A mere 4 days after returning to Saint Paul from the North Shore, we headed into Wisconsin to visit the Experimental Aircraft Association annual show, Airventure 2008. It was a multi-purpose trip. We needed to return Granddaughter Malwina to Roscoe, IL so her Dad could pick her up to take her home to Mascoutah (near St. Louis); from there we needed to pick up Grandson Dominic and return him to Saint Paul; and since we were going anyway, we took another Granddaughter, Meghan, on the round-trip with us.
The first day was dedicated to (mostly) travel, as Oshkosh is far enough from Saint Paul that by the time you get there the day is pretty well over. So we allowed time for a side-trip to Wisconsin Dells where we rode the Wisconsin Ducks. When I was a young man Wisconsin Dells was already a major tourist attraction. However, in those earlier years the emphasis was on nature, scenery, and the beauty of the area. Over time Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton sort of melded together into one large community comprised of motels, water parks, gift shops, museums, and every sort of mechanical attraction known to civilization. Some people think it has become ugly. I guess that's in the eye of the beholder, because it's still the #1 tourist destination in Wisconsin, and after summer is over and autumn returns, Wisconsin Dells reverts to a quiet village of about 2200 population. Tourists have left enough money there during the summer to keep everything in local government solvent for the rest of the year. Tourism is not all bad. For all the glitz and plastic it's still a beautiful area and the water, forest and wildlife is still there for those who wish to view it. Riding the Ducks is an exercise in viewing the natural beauty of the Dells area.
The second day was dedicated to a full day at Airventure 2008, and what a full day it was. We easily could have spent the entire week there (and may do just that next year). One day is just not enough, but given the grandkid transportation thing we were doing it was all the time we could spare. Can't tell you how many visitors come to Oshkosh during Airventure week, but the total has to be in the 100's of thousands. All the highways in the vicinity are shut down and converted to all lanes in in the morning, and all lanes out in the afternoon. It's a major traffic snarl - and that's just on the ground. The airfield becomes the busiest airfield in the world for one week. You would have to see the number of airplanes on the ground and in the air to believe it. Whatever I might tell you would probably be considered a lie, you know, sort of like a big fish story. The sky is as busy as the highway. It's a unique situtation, and it only happens at Oshkosh, and only for one week a year.
We're back in Saint Paul, and will be here for the rest of the month. One of the weekend things we will be doing is the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. This festival has grown since its inception nearly 30 years ago. It has been a national draw for tourists for many years. The festival is held weekends in August, and the Labor Day w/e. It's a world-class event and is a good pattern for other areas to follow in planning their own festivals. Other than that, it's just life in the slow lane for us, one day at a time.
Enjoy the photos, and don't be afraid to leave a comment. Thanks.
The first day was dedicated to (mostly) travel, as Oshkosh is far enough from Saint Paul that by the time you get there the day is pretty well over. So we allowed time for a side-trip to Wisconsin Dells where we rode the Wisconsin Ducks. When I was a young man Wisconsin Dells was already a major tourist attraction. However, in those earlier years the emphasis was on nature, scenery, and the beauty of the area. Over time Wisconsin Dells and Lake Delton sort of melded together into one large community comprised of motels, water parks, gift shops, museums, and every sort of mechanical attraction known to civilization. Some people think it has become ugly. I guess that's in the eye of the beholder, because it's still the #1 tourist destination in Wisconsin, and after summer is over and autumn returns, Wisconsin Dells reverts to a quiet village of about 2200 population. Tourists have left enough money there during the summer to keep everything in local government solvent for the rest of the year. Tourism is not all bad. For all the glitz and plastic it's still a beautiful area and the water, forest and wildlife is still there for those who wish to view it. Riding the Ducks is an exercise in viewing the natural beauty of the Dells area.
The second day was dedicated to a full day at Airventure 2008, and what a full day it was. We easily could have spent the entire week there (and may do just that next year). One day is just not enough, but given the grandkid transportation thing we were doing it was all the time we could spare. Can't tell you how many visitors come to Oshkosh during Airventure week, but the total has to be in the 100's of thousands. All the highways in the vicinity are shut down and converted to all lanes in in the morning, and all lanes out in the afternoon. It's a major traffic snarl - and that's just on the ground. The airfield becomes the busiest airfield in the world for one week. You would have to see the number of airplanes on the ground and in the air to believe it. Whatever I might tell you would probably be considered a lie, you know, sort of like a big fish story. The sky is as busy as the highway. It's a unique situtation, and it only happens at Oshkosh, and only for one week a year.
We're back in Saint Paul, and will be here for the rest of the month. One of the weekend things we will be doing is the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. This festival has grown since its inception nearly 30 years ago. It has been a national draw for tourists for many years. The festival is held weekends in August, and the Labor Day w/e. It's a world-class event and is a good pattern for other areas to follow in planning their own festivals. Other than that, it's just life in the slow lane for us, one day at a time.
Enjoy the photos, and don't be afraid to leave a comment. Thanks.
Dave & Pat
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