Dad remembrance pilgrimage: Day 14
Previous leg: Windom to Crosslake, Minnesota
July 23, 2022: Crosslake, Minnesota to Windsor, Wisconsin
Thanks to the ongoing menace of COVID and a day of wet weather, my route through Minnesota suddenly changed. Two relatives I had planned to visit after leaving Crosslake were in quarantine so I said goodbye to Kate, Sarah, and Seymour for all their hospitality and made my way south toward Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin, where my dad was deployed in place during Desert Storm.
The day’s ride was made more interesting by a steady rain that began just a few miles from Crosslake. Occasionally it turned severe and I took a couple of pit stops to wait out the worst of it. Fortunately, it remained in the 80’s most of the day, so it was much less uncomfortable than the rain we received three days later.
A welcoming walleye
There are several different routes to lake country from Iowa where I grew up. One of my favorites was when we passed along Mille Lacs. It is a huge lake dotted with lots of interesting small towns. The Garrison walleye was always a sign we had truly left the rest of the world behind and arrived in the Northwoods.
Storming the deserts of Wisconsin
During Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm dad deployed in place to Ft. McCoy, Wisconsin. He was responsible for mobilizing hundreds of troops, but remained stateside to serve as the family support liaison between families and the Iowa National Guard. He found it excruciating to send soldiers into harm’s way without being there with them in person. However, his job was incredibly important and he took a great deal of pride in the care that he was able to provide for service members and their families.
The afternoon’s torrential rain prevented any real exploring, but I did take the time to visit Ft. McCoy and see dad’s 1990-1991 home away from home. Fortunately, I had good gear and stayed plenty warm all day long. In the end I decided discretion was the better part of valor and chose not to camp. I stayed in a hotel outside of Madison. Because I was in Wisconsin I decided to cap off the night with a fresh order of cheese curds at A&W.
Day 14 mileage: 437.2 (2,418.4 total)
Next leg: Windsor, Wisconsin to Indianapolis, Indiana
