Madison Region
For Jen's 2008 birthday weekend, we took off for Madison. Instead of taking I-94 straight there, we took a more northern route that ran parallel to I-94. Our goal was to go hiking at Devil's Lake State Park and then spend the evening in Madison. However, our plans were foiled when storms and tornadoes swept through the area. It was the weekend Lake Delton was swept away and we found ourselves in the midst of Mother Nature's chaos.
The Route
* I-94 heading west out of Milwaukee
* Hwy 89 going north through Waterloo and Columbus
* Hwy 60 going west through Lodi
* Hwy 113 from Lodi to Merrimac Ferry (pictured)
* Hwy 78 south through Sauk City and Black Earth
* Hwy 14 east from Black Earth to Madison
Trip Highlights
Columbus - This town has a very well preserved main street populated with a fair amount of antique stores. We ate lunch at the Red Bud Bistro, did a little antiquing, and strolled through the main areas of town. As we left town, we noticed a storm approaching from the west.
Wicked Storms - About 30 miles from the Merrimac Ferry, the wind and the rain were so strong that we had to pull over. Unaware of the severity of the storm, a few tornadoes passed by to the north of us. When we reached the ferry, the torrential rains had paused, giving us this photo op. Once we crossed, the rains started again and emergency responders were on the roads warning travelers to see shelter. At that point, we decided not to continue onto Devil's Lake for our planned hike. Instead, we turned south towards Madison.
Madison - We arrived in Madison in the late afternoon. There, we checked into The Madison Concourse Hotel, located one block from the State Capitol. This is a very comfortable hotel which we recommend to anyone wanting to stay near the square.
By now, the storms had stopped, so we strolled down State Street. We stopped at The Great Dane Pub for a refreshing microbrew. Unfortunately, it was quite noisy, so we continued on to have an excellent seafood dinner at The Blue Marlin (highly recommended!).
The next morning, the torrential rains resumed. We ate an eggs benedict breakfast at a great little diner just off the square called Cafe Continental. After breakfast, we went to the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Due to the continuous rain, we were only able to view the conservatory.
By noon, we were fed up with the weather, so we hit the road home. Instead of taking I-94, we took a parallel route directly to the south, where we encountered flooded roads and a soaked landscape.
Undeterred by the poor weather of 2008, we are re-taking this trip in June 2009.
