More photos from Wiscon

Hey I used to get a lot of lake trout just around the point in this photo.  Right under the tree was a good place to catch perch.  That is the left corner of a small bay on what is now called Church Pine Lake, out of Osceola Wisconsin.  Spent 7 years swimming, fishing, boating, ice skating, and ice fishing on this lake.

 I used to swim across the lake, or row the boat across the lake, to attend events held in the church under the steeple.

  Unusual fungi found on tree in Rib Mountain State Park

 Just one of the views from the top of the old fire lookout tower on the top of Rib Mountain

  Me not bad for almost 63 years old,  I have asthma, copd and a real bad foot, and this is about 60 feet high, climbed 5 flights of stairs to get up to this point.  View was worth it.  Could see for almost 50 miles in any direction.

sin

more photos from my trip to Wisconsin and Minnesota

Crossing the river in Milwaukee while on the Empire Builder Train out of Chicago.

Birds that I have seen

While I was riding in the car with my sister and going to the various cemeteries where family members are buried, I did some bird watching.  I also did see a lot through the windows of the Amtrak train I was riding in.

Below is just the partial list of birds and animals that I spotted.  Birds spotted

Sand Hill Cranes;  western side central of Wisconsin,  Boy were some of them big.

Ravens

Crows

Nuthatch

Red crested woodpecker

Pileated woodpecker

Humming birds,  Rufus, Anna’s and unknown  

Loons

Geese

Canada geese

Herons  Great Green, and Great Blue

Grebes

Coots

Mallard Ducks

Wild turkeys

Bald eagle

Turkey Vulture

Peregrine Falcons    Giant Female

Falcons:  A Pair of Gyrfalcons in Northern Wisconsin. Wow was up between Spooner and Minong Wisconsin that I spotted this Pair.  some Merlin’s by the markings too.

Hawks: coopers, red tailed, Harriers,

Golden Eagle  In the Sierras, going and coming back.

Cliff Swallow, Barn Swallows

Cardinals

Robin            

Bittern along the streams and rivers, Colorado and Wisconsin

House wren

Sea Gulls, all over Green Bay, wis.

Swans in Colorado and Northern Wisconsin  Large Black Swans,  Colorado River in Colorado, Platte River in Nebraska and in small ponds in Northern Wisconsin. Had Trouble Believing what I was seeing.  Was verified by other people.

For Wild Animals Spotted.

Wisconsin

Black Bears a pair, a mom and yearling, were crossing a field

Deer

Raccoons

Black squirrels

Red squirrels

Grey squirrels

Chipmunks

Skunks

Minnesota

Squirrels, red and grey

Colorado

Elk

Deer

Buffalo

Kansas:  saw beefalo, cross between angus beef and buffalo, was really neat.

I was able to verifiy some of these in a Sibley's Bird book too.

Photo of just a few of the suicidal cyclists.

I was looking out the hostel window and I saw all of these going against the traffic and traffic signals in Chicago.

Adventures in Travel.

Amtrak staff were lovely, warm and inviting, in spite of the problems entailed.

Due to air conditioner problems in the dining car, the train was 3 and 1/2 hours late in Sacramento, California.  We had to stop twice for track inspections and a freight train,  When we were leaving Reno, Nevada, the car stopped suddenly and we stayed there for 30 minutes.  Later, we got delayed again, due to track inspections and electrical problems on the train. So, I got to see Salt Lake City in the morning a little after sunrise, rather than evening just before sundown.   We were four hours late in Salt Lake City, Utah. About and hour and a half west of Denver, Colorado; we were stopped again, due to their being an accident in the tunnel ahead of us, and emergency vehicles were on the tracks inside the tunnel. We were delayed another hour and one half there.  We were 6 and one half hours late getting into Helper, Utah.  We were roughly 6 hours late all the way to Omaha, Nebraska.  Then, before we got to Lincoln, Nebraska; we had to stop the train in Denton, Nebraska; and wait for new engineers and conductors, lost about another 45 minutes there.  Then we lost electrical power again, and again, and again, Finally near Osceola, Iowa; the engineers had to take one of our engines out of service.  Since the Train was full, and we were now 8 hours behind schedule, everybody either missed their connecting trains; buses; or planes and room reservations.  I found the Hi-Chicago Hostel with the help of Amtrak Chicago Staff members,  Dormitory room only thing available, but room was fantastic, help even more so,  If you are ever in Chicago, and need an inexpensive place to stay, where the desk is open until 3 am, the Hi-Chicago is the place to stay.  On my return trip through Chicago, I will  Make a reservation for this place and stay here again.  This will be my NEW place to stay in Chicago every time I have an overnight layover.

Next is the suicidal cyclists here in Chicago,  In a 30 minute period, I saw 14 cyclists going the wrong way, on a oneway street.  I was surprised that no police officers ticketed them, nor that there were no accidents.  I have pictures of a couple of the cyclists that I will post later and reference to this blog.

I  have a few nice scenery pictures to post that I will do at a later date.

Watch for more information.

Thanks

Some of the photos that I took while crossing the Mississippi River.

   

These were taken just before and just after the river.  The suspension Bridge in one shot is the automobile bridge.  It was visible from my window.

Also, one of the grain elevators that are common along the rivers, where the barges tie up and load.  I did not see any barges at this time.

Gloria B

Visiting Wausau Wisconsin.

Weather is cold and snowing again.  Unable to attend a lot of things due to the weather.  Did some photography with new camera still working on learning how it works.