Off The Editor’s Desk – 8-4-2014

I love this time of year, is it Heaven on Earth? I love the warm weather with all the trees in full greenery. It is great to be alive and drive around the state to see how beautiful it is.

 I must compliment everyone that spends time in the garden and tending to the flowers along the main streets of our communities. Keep up the great work.

I think that Wisconsin is the best place to live. If you were planning a small trip of a couple days or a weekend getaway, I would recommend Northern Wisconsin as a place to go.

I like to travel to Drummond, then west on County Highway N to Barnes and then North on A to Iron River, stop for refreshments, or lunch in Iron River. You will travel some 30 or so miles through the Chequamegon National Forest. I call it the big woods. Continue north on A out of Iron River to Port Wing. Find your way through the village to the Marina where there is an unobstructed view of Lake Superior.

Find your way back to Highway 13 going east through Herbster and Cornucopia along the south shore of the big lake. As 13 turns south at Red Cliff, stopping at the casino is optional.

But the view coming into Bayfield from the north is one of the best sights in the state. One cannot see a better sight than overlooking Madeline Island and the other islands of the Apostle Islands. I recommend that you take the ferry boat to the Island and enjoy an afternoon. Be sure to walk around Bayfield.

Continuing south on 13 and then east on Highway 2 into Ashland. Ashland had a couple of big iron oar loading docks in the bay. But the last one was demolished recently, but there is plenty to see. Then head south on 13 to Glidden passing Northland College on the outskirts of Ashland.

At Glidden, take 77 west to Hayward. This route brings you through the Clam Lake area where the state’s elk herd is located. I have traveled this road at least once a year for the past dozen or so years in hopes of seeing an elk. I have yet to have the luck in that department.

I have made that trip in one day, but it’s a long day and I would recommend that you plan on staying overnight along the way.

In another matter, I would like to report on the progress of the new quarters of the Minnesota Newspaper Museum. I indicated last year that the building that was the home of the Museum at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds was demolished to make room for the new “West End Market” of the state fair.

We have been moved to the old 4-H building on Cosgrove Street, which is the first street to the north of the main entrance, near the old Machinery Hill area of the fair grounds. I have been involved with this museum for about the last twenty years and will be spending ten days of the state fair showing visitors how a weekly newspaper was printed back in the 1930s using the hot lead process. Stop in and visit while at the fair. It starts on Thursday, August 21 and runs through Labor Day.

Thanks for reading! — Carlton