MONROE - No one really knows exactly when Indian Summer will arrive - it claims no particular date on a calendar. All we know is that this brief period of warm, sunny weather following the first few frosts of autumn serves as a magnet to draw one into the great outdoors.
Hoping to hit it just right, we join fellow "adventure seekers" Mary and Gene Hendrickson, Blanchardville to ride the Cheese Country Trail from Monroe west to Nancy and Lyle Fuller's Nixon House in Gratiot for lunch. We're pumped as we load Gene's new four-passenger Kawasaki Mule onto a trailer and make our way to the trailhead on Monroe's southwest side.
As we transfer several flasks of steaming hot coffee, a few generous slices of Marilyn's mouthwatering pumpkin bars and a blanket or two, Green County ATV Club President Bob Voegeli rolls up riding his Arctic Cat. He offers a friendly greeting and an opportunity to sign a petition intended to ward off encroachment by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.
There was an agreement signed back in 2000, Voegeli explains, that would allow the railroad's takeover of more than four miles of the trail, a move he believes will have a detrimental effect on the area's economy and severely restrict recreational use of the trail.
He invites us to the 1:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 meeting at the Courthouse to discuss the future of the Cheese Country Trail. Call Bob at (608) 558-9416 for more information.
Voegeli travels the Green County portion of the trail on a regular basis, checking for debris or other maintenance problems. Later we learn a tree has fallen across the trail. No problem, as Voegeli and ATV Club Trail Boss Don Noble make quick work of its removal.
With temperatures in the 60's under beaming sunshine, the fall colors are magnificent. The sugar maples are particularly brilliant and the red oak varieties are nearing their deepest burgundy.
We stop at various points along the way to take in the vistas and remark about the sparkling clean farmsteads with their stately silos and neatly arranged outbuildings. A combine is grinding its way through a dense field of ripened corn, and we observe several soybean fields already stripped of their abundance.
The trail offers a panoramic view of Beckman Lake at Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area. Framed by the glistening leaves of several young oaks, the lake sparkles in the bright sunlight and gentle autumn breeze.
A couple of hours travel brings us to the Nixon House where a hot meal awaits. I order their signature fried chicken. It arrives golden brown, hot and delicious, accompanied by a heaping mound of mashed potatoes and a saucer of green beans. The others feast on the meat loaf, another of their specialties.
Nancy talks of the potential impact if the trail loses some of its current appeal. "It's going to take away from Monroe," she says. "And, that won't be the end of it. Once they start taking, they'll want to go further," she warns.
On the return trip, we cannot pass up the opportunity to stop and visit with Marilyn's cousin, Mike Wahl, at his cement plant in Browntown. The family is proud of Mike's entrepreneurial spirit and the many successes of his business enterprises.
He gives us a quick tour of the place, describing how entire houses are now built of cement, including walls, roof and heated floors. We watch as workers layer cement and Styrofoam insulation together to make for a sturdy and energy efficient abode.
Time passes quickly, however, and we have to move on. We arrive back in Monroe as the sun begins to dip toward the western horizon, having enjoyed life to the fullest along this outdoor treasure.
"We'll have to do this again some day," Gene suggests. All agree, hoping the Cheese Country Trail will offer the same pleasurable experience in the future.
What more could one ask for on a sunny Indian Summer day - a well-maintained trail thanks to the volunteers of the Green County ATV Club, beautiful fall colors and a chance to enjoy a hearty meal at the historic Nixon House with good friends.
-Lee Fahrney is the Monroe Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
Hoping to hit it just right, we join fellow "adventure seekers" Mary and Gene Hendrickson, Blanchardville to ride the Cheese Country Trail from Monroe west to Nancy and Lyle Fuller's Nixon House in Gratiot for lunch. We're pumped as we load Gene's new four-passenger Kawasaki Mule onto a trailer and make our way to the trailhead on Monroe's southwest side.
As we transfer several flasks of steaming hot coffee, a few generous slices of Marilyn's mouthwatering pumpkin bars and a blanket or two, Green County ATV Club President Bob Voegeli rolls up riding his Arctic Cat. He offers a friendly greeting and an opportunity to sign a petition intended to ward off encroachment by the Wisconsin and Southern Railroad.
There was an agreement signed back in 2000, Voegeli explains, that would allow the railroad's takeover of more than four miles of the trail, a move he believes will have a detrimental effect on the area's economy and severely restrict recreational use of the trail.
He invites us to the 1:00 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 meeting at the Courthouse to discuss the future of the Cheese Country Trail. Call Bob at (608) 558-9416 for more information.
Voegeli travels the Green County portion of the trail on a regular basis, checking for debris or other maintenance problems. Later we learn a tree has fallen across the trail. No problem, as Voegeli and ATV Club Trail Boss Don Noble make quick work of its removal.
With temperatures in the 60's under beaming sunshine, the fall colors are magnificent. The sugar maples are particularly brilliant and the red oak varieties are nearing their deepest burgundy.
We stop at various points along the way to take in the vistas and remark about the sparkling clean farmsteads with their stately silos and neatly arranged outbuildings. A combine is grinding its way through a dense field of ripened corn, and we observe several soybean fields already stripped of their abundance.
The trail offers a panoramic view of Beckman Lake at Cadiz Springs State Recreation Area. Framed by the glistening leaves of several young oaks, the lake sparkles in the bright sunlight and gentle autumn breeze.
A couple of hours travel brings us to the Nixon House where a hot meal awaits. I order their signature fried chicken. It arrives golden brown, hot and delicious, accompanied by a heaping mound of mashed potatoes and a saucer of green beans. The others feast on the meat loaf, another of their specialties.
Nancy talks of the potential impact if the trail loses some of its current appeal. "It's going to take away from Monroe," she says. "And, that won't be the end of it. Once they start taking, they'll want to go further," she warns.
On the return trip, we cannot pass up the opportunity to stop and visit with Marilyn's cousin, Mike Wahl, at his cement plant in Browntown. The family is proud of Mike's entrepreneurial spirit and the many successes of his business enterprises.
He gives us a quick tour of the place, describing how entire houses are now built of cement, including walls, roof and heated floors. We watch as workers layer cement and Styrofoam insulation together to make for a sturdy and energy efficient abode.
Time passes quickly, however, and we have to move on. We arrive back in Monroe as the sun begins to dip toward the western horizon, having enjoyed life to the fullest along this outdoor treasure.
"We'll have to do this again some day," Gene suggests. All agree, hoping the Cheese Country Trail will offer the same pleasurable experience in the future.
What more could one ask for on a sunny Indian Summer day - a well-maintained trail thanks to the volunteers of the Green County ATV Club, beautiful fall colors and a chance to enjoy a hearty meal at the historic Nixon House with good friends.
-Lee Fahrney is the Monroe Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
