So, what is there to do in Wisconsin?

Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share (MPSIMS)
#1

I was told by Sauron in another thread that my having to go to Ft McCoy, Wisconsin is, well to paraphrase, not a good thing. He called it “karmic justice” because I was gently ribbing him about his tribulations in caring for the kiddos while the wife was gone and he was miffed.

So, my questions are these: Is it really that bad there? What kinds fun places are near there so I can have some fun?

I am being forced to go there for a symposium and the time that I must go just happens to fall on my big 4-0 b-day. So, since I don’t actually get spend this auspicious day with my hubby, family and friends, I want to make the best of things.

Any good places to visit for the evenings? Or am I being sent to BFE? (Please, please, please, I hope not).

#2

Hmm, in that part of Wisconsin? Maybe check out a sacred Indian burial mound? :confused:

#3

Dude. Three words. Fried. Cheese. Curds.

drools

#4

Absolutely nothing.

Oh. Ocean Spray used to have cranberry bogs up there.

#5

Cow tipping?

–SSgtBaloo

#6

Oh my. The responses thus far are, to say the least, DISCOURAGING. :frowning:

My goodness, count on the Army to go cheap when it’s my turn to go TDY.

I fly from Sea-Tac to Minneapolis St. Paul, then get on a leeetle airplane and fly to La Crosse. From there I will take my cheap ass rental car to Ft McCoy. I’m told it’s about 45 miles from La Crosse to Ft McCoy. Is this right?

Please, I need some encouragement here. There has got be SOMETHING to do around there!

#7

I think La Crosse has like 200 bars, it must have close to a world record number of bars per population. They have a wild Octoberfest there, but unfortunately, it’s not October. :mad:

#8

If you can get off post you are about a half hour or 45 minutes from LaCrosse. You are right on I-90. Just down the road is Wisconsin Dells and not much further is Madison. In the other direction is Minneapolis. All great towns with lots of stuff going on. If you really want excitement you can go to Lansing, Iowa, eat cheese curds and watch the ice go out on the Mississippi–there is a great little bar in Lansing that hangs right out over the river. If you are really bored you can go to the dog track at Dubuque (where the little old lady does not read The New Yorker). There use to be an A &W in Sparta, and maybe a Pizza Hut.

If you can’t get off post, man, you are screwed.

You are in the middle of the middle of the Upper Midwest, in the undrifted quarter that the last ice age missed, and so has everything since then. If you are not into beer, cheese, small stream fishing, unglaciated geology and wholesomeness you are going to have a long, long time at Camp Tim McCoy.

I do hope for your sake that you are in the barracks and not under canvas. In the barracks there are real sit down toilet stools. Under canvas there is a slit trench in the pine barrens.

#9

Hm, the bar thing wouldn’t work if I’m DRIVING, especially 45 miles.

Well, guess I won’t be having fun this go 'round. :frowning:

Why couldn’t they send me to San Antonio? At least there’s the Riverwalk down there!

#10

Wisconsin Dells
The House on the Rock

#11

Spavined Gelding

I will be staying in billeting. Although I work for the Army, I’m not IN the Army. I think I’ll be able to leave post. Fortunately, I’ll only be there a few days. I was going be stuck there for a week, but got out of the first half, because I’d been to that training before.

I’ll definitely check a few things out. Thanks for your suggestions.

#12

Hiya Taters!

Wisconsin is actually a delight - Althea and I moved here just over a year ago from B’more and we absolutely love it!

We’re in Madison, which is often referred to (fairly accurately, i think) as the ‘Berkeley of the Midwest’. It’s incredibly liberal and laid back, and there’s a million wonderful things to do. If you’re looking for some social and cultural stuff, Mad Town is the place to come to. Drop me an email (from my profile) once you’ve got the dates for your travel nailed down, and I’ll send you info on what events and shows are going on.

When are you coming out? Once it gets a little later in the season, there’s wonderful hiking and outdoor activities all over the state, but the weather is a little iffy yet.

Right by Fort McCoy is Black River Falls State Park - wonderful hiking and general communing with nature type stuff - well worth checking out.

Anywho, lotsa stuff to see and do…

#13

Otto mentioned The House on the Rock. I’m pretty sure he meant it tongue-in-cheek, but it really is worth checking out. Once in your life. Do it twice and you may well go mad.

Should you choose to go - and I really think you should go - make sure you take that bathroom break after the first loop - the toilets are worth checking out. Also, heed my late grandfather’s advice: Don’t be like those cheap bastards who walk through and don’t spend any money. Put those tokens into each and every machine you walk by - including the penny machines. Trust me. :slight_smile:

And as long as you’re going to Spring Green you may as well check out Taliesin, an FLW house. It’s right next door. Impressive.

But not as fun as The House on the Rock. :cool:

#14

Especially if you go on the merry-go-round that takes you to Valhalla.

I’d recommend drinking all the Lienenkugels you can drink, personally.

-lv

#15

Oh, Taters, you must absolutely go to House on the Rock if you can. Taliesin has gotten really expensive since the third time it caught on fire. HOTR is open March 15-May 28 from 9-5 and later during the summer.

The Cave of the Mounds is pretty neat, if you like cave tours. It’s ginormous, smells fascinating and there’s a crapload of stalagmites and stalagtites. Okay, admittedly, the fascinating smell is more of a “mysterious basement” one than a “mystery of the ages” one, but, for me, it’s a smell that makes me want to know more.

Prairie du Chien has got a bunch of antique shops, like most other Mississippi River towns in Wisconsin. If you like antiquing, go for it. If you don’t, stay far away, because that’s really the only thing there. It’s about the same distance from Ft. McCoy as Madison.

Circus World Museum is in Baraboo, which is near Madison. It is, quite understandably, a museum dedicated to the circus. In the summer they put on traditional circus-y things, but the museum’s open year round.

If you were going in the summer, then I’d suggest American Players Theatre, which is one of the best theatres in the midwest. It’s outside of Spring Green, too. Their season starts in June, but it sounds as if you’re leaving long before that. They do mostly Shakespeare.

Have fun in Wisconsin! It is, IMHO, one of the prettiest places in the world. picker is right: Madison is a pretty happening place, second only to Milwaukee, because Milwaukee has a much more active theatre/arts scene. Madison’s got some awesome art galleries, though.

And get some deep fried cheese curds! If not deep fried, then at least squeaky fresh from a cheese factory.

#16

Dude! I love the penny machines! I was not at all tongue in cheek in suggesting HOTR. I’ve been twice and haven’t been driven mad yet. The trick is to go with people who haven’t been before; that way you groove on all the cool stuff and you groove on their groove.

I’m thinking there needs to be a Madison Dopefest…

#17

I’m in La Crosse.

Yes this is a big bar town. Some are interesting, but most are just plain-old-bars.

I see from your profile you’re into hiking. There are a lot of really nice places around here for that.

I’d be happy to send you a bunch of brochures about the area. Just let me know.

And you really should have batter-fried cheese curds. They are also really good microwaved until they’re a goopy mess. Oh, and beer-cheese soup. You have to have that too. Oh, and Brats with sauerkraut (and beer). Heck, I just a few miles from the airport… maybe I’ll fire up the grill and deep fryer for ya!

#18

Ah, things are looking up!

I will be arriving in La Crosse on 18 May around 4:30 p.m and departing at 9:30 a.m. on 21 May. So, my days there are limited and it looks like I’ll have to concentrate on evening activities.

Unfortunately, the symposium that I am attending runs from early in the morning until around 5:00 p.m each day. So that leaves anything that closes at 5:00 p.m out.

I’ve seen many pictures of Taliesen and always thought it would be cool to see it, but it looks like that’s out for me.

These…cheese curds…sound…interesting. I LOVES me some beer brats! That’s how I do them too!

What kind of drink is a Lienenkugel ?

picker and indecisive I may take you up on sending you an e-mail. Thanks so much.

Believe it or not, I HAVE been to Wisconsin. BUT…it was many years ago and I was riding as a passenger in my husbands semi. So, I saw a lot of pretty country, but am not at all familiar with the place. We circled Minneapolis-St Paul and headed north to International Falls.

Thanks again all. I appreciate all the time you’ve taken to point out some fun things to do.

If any of you ever make it to Washington state, I’ll return the favor.

#19

Lenie’s is a beer, spotted cow is better.

#20

Mmm, New Glarus Spotted Cow is some good stuff.

I dragged my husband through House on the Rock last summer. I’d gone there when I was a little kid; he’d never been there. We both agreed that it was some weird fun but nothing to spend a ton of time in - we preferred a brisk-paced walk and boggling at all the strangeness as we zipped through. Partway through I mentioned how it’d be a great set for a horror movie. :smiley:

Oh, if you can find a Culver’s fast food restaurant, grab yourself some frozen custard and (assuming you eat beef) a Butterburger. Yep, beef burger with some butter in there, not just grease. Between the two of them, your arteries should clog up nicely.

(There’s a Culver’s next to a health club out in the western suburbs of Chicago. I’m thinking the two probably have quite the common set of customers.)