The Ahnapee Bike Trail

Having a vehicle at the Marina allows us to explore and bring our kayaks and bikes along. In July, we brought our folding bikes with us and drove over to Algoma, Wisconsin, on the east side of Door County, to ride the Ahnapee bike trail. The north end of the trail runs from Algoma to Sturgeon Bay. We rode 7 miles to the Forestville Dam then turned back. It took a lot longer than we expected as the folding bikes allow us speeds up to about 6 miles an hour tops.  That was only if we kept up constant peddling. If we coasted, forward motion slowed to a crawl. We were exhausted at the end.

After the ride, we loaded our bikes up and drove into Algoma to visit the original Ahnapee Brewery,  "The Garage". It's located in an old two stall car repair shop just a few doors down from the original 1800's microbrewery. We'd already been to the second Ahnapee tasting room just off of highway 41 in Suamico. It is a bit upscale compared to The Garage. The Garage is across from the marina and has gorgeous views of Lake Michigan, along with that alternative vibe that microbreweries are known for. Both are great places to have a cold beer. Ahnapee makes very good beer!

In August, we brought our road bikes to finish the trail from Sturgeon Bay to the Forestville Dam, a 20.8 mile round trip ride. It took us 2 hours and 4 minutes with several stops for water and to take in the views. As we rode, a chipmunk and a big young buck crossed the trail in front of us. A hawk soared over us, floating from tree to tree like it was leading our way. We dodged a gardener snake and a toad, sunning on the trail. In awe, we caught a cougar sneaking delicately from one side of the trail to the other. He tip toed across, pausing for just a moment to look at us, as if to say, " What the heck is that?" From our point of view he looked like a panther, very dark in the low light, with a distinctive long curling tail and huge paws. He was about the size of a medium dog. As he crossed, we noticed a hiker just ahead. She was oblivious to the event behind her but it would have been astonishing for both of them had their paths intertwined. 

We passed meadows of ragweed and golden rod, beautiful reminders that fall is in the air. There were fields of corn, tall and straight as an arrow, waiting for harvest. Tons of apple trees lined the trail; heavily laden with red and golden yellow fruit. We stopped to try the yellow which were deliciously sweet but riddled with bugs. Wildlife, possibly deer or raccoons, had shaken the trees to get the fruit down. The trail was littered with rotting debris that filled the air with the sweet smell of apple pie. 

At the dam, a couple, who looked to be around 90 years old, were trying to unload kayaks off their truck. Dave offered help but they were having none of that! The husband said, "You're not going to be here tomorrow to help me reload them, so, no I don't need help. I need to figure out how I'm gonna do it on my own".

The Ahnapee trail is hard packed gravel and easy to ride with our road bikes. There is little to no elevation change. Some parts of the trail have grass growing which required slowing down and extra attention to the ground on our road bikes. The views were gorgeous. It made for a lovely day with unexpected treats along the way.  We look forward to biking the south end of the trail from Algoma to Luxemburg then down to Keewaunee on our next ride. It's another 40 miles round trip. 

From the Door County Pulse

State of Wisconsin Trail Maps

Menominee Municipal Marina

We spent the summer in Menominee, Michigan aboard our sailboat this year. It was a huge change from our former accommodations across the border in Marinette, Wisconsin. We'd stayed at Nestegg Marina for three summers after completing our America's Great Loop adventure in 2021. Nestegg is up the Menominee River which required going under a lift bridge to get out to Green Bay. The river current could be strong off of the docks. We got a fair share of dings maneuvering through that current.

The Menominee Municipal Marina offers quick access to Green Bay just beyond the breakwater. Our Alberg 35, Mystic, is on a face dock that looks straight out to the bay and the Menominee Lighthouse. Coming and going is quite easy for us. There are about 240 slips at Menominee compared to under 100 at Nestegg. We were often the only ones on our boat in Marinette. There is always someone to chat with at Menominee.

Mystic facing the fuel dock

Mystic on dock C41 Menominee, MI

Our view of the Bay from our dock

The captain's lounge is in the former Water Works building on First Street. It was recently remodeled and looks like a nautical museum with wonderful photos, paintings, charts and stained glass art. Coffee, tea juice, and oatmeal are always available during open hours. On weekends boaters can make waffles. Many a salty sailing story is shared at the captain's lounge. We use the conference room for "Game Night" with dock mates and friends. The marina has community bathrooms near the docks but slip owners prefer the Captain's Lounge private bathroom/showers which are in large private rooms that are classy and comfortable and decorated with a nautical theme. There is also a laundry room where one wash and dry is only $2.50.

Historic photos and paintings

The Coffee Nook

Business Center

Lounge

Historical photos and paintings

Stained Glass

Nautical Motif

Nav Station

Entrance to Captain's Lounge

We've met many of the boaters of Menominee Marina. Everyone is friendly and helpful. Mystic sits out at the end of Dock C in slip 41. Boats motor right by us on their way out to the bay or to Dock B which is just south of us, where they can get fuel and/or a pump out. We get a lot of attention and often hear hollers of, "Nice boat!" sent our way. It's great to be noticed. 

Wednesdays are the yacht club sailboat races with two classes; cruising class and spinnaker class. It is fun to watch as the boats sail the six mile course around each of three markers. We can watch from the breakwater, as each captain works out their own strategy of keeping their sails full and their boat moving toward the finish. The annual Hook race from Racine, Wisconsin to Menominee Marina was held in July. The boats came in under smokey skies from the Canadian wildfires making for a dramatic finish.

Wednesday Night Yacht Club Races

First finisher on the Hook Race Menominee, MI

The Menomonee July 4th fireworks are set off on the Marina Breakwater. Mystic is docked diagonal to the ignition location which is actually closer to the gas dock than to us. Our daughter joined us on the deck to watch a magnificent show that exploded directly above us. We were relieved to feel an off shore breeze that carried any debris away from us and out into the bay. Just in case, we had fire extinguishers and the water hose ready to douse any hot embers.

Photo by Nena Mooney

Photo by Nena Mooney

Photo by Nena Mooney

Photo by Nena Mooney

Photo by Nena Mooney

Waiting for the fireworks show to begin

Since Menominee Marina is in downtown, there are beaches and restaurants within walking distance of our docks. Red Arrow Park and the Menominee Lighthouse are two of our favorites for early morning walks or runs. We've enjoyed meals at several of the local restaurants but one of our favorites is 1.5 miles away in Marinette, across the street from Menekaunee Harbor. They offer a Tuesday special, buy 12 wings and get 12 free. We enjoy half of them with a cold Keweenaw Brewing Company Widow Maker then have the other half for left overs. It is a good deal!

It was a wet summer on Green Bay. Everyone is battling a substantial increase in spiders on our boats. There are all kinds of ways to get rid of them but most folks are using natural sources like essential oils or infusers. The stormy weather can be unpleasant but often gifts us beautiful sunsets and rainbows. After one particularly heavy storm, the sun popped out and we were delighted by the brightest full double rainbow that landed exactly on top of the Menominee Lighthouse. 

Menominee Rainbow

Our decision to move our boat turned out to be a great one. We've enjoyed everything Menominee has to offer and made many new friends. We're looking forward to a summer filled with new experiences!

The Main Hatch And Hand Rail Teak Project

We jumped into a doozy of a project this spring by removing the ornate main hatch cover and both interior and exterior hand rails from our Alberg 35, Mystic, after finding leaks. The project included sanding out the old varnish overflow to the deck and repainting the non-skid area beneath the teak.

Main hatch without teak cover and rails

We took the hatch off first and brought it home to sand and add coats of varnish to the underside. Dave added weep holes so water that gets underneath will have a means of escape. A few years back, we had to repair a small rotted section of the cover caused by sitting water. The changes we've made should avoid further issues.

We removed the interior and exterior rails on our next visit. As soon as we got started, the rain, wind and cold set in. Of course, that meant that the screw holes for the rails began to leak. We waited out the weather for two days, hoping it would clear enough for us to complete the project, but it just got worse. The temperature was too low for the paint and varnish to cure and the wind was brutal. Mystic was doing a little quiver dance on her jack stands. There was no getting around the uncooperative weather so we purchased a small tarp to cover our work area and packed up to head home.

Before leaving the area, we visited our new summer berth at Menominee Marina at the end of a fixed T dock. We were alarmed to see that the water on Green Bay is down over a foot which puts the waterline at four feet below the dock. Luckily, we noticed that our slip did not have a second fender board. Without it, our boat could go right under the dock. 

Dave checking the depths
at Memonimee

Dave on our pier

We talked to the Harbor Master, Bill, who agreed to let us use his work barge to install lower treated lumber fenders and two bumpers, as well as a ladder that Dave built to get us from the dock down to Mystic. The high to low water range on Green Bay is 8 feet. It is currently in the middle so it could get worse, but it could also rise. We'll be prepared for it either way. 

Dave installing a second row of fenders

Our slip with ladder in place

All we need is a BOAT

Back at the house, we began the arduous task of sanding the hand rails. Some areas of teak had turned black from moisture. I carefully sanded them out, right down to the teak. Our teak cleaner was on the boat so I tried using a 2:1 mixture of bleach and water with a touch of dawn detergent. It seemed to lighten the dark spots a bit. We applied 6 coats of varnish to the rails then wrapped them in towels to protect them for the ride to the boat.

The ornate teak hatch went back into place pretty easily but the rails were another story. They are held together with bolts that ran through the outer rail, the hull of our cabin, then into the inner rails with a nut locking them in place. We weren't able to thread the bolt into the nut so Dave decided to put threaded inserts into the inner rails and shorten the bolts. The other option would be to drill out the plugs on the inner rails which we really didn't want to do. It took a lot of time and messing around to get them to line up. In the end, we think we may have had better luck if we'd just drilled out the inner plugs. The job is done and looks great! That's what matters. Now we can get in the water.

Newly installed teak hatch

Hatch and rails in place

Spring In Oconto 2025

We drove to High Seas Marina in Oconto and uncovered Mystic the third week of April. As soon as we arrived, we could see that water was pooling in a section of the cover, causing it to sag and stretch. It turned out to be about 30 gallons that distorted the shape of the fabric but never made it through the water proofing. It was a good thing that we arrived when we did and were able to relieve the pressure under controlled conditions. This has happened before. Next winter we will build supports, like ribs, under the pooling sections to create a slide for snow to melt and slide off. The cover was exceptionally dirty and took hours to clean but the care we take has kept it in good condition. There were a few new tears that had to be repaired but overall the cover has done its job for the last five years! 

Dave found a bird's nest up under the bowsprit. It shouldn't have been a surprise since it's been that way every year that we've wintered on Green Bay. It was pretty big but, thankfully, empty. There was a lot of bird poop to clean up so we are certain it was once home to some kind of feathered friend. It is possible that it was used by a fall brood. 

Large nest found under our bowsprit

Mystic uncovered for spring

The bird sanctuary across the street was already buzzing with red wing blackbirds, robins, cranes, geese and mallards. Each day, the abundant population of doves visited us looking for a place to build their home. We stuffed rags in the end of the boom and in all small openings to discourage unwanted boarders. They are tenacious little buggers.

The Marina was pretty quiet. We ran into the owner, Brett who let us know that the water was not turned on in the yard. It was chilly and windy in Oconto. We couldn't clean the boat so we locked her up and headed home.

It was a bit warmer on our next visit to the marina. We scrubbed Mystic's topsides, teak and hull and prepared to wax her next. I was in the galley making lunch when I found that our main cabin was leaking from the screws of the ornate teak main hatch cover. We'd planned to refinish it last fall but decided to wait until spring. Luckily we noticed and were able to begin addressing the issue. We slowly released the hatch cover from the deck and were surprised to find it in good condition. Dave noticed that some of the teak had not been sealed with varnish. In addition, it really needed weep holes so water could run out from under it instead of being trapped. We took the hatch cover home with us to make the repairs. 

Mystic with cover removed

Boats require maintenance and upkeep and this may be the year of bigger boat projects for us. In addition to our main hatch issue, both our water pump and our hand pump mechanism for the head needed replacement. Whatever else we find, we are up for the challenge!

Taking a break

Memories Bring Back You

The bulletin board in my kitchen is covered with photos of loved ones who have passed. The photos remind me of happy times, sweet memories and the old adage, You Only Live Once! There's a lot of living on my collage.

Tucked in amongst the array is a cherished photo of me with my mom aboard our Alberg 34, s/v Mystic. Mom visited us when we were docked in Westerly, Rhode Island. I never expected that she'd come aboard as she wasn't comfortable on the water. This small gesture of interest in my life stands out for me. During this time, she was struggling with health issues. I wonder if memory loss allowed her to forget her fear.

Mom slipped away last April. She was ready to wrap things up and join all her friends that were waiting at heaven's door; even if we were not. Life goes on, as it should. Things have changed due to her absence but I feel her presence and hear her voice often, especially when I need it most. A couple months after her death, my sister sent me one of Mom's old voice messages that she'd saved. I gasped when I heard mom say, "I'm still here!"

I am reminded, often daily, that my mother is no longer with us, but I see and feel her everywhere. I was making my bed when I realized that every bed in my house has a beautiful hand made afghan that was meticulously crocheted by my mother. I look at her perfectly uniform stitches and remember watching her hands as she created these heirloom works of art. I am quickly consumed with a flood of other memories that make me sad before they fill me with joy and warm me with the sense of her love for her family. I still feel that love!

I find myself doing silly things that make me feel closer to her, like adding a splash of Fabulosa to my laundry. It's like I'm proving that she taught me well and that I was a good learner. Her influence is everywhere.

I had a routine of calling my mom every day at around the same time. For a long time after she passed, I was heartbroken to walk face first into the reality that she was not there to pick up the phone. It's not that I forgot that she was gone. It's more that I desperately wanted her to always be there, my greatest fan, my sounding board where I could say anything without judgement; she was my safe place.

I've come to realize that feelings of grief and love are similar, except grief includes the added complication of loss. Over this past year, my grief has evolved from debilitating pain into a trigger that leads me to happy thoughts of her, like the day she visited our boat.

My grief can be overwhelming, but it comes with wonderful and funny memories that bring her back to me. When I am overcome with sadness I hear my mom's voice telling me, "Don't be sad, I'm just acting my age!" In her own way, she tried to tell me that dieing is a part of life. 

I've come to accept grief. It still hurts that she is gone but I smile when I think of her. Memories of her are sweet and remind me of how lucky I am to have had her at all.

Mom aboard Mystic

The Outer Banks

Manteo, North Carolina is a twenty two hour drive from Minnesota. We booked a week on Roanoke Island with the idea of staying in the Outer Banks area while exploring surrounding communities in search of a place to retire. By the time we got there we learned that 'ManTeo' is pronounced 'Maneo'.

Our route to the coast ran through the Appalachian, Blue Ridge and Allegheny mountains. Our little four cylinder car protested as we maneuvered each mountain pass. We only barely out-ran the big trucks in the slow lane. On the drive south, we stayed in Charleston, West Virginia, a river town where our hotel sat along the wide Kanawha River; a dark and moody body of water with a strong current.

Once we crossed from Virginia into North Carolina and the Outer Banks, we made a stop at Coinjock Marina and Restaurant. We'd been there several times before aboard different boats and stayed at the docks. This visit, the docks were mostly empty. When the bartender heard we were headed for the Outer Banks, he recommended we try Swell's a Brewing Microbrewery in Nag's Head. He mentioned that Outer Banks Brewery didn't have good beer. We took his advice on the good beer brewery but not on the bad. We should have listened!

Coinjock Marina Sandbar

The bar at Coinjock Marina 

Enjoying an IPA at Coinjock Marina

Manteo is a town on Roanoke Island. It is named after Chief Manteo, of the Croatan tribe. We stayed at the Heart of Manteo motel, a fisherman's destination. It was off season so the rates were super cheap. Our hotel was within walking distance of the boardwalk that runs along the Roanoke Sound and out onto Ice plant Island. The boardwalk is lined with shops and condos and the docks are filled with boats. We walked the boardwalk each morning and passed the same group of people playing with their dogs who came to say hello to us. Our boardwalk route was 2.5 miles round trip. We racked up a lot of miles in North Carolina!

Roanoke Marshes Light

Manteo Boathouse

The Ella View

Prickly Pear

Replica of the Elizabeth II
The Lost Colony Ship

The docks at Manteo

Cool shop in Wanchese, NC
On the south end of Roanoke Island

We spent our first two days driving to nearby communities that we are interested in. Plymouth, Edenton and Washington are south and west of Manteo. We found Plymouth to be a cute little farm town suffering from hard times. Most of the neighborhoods in town had abandoned homes. The town had very little commerce beyond a recently built grocery. We were quickly able to cross Plymouth off our list. We are looking for a small town but we want a community.

Plymouth, North Carolina 

Replica of Roanoke River Light
Plymouth, NC

Old Ironside replica in Plymouth 

We'd been to both Washington and Edenton before and fell in love with the southern charm and small town atmosphere. Both towns are steeped in history. Edenton is small with a population of around 4,000. Washington has about 10,000 residents. Our goal was to check out specific neighborhoods. We thought we'd like to live downtown but big houses on small lots made it feel over crowded. We were quickly discouraged by the options. We did find one house in Washington Park, just outside the city of Washington. It sits along a canal only blocks from the Pamlico Sound. It was recently remodeled, but it is smaller than what we are looking for.

Yellow brick road,
Edenton, North Carolina 

Downtown Edenton, North Carolina 

Edenton, North Carolina 

Roanoke River Lighthouse

We took a break from house shopping and spent the next few days exploring the Outer Banks. Fort Raleigh is on the north end of Manteo. We toured the visitors center and learned about the lost colony, a group of British settlers who were the first to land in the United States in 1587. This colony is the oldest in the history of America. The settlers disappeared without a trace after only a few years on Roanoke Island. There are theories of what happened to them but no evidence that one theory is more possible than any of the others. The story of the Lost Colony is fascinating and intriguing. We were taken way back in time at Fort Raleigh.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site

The berm and gate around Fort Raleigh

Fort Raleigh Waterside Amphitheater

Shoreline along Fort Raleigh

During the Civil War, union soldiers took control over the Outer Banks making Roanoke Island a safe haven for run-away slaves. After the war, an African American settlement blossomed there. The Freedom Trail winds through the woods around the Fort. It is an easy 2.5 mile round trip hike that is lined with historical markers and silhouettes telling the story of the early days on the Island. Fort Raleigh has the beautiful Waterside Amphitheater overlooking the Croatan Sound. It has been host to the drama, The Lost Colony, since 1937. 

Hiking the Freedom Trail

Live Oak, Freedom Trail 

Along the Freedom Trail

We wanted to see the entire length of the Outer Banks so we drove south toward Cape Hatteras on a blustery day as a big storm was headed up the coast. The wind whipped sand across the road and blasted our car the entire way. We stopped at Bodie Lighthouse and hiked the grounds that led us out to the salt marsh. We drove south as far as Hatteras Light but found it was closed and hidden by scaffolding. As the weather deteriorated, we drove north with the wind at our backs. Before making our way to the safety of our room, we stopped in Nag's Head to try Swell's a Brewing Microbrewery. The storm caught us , bringing lightening and thunder. 

Sand whipped outer banks NC Highway 12

Bodie Light view from salt ponds

Cape Hatteras Light
undergoing repairs

Stormy stop at Swells'A Brewing

Swell's a Brewing Beers

We still hadn't seen the north end of the Outer Banks so we headed toward Corolla, pronounced 'Corallah'. The drive was beautiful, passing through small communities nestled between wooded areas; very different from the drive to Hatteras which was through the sand dunes. We passed Nag's Head, Kill Devil Hills and Kitty Hawk, then the town of Duck before reaching Corolla. We visited the fabulous Visitor's Center and were directed to the Currituck Lighthouse near the tiny downtown. The historic Whalehead Club, a secluded oceanfront retreat for hunters and conservationists was a short walk from the lighthouse. An amazing bridge, erected in 1922, was the only means to visit the Whalehead.

Currituck Lighthouse

Bridge to the Whalehead

Amazing 1922 Bridge Architecture

The Whalehead

Whalehead skull

We hiked the Currituck Banks Preserve Forest Trail and Corolla Beach looking for wild horses but only saw signs that they had been there. The trail is an easy hike along a boardwalk with side trails leading into the boggy forest. The beach runs along the Atlantic coast. We were told we could find sea glass but gathered only a few cat's eye shells. It was a beautiful day!

Currituck Banks
Preserve Forest Trail

Corolla Beach

Looking for more options for retirement, we took a day to drive to Hertford and Elizabeth City. Both have interested us in our search for a new home. Hertford is a very small town with beautiful homes. Elizabeth City is bigger with almost 20,000 inhabitants. We'd visited Elizabeth City back in 1982 aboard our sailboat Keewatin and stayed at the Hadley Marina Riverside Boatworks. The marina owner, Mary Hadley, drove us into town for supplies. She was very kind to us. We recently learned that she passed away at age 88. 

We could see that Elizabeth City was setting up for the Coast Guard Marathon. About 1,500 runners would be participating in one of the four race options. It is said to be a good, flat Boston Marathon qualifying course, but, apparently, their can be some big winds in Elizabeth City. You can run faster on a flat course but it may be into the wind in this town. 

Elizabeth City Mural

On our way back to Manteo, we visited the Dismal Swamp Canal which opened in 1805 and is the oldest continually operated, man-made canal in the United States. We traversed the canal and stayed at the free dock aboard our sailboat, Keewatin, back in 1982. Today, in addition to the free dock, there is a Visitor's Center and a 22 mile hiking trail along the canal. We hiked a few miles of the trail and enjoyed revisiting this peaceful spot.

Dismal Swamp Canal free dock

Dismal Swamp Trail

Flat bottomed canal barges

Moonshine in the swamp

Dismal Swamp Visitor's Center 

Free Docks along
Dismal Swamp Canal

Loki, the 5 ton Gasoline Locomotive

Coinjock was on our way so we stopped at the Marina for a beer. This time, there was a huge cabin cruiser sitting at the dock. Their Looper flag was flying at the bow. We caught up with the Captain and said hello then discovered that the boat started the Loop in St. Paul Minnesota. It's a small world!

As luck would have it, our friend Tom and his girlfriend, Vickie, happened to be in Portsmouth, Virginia. They drove out to the Outer Banks to see us. We hadn't met Vickie before but quickly felt as though we'd known her forever. The four of us made stops at two microbreweries before having dinner at Arthur's Place, a cute little local restaurant across from the beaches. After dinner and a short nap, we took an evening walk along the Manteo boardwalk. It was a lovely day!

Happy to be spending time with friends

Tom and Vickie

Lost Colony Patio

Bathroom Door
Lost Colony Brewery

Our time on the North Carolina coast was over but we had one more stop on our way north. We got up early to head for Ednyville, a small North Carolina mountain town to visit our friends Michelle and Kay. They moved to Ednyville from Florida in October. It took us about seven hours to get there. The last hour was spent winding through hills and curvy roads. Our visit was short but we managed to slip in stops at Dry Falls Brewery and Trailside Brewery. Their new home is in a beautiful area that was affected by storm Helene last November. Many of the roads were washed out in the flooding. We couldn't get to the local state parks due to the damage. We enjoyed our visit and seeing our friends new home.

With Kay and Michelle

Dry Falls Brewery

Trailside Brewery 

We learned a lot about the North Carolina coast during our trip. It will take several visits for us to make a decision on where our next adventure will begin. We look forward to it. It was a long drive home through the mountains. We had a lot of time to think about the future!

Sunrise over the
Alligator River