Perimeter: home stretch

Dave, Davis and Chuck © kjm

My day started out with one of the nicest little stretches of lake roads thus far. County highway U from Sturgeon Bay to Algoma and the smaller Lower LaSalle Road were understated, but had all the elements I was now seeking after 12 days of driving: A quiet, unlined road near the lake, with both old school small cottages and a few newer, but tasteful houses; no signs warning about private drives, and a county park that was spotlessly clean and offered both a dramatic view and access to the water. In my trip, some of my favorite viewpoints were county parks. Along U, there was a littlle bit of woods, family farms, runners, and both serious roadbikers and a family on bikes.

Farms with sweeping views of the lake were now appearing, and I pulled into the gravel drive at Dave Seidl's place (left), and was greeted warmly by his three labs. Dave's grandfather started the farm in Kewaunee, which was once a dairy operation, but is now beef and pork. 

In Manitowoc, I met Chuck Sontag (right), who local journalists Matt Apgar and Ben Wideman had told me about. Chuck lives across the road from the lake and has been collecting stats about local birds for over 40 years, venturing out to the lighthouse two or three times a day.

And nearly at the end of my day, I found a diverse set of families enjoying General King Park in Sheboygan, which included 3 year-old Davis Chang (center).