Winter in Wisconsin. Can't ride, but it sure is pretty...

[Black Dog]

Saturday morning, my 21 year old son, and two of his buddys, convinced me to drag my sorry butt outta bed (at 6:00  ) to join them in some ice fishing...  Once vertical, and filled with strong coffee, we hit 'Moose Lake', less than 15 minutes from home, along with about 25 other crazy folks, that had already set up on the ice before we got there...

The fishing was OK, with quite a few 'tip-ups' (bites, for those of you not familiar), and some fish on the ice. 

What really made the 'getting outta bed early on a Saturday mornng' thing worth while (besides some time with my son), was the unusual visual spectical that greeted us, once we ventured out side...  Both Saturday, and Sunday mornings, we had a phenomenon known as 'Hoar Frost' (a deposit of needle-like ice crystals formed on the ground and objects, by direct condensation at temperatures below freezing point, also called white frost).  It had been warmer than normal, both Friday and Saturday.  Both evenings, it was very foggy...  When we got up Saturday morning, everything outdoors was 'white'...  It had not snowed, but the fog, had 'frozen' to everything...  The world outside looked like everything was made of crystal...



A close up of a 'Burning Bush' just off my driveway...



A view looking towards the 'Bark River', which makes up the back lot line to our property...



Last one...



Everything looks this way until the sun begins to burn through.  For a very short time, with the sun shining, and the frost coating everything, 'breathtaking' can be the only word to describe what you see.

So, you folks that live in areas where you can ride 12 months out of the year, I do envy you...  But having the 'seasons' here in Wisconsin, and beauty that only mother nature can provide, with a little something different every day, is what has kept me a 'Wisconsin Boy' for all of my 53 years...

Thanks for looking.

Black Dog

[Spirited-6]

Thanks for posting. I enjoyed "looking"   I have seen that one time in Ky. many years ago, normanly does not happen in these parts.

[Gilligan]

Beautiful it is.  I lived in Wisconsin from 1948 until 1964.  I do miss seeing all 4 of the seasons, ice-skating on the lakes, sledding and tobogganing on the hills; but I don't miss shoveling the snow.

[f-Stop]

Beautiful pics!
Last time I was in WI it was almost two years ago.  Stayed at a hotel in Madison that looked out on one of the lakes and got to see the ice fishing town start to grow on Friday afternoon.  By Saturday the "town" was fairly big...looked like a pretty good time come Saturday night...not sure how much actual fishing was going on by then!  By Sunday afternoon it looked like a white desert again.

Side note:  While in Madison, I ventured into a brew pub just a couple of blocks from the capitol.  Wanted to sample some of the local fair.  To my surprise the place had all kinds of Tex-Mex dishes as well as a hand crafted "Texas style" beer!  (I think they also had Shiner Bock which is a dark lager brewed in Shiner, TX.)  I ended up getting a walleye fillet sandwich and a good stout.

[Jabba]

Dog... I was in Packerland this weekend and saw that frost too.  Although I didn't take any pics.

I was the turd in the punchbowl rooting for the Vikings against the Cowboys too.  I was surprised at how much people there are angry with #4. (You're not allowed to SAY his name either).

Jabba

[sandy]

Normally I'd say that about AZ. But this week we're being hammered with 3 storms. The 2nd one hits tonight. Thursday will be the worst. 3 ft of snow in the high country and 1-2" of rain down here in the Phx area, along with 50 mph winds. I figured it's a good week to putter on the bikes and get a new rear tire on the Wing.

[highcountry]

Cool photos!  In Alaska, we called that ice fog which resulted in hoar frost coating everything with delicate crystals.  We occasionally see it in CO but it is so dry here, we rarely get fog.

[alph]

My favorite frosty mornings where going downhill skiing with my buddy Paul G. in the U.P. of Michigan.  Same exact thing, thick frost on all the trees, then the sun broke through of the clouds, just making it incredibly beautiful!  One of those, once in a lifetime moments were everything works out perfectly. (I’ve had three of those in 43 years)

But, as for the ice fishing!  Forget it!  Absolutely will never do that again!  Went with my father-in-law, eight hours on a frozen wind blown lake, middle of nowhere, and soaking wet from my knees down, all for one pathetic four inch long bluegill!  Not for me!

[~ Timbrwolf]

.....Ahhh Dog. ....you know the day will come...when you will look back at this lil adventure with the boys....with a sigh.....and wish they had time with their new families and ..your grandkids....to take the ol man out on the frozen ice and freeze his nads off for him.. 


...but hey...by then your ..grandkids....will be takin ..grand-pop..out on the ice and frezzin his....old nads off.. 


......great story my friend....and speakin of ..Tip up...Chili and I are goin on a lil adventure this weekend 25 miles South to Houghton Lake , for a lil shindig they throw every year for a week called...Tip Up Town...apparently its a festival held out on the ....Ice of Hughton Lake....sposed to be fun n games...food tents set up....Beer tents....and ofcourse...plenty of Ice fishn...with prizes for the winners.....been meanin to go check it out since I moved up here 5 years ago......photos to come..