Here's Greg, goin' down the road in his midlife crisis sports car. 
on night 8 we stayed in Rice Lake Wisconsin. We had supper at a most interesting place. An old flashing neon sign. Lehman's Supper Club. Frank Sinatra music playing. "Serving travelers and locals since 1934." Greg calls it a "throw back" from an era long ago. The menu prices were very high! My little fillet was $30 or $40. Everything was $10 to $20 more than it should be. But, they did have several specials for around $20. And, with your meal, you got a relish/fruit tray, soup, salad, like in courses kind of. And my fillet was delicious. Greg's was really good too. It is a really neat place and family owned, handed down through the generations. I really liked it.
Oh, I almost forgot. Somewhere along the way, out in the middle of nowhere, is a little tiny town called Clam Lake. I found my very favorite vacation shop in Clam Lake. The Northern Post Gift Shop & Boutique. Beautiful womens clothes. I bought some summer vacation clothes there! really great sale prices. I highly highly highly recommend this boutique!
We were on the road the next day, Saturday, headed for Chippewa Falls, home of Leinie Lodge. We took the tour of the Leinenkugel's Brewery.
It was really a great tour. I learned the difference between ale and lager. It's in the aging. They have a new beer. Oktoberfest! For my Birthday I am sure! bought some shirts. They have a huge gift store with some old pictures and stuff from the brewery back in the "olden" days where they pulled the wagons with horses. Our tour guide was Seth. He was great. I had on my new Apostle Island tee shirt and he asked if we went to Madeline Island. We said sure. he said he had been there not too long ago. I asked if he wrote on the tables at Tom's and he said he thought he might have. We wrote on some brewery postcards that they would send out for us. I addressed mine to my sister Mick in Rapid City. Greg wrote his to his mom Hazel in Sioux Falls. He said we were there sampling beer, and then he started writing really crooked and bad and then said, "well, I guess we'll go drive some more now." But really, they just gave us 2 little 7 oz samples. and that was all you could have. We were there for quite a while, and then on the road again. At least it was nice out so we could have the top down on the little car. We arrived in Red Wing, Mn. Greg said he used to have some Red Wing shoes and we did see the building. across the water was a music gathering going on. Some guy on the stree told us that is definitely where we wanted to be. So over we went. It was kind of like a hippie gathering. the music was mostly like karaoke. A guy standing up there with his guitar playing along to his music system, with a white bird sitting on his shoulder. There were lots of people there having fun. We didn't stay long though. maybe an hour. Then, on the road again. We stayed in Winona. can't remember the name of the restaurant, but they had steak fajitas which I love. and they were good. the waitress was great, except she had the bad habit of saying "okay, but you'll have to remind me to bring your milk." Greg & I share this as a pet peeve. Me because I was a waitress all through college and after a few summers. Greg because he is in the hospitality business. Why don't you forget the mashed potatotes? why don't you forget the soup? why just the milk? we think we could have a restaurant where "we promise we won't forget your milk," and everyone will know exactly what we are talking about. Why do they forget the milk? I can't remember having a hard time remembering people's milk when I was a waitress. And now I can't even remember if we did have to remind her or if she remembered. anyway, it was another good meal.
Also along the way Greg educated me on Kwik Stops. I think that's how you spell them. They have the cleanest bathrooms! And in the bathroom is a sign from the owners saying that if you don't think the bathroom is absolutely clean and nice, to call them. and then there is the owners phone number for you. The bathroom really was clean in the Kwik Stop I went in. Oh, and Greg says they have the best coffee too.
On Sunday morning we had breakfast and headed for home. We got home before supper time on Sunday August 23. Heidi had called on Saturday and said she almost made it through the whole thing without any horsey incidents. But Butterscotch had an owie on her back right leg. didnt look like much but it was getting pretty swollen. She was right. It was really swollen. We went to the Vet on Tuesday. a puncture wound, all the way to the bone. but we followed the vet's instructions and got lucky and there was no infection and no apparant bone damage and Butterscotch is back out running with the herd now.
It was a great vacation. I missed the horses but quickly got used to having no horse chores to do. But now I'm back home, back in the barn, my new vacation clothes are packed away in the closet but I hope to throw them in a bag and jump in the little car again next summer. And maybe we'll have more time and Greg can do his Route 66 Drive. Maybe.
