Smoke and Cider- Sturgeon Bay, WI

It was my first trip alone this year. Not gonna lie, I was a little nervous heading out by myself not knowing what my body was able to do or not do after the surgeries. But I knew I had to go. I really had no plan. I had the Jeep loaded up and all that was on the itinerary was to head north.

For me, driving in my Jeep is therapeutic in itself. It gives you a chance to rest your mind from the chaos of the outside world, listen to the music "I" like and basically unwind. After a few hours of wandering aimlessly up north I ended up at Potawatomi State Park located just west of Sturgeon Bay and what happens to be the start(or end) of the Ice Age trail.

The town itself was reminiscent of an East Coast village with it's quaint shops, bridges and fishing boats. Today though it was a ghost town. Apparently, not a lot of tourists venture this far north in October especially on a Monday. Even the Coast Guard boat looked abandoned.

When I arrived at the park it was the same. Not a lot of people. In fact, I pretty much had the whole camping area to myself. It was about a ten minute drive through the park before I got to a spot that was absolutely perfect. Just a stone's throw away from the bay, surrounded by pine trees AND it had a fire pit. I got the campsite set up in less than an hour and a fire quickly lit but I was already starting to lose light so I left the exploring for the next day.

I was planning on catching my fish for dinner but I just ran out of time. Luckily, I brought a fresh piece of Walleye Pike from my restaurant (one of the perks of being a restaurant owner). It was absolutely perfect and the smell of the smoke and cider simmering on the campfire was beyond mesmerizing.

It must have been all the driving I did that day but I was definitely ready for some shut eye. The weather was a little chilly but to me it was perfect sleeping weather. One problem though. Did you ever try to fall asleep but it was "too" quiet? The only sounds was the slight rustling of leaves and the occasional chattering of a squirrel. I guess I'm used to a little more white noise in the background but out in the middle of the woods in Fall there's not a lot of that. I've been asked a few times why would I want to go camping out in the woods by myself and my answer is "for the peace and quiet". Now that I had my 'peace and quiet" my body didn't know how to react to it. In all honesty, being out in the woods alone at night takes a little getting used to. It's certainly not for everybody. But you get used to it and when you do it's absolute tranquility. I did finally fall asleep and actually slept through the night.

The next morning I was up before the sun. I managed to restoke the fire and get the coffee going...priorities. Oatmeal, honey and blueberries filled my belly and I was ready to explore. I headed down to the bay on my bike. A week before my trip I had it tuned up. Not sure if it was strapped onto the back of my Jeep improperly or the tune-up didn't include checking the brakes but to make a long story short I almost ended up in the bay. I literally had to drop the bike or I would have went in. I brushed myself off and when I regained my dignity I was greeted by one of the most beautiful sunrises I've ever seen.

If you look closely you can see the satanic bike from Hell...

I wish I could have stayed a little longer but unfortunately I had to get back home. If you're looking for a place to get lost but still close enough to civilization I highly recommend Patawatomi State Park and Sturgeon Bay in late Fall. Beautiful scenery, no crowds and sunrises that are incomparable. I look forward to returning soon...