Our Yellowstone Country Friends thought we were joking when we said we were selling our house in Victor, Idaho and moving to Wisconsin last June. Then they said we were crazy when we actually proceeded with the plan. Well, last week we silly folks arrived at our new pad in Hayward, WI.
The nearly three weeks of madness is why you haven’t seen a blog since the Seychelles. I got back to the USA, Mom’s house in NH to be specific, on May 2nd. On May 5th Granny and I drove her jeep to Hayward, WI and on May 9th closed on our new house. On May 10th we caught a 5:40 AM out of Duluth, MN and flew to our storage unit in ID. We arrived at noon and four hours later our 20ft U-Haul was loaded and we began the drive back to WI. We celebrated in Ennis, MT that night.
We got an early start from Ennis and made it to Jamestown, ND on day 2. The next morning we headed for our new home and arrived in Hayward in midafternoon. The move in process began.
This house is on an incredibly quiet half acre. There’s a nearby stream. The birdlife is insane. I’ve counted 24 species so far from the back deck. At night we’re serenaded by peeper frogs and in the morning wakened by the birds. All this, yet we are walking distance to downtown.
The house however is only ok. I wouldn’t call it a fixer upper, but there are things that must be fixed. There are also numerous parts of the house that could use improvement. For instance, the kitchen is pretty much a dungeon. Worst however, the previous owner enjoyed her cigarette smoking and eliminating the smell is by far our biggest and most urgent challenge.
I’ve been fishing three times. I’ve done two 30 minutes sessions of casting streamers from the Washburn, WI dock. We are exactly 1hr 5 minutes to Lake Superior. The first trip I was skunked but on my second I caught a small coho salmon on a Kreelex. Yesterday we fished all the docks around Chequamegon Bay starting in Ashland and ending in Bayfield. Fishing was slow but I managed a beautiful brown trout to the base of a high dock. Stupidly I left my long handle net in the car and the brown was to big to lift up. Eventually he shook my barbless streamer. Remember I’m new here – there will definitely be a few mistakes made!
No doubt the last year has been daunting. Sure, I got out and had some amazing fishing trips, but always in the back of my head was the moving process. It was brutal. But now we are here, in Hayward, WI. Our work is cut out for us but we are embracing it. And tapping the new fishing waters begins!
So you’re settling down again after leaving Idaho Jeff?
We all forget sometimes that adventure can be found in our own backyard! Looking forward to reading about your explorations around Wisconsin. The home construction repairs can wait until winter…
Jeff,
Wishing you the best in Wisconsin. A great state to live and fish!
Tad
Wow Jeff, I know that you and Granny went to college in Wisconsin, but that’s BFE! I hope it all works out well for you, and I wish you all the best! It’s going to be an adjustment after all those years in Jackson Hole.
Make sure to get to Sylvania Wilderness Area outside of Watersmeet, if you haven’t already been there. Insanely great smallies and lakes.
If you’re ever near Grand Rapids and need a bed, give me a call.
All my best, Jim Fisher
Yes Jay – We are hanging our hats here in WI. We always planned to return and finally we have. Ready to make another great run!
Kevin & Tad – We are stoked. And yes, the house work can wait. Most of it that is. The smoke must go!
Hi Judge, yeah man we are near you, sort of anyhow. 34 years in the Jackson area fulltime, that was enough. It was a great run but Granny’s commute to Victor topped out at 1 hour 45 minutes most days. Enough of that. Could be bad here too but at least there are more roads in and out. And fishing is superb! We will look you up
Awesome. Looking forward to reading about your adventures in WI and surrounding area…. In addition to your other awesome trips! Best of luck.
Thank you Lane!