Today is Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.
You can listen to the stories of formerly enslaved people online and get first-hand accounts of life under slavery.
There's an interview here from 1975(?!) It's strange to think that there was still a formerly enslaved person alive during my lifetime.
Here in Madison there will be various Juneteenth events but I suppose the main one is the Juneteenth Freedom Parade which, I believe, ends at Penn Park where the big party happens. More info here.
I've been listening to some Staple Singers today and you should too.
For my previous Doctor Who marathons, I used the chronology at the Doctor Who Reference Guide. Since I had a good thing going, I returned to it in preparation for the Third Doctor only to discover that it had gone offline. Thankfully the Wayback Machine has it archived. But, in my panic to find a replacement, I ran across Andrew Kearley's site, The Complete Adventures. This site has the advantage of not only being online but also of being more current. There are newer Big Finish adventures, which I am not listening to in my marathon, in Kearley's timeline that were never added to the Reference Guide but also newer comics, which I will endeavor to read.
I noticed some differences in ordering between the two sites and so I've opted to throw a little Reference Guide in here and some Complete Adventures there for my marathon. Whatever discrepancies they have, they both list "The Arkwood Experiments" as the story that follows "Spearhead From Space".
"The Arkwood Experiments" is a TV comic from early 1970. I've run into these comics before during my earlier marathons and like pretty much every First and Second Doctor comic from their eras, they were almost uniformly bad. It was apparent that their creators had never watched the show and instead were given a paragraph long synopsis of it along with some publicity stills and told to go off and make comics. Would that be the same here?
Pertwee's elongated face in the first panel has a slightly caricaturish feel to it plus he's got a big grin so we've got a whole new feel already.
The Brigadier calls the Doctor to ask for help with a bit of bother down at the local zoo. It seems that either the animals have jointly declared Opposite Day or something is quite amiss. While a panther and lion are both meek as a pussy, the birds attack anyone who dares enter the aviary while the penguins are the most murderous since the giant electric one that Scott ran into in the Sahara.
It turns out a 10 year-old boy named Cedric Mathews used the zoo animals as, er, guinea pigs, to test a new drug he has concocted that he hopes will turn boys his own age into "raging hooligans". One wouldn't think a wonder drug would be needed to accomplish this.
Aside from using the exclamation, "Great powers!"(?!), the Third Doctor here is not wholly un-Third Doctorish.
Reflecting the TV show at the time, I think this may be the first Doctor Who comic set on Earth. Contemporary Earth, at least. A slight story to be sure but it was funny to see our hero flee from a waddle of savage penguins.
It's been almost two years since I've done a Doctor Who marathon. I had meant to delve into the Third Doctor's tenure months ago but then heard about the release of Pertwee's first season on bluray so I waited for its release. That being done, the fun can begin.
The previous Doctors each had 3 seasons but this would be a fiver. I also think the Third Doctor has had a few more novels written about him than his predecessors. Short stories and novellas I'm not so sure of. I was looking forward to jumping into the Pertwee era as it had been a while since I've watched any classic Who and hadn't read much of it in the past year and a half or so either. Plus Pertwee was my brother's favorite Doctor and so I took some comfort in knowing he'd be watching and reading along with me over my shoulder throughout this little endeavor.
When I left off, the Second Doctor was falling headlong into a black void courtesy of some vengeful Time Lords. Jon Pertwee's time on the show began with "Spearhead From Space" and the Doctor falling out of the TARDIS and onto a patch of wildflowers who were probably not happy to be squished by a rogue Gallifreyan. But at least he fell in color!
Not only was it in color, but the story was shot exclusively on 16mm film. And so the visual style is akin to Nu Who's cinematic approach, utilizing a single camera instead of 3. Not only that, but we get a country ton of location scenes with studio sets being kept to a minimum. I never knew why until a day or two ago when I looked it up: apparently shooting on location allowed the show's makers to avoid getting tangled up in a labor action of some kind which apparently only affected BBC HQ.
Legendary Doctor Who scribe Robert Holmes penned the script and the story opens with a shot of a radio tower before cutting to a control room with some fellow diligently looking at a radar screen. His direct superior, a woman no less, enters and I noticed her tie clip - U.N.I.T.!
I also noticed the video quality which was sharp and clean. Perhaps a bit too clean as there seemed to be less grain than I recall seeing previously. It appears to have been upscaled and the frame rate boosted too. Maybe not 48 FPS like The Hobbit but the motion appeared to be smoother than the show ever was on broadcast TV.
The guy watching the radar notices some thingies descending to Earth and landing in sector 5 - Epping. You bet part of my brain started singing "Yes, it's the battle of Epping Forest..." We then cut to an old duffer in sector 5 who witnesses the thingies land and he is adorned with a lovely red cravat. The script continues on its merry way of introducing us to all of the main characters and plot threads. The TARDIS then lands and the Doctor falls out as noted above. In the back of a car Liz Shaw is being taken to her latest assignment - at U.N.I.T. HQ. I noted how the music went from that typical minor key oboe stuff to something jazzy and perky for Liz's intro.
Swinging London meet stodgy military man. Liz is brought to the Brigadier's office and he looks slightly uncomfortable, slightly anxious commanding from behind a desk. It is here that I noticed the use of short lenses. The scene wasn't full of shots and reverse shots but instead we get some nicely composed frames with both speakers in it at the same time with one in the foreground and another in the background. Some nice depth of field here.
The Doctor spends basically all of episode 1 and a good chunck of episode 2 at the hospital in a self-induced coma. While not an ultra-salutary Zero Room, the place has some gorgeous wood paneling and wainscotting going for it. It's hard to blame him, really. He was forced to regenerate, had some of his memory wiped or hidden, at least, and was exiled to Earth in a non-operable TARDIS. He eventually wakes up and effects an escape but not before taking a shower and stealing some aristocrat's duds and an antique car. I guess this is where the Doctor develops a fondness for older automobiles. Bessie, here we come.
We learn that what the U.N.I.T. radar operator saw was the second volley in a few months of these glowing 12(?)-sided shapes that were power units. They reminded me of those old Tupperware Shape O Sorter Balls - and that the bad guys had taken over a plastics factory. There's a nice scene where someone at the hospital says in reference to the Doctor, "Something odd about his face" and we cut to a doll's face being made. I have to admit that I had no recollection of Fleetwood Mac's "Oh Well" playing over the initial scene at the factory. Considering that song was released around the time "Spearhead From Space" was being shot/assembled, this is a notable injection of contemporary pop culture into a Doctor Who story. Thankfully no one thought it a good idea to feature any Rumours-era Fleetwood Mac in "The Robots of Death" or "The Talons of Weng-Chiang".
We are eventually introduced to the Nestene, a nasty non-corporeal alien who likes to invade other planets. The Nestene apparently ran into Mr. McGuire at some point because they have a thing for plastics. And so they chose to take over Earth by using armed, cravat-wearing mannequins - Autons, some of whom are in the form of various government officials.
The Doctor jury rigs a gizmo out of various parts found at U.N.I.T.'s lab that can deactivate Autons. (Nowadays this would simply be a new function of the sonic screwdriver.) He and Liz, with U.N.I.T.'s help, would infiltrate the factory and put paid to the Nestene's fouls plans. But not before a bunch of Autons posing at shop window mannequins
rampage through the streets killing helpless people, including about
half a dozen queuing at a bus stop in an orderly line the likes of which
has never been seen in this country. In the end, though, the fine citizens of Epping could once again safely window shop for cravats.
"Spearhead From Space" was a ball of fun. At 4 episodes, it may be the shortest story Pertwee ever did. The Third Doctor is friendly and charming yet also a bit haughty. While he may be suffering from memory loss, he hasn't forgotten that he's superior to humans. Liz is skeptical in a Dana Scully kind of way as well as sassy and sarcastic which made it seem like had she traveled back from the 1990's. She's also smart and highly capable. (Also like Scully.) No signs of screaming and cowering in the corner here. A nice feminist counterpoint to the Brigadier's more Victorian(?) demeanor.
There are some nice low angle shots here and I think these along with the glasses worn by various male characters gave the story a vague but palpable The Ipcress File vibe. I wonder who the costumer was. Did this person work on Doctor Who before or after "Spearhead From Space"? I don't recall seeing so many cravats on the show in any other story.
It's not quite true that the Nestene sought to take over the Earth only with maniacal mannequins. It was also growing a big tentacled beastie in a tank at the factory. Although cheesy looking, I loved it, especially what looked like an eye in the center of the malicious membrane adorned with green slime. The giant tentacles that it sports at the story's climax looked straight out of a Muppet adaptation of a Cthulhu tale. A classic Who moment.
I found it interesting that it took about half the plot for the viewer to be told just what the good guys are up against. Similarly, going into the final episode I didn't have much of a feeling that things were coming to a head. The Doc, Liz, and the Brigadier were still sorting things out as opposed to devising a masterplan.
It also occurred to me that it was the Nestene and their Autons who were the bad guys in the first episode of the resurrected Doctor Who 20 years ago. That was their first TV appearance since the Pertwee era and it got me wondering if I shall encounter them in a comic or book at some point in my marathons.
We got some rain last night and, when I woke up, it was cloudy but yesterday's heat had been sent packing. I went on a morning trek hoping that I wouldn't get rained on.
My neighbors' chickens were out enjoying the yard and, I presume, the cooler temperature.
The woodpecker at the other side of the yard was peeking out and perhaps contemplating its day.
On my way down to Starkweather Creek I took in some sweetly scented pine air.
The creek was rather still but the birds were singing their post-breakfast choruses.
I made my way to the bike path and spied a mallard hen in the distance. It wasn't until I got home that I noticed she was with a duckling or two.
Lots of bunnies about.
As I was headed home, the sun peeked out from behind the clouds all-too briefly.
Scenes from a trio of recent walks around the neighborhood. I've been trying to get into the habit of taking a walk before I start work when I work from home. Most of these are from those early morning strolls.
I tried to do something symmetrical but slightly off with this one.
I tried to get a good converging lines-perspective thing here. Not great, unfortunately.
Not sure what kind of bird this is. It ripped off a length of grass and took off.
As the weather has gotten warmer, my beer choices have gotten heller.
It's been a long time since I've had Schell's. It seems like there are only a couple varieties on shelves here in Madison these days, unfortunately. But I'll take what I can get.
The folks at Weihenstephaner must decoct this stuff 3 or 4 times because it is Maillard Himmel. Simply delicious! I can only image how much more tasty it must be fresh from the Keller.
I heard the Sly Stone died yesterday. He is now known as the founder of "progressive soul". Huh. When did that happen? I will have to seek out the documentary about him, Sly Lives! (aka the Burden of Black Genius), which will involve figuring out what streaming services we currently have.
I watched this video in Sly's honor and figured that Larry Graham may have been the inspiration for the Funk Spirit in Sinners. Look at that outfit!
Has it really been nine and a half years since I've had a wood aged beer, Heart of Oak by Leine's? Bourbon barrel aged brews don't count as I think the idea is to infuse your beer with a spirit rather than a strictly arboreal flavor. While I'm on the subject, kudos to Lakefront for Wendy, a doppelbock which utilized bourbon-soaked oak chips that imparted a more subtle bourbon taste that complemented rather than overwhelmed the beer.
Plain, unspirited/unwined barrel/wood aged beers are hard to come by. Even more rare than Rauchbier. It's not exactly a mega popular flavor and dealing with wood must be a pain. You don't want any microbial thingies on your chips, staves, logs or whatever that would give your brew an off taste. Wood is a major flavor in wine so why isn't it in beer? And, as barrel aging goes, why is oak so popular?
When I saw this wood aged beer sans bourbon, a collaboration between Goldfinger and Revolution, I just had to try it. Goldfinger is a great brewery that combines care and tradition to make very tasty lagers. While Revolution dances with many an IPA, they brew other beers more to my taste. For example, not only did they throw my favorite grain, rye, into a stout, they also put some neat Repo Man artwork on the label.
The Oakriginal can doesn't say exactly how this beer got its oak flavor. Was it aged in oak barrels? Were oak chips involved? Did the brewmasters head to the woods with Husqvarna in hand, cut down a random oak, and throw some of the resulting cordwood into the fermenter? Now that I look closer, I see that Creative Oak is listed on the label and this California company's website notes the work of their master coopers.
The can does note, though, that "single forest French oak" was used. If horizontal lagering tanks weren't enough, this is definitely getting into hoity-toity wine territory. French oak apparently has more tannins than American oak which perhaps explains its use in winemaking. In addition to bitterness, oak has a clovey, vanillay, and, well, woody taste. How will these flavors fare in a Helles?
My pour produced a big, white head that I could hear. The bubbles churned away in a micromaelstrom like they do in soda, my cat's pleading meows for dinner were barely heard above the din. As with any Helles, the beer was a lovely yellow but had a slight haze which I presume was protein whatever you call it as Goldfinger's lagers have always been clear as day as is conventional. Maybe something is imparted by wood that gives a touch of cloudiness. There were a few bubbles here and there inside. My first sniff caught a luscious bready scent followed by wood, and then grassy hops.
My first sip revealed a medium-light body with the perfect fizz. Those Maillard reactions done good as I tasted that precious toasty bread flavor along with those grassy hops. A fine Helles indeed. Then I tasted the oak underneath it all. It was rather mellow but it added a smoothness that took the edge off the hops a shade, I think. Plus I like the flavor of oak so it had that going for it as well.
On the finish, the malt and oak flavors had one final flourish and then quickly faded as the hops, now with a herbal, almost minty, taste, made things fairly dry and slightly less bitter.
Goldfinger makes great beers so I was totally unsurprised that this was a mighty tasty Helles. The oak was subtle but easily discernible and its taste accented the grain flavor very well. Same with the hops. The oak gave flavors unlike the ones hops do yet they played nicely together. An excellent brew.
Junk food pairing: Pair Oakriginal Lager with Jays Hot Stuff potato chips. Their earthy flavors complement the oak while the Helles with soothe the burn.
On my recent venture up to the Black River Forest I stopped in at a gas station and lo and behold I happened upon a new brand of my beloved salt & vinegar potato chips - Uncle Ray's.
Although I'd seen Uncle Ray's chips before, I never ran into their salt & vinegar flavor. I think my brain conflates Uncle Ray's with Sweet Baby Ray's because, whenever I see a bag of the former's chips, I envision some guy studiously tending to a smoker full of ribs. While the Uncle Ray's website talks up their namesake as a fine man of moral rectitude, it doesn't go into his story very much or, at least, not into much detail, unlike the websites of many other potato chip makers. Wikipedia, however, notes that Uncle Ray is one Ray Jenkins, a denizen of Detroit, who got into the snack business in the mid-1960s. Today the brand is owned by a privately held grocery wholesaler called H. T. Hackney Company.
Right. Let's get to the chips.
If there were potato chips in The Conformist, that's how they'd look.
I found that the chips were of a nice yellow hue with a fair number of tan spots as well as lots of well-done ones. The edges were brown and presumably skinned. Taking a whiff, I caught potato and a strong smell of salt, oddly enough. Then came oil and just a hint of vinegar.
These chips were a bit thicker than your regular ones and had a good, solid crunch. No wonder there was that salty aroma - my blood pressure shot up on the first bite. Do not, I repeat, do not drop these on your lawn because grass will not grow where it has been touched by these chips. The vinegar tang was just as potent. Not only did my tongue get numb but I felt something at the back of my throat too. We are talking near or at Vintner's levels of salt & vinegar.
Before my tongue lost all feeling I managed to taste the potato and it was a fine earthy flavor. I have no idea how sweet it may have been because of the Wieliczka-like salt levels.
These are some mighty fine chips. I think they are just below Vintner's on the S&V scale as in a couple salt crystals and a few micrograms of malic acid. I like the cut of your job, Uncle Ray.
A couple weeks back I trekked out to the Red Rooster to catch Chicago's Fugu Dugu who were billed as gypsy folk rock or some such thing. Opening was Alfonso Ponticelli, a gypsy jazz guitarist. Or something like that.
Ponticelli was accompanied by a couple members of Fugu Dugu: Madam Broshkina on violin and their bassist whose name I cannot find. I bought their album at the show but methinks he's new.
Think Django Reinhardt and that gets you in the ballpark. Ponticelli's fingers worked magic as he went from slower, mellower passages to shredding. If I recall correctly, his set was mostly originals with a cover or two thrown in.
When his opening set was done, Fugu Dugu got their gear together and patrons filled the remaining open seats.
Fugu Dugu began by playing a trio of songs from their first album, Lunatic Parade, followed by three new ones that are set to be on their next album. The band are reminiscent of Gogol Bordello and, for any Madisonians reading this, the late lamented Reptile Palace Orchestra. Indeed, I suspect that the group of people dancing in a circle in front of the stage did so at many an RPO performance.
As with Ponticelli, Fugu Dugu displayed great dynamics going from softer passages with aching violin to manic dance music. Madam Broshkina was the front woman and she displayed a great droll sense of humor and, hailing from Moldova, gave the occasional brief cultural lecture.
I hope to see Ponticelli and Fugu Dugu again.
Sadly, it will likely not be at Red Rooster as the venue's liquor license was not renewed. What a shame. It's a great, intimate venue and, being off the beaten path, attracts an older audience, which I appreciate. But it appears that the owner is guilty of mismanagement. Hopefully a new owner steps in or something else happens to save the place.
I buy my Doctor Who media from Who North America which is run by a guy named Keith Bradbury. Keith and company do a great job as my orders usually arrive in a mere 2-3 days. Prompt and efficient, I suspect Keith is part German.
My Pertwee marathon will start soon(ish). At least the marathon for season one.
I never met the gentleman nor corresponded with him. But his blog was a joy to read, especially when he put paid to various myths about IPA and porter. I think I also gained a vicarious respect for English beer and pub culture from reading him. I never drink porter without thinking of him.
Tales of a Grodziskie by Chicago's Dovetail have long been told in these parts but I had never encountered it face to face until last month. I am guessing it's been my poor timing. Either I'd never make it down to Chicagoland when it was in season or the Binny's website proclaiming its availability had not been updated to reflect its absence. I also suspect that part of the problem is that Dovetail takes a very, um, European approach to seasonality. While most American microbrewers adhere to a strict release schedule for their seasonals, e.g. - their Oktoberfests hit shelves in late June, Dovetail seems to be the opposite and release their seasonals whenever they get around to it - within reason, of course.
Or maybe that's just my view from Madison.
Anyway, I was excited, perhaps a bit too excited, to find this Grodziskie. Being made with 100% smoked wheat, it was right up my uliczka as smoked beers are like manna from heaven for me. It is also perhaps the only native Polish beer style left these days and having some Polish blood in me means it's like drinking for the home team. Doubly so since Chicago is my hometown.
The Platonic ideal of Grodziskie was passed down to me from Ron Pattinson, if memory serves. It is to be light, smoky, hoppy, and fizzy. And I judge every Grodziskie style ale based on his description. Can one interpretation that doesn't exactly conform to this ideal still be tasty? You betcha! Tis but a starting point.
With a hazy yellow color and a very modest 3.8% A.B.V., this brew fit the light bill. A big, firm layer of foam rested atop the tantalizing liquid and, not being in a hurry to go anywhere, I was able to get a decent photograph. The aroma was of smoke along with a little bit of citrus.
My tongue was not surprised at the beer's light body which also had a very pleasant smoothness to it underneath a fairly mellow dose of fizz. The smokiness was delicious and not overwhelming which allowed for a tad of a grainy taste to come through. For their part, the hops tasted herbal-spicy and complemented the smoke well without overpowering it.
The smoky taste held fast for a bit on the finish before the herbal-spicy hop flavor came in to deliver moderate dryness and slightly more bitterness.
Since I don't know how to say "Oh mama, this stuff was good!" in Polish I'll just say oh mama, this stuff was good! While I am not sure, I do believe that the wheat used in the Grodziskie was traditionally smoked with oak. However, I am not sure what wood was used to smoke the wheat here. I don't think it was applewood or cherry, though. But, oh mama, it tastes great! And the smokiness is not particularly strong despite the whole grain bill having been given the treatment.
I'll never know how this stuff compares to the brew the inhabitants of Grodzisk Wielkopolski drank back in the day but I love Dovetail's take on the style. Maybe a touch more fizz but that's a very minor quibble. This is a fine brew and made the perfect companion on a few spring evenings.
Junk food pairing: Pair your Grodziskie with a bag of Old Dutch Onion 'N Garlic potato chips. They provide a nice contrast to the smoke taste yet somehow also complement the beer perfectly.
Well, I have to admit that I didn't see that coming.
Only 2 seasons for Ncuti Gatwa? Was he given the Colin Baker treatment or did he depart on his own terms? Hopefully the latter.
While I've been keen on the return of the Rani for a while now, I was disappointed that she was largely portrayed as another moustache-twirling villain like the Master as opposed to the amoral scientist of the classic series. But her outfit - the new new Rani's outfit - was suitably Rani-like and her osseous HQ had some Faction Paradox vibes for me.
When it was revealed that Rani was trying to release Omega, I was intrigued. But the co-inventor of time travel and co-founder of Time Lord society was just a big monster who eats Rani. Timothy Dalton as Omega's partner in crime, Rassilon, got to chew scenery till the cows came home in the new series but Omega just takes a snack before he is sent back from whence he came. Not only that, he eats the Rani not far into the series finale.
That is, he eats the latest incarnation of Rani but, because she bi-generated earlier, her previous incarnation lives on.
It all felt very anti-climactic.
And the whole bi-generation thing has got to go. It appears to be an on-demand talent. Too gimmicky for my taste. It seems like the Doctor bi-generated for no good reason at all. David Tennant already had 3 stories to gives his imprimatur to the struggling ratings-wise(?) show. Here the Rani bi-generates for no discernible reason. Well, I suppose it allows future story writers the option of continuing to use the character yet allowing Omega to have his Rani cake and eat it too.
Speaking of gimmicks, having the Doctor regenerate into Rose was ridiculous. We'll see what the next season brings, I guess. But this new reversion back to the David Tennant era is unneeded, in my opinion. Gatwa began his tenure in the shadow of Tennant and now he has been consumed by it. It'd be one thing for the 15th or 16th Doctor to run into Rose but to regenerate into her? Silly.
One thing that occurred to me after the finale ended was that Ncuti Gatwa has a wonderful smile.
Hopefully it will become iconic for Nu Who in the way that Tom Baker's is for the classic series.
A friend of mine, aware of my salt & vinegar potato chip addiction, snagged a bag of the Keogh's Atlantic Sea Salt & Irish Cider Vinegar variety while in Chicago not too long ago. I was pleased to discover that they were imported from Hibernia and don't think they were unduly expensive so they must have reached these shores before the tariffs kicked in. At first I thought that these would be my first foreign salt & vinegar chips but then realized that I have sampled some from our friends up north in Canada. And so these would be the first to traverse the Atlantic Ocean.
How does one pronounce "Keogh's"? (Apologies to any Irish folks out there.) The name refers to the family that owns and runs the company that grows potatoes somewhere in the vicinity of Dublin, it looks like, and has been turning them into chips/crisps since 2011.
Going in, I was curious as to what kind of potatoes Keogh's uses for their crisps. Presumably a different variety or varieties than American chip makers use. Keogh's doesn't say but, then again, neither do most American purveyors of this tasty snack. But it would be interesting to taste if there was something unique about the potato flavor here.
These crisps looked mighty fine. They generally had a medium yellow hue, although there were some that veered towards tan, and, with the skin on, had brown edges. I spied an occasional bubble. Putting my nose in the bag, I smelled a nice earthy potato aroma followed by oil and a hint of vinegar.
"Thick cut" said the bag and so the crisps had a good, solid crunch to them. Perhaps not quite as stentorian a chomping clamor as kettle chips but darn close. The Atlantic Ocean's salinity does not suffer from these chips as the salt level seemed average to my taste. Vinegar was on the mild side. My tongue tasted the tang but didn't feel threatened by it.
The potato flavor was excellent - earthy with a bit of sweetness. I couldn't really distinguish these Hibernian spuds from their North American cousins. Perhaps the vinegar got in the way of being able to taste fine distinctions. But I'd guess not. And about the vinegar: what makes it sweet? Is it actually sweetened or is apple cider vinegar, which the website says is used here, considered "sweet"?
These were tasty chips. Despite needing a bit more vinegar they had a nice crunch and I'd eat them if they were to come my way again or if I found myself on The Emerald Isle.
At 4 o'clock this morning I got up to use the bathroom. Scratching my side I noticed a small bump. Instantly I recognized it as a tick. My best guess is that it somehow survived my searches after my trip up north last weekend. Where had it lay hidden? Or was this a local vermin?
There were a lot of ticks up in Jackson County and the trip made me realize that I need to practice applying Deet. On the plus side, the mosquitos were held at bay and I enjoyed fine company and great scenery.
Arriving before our campsites were available, I took a stroll in the Black River Forest. I had unknowingly chosen a trail that had recently had controlled burns.
These stretches had a Dante vibe and I felt like I would run into a group of unbaptized pagans at any second.
However, the areas spared the purifying flames were gorgeous.
Once at the campground, we pitched our tents and started a fire.
Despite a chance of rain in the forecast, the evening was lovely and dry. We chatted the night away as the beer flowed freely.
The next morning was gorgeous despite a slight haze in the air from those Canadian wildfires.
I was up early and so, while everyone else slept, I went for a walk. The forest was quiet and still outside of a deer just off the road that quickly scampered away at the sight of the human. When I got back into camp, folks were rising and coffee was needed.
A few of us walked down the short nature trail whose trailhead was at the east end of the campground. It was lovely as most of it followed the Black River.
This day's hike would be out at Wazee Lake. We ran into a snake enjoying the sun.
After traipsing the trails, the ladies went for a swim while we men went to the scenic lookouts.
It was another beer-soaked night around the campfire. Lying in my tent in the wee hours, I heard two owls having a hooting match. What a wonderful serenade to deliver me into the arms of Morpheus. The next morning was again just gorgeous. The trip came to an end all-too soon.
