Day 1, Monday July 25 – Checked into Hartman Creek State Campground for a 3 night stay. Did a 21 mile bike ride, east on Stratton Lake Rd., Hwy K, Dayton Rd, Jenson Rd., East Road north to Rural Rd., then home on Rural Rd. Very nice.
Tom and Sharon D showed up in the evening with their bikes and boats. They are newbies to the charms of the area. First thing, we pitched their massive “B” line tent. Who knew a tent could provide so much merriment? After camp was set – Marl Lake for our first swim. Warm, clean, green water, great scenery. The best swimming hole ever.
Day 2, Tuesday. Tom and Cathy W. rolled in from Madison with their bikes. We all pedaled out together on a very sweet 38 mile jaunt that took us East, then south to Wild Rose, then pretty much straight north back to Hartman Creek. After the requisite social hour in camp, we decamped for T-Dubs in Waupaca. Excellent courses all around. Tom/Cathy then took off for home.
Day 3, Wednesday. Dropped yaks into Marl, ready to paddle the lower rustic parts of the chain. The weather looked really dicey, but we hung out and it mostly blew over. We made our way through Marl Lake, Pope & Manomin Lake (really one lake), Knight Lake and Lake Orlando (one lake), through a long, very shallow feeder to Long Lake, and finally, Columbia Lake. It started to rain, we headed back.
The Waupaca Chamber of Commerce makes claim to 22 lakes in this chain. This is very creative counting. Using this same methodology, I have 16 fingers and 13 toes. Even being charitable, I see 12-13 lakes, tops
Tom and Sharon then bailed for home. Something about their cat. Eileen and I were left to stare at each other. We ran out of beer and white wine. My stereo ran out of power and I forgot the charging cable. It rained. Luckily we were in a waterproof box with lights, power, running water, a refrigerator, dry beds, and plenty of reading. That flask of gin chilling in the freezer helped too. We just made it. It did rain all night.
It also rained all morning. This was enough reason for us to pack it in, and that’s what we did.
A few pictures can be seen here. (Click image for a photo gallery.)
