.

The hotel had a big bin of Root Beers on ice for us when we arrived.  Cal dropped two and then did all the cleaning up as well.  He only lost the mop head once.  And then got it stuck in the elevator door.  Otherwise it was a smooth procedure.

The lobby was kind of full tonight, of our group.  I think everyone was reluctant to go to bed knowing it is the last night we'll be together.  A big golf game by the ladies, a couple of Rook games by the men, another group editing photos and trying to load them online so we can all access them at will.  I'm going to miss these people.  But I think I can count on seeing them again.