Blue Goose ~ Day 8

June 8, 2014 ~ Lake Delton, Wisconsin to Mauston, Wisconsin

I woke early and went to get gas. There two large white vans full of boys and men in green T-shirts from some Troop, also on an adventure, and we had to wait until it opened at 0700. I really needed to brush my teeth, but that done, I was ready for the day, which started at Starbucks to catch up on this blog and download photos, wishing I were one of those people who could drink several cups of coffee with no adverse effects. I love good coffee but am down to one decaf per day. By late morning, the place was nearly full, so I left, wondering how close one has to be and still have Internet. I'll research that. I can work from my van in relative comfort, at least for an hour.

The sky had cleared, a light breeze was blowing and the temperature was in the 70s by the time I got to the International Crane Foundation, in between Lake Delton and Baraboo, tucked away on a road called Shady Lane, and I saw all the 15 species of cranes. In the US, there are only the Sandhill and Whooping cranes, so this was a unique opportunity.  They were stunning and seemingly healthy, although I didn't want to think too long about how they were surviving in such close quarters. They were very tame and some poked their impressive bills throughout the chain links wanting contact? begging for food? pleading? A few species are endangered, and others have diminishing habitats in India or China which the Foundation is helping to preserve those by educating indigenous people.

International Crane Foundation near Baraboo, WI

WIKIPEDIA

From the beginning, ICF was pledged to a mix of five essential activities: research, education, habitat protection, captive breeding, and reintroduction.^[4] ICF tackled the extensive task of captive breeding of cranes, of which little experience or knowledge had previously existed, resulting in a succession of firsts: their hooded and Siberian cranes were the first to produce young in captivity, and young Brolgas and black-necked cranes hatched for the first time in North America.^[5] The Foundation was also the first to hatch an endangered species from an egg fertilized by cryogenically preserved semen.

I walked a couple of miles on the trails and saw the usual birds I've been seeing every day: Baltimore orioles, Yellow warblers, Red-winged blackbirds, Robins, Eastern Wood-Pewees, Catbirds...

A big deal in the upper Midwest is the restoration of the tall grass prairies and oak savannas. A savanna is an open woods, in that the understory is not dense and the trees are relatively widely spaced, so the overall effect is more dry, sunny and park-like than the darkly verdant hardwood forests this time of year.

OAKSAVANNAS.ORG

The oak savanna was once one of the most common vegetation types in the Midwest but is today highly endangered. Intact oak savannas are now one of the rarest plant communities on earth. However, many degraded oak savannas still remain and can be restored. 

A subtle lovely fragrance came from the grasses and wildflowers on the trails, and I intermittently heard loud crane vocalizations. How cool to live in the neighborhood.

An ambience starkly opposed to:

Wisconsin Dells: I had always thought that the attraction at the Dells was a sedate river boat ride past the cliffs of the Wisconsin River gorge. I had no idea that there were miles of gaudy tourist stuff, much of it based on an ancient Greek/Roman theme, with a huge wooden Trojan horse, several "ruins" and a Mt. Olympus with a roller-coaster. Or maybe that was Mt. Olympus. And there was, right off the major highway, a gigantic swimming pool, built into the ground, so that the hundreds of people frolicking in the blue water were pretty much at eye level with the beach sand next to it where guys were playing volleyball. But, hey, good for them.....

Wisconsin Dells -  a new ruin

I drove to Mauston where I spent the night in a Pilot truck stop (a.k.a. travel center since I keep feeling I have to tidy up the connotation of a truck stop.) I got more information from the friendly, helpful women working there. I feel out of place. There is always very loud county music (seemingly amplified in the bathrooms), and truck drivers wander around watching RV, buying stuff, eating, playing video games.... I was assured that the showers were not just for the truck drivers. I wondered because I would hear an announcement, even out in the parking area: "Professional truck drivers, showers are currently available; there is no wait." When there is a wait, a customer pays and then hangs around until he hears: "Shower reservation #7 is available. Please proceed to shower #7." I definitely plan to try this out soon, as a week is too long without bodily immersion in soapy water.  I start out each morning feeling rested and dry, but after being "in habitat" for several hours, I end the day tired, sweaty and itchy. 

Ticks and mosquitoes.  I've taken to wearing dorky white socks with jeans tucked into them. Esther, I would love it if you could send some of your special spray to the SODAs and I will pick it up when I stop there in a few weeks?

I walked across the street from the truck stop where I could see dense greenery with a ravine and birds, but discovered - AGAIN - they were well-hidden birds, and the bugs drove me in 20 minutes, so I went in search of another place to spend an hour.  An advantage of staying in travel centers is that they are almost always on the edge of towns or even in the country, near open land with small woods, creeks or fields.

A few blocks away was a small college campus, so I went there for an hour, moving very slowly to thwart the mosquitoes somewhat. On this trip I also plan to learn the names of more trees, so tonight identified a tree with fragrant, white pea-like blossoms as a Black Locust. The trick will be to remember them. And the same with grasses which confound me, but I'm going to try.