Governor Dodge State Park

I decided that Sunday looked like a good day for adventuring, so I headed over to Governor Dodge State Park for the afternoon. 

I've only lived in Wisconsin for going on 30 years so I figured it was time. I had heard that there was a waterfall in the park so of course that was my goal. Turns out, it was just down the road a piece from the front gate so it wasn't hard to find. 

The path through the woods was paved, short and very pretty until you get to this part (up at the top):

'Natural Rock Staircase'...my back pockets!!!

Climbing down was a lot scarier than these pictures make it look. It's all an uneven jumble of rocks to the bottom and pretty steep. Thankfully there is an iron pipe railing to hold on to or I probably wouldn't have attempted it. Some of the 'steps' are pretty far apart for those of us who are short on one end, but I made it to the bottom unscathed! I was rewarded with this bit of loveliness!

Stevens' Falls

Cave next to the falls.

The water is from a spring so it was ice cold and clear. I had to bide my time to take pics because people were wading there. 

That little spring rill has been working on that bedrock a loooooonnnngggg time. 

I made it back up over the scary, scary jaggedy, rocks unscathed! I wasn't even winded. I was so proud of myself...but of course this is my life we're talking about, and it was while I was standing back on the level overlook that I inhaled some kind of a bug and almost died to death from the coughing. It was an exciting few minutes while, thinking I was having some kind of an 'episode', strangers pounded me on the back, tried to get me to drink water, and discussed whether they should call the park rangers or Med Flight. Finally I could suck up enough oxygen to squeak, "I swallowed a bug", and there was a collective "Oh" and everyone went back to their business. Just once, I'd like to have a normal life...just once....

Because this was a family farm back in the day, there was also an old spring house nearby. It sits right over the spring stream and was used to keep things cool before refrigerators were around. I went in  and it was easily 20° or more cooler in there than outside. It was also home to an amazing diversity of spiders but it was too dark to take good pics of them.

All in all, it was a fine afternoon. The only downside was that I wasn't the only one who thought of going adventuring. There were people everywhere! Every natural feature was crowded with folks-both the good and the obnoxious sorts. Made me wish for some of the Maine parks where you can go all day and only see a handful of people. When I'm in the woods or by the water, I like solitude and quiet. Weird for someone who is...now, let's phrase it nicely....'verbally and vocally gifted'...(read *a chatterbox* here). But we know that I am nothing if not an enigma wrapped up in a conundrum, deep fried in paradox oil and smothered in quandary sauce!  Overall it was beautiful but next time I plan to go back either early in the morning, or in the off season when the camping traffic is less.