Author Archives: nednerbc

The small town of Beaver, IA

Beaver Iowa is a small town off of Highway 30 in Iowa. It is pretty unremarkable to most but it holds some interest to me as my Grandma’s Uncle Morris used to own a tavern there. My grandma remembers piling in the car in the early morning in Menominee MI as a young girl. They would drive all day and get to Beaver. Her uncle let her have all the soda and candy she wanted. She has fond memories of these times. From what I gather he is buried in Ames, IA.

So when I was headed to Omaha this last summer I detoured through to see what was there. And besides the post office and grain elevator there wasn’t a whole lot going on. But the buildings my uncle used to own are still standing (kind of). He also owned the old bank building and I am told he used the vault as a closet. I took some pictures of them. The roofs have collapsed but I took some pictures from the sidewalk.

A few pictures

Downtown Beaver

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Bumper Pool table at Buddha’s Still in De Pere

When my brother graduated from De Pere this past May my family was up the night before to save a drive in the morning. Naturally we headed out to see the nightlife when we stumbled upon this blast from the past in Buddha’s Still. It was my first time playing bumper pool and if I remember correctly I lost every single game I played.

Have you ever played bumper pool? Do any bars that you have been to offer unusual games?

45×90 Club

The ground was wet from the morning’s April showers. My shoes were slipping in the muddy cornfield. Looking around I didn’t see much – the drive here put me further north than I had been in a while. I took another glance at the GPS – We were getting close.

One early spring day as I gazed at a map of my fair state in the comfort of my apartment I noticed two lines crossing at a point west and north of Wausau near a town called Poniatowski. It was the 45º north line and the 90° west line. “I wonder if there is anything there?” I thought to myself.

A quick Google search planted the seeds for the adventure to come. Not only was there something there but going there entitled you to become a part of the 45×90 Club. This was going to happen.

A visit to my girlfriend’s in Stevens Point was the perfect jumping off point and also provided a fellow adventurer. (Adventures are generally more fun with company). We left on an overcast morning. We hit a few patches of rain on the drive north but it stopped by the time we pulled into the small lot with the information board and ceremonial marker.

The informational Marker at the 45x90 point in Poniatowski, WI

The informational Marker at the 45×90 point in Poniatowski, WI

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Cost Per Mile

After about 3 years of not having a car I jumped back into ownership in the spring of 2014. I have a 2003 Ford Taurus. Since I bought it I have been tracking what I have spent on it in a spreadsheet to get my cost per mile. I have all of the behind the scenes stuff hidden.

A few notes –
I drive a 2003 Ford Taurus. I bought it in March of 2014. I rarely drive around town (because I try to bike to work as much as I can) so that helps the mileage. I change my own oil and (knock on wood) I have not had any major problems yet. Insurance is paid in full for the year to avoid installment fees and I also check my tires regularly.

Let me know if you have any questions or if you would be interested in the breakdown of spending.

Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne

I recently finished reading Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne. I first became aware of the book at a Barnes and Noble a few years ago. I thought about buying it then because I like bikes and I like Talking Heads but I decided not to. I was browsing at my library when I ran across it again and I thought it would be a good time to read it.

The book seems to based on the author’s view of different cities as he sees them from his bike. The title is very fitting. From what I understand he generally takes a bike when he travels – either on his tour bus or a folding bike in a suitcase. Some of the cities we learn about are Berlin, Manila, London and Sydney. The only populated continent not represented is Africa.

As I was reading I realized the book was a little older by the many references to the Bush (W) presidency. I am not left wondering which way the author leans politically. I think the book was written over a period of time and over many different places. It is interesting to get the view of the citizens of other nations and I think that is a really cool part of the book.

The real meat of the book, and the part that interested me, was the writing about biking. I got to vicariously ride throughout cities all over the world. Some cities are easy to bike, and some are difficult. Biking (or walking) gives a different perspective of a city than a car does. And in some cities it is faster than driving. The thoughts that come to the author while biking lead to many cool insights and tangents.

The idea of bringing a fold up bike traveling is an intriguing one. It can save quite a bit of cab or bus fare, and it allows you to see the city on your own terms.

In the back of the book the author has some sketches of bike racks he designed for New York City (his place of residence). They are meant for specific areas – for example a dollar sign for Wall Street. I think this is a good idea. It is public and functional art.

If you like travel books and semi-random musings this might be a book to consider reading. I enjoyed it. You can check it out at your local library or at the official site here.

“26th best small town in America”

Just off of Highway 30 in Iowa is the small town of Nevada. I had to read what they put on their sign twice. It says “26th best small town in America”. I can see if you were in the top 10 or something it might make sense but at what point do you say to yourself “We should probably find something else to put on our sign”.

I filled up in town and my Dad and I had lunch at Quirks. It was filling and good. The service was friendly and prompt. The bar level seemed really high, but the stools didn’t match the height. That was the only negative for me.

It seemed like they have a historic downtown. It was daytime but I didn’t see the neon lights usually associated with the other Nevada. According to the Wikipedia page the name is pronounced differently than the state.

Have you ever been to Nevada, IA? What is the strangest thing you have seen a town put on their welcome sign?

Highway Rest Stops

Highway rest stops are unique places.

Highway rest stops are not a destination. Nobody sets out to go picnic at a rest stop.

Highway rest stops are a stopping point. A harbor, a wayside on the road.They are a place to rest.

You are not required to buy anything to use the bathroom. You can stay as long as you like. Take a nap, walk the dog, stretch your legs.

The cars on the highway are whizzing by just a hundred feet away. But here it is calm. Things are slow. You move at a more natural pace.

Yes, you still have a ways to go, but, for now, you rest.

Wisconsin Rest Stop

Pile of Snow in Stevens Point

My girlfriend and I were heading downtown in Stevens Point in early April when I saw this. At first I thought it was a bunch of dirt from an excavation. Then it hit me – this was snow. The snow pile is like a beached iceberg. It is massive. I wonder how long it will take to melt?

About a week before Easter I was in Stevens Point. I saw an ad for the Stevens Point Riverfront Arts Center. They had a Peeps art exhibition in celebration of Easter. I thought it would be fun to see what there all was. Below is a small sampling.

The Last Supper made with Peeps

I thought it was all very creative. I only captured a few on camera but there was many more pieces. The bright colors are fun to look at.

: An Easter Basket made of Peeps

: Quidditch

: A field of Peeps

: Mount Peepmore. It even has the flags.

Have you ever made Peeps art or other art from food?

Devil’s Lake State Park

Early in April I stopped off at Devil’s Lake State Park near Baraboo, WI on the way to my family cabin. Usually when I go to Devil’s Lake it is extremely crowded. But that isn’t the case when the lake is still frozen, apparently.

Nobody on the beach at Devil’s Lake State Park

Devil’s Lake is a jewel in the state park system. It has very unique geography. The hiking is amazing and the views are superb. I have fond memories of visiting when I was a kid. It is just such a different geography. The fallen rocks are wonderful and very fun to scramble over.

Fallen Rocks at Devil’s Lake State Park

The lake is the focal point of the park. No motor boats are allowed. It is very calm, peaceful and serene. There are about 4 or 5 private houses on the lake but the rest of the shoreline is the part of the state park. I have never seen it frozen before.

View from the west bluff of Devil’s Lake in Early April, 2014

I hiked up the west hill. The weather was sunny and a little on the cool side. I huffed and puffed to the top, first taking off my jacket and then my sweatshirt. I had to take a few water breaks and catch my breath. The view was worth it, though.

Even though it was rather cool the park was teeming with life. I passed many people hiking and I saw a few groups rock climbing (with some pretty serious gear, too).

I bought a Wisconsin State Park pass. It was $25 and a day pass is $7. I have to stop at state parks 3 more times for this to pay off. I don’t see this being a problem; I am looking forward to getting outdoors more after a long, cold winter.

You can learn more about the park at the DNR site and on Wikipedia.