We decided to stay at Three Rivers Lodge for dinner. We sat next to the wall of windows and as the sun set and darkness crept over the landscape we once again were amazed as the Rotary Lights came to life. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day almost three million lights adorn the trees and the Christmas themed displays. Some hot coffee and dessert fortified us for the walk outside and into the park.

A Light Castle offered a variety of live entertainment. Hay rides and horse drawn carriage rides were available. A live nativity scene, caroling, and of course Santa’s reindeer added to the joyous feeling. The river reflected the lights and added to the feeling of Christmas fantasy. We ended our tour of the Rotary Lights by offering a donation to the Rotary Club food fund that supports many local food pantries in the La Crosse area.

We drove home having enjoyed a great meal and a splendid Christmas event. We vowed to do the same next year.

Pete & Nora

Eagle soars over the Mississippi

Many winter guests at our rural bed and breakfast, the Inn at Lonesome Hollow, take the short drive to the big river to view the symbol of our nation. The most spectacular viewing occurs when most of the Mississippi is frozen, and only small areas (often downstream of dams) remain open. The eagles gather in these spots because they can enjoy fine winter fishing. Often one can view eagles soaring, eagles perched in trees, eagles sitting on nearby ice dining on their catch, even eagles swooping down on the water to grab lunch - all in one spot of the river.

There are a couple of local events that provide the opportunity to view the eagles along with programs, exhibits, and even winter hiking. In Prairie du Chien their Bald Eagle Appreciation Day is scheduled for February 27, 2010 and will be held at the regional tourism center at the Hwy 18 bridge entrance. Bird experts will be there to help inform the public about eagle behavior. Another eagle event, Cassville’s Bald Eagle Days will be held on Januray 30/31, 2010. Cassville is located about 30 miles south of Prairie Du Chien on the Mississippi River.

Pete and Nora

Slight glint of the morning dawn on the frozen river

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve (KVR) is a jewel. It is more than 8000 acres of roughly sculpted hills, bluffs, and valley that are owned by the people of Wisconsin. It is located near the center of the famed Driftless Area, a large island or peninsula of land that was spared by the Wisconsin Glacier of ten thousand years ago. The Kickapoo River has therefore been slowly wearing away the limestone bedrock of the valley for more than one hundred thousand years. In places this erosion is gentle in appearance, with graceful valleys that gradually meld into the hills. In other places this erosion is dramatic and limestone bluffs rise almost one hundred feet vertically out of the river bed. The Kickapoo Valley is twenty-five times older than the pyramids of Egypt. It is about 500 times older than the United State of America. It is evidence of the persistence, the patience, and the power of nature.

Kickapoo River from Bridge 15

Our walk was exceptional. We saw no other person. The trail wandered through pristine forest and valley bottom, often right alongside the ever wandering Kickapoo River. Our lungs sucked in the frigid air. We walked quickly to accelerate our heart rates and make our family doctor happy! Dr Dave would approve of our start to this day.

Bridge 15

It is too easy for midwesterners to stay inside during the cold winter months. We can always find diversions that keep us in the warmth and protection of our homes. But if you can muster the energy to venture out into the cold, the rewards can be amazing and beautiful. And blessed.

Happy winter!

Pete and Nora, Inn at Lonesome Hollow

Winter at Lonesome Hollow

It looks like the 2009/2010 winter will be another snowy one in Wisconsin. In SW Wisconsin, about 60 miles south of La Crosse, we are right now watching a big storm go through. There is already a foot of snow on the ground from this storm and 3-5 inches additional is forecast for later today. So, lets make lemonade from the lemons!

For those who are adventurous enough to go out into the snowy landscape, the rewards are many. There is nothing more quiet and more peaceful than a snow-filled forest. The normal quiet of a rural forest is rendered even quieter by the sound absorbing blanket of snow. Everything is fresh, and white, and invigorating. Animal lovers have access to the tracks of every critter that has recently passed before you on the trail. Signs of deer, rabbit, fox, turkey, coyote, and even an occasional bobcat will be there on the ground. Look also for signs of a hawk swooping down to the ground to grab an unsuspecting field mouse.

Snowshoeing at Lonesome Hollow

The Inn at Lonesome Hollow is a rural bed and breakfast located half way between Gays Mills and Soldiers Grove, Wisconsin. Accommodations include B&B rooms, suites, and a cabin. All units have a gas fireplace to warm up over after a few hours in the woods. Four of our units have whirlpool tubs for you to soak away any residual chill. Enjoy a hot breakfast guaranteed to fill you up; dine at a great pub only four miles away; or order a take out meal from the pub’s menu and we will pick up your dinner for you.

The Inn offers complimentary use of snowshoes for use on the four miles of trails at Lonesome Hollow or at one of five nearby state parks.  Visit www.lonesomehollow.com to see hundreds of photos of our 160 acre property. We off special internet winter rates to make your stay economical as well as enjoyable.

Pete and Nora

The Kickapoo Valley Reserve is hosting its annual Winter Festival on Saturday, January 10th.   There are many interesting activities planned, including a chain saw sculpture demonstration, a natural ice cave guided hike, horse drawn bobsled rides, tri-state Malamute Club Sled Dog Race,  three presentations by the Ho-Chunk Nation about their prehistoric life and traditional stories, skating, sledding, and skiing.  It is a very enjoyable day, ending with a candlelight hike/ski and winter astronomy at Wildcat Mountain State Park.

On February 7th and 8th, the Snowflake Ski Club in Westby is hosting its annual ski jump competition.   The ski jump complex at Snowflake consists of 5 jumps all located in the same area of beautiful Timber Coulee. The largest is a 118 meter Olympic sized hill used for United States and International Competitions. Some of the best International and US jumpers compete on the large hill, often traveling down the jump with speeds in excess of 50 Miles per Hour flying for hundreds of feet!!! Ski jumping truly is the original extreme sport.

First Snowfall of 2008

Last year we had the most winter snow of any winter in recent memory. Showshoeing opportunities were obviously better than ever at Lonesome Hollow and a good number of our guests took advantage of our offer for free use of snowshoes and ventured onto our valley and ridge fields and trails to experience the beautiful winter snowscapes of the Driftless Area and the Kickapoo Valley. We have modern, Cabelas’ aluminum frame snowshoes and traditional rawhide web snowshoes that guests may use.

Our first winter snow of ’08-’09 came on November 30. This snow was followed by abnormally cold weather, setting a good amount of frost into the ground. Several smaller snows followed that initial snow, and then on December 8/9 a major storm dumped about 10 inches of new snow on us. Here we are in the first half of December and we already have ideal snowshoeing conditions.

Guests are welcome to explore four miles of our own private trails at Lonesome Hollow. Almost 100 of our 160 acres are wooded. We maintain these trails throughout the warmer months to keep briar and tree branches from encroaching on the trails. There are 20-30 acre fields both in our valley and on our ridge that offer more open snowshoeing with great panoramas of our Driftless Area hills.

On a Trail at Lonesome Hollow

Take advantage of our special holiday and winter pricing, and come to Lonesome Hollow for snowshoe fun and exercise. Guests are also encouraged to use our snowshoes at any of the five state parks that are within a 45 minute drive. You can finish a day of winter trail exercise with a thermos of hot chocolate sipped at a warm winter bonfire, or soaking in one of our two person whirlpools!

Pete & Nora