We had a great meal at the Blue Moon Cafe in Ludington last night and woke to a glowing orange orb (thanks, sadly, to California and Oregon fire smoke). The S.S. Badger pulled out of port with a crowd, but we had a tiny little stateroom where we could escape with two berths and a private bathroom. It was a gusty, warm, and hazy crossing with passengers masked up, except the Badger Bingo players, who must feel like gambling and luck gain immediate crowd immunity:(

Our four-hour ride landed in Manitowac, Wisconsin. We jumped into our vehicle and took a beautiful Lake Michigan drive to Sheboygan for lunch at a little cafe on the inlet, before driving to Fon Du Lac and Appleton for the night.

The most impressive sights of this part of  Wisconsin were rolling farmlands with patchwork crops of color, meticulous farms with stone-based ancient barns, and tidy little towns. The biggest surprise, after the vivid blue of Lake Michigan, was the impressive homes bordering the lake flanked with cornfields. I’m assuming the fertile soil is not to be wasted on mere dwellings:)

Tonight we have settled into a downtown Appleton loft, with busy train tracks beneath our window. We are off to see what downtown bars and restaurants have to offer. Safely. Masked. Distancing. Loving life.