Door County - Day 1

As you might expect, the first thing we did was find a brew pub. We are staying at the Edgewater Resort in Ephraim, Wisconsin, but just south of us is Egg Harbor, and right on the corner where Highway 42 curves to go north sits the Shipwrecked Brew Pub/Inn. Their motto, pretty obviously, is: "I got wrecked at Shipwrecked". I didn't get wrecked, but I did enjoy their "seasonal" beer -- come on, now, everyone guess -- Pumpkin Ale, surprise, surprise. They also had a nice Cherry Ale, again, surprise, surprise. Both were not overpowering with the signature ingredient -- well done, I thought. But I'm getting ahead of myself...

We first toured Peninsula State Park, 3,776 acres with nearly 7 miles of shorelne along Lake Michigan's Green Bay. With rocky bluffs close to 200 feet above the water, there are some spectacular views. There are miles and miles of trails for hiking and biking. We decided to hike up Skyline Trail to Sven's Bluff. After about 30 minutes of wandering through the trees we came out here -- along with a tour bus and several automobiles! We failed to notice there was a paved road right up to the top. Easy getting back! It was the first time I'd walked more than a few minutes for the last month as I'm trying to get rid of some plantar fasciitis in my right foot. Unsuccessfully as it turns out. Doesn't keep me from doing what I want to do and that has sort of become my new guideline for injuries. Pain is just going to be my companion from now on I have a feeling.

Next we visited the Eagle Bluff Lighthouse. Ho, hum. Another bluff, another view. Click on the link above for an interesting page on the history of this lighthouse and navigation on the Great Lakes.

And NOW we get to Shipwrecked for a late lunch. The food was good, the beer was excellent, and we were so stuffed we even skipped dessert. Can you imagine? Me? No dessert? Maybe it was all that pumpkin and cherry stuff...

To wrap up the day we went to a performance by the Peninsula Players, America's oldest professional resident summer theater. The play was "Be My Baby" and in the hands of less talented actors could have been very schmaltzy. What we saw was excellent. And the venue is unbelievable. Click on the link above and take a look. The property is right on the shore of Green Bay and they have a beer (did someone say "beer"?) and picnic garden, fabulous landscaping and the theater itself is only two years old! A definite "don't miss".

To see more pictures from today's activities, click here.