With fewer agenda items, our second trip up to Red Cliff was more focused on the task of cataloging new items, specifically finishing up the Metz Collection. When we arrived during the afternoon of April 15th we fell right into cataloging the Metz Collection. Additionally, Nancy talked to us about taking care of some administrative tasks. Abigail, Lindsay, and Nancy created a survey as a part of a previous grant award and helped solve a computer user access issue. At ten to seven that evening Nancy again started to collect our materials to kick us out for the night. We drove into Bayfield to eat dinner at the Fat Radish restaurant.

Cataloging the final Metz item.
Cataloging the final Metz item.

Saturday afternoon we completed cataloging the Metz Collection! It was approximately 170 items. We then took the rest of the evening to explore and spend a bit more time with Nancy. We wandered around the piers in Bayfield and got to touch Lake Superior! We also wandered around Bayfield and found the Bayfield Public Library (a Carnegie Library!) and the apple storage cellar of one of Bayfield’s founders. We started to understand what apples mean to Bayfield. We then headed to dinner with Nancy at Maggie’s. We shared many laughs and explored more of Maggie’s many ice cream flavors. The favorite this time was the lavender––no one dared try the black licorice. After dinner we all hugged Nancy and headed back to the resort.

Group selfie on the shore of Lake Superior.
Group selfie on the shore of Lake Superior.

En route, we realized that if we kept driving a few miles further on Highway 13 past the resort we could visit the Apostle Islands National Lakeshore. So we did! We set out with a tiny brochure map and got a bit lost. After turning around a few times, we found our way to the destination just in time to enjoy the beautiful sunset over Lake Superior. After swearing we’d never leave, we reluctantly returned to Madison.

Sunset over Lake Superior.
Sunset over Lake Superior.

-Lindsay Barcus, Abigail Cahill, Andrea Parmentier, and Kayleen Jones

Pleasantly Lost: Exploring Red Cliff and Bayfield