I also debated about calling this entry "Detour" or "How I Found 151." This was not about camping, but rather a quick trip in my car to Appleton for a cousin's wedding. He is the youngest of my cousins and the director of bands at Lawrence University, so I had high hopes for the music at the ceremony. I was not disappointed, but at the same time immensely surprised. More about that later.
The journey began Friday morning up 151 through Anamosa , Dubuque, and southwestern Wisconsin. Light traffic, beautiful scenery, easy peasy. Then 151 rambles around the south and east side of Madison, escaping through exits, leaping other roads, and evading logic like a cross between a badger and a chameleon. Finally I emerged on the north side, headed to Oshkosh and Appleton. The road shrunk to two lanes and traffic suddenly slowed to a crawl behind a tractor and wagon. There were several cars ahead of me and two behind, followed by a semi. We plodded along at 20 mph for a few minutes until the semi decided to try and pass the whole line in a tight no passing zone. A cacophony of honks drove him back in line until we got to a hill with a passing lane. The tractor pulled over and the cars ahead of me began to pull ahead, but it wasn't fast enough for the semi. He pulled to the right lane and managed to squeeze back in line a couple of cars ahead of me, causing a screeching of brakes and more horns. As these things usually happen, miles later when I reached Oshkosh, he was still less than a quarter of a mile ahead of me so he didn't gain much.
I decided that coming home on Saturday, I would do whatever necessary to avoid Madison. The problem is that 75% of the roads in Wisconsin are under construction and the other 25% are detours. After a very convoluted route I could never repeat, I finally reached the little country church pictured and 151 WEST of Madison. I won't tell you how long it took me to make the 4 1/2 hour journey home.
I decided that coming home on Saturday, I would do whatever necessary to avoid Madison. The problem is that 75% of the roads in Wisconsin are under construction and the other 25% are detours. After a very convoluted route I could never repeat, I finally reached the little country church pictured and 151 WEST of Madison. I won't tell you how long it took me to make the 4 1/2 hour journey home.
However, on Friday, I reached my hotel in time to have a short visit with my sister and brother-in-law from Georgia, shower, and head to the wedding. It was being held in the backyard at my cousin's home in the little town of Sherwood about a half hour drive. This is a second marriage for Andy and his bride, Kelly. The lawn was punctuated by lovely old trees and edged with landscaped areas. The weather couldn't have been better. A jazz trio of, I assume, some of Andy's students played soft background music as people milled around visiting.
And then the wedding began. As I said, I expected the music to be stellar but traditional--classical pieces. I did not expect the wedding part to dance down the aisle while the soloist sang I Think I Wanna Marry You! First, of course, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, the mother of the bride with her escorts (pictured) and then Andy dancing with his two grown children, Sam and Sophie. Finally, Kelly with her two children. The ceremony that followed included a couple of more traditional pieces by Sam and Sophie on the bassoon and harp and a trombone and bassoon duet by a couple of Andy's colleagues.
But the entertainment didn't end with the ceremony. After a delightful buffet, guests were treated to a bride and groom dance to Fly me to the Moon, ala Fred and Ginger, and a performance by the bride for her new husband with several friends to Today's Your Wedding Day. And of course, that old wedding classic, The Devil Went Down to Georgia, by Andy and his best man. And of course there was cake.
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