I was on a drive around Wisconsin Dells and decided to head down to Lake Delton on Friday to see how full it is. It is pretty darn close to it's original height. Only need a few feet to reach some of the docks. There was actually someone boating on it already. Ducks - the feathered variety and the kind the Dells is known for - were splashing down. It's nice to see it back.

So I went out on friday night with my boyfriend to Monks at the Wilderness, grabbed a booth and shared an appetizer. We had heard that Piano Fondue was a really great live music show from friends who attended last summer. We did not know what to expect really. We followed the music down the stairs into the lower lounge. There were a lot of people downstairs but there was still room to manuever. I grabbed us some drinks and found a nice spot along the wall to watch the show.

It had been already going for about an hour and they were well into a great rapport with the audience. They had just plucked a sweet old grannie "Delores" out of the audience, plopped her upon the piano and began to serenade her for her 80th birthday with a absolutley hilarious tune that involved drinking and well you know. She smiled from ear to ear as all her relatives shot video and took pictures with their cameras. It was absolutely hilariouse and in good spirit! The jokes and drinks keep coming - as well as paid song requests from the audience such as Ice Ice Baby, Timberlake's Sexy Back and even some Journey. We stayed well into the night laughing it up and enjoying the sweet piano playing. I will be attending again.

I opened my mail today to find that my copy of the Original Wisconsin Dells Coupon Book arrived. Its big and shiny and probably could do a good amount of damage when thrown. Of course I ordered the Drink Cards too because lets face it...a vacation is so much more when you are holding a cocktail or two :P As expected there are a ton of coupons for accommodations and attractions, but since I am so close to the Dells I like to use the shopping and dining coupons. You can check out all the offers at http://www.dells.com. I think I will be using that Candy Corner Coupon as soon as I can get there, you see Dads birthday is right around the corner and he is a big fan of fudge and caramel corn :)

FREE ADMISSION AT KALAHARI!
I just read from dellsadvice.com blog that the Kalahari is offering free admission to their waterpark Friday March 27th. I am going to be there - that is if i can get out of bed between 5am - 7am! It is valid only during their broadcast and after that it is $15 for a day pass. Not Bad :P

Sometimes its seems that the only part of Wisconsin Dells is the Waterparks, Themeparks and Food. Which can be well and good - but  it seems that a lot of what drew visitors to the Dells in the first place goes unnoticed behind all the lights, pools, and structures. I recently went on a duck ride and remembered that there is a whole lot of nature that was the original attraction, the original wonderment. Sandstone cliffs, gorges, layers of sediment and rock that shine bright orange sit out there waiting to be re-discovered. Do not let yourself dismiss this part of the Dells. Visit the museums, learn the History, take a ride on the river.

Haven't posted in a while - Summer has kept me jumpin'! This Friday going to ride the Elroy/Sparta trail. LaCroose Trail, and maybe some of the Great River Trail north out of LaCrosse. It's going to be HOT this weekend, but there's a lot of shade on this route, plus some great places to eat, like Pies Are Square in Wilton, and a bar & grill in Norwalk that I can't remember the name of, but it has bike racks and tables outside on Main Street, so you can't miss it. See you there - don't forget the sunblock!

Well I just got back from the Grand Re-Opening of Lake Delton. It is a Beautiful Day for a Celebration. The crowd began piling in around 9:30. The concessions were open and the smell of cotton candy wafted through the air (more on that later). I grabbed a good seat and swayed to the Music of the Swing Crew Band. A staple in Wisconsin Dells, the Swing Crew, performs live several days a week in downtown Wisconsin Dells on Broadway. They have a very unique show with fun audience participation. Today was no different, as they asked Mrs. Kay - a music teacher from the local grade school, to get up on stage and perform her best alligator, camel, dog and unicorn impressions.

Then Jimmy - the famed voice of the Tommy Bartlett Show - came on and rallied the crowd for the parade of boats. Pontoons and speed boats alike were decked out in some sweet decorations. The Wilderness Resort had their furry mascots aboard along with a menacing (but stuffed) bear, Wizard Quest had whimsical metal and streamers strewn about the boat along with a fantastical wizard. The Tommy Bartlett Space Shuttle made its way across the bay looking very shiny and New. Guest judges weighed the competition and chose a winner - CONGRATS to Wilderness Resort! As the area cleared, Jimmy announced the arrival of Tommy Bartlett's famed skiers and water performers. They wowed the crowd with jumps, flips and aquatic acrobatics that had the crowed oohing and aahing.

Walking onto the stage for a quick recap of the events of June 2008, the director of the Visitor Bureau, welcomed us to a new day in the life of Lake Delton. There were many thanks to be given to important players in the restoration of Lake Delton and a big welcome for the Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle. He recounted his tales of Wisconsin Dells as a child, as a teenager, as a father and now a grandfather. That Wisconsin Dells is where we can find inspiration in our troubled economic times as a community came together to support fellow businesses for survival. The Lake is Back and Better than ever! Clear, clean and cool waters lap against the shore behind them and we can believe that better times are ahead. In closing, the Governor declared June 9th, 2009 Welcome Back Lake Delton Day in Wisconsin! The Tommy Bartlett Show invited everyone back for their free shows today Tuesday June 9th at 4:30 and 8:30 pm.

As I walked through the crowd and to the concession stand for absolutely delicious cotton candy, I couldn't help feel as though all is right in the world!

Was it was 75 degrees yesterday, but you drove home from work in snow flurries? Did you wake up to brilliant sunshine this morning and have your coffee on the deck in a T-shirt while watching a robin pull a worm out of the ground? Then BINGO! It's Spring in Wisconsin! One of the standard Wisconsin jokes is that there are 2 seasons here - Winter and Road Construction! All around Wisconsin events and family celebrations are blooming. Get on out there and have a blast on the bike, in the garden or hang up the hammock and de-stress. It's all good, doncha know?