Wyalusing Camping Trip

Last weekend, we went on a camping trip to Wyalusing State Park. The park is in southwest Wisconsin near the border of Iowa and Wisconsin. Here is a megapost reviewing our four days there.
Thursday morning, on our way out we stopped at The Machine Shed for breakfast. They are famous for their home cooked breakfasts and their cinnamon rolls. Emma and Rebekah are posing by a pig out front.


Alyssa opted for their famous cinnamon roll as her entire breakfast. It was like having half of a sheet cake on her plate. She ate a lot of it before (and after) I took this photo and it must have felt very sweet in her stomach because towards the end she was asking me for bites of my egg scramble and hashbrown casserole. She needed something of sustenance to put into her tummy.


The campsites we stayed at were up on a bluff overlooking the Wisconsin River. Way off in the distance is a blue bridge that crosses the Mississippi River into Iowa, so we were right near where the two rivers intersect. It was really beautiful. Our campsite was on the protected side of the bluff where we didn't need to worry about one of the girls walking over the edge.


A family photo by the lookout point on the far end of the campgrounds. Despite the sunshine in this picture, the day we arrived was rainy. It wasn't too bad with the rain breaking up from time to time, but it was enough to get us wet, and make setting up the tent more difficult than it needed to be. Just about as soon as we had everything set up it started pouring and thundering. Fortunately we were already in the tent with the girls. Emma's eyes were getting all wide with wonder about what we were getting ourselves into camping in the rain all weekend, Rebekah was burying her face into me, and Alyssa's response was, "COOL!" We spent the rest of the night just hanging out playing uno in the tent. It was fun, but I have to admit I briefly doubted our decision to spend an entire 3 nights/4 days in what could potentially be very rainy weather.


Again at a dry point of the afternoon we took a few pics of the girls in this stone structure called The Knob. Bummer this one came out a little dark, maybe I can fix it in photoshop?


This picture was actually taken later in the trip, I'm not sure why I put it here. Kamele's pj shirt says "I Can Make You Smile" on it. Yes, she can, and we could use a little of that sunshine about now :-)


When we woke up on Friday morning, it was still rainy so we decided to find something indoors to do. We ended up going to the Prairie du Chien Museum at nearby Fort Crawford. We learned about the new medical discoveries that occurred here during the 1800s, I never knew the impact that this area had on early medicine and it was interesting to see.
The girls in a medical supply closet that was also reportedly used as a "holding cell" for unruly patients.


Learning about historical figures like President Zachary Taylor, Jefferson Davis, and Chief Blackhawk.


Alyssa showing Rebekah a medical diorama. She was excited to look at the several dioramas they had here, after just having completed a small one of her own, I think she appreciated how detailed and life-like they were.


An actual set of bars that were in the window of the cell where Chief Blackhawk was kept after he surrendered at this fort in 1832.


Alyssa also in the jail cell.


Learning about the invention of the first stethoscopes. It's hard to believe that the thing in the window marked with the number 2, and the ones on the bottom shelf are all models of early stethoscopes, they don't look anything like the ones doctors use today.


Looking over the glass bottles of medicine in the old pharmacy.


We went outside to eat a picnic lunch and Rebekah was upset that it was still raining. These are her sad eyes.


With a full belly now, she is happy to be learning about hummingbirds.


The girls looking at an iron lung.


This exhibit was a little funny. These two women, called The Transparent Twins had a rather lengthy audio presentation describing the structures and functions of all the muscles, organs, and systems in our bodies. The info was all correct, it was just that they were created over 40 years ago, and I bet at that time they were cutting edge technolongy. They seemed oldish and robotic for lack of any better way to describe them. The girls were interested, Rebekah pressed the play button to run their demonstration for a second time after we had already spent at least 10-15 minutes listening to them.


Playing the organ.


In the old schoolhouse area Kamele had a turn to be the teacher.


Now Teacher Kahiwa's turn.


The rain finally stopped for good while we were in the museum. We headed to Fort Fun to play...
The playground had such a nice setting with all the bluffs behind.


Alyssa leading Rebekah through the wooden walkways.


The two older girls having a serious conversation while they play. I always wonder what they are talking about when they look so serious in the middle of a game.


Rebekah sitting on the sand scooper toy. We are laughing because the bars were so heavy that when she leaned over to scoop with the shovel, she was just about pulled off her chair.


After the girls were able to run around a bit at the park, we headed back to Wyalusing State Park to hike near our campgrounds.
We stopped shortly into the hike at this scenic overlook. Here Ka'eo is setting up the camera on a timer to take a family photo, and none of us except Rebekah were paying attention, but I still thought the scenery came out nice. I haven't posted the family pic we took here yet, because it might go on our Christmas card, we still have to decide :-)


We hiked over to Picture Cave. I was surprised at how much Kamele loved hiking, she walked almost the entire trail there and back on a really muddy surface.


The girls and Daddy with the pretty orangish yellow walls of Picture Cave behind them.


A close up of A and E.


The girls and I standing in the cave.


Alyssa and Emma in the cave. I have another cute pic that I should have posted here, but I forgot until it was too late. They are standing in about the same spot together, holding hands, but facing the inside of the cave wall. I can hear them saying to each other, "Okay, who's going first?"


Smiling on her first trip into a cave.


Emma showing the orange sand of the cave that stuck to her fingers.


Next we hiked a different trail to Treasure Cave...
Treasure Cave was much more challenging to get into, and Ka'iulani and Kahiwa couldn't wait! There was even one area I had to tell them we couldn't go into because we didn't have a flashlight with us, and it was so narrow, cramped, and dark I didn't want them going in. That was Emma's big disappointment for the weekend, after we came home she told Dave how upset she was that we never went back with proper lighting to see what was inside. She was sure she had missed out on the treasure for which the cave is named.


Kamele and Ka'eo. Kamele did not like this cave as much as the other one. I think it was a little too high up and narrow for her. We had to climb up a really steep area to even get there and once we got up to the top and she surveyed the area she didn't want to be put down.


The two older girls heading back out of the narrow passage.


The girls and I outside and down the path a little bit from the cave.


We spent Saturday at Effigy Mounds National Monument. It was right over the border in Iowa, and it was a beautiful day for hiking around. Between the hikes we did yesterday afternoon and the ones from this day at Effigy, they were some of the most challenging hikes we had done in long time. It was lots of fun and the girls had a great time on the trails.


Dad, Ka'iulani, and Kahiwa at Big Bear. The mounds were very interesting. There are still a lot of unanswered questions about the significance of the mounds, but it is clear they meant a lot to the Native American Indian cultures who created them. In many cases some of the dirt that the mounds are filled with is not native to the area where the mound is, so scientists who have studied them can tell that a great deal of effort went into constructing them and filling them with a very specific material. We saw two bear shaped mounds, linear mounds (hot dog shaped), and compound mounds (small hills connected by the hot dog ones), but there are also ones shaped like turtles and birds in other areas. Some of the mounds served as burial sites, and most probably had some ceremonial purpose.


Emma making a tiny clay pinch pot.


Rebekah by the "archeological dig" in the sandbox.


The girls by a replica of a nest belonging to a Bald Eagle. They loved how there were eggs in the nest and how it was so huge they had to walk up a couple steps to even see inside.


In the visitor center of the park the girls were picking up all the items on the "Please Touch" table and they loved trying on the antlers.


Right outside the Welcome Center the girls and I are getting a start on their Jr. Ranger books so they can earn a badge by the end of the day.


A cool spider web we saw on the tree branches.


Bekah and I by the sign to Little Bear. It's where we were headed eventually and she loves that cartoon.


Kamele looking out to the Mississippi River from Fire Point.


A family photo above the Mississippi River.


Dad with the girls by Big Bear Mound.


Ka'iulani took this picture of the tree because she loved the way the branches looked.


One of their Junior Ranger activities encouraged the kids to find a tree in the park that they like, name it, document what kind of tree it is and if there are any animals using the tree for a home, and finally make the commitment to come back in the future and check on their "adopted tree". This is Ka'iulani's tree that she adopted, she named it Little Honey because it was a Honey Oak located by Little Bear Mound.


Emma's tree that she adopted, she called it Oak in a Acorn, which happens to be the title of a book she loves. Rebekah snuck into her picture :-)


Rebekah's tree that she adopted, she named it Lucianna.


Later that night we went to a cool program at our campground called Stones, Bones, and Sticks. It happened to be put on by a Ranger from the same park we had spent the day at, Effigy Mounds. He showed us examples of arrowheads, pottery, bones, weapons, animal skins, and many other artifacts that have been discovered in this area (in some cases in the mounds we had seen earlier) and were left hundreds of years ago by Native Americans.


Once they let the kids explore all the interesting things they had on the table, Rebekah immediately wanted to handle this mouse skin. Ka'eo laughed and said, "Great Grandmommy is going to love this picture." Kamele turned with a huge smile and proudly showed him the mouse. (Yuck!!)


Emma looking at a skunk skin.


Alyssa looking at the furs.


Back at our campsite ~
Alyssa was very happy to spot this dragonfly.


On our last morning at Wyalusing it was foggy and this was the scene at our campsite as we woke up. The sunny haze was coming through the trees and it looked pretty.


Alyssa in the sun shadows.


Early morning pictures as the girls explore.


The girls in front of the Knob shelter.


Sitting on the stone ledge.


Gotta love pictures first thing in the morning, they still have sleepy eyes in all these pics.


Wild hair Emma on the ledge.


Bekah's early morning photo.


Playing silly games on the picnic table.


We took the girls to see the Mississippi River, not really knowing if they would want to swim in it. The area we went to had a very gradual slope to the depth of the water and hardly any current at all so it was a nice place to play. We hadn't even been there five minutes when the girls wanted to run to the van to change into bathing suits.


Rebekah lifting a heavy bucket of the clay like sand along the shores.




The girls and I standing in the water with a huge barge passing behind us.


Having fun running and splashing.


The girls were having fun throwing sand until Emma got a mouthful courtesy of Rebekah, then the game somehow lost it's appeal.


The girls and Dad swimming in the Mighty Mississippi. After playing by the river until after lunch, we picked up some fast food and headed back to Fort Fun so the girls could play a little longer before the car ride home.


On the drive home, we stopped at a wayside to get out of the car, stretch our legs, and admire the view of the farms we were driving past. When we got out of the car, we saw these tiny prairie dogs peeking out of the grass. The one here only looks like a brown dot in the photo, Emma's excitement to see them scared them away and we weren't able to get very close.


The farm view.


At the wayside, Alyssa found this pump to sit on, and Ka'eo knew right away that it was a rest place where horses could stop for a drink. Rebekah is checking out the tray that the water would pour into. I was a little confused as to why something that old fashioned might still be there, but then...


We saw several families traveling the highway in their horse drawn carriages. We must have been in the heart of Amish Country. I thought they might mind me taking a picture, but they waved.
It was a fun camping trip, the girls definately look forward to camping again next summer.