This Way To The Egress, Ladies and Gentleman!
As I was out adventuring on Sunday afternoon, I saw a sign on the highway that said 'Scenic Overlook', so I pulled off the road and into the upper parking lot. I am a sucker for 'scenic' anything and also for those markers for historic places you come across sometimes. (In Maine we call them 'rocks with writing on them' because the metal plaques are usually attached to huge, usually granite, boulders, but here in WI, they are usually in the form of an actual wooden sign. But I digress...).
I knew it had to be something really beautiful because I was in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. The Saint Laurentide Ice Sheet never made it down this far in the last Ice Age. The area wasn't scraped clean by the rampaging berg and rushing waters, so it's all the original Cambrian seabed underneath. Lots hills and vales! I also knew, that if the powers-that-be thought it was important enough to build a groovy, and quite obviously spendy, pedestrian bridge over the highway so the masses could access this wondrous spectacle, it must be pretty. darn. amazing.
So I set off across the well-maintained parking lot to the fabulous bridge. It was hot and humid and the whole thing was downhill, meaning that after I saw the amazing view, I would have to hike uphill all the way back, but I just knew it would be totally worth it!
Lovers had locked padlocks on the bridge to signify their eternal adoration for each other. It was sweet to see and I wondered why the bridge wasn't covered with locks in, what must be, a very high traffic area? Hmmm. A mystery to be sure!
Across the parking lot, over the swanky bridge, through another huge, well-mown and paved parking are ( for scenic view enthusiasts coming the other way on the highway) and I encountered this. Pretty, no? Look how well maintained it is-all mowed up nice. It was nice in the shade and there was no one else around which seemed a little odd but my excitement grew. I just knew that whatever was at the end was going to be SO worth it! I mean why else would they lure...er....invite people all the way down here?
The path led to this little observation terrace. All the better to see the scenic view! What a great idea! They've though of everything! I rushed forward to see what I could see!!! And....
View to the left.
View to the right.
Uh...wha???? Is this the point in the horror movie when the crazy park ranger shows up with an ax, having enticed his victim into the wild? The surroundings were such a non-event that even he was a no show!
Either this was one of those scenic overlooks geared to much, much taller folk than I, or someone forgot to install the scenic view! The only thing around the end of the path was dense vegetation. No one had trimmed the sumac and other assorted growth for years. I couldn't even glimpse a little bit of 'scenic' through the underbrush and tree trunks. And now, I would have to walk uphill through a path, two parking lots and a bridge to get back to my air conditioned car! Doh! Fell for it again! Print the word 'sucker' on my forehead!
Over the years, I've chuckled at the Scenic View sign on I-95 below Sherman, ME in the winter when it states 'Scenic View Closed'. ( I'm guessing because it's on such a big hill and they don't want to plow it the drive up there.) I always think, "how can they 'close' the scenic view? Annnndddd, now I know.
To recap:
The ilk of what I expected to see...
Reality.
Heavy sigh. I really AM gullible. (I'm a little ashamed to admit that I was taken for a ride...er...walk, and I almost didn't write this for fear of ridicule, but if this post can save just one person from heading down that path, it will be worth it! Snicker...)
Now I have to petition the town of Dodgeville to change the sign to include the word 'Ustabeah' in front of 'Scenic View'. Until then, if you're in that neighborhood, don't fall for the shiny, shiny bridge and the promise of paradise....turns out it's just a parking lot!
Now I have to petition the town of Dodgeville to change the sign to include the word 'Ustabeah' in front of 'Scenic View'. Until then, if you're in that neighborhood, don't fall for the shiny, shiny bridge and the promise of paradise....turns out it's just a parking lot!
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