Originally printed November 13, 2016
Thanks. I needed that.
After a long, sad week for me, I needed to seriously get the yah-yahs out of my system. I got just what the doctor ordered on an 11.3 mile hike north of Manitowoc/Two Rivers.
Originally, I was going to hike the northernmost section of the Point Beach Trail, a connecting route to Mishicot, and the Mishicot segment itself for a roughly 9 mile hike. However, Dolly, the trail angel with whom I’ve been working lately, informed me of a new trail just northwest of the Mishicot segment. This trail, the East Twin River segment, was a little over a mile long, with a relatively short connecting route leading to it. A new trail to explore, plus off-road parking for my car; what’s not to like? So, I said yes to the extra two miles and change, and drove to Two Rivers on Thursday. I arrived Thursday afternoon and checked in at the same motel where I stayed the previous week. After finding the end of the trail and marking it on my GPS, I returned to Two Rivers and visited Luigi’s again. That night, I really pigged out with a plate of linguini and “frutti de mar” cooked in white wine, some garlic bread, and a mongo piece of tiramisu for dessert. Stuffed and armed with leftovers for breakfast, I returned to the hotel. After some TV, a shower, and some reading, I hit the hay and slept like a rock.
In the morning, my biggest consideration was just how many layers of clothes to wear. Making this choice can be tricky. I start with the premise that I should probably dress a little lighter than I would normally, since I know I’m going to build up some body heat as I hike. At the same time, I don’t want to under dress and catch a cold. The temperature range Friday was low to mid 40s, with a stiff breeze out of the north. Out of consideration for that wind, I decided on a wool under layer, covered by a “Don’t-shoot-me-I’m-not-a-deer!” lime yellow long sleeved t-shirt, a vest, and a windbreaker. If I warmed up sufficiently, I could always shed a layer and put it in my back pack. As it turned out, I never heated to the extent that I needed to shed any clothes on this hike.
After meeting the trail angel, Dolly, at the end point for my hike, we drove to the starting point and arrived there at about 8:15. After saying goodbye, I began my hike by entering the northernmost portion of the Point Beach segment. This is Rahr School Forest, part of the Manitowoc School District. According to the school district’s web site, “ Located along the beautiful shores of Lake Michigan, the School Forest has been an outdoor education facility for over fifty years. Within the nearly 300 acres are mixed forests, stands of pine, sand dunes, fields, a swamp, and a pond; all of which offer a unique learning environment. “ Students begin coming to the forest for special classes starting in 4 year old kindergarten, and classes continue throughout their careers in the school district. A long boardwalk has been built to enable hikers to walk the swamp, yet stay dry. While walking on this boardwalk, I flushed a couple of deer. Fortunately, I hiked this area in autumn after a hard freeze. Had I been here a month earlier, no amount of bug repellent would have kept me from being eaten alive by skeeters. That being said, the area was very beautiful.
Once I was through this forest, I began the 5.3 mile connecting route to Mishicot itself, which is a straight shot west along Manitowoc County Highway V. After being in deep woods, I felt I had suddenly entered a sort of big sky country. Even this far into November, I found plenty of beautiful fall colors. As usual, I walked on the left side of the road facing traffic, and drivers were very good about pulling into the opposite lane to give me a wide berth. Throughout this portion of the walk, a fairly strong north wind was buffeting my right side. In relatively short order, I was through this section of the hike and entering the village of Mishicot.
Mishicot strikes me as a quiet town where the social life centers primarily on church and school activities. Now, I’ve been in other “trail towns” – Delefield, Janesville, Milton, Slinger and Hartland. Outside of using a restroom at a couple of spots, I’ve always made it my business to get through them as quickly as possible, so as to get to the “wilder” portions of the trail quickly. But, on this hike I broke with my usual practice and stopped at the Cozy Corner Cafe for a cup of coffee and an English Muffin. The woman behind the counter and the two customers at the counter were very welcoming to me, and they seemed interested in my journey. After spending 15-20 minutes with them, I saddled up and was on my way. The trail crossed the town’s main drag and wound its way along the EastTwin River through Mishicot’s Village Park. A couple of fishermen said hello as they walked along the river’s edge looking for some steelhead. In short order, I passed a dam and crossed the Rockway Bridge, originaly built circa 1865. I’ve since learned that the latest version of the bridge was built in 1925. It was turned into a covered pedestrian bridge in 1995 after the state DOT determined that it was no longer safe for vehicle traffic. Shortly after that, I came to the Mishicot Opera House.
That’s right, the Mishicot Opera House! According to the plaque, this was the largest of its kind in Manitowoc County. It was built in 1893 as an addition to an already existing hotel and bar. Like other small town halls, it was called an “opera” hall, although it was unlikely that any operas were ever performed there. But, it had a rich history, and I’m sure it had to be a major social hub for the area. According to the web site for the Mishicot Area Growth and Improvement Committee, “ In the 1930’s, 40’s, and 50’s especially, the hall was used for stage plays, concerts, basketball games, and other events for which the school auditorium was too small. The hall was also a frequent gathering place for dances, wedding parties, Lions’ Club meetings, farmers’ institutes, and occasionally shows by local talent or by traveling entertainers.” A picture of the Opera House is shown at the top of this page.
The remainder of this segment was a bit longer than a mile, mostly easements between farmer’s fields. I can’t say it was particularly exciting or scenic, but I was certainly grateful to be off county highways. After a brief connecting route, I crossed a bridge over the East Twin River, turned north, and entered the East Twin River segment.
This is a new segment, just opened in 2014. From what Dolly told me, part of it is on IATA-owned land, while the other portion of it is an easement on private property. It was obvious to me that I had unwittingly saved the best for last. This trail is beautiful as it winds roughly parallel to the East Twin River and to its west. Part way though, the trail crossed a bridge and the trail winds its way north on the river’s east side. Along the length of the trail, I was surrounded by tall trees. One gnarly maple caught my attention. Somebody – perhaps the land owners – had placed a sign in front of it saying “Thompson Family Tree.” But, mostly, I was surrounded by extremely tall white cedars, many of them better that 25 feet tall. Gorgeous country with some gentle hills; this is a trail I’d love to hike with my wife.
Before too long, I came to the end of the trail, where my car awaited me. Soon, I was settled comfortably at the Two Rivers Family Restaurant, enjoying a walleye fish fry.
My Days on the Ice Age Trail 