Weird Western Wisconsin
Hoover: This is ridiculous. What are we going to do?
Otter & Boon: Road trip.
-“National Lampoon’s Animal House”
Earlier this week, I found myself in the car for seven hours, making a trip to Independence, Iowa and back. My GPS insisted that the quickest way to my destination began by taking I-90 up to Madison, and then US 151 southwest to Dubuque. But I opted to shorten the route by 21 miles and take Highway 11 west from Janesville instead. Am I glad I did; I expected a more scenic and interesting trip but was not prepared for the treasure trove of weirdness that I found between Monroe and the Iowa state line.
(By the way, when I don’t follow the path my GPS has mapped out for me, it gets very annoyed. It repeatedly implores me to turn around and go back to its preferred route. There’s something very satisfying about mentally telling a machine to stuff it, like Garry Kasparov defeating Big Blue in chess.)
The trip west was, at times, a pretty trip. Orange tiger lilies lined the highway through several areas. But the beautiful was often mixed with the odd.
First, we had Animal Odd – the real and the unreal, and sometimes both.
The real: a Holstein, lying dead at the end of a driveway, being picked apart by birds.
The unreal: a group of metal dinosaurs, set up in a random field.
The both: a dead deer lying on the shoulder of the road, while on a small hill overlooking the scene, a statue of a content lion sat proudly, giving one the impression that the lion killed the deer. I initially thought this might make for a humorous photo, but the deer carcass was just too grotesque.
There was Vehicle Odd. A standard farm tractor sat in a front yard, souped up with massive dual exhaust pipes protruding from the sides. On another front lawn, what looked like an older model blue Camaro Z28 sat with police lights affixed to the top. (Both times past, I reflexively hit the brakes.)
There was Sign Odd.
Like the new municipal hall in Hazel Green that has its name hyphenated in stone on the front (“Municipal-Hall”). Or the sign in Leadmine pointing the way to the “Primitive Methodist Church.” (I assumed it meant a historic chapel, but a Google search revealed that it’s actually a small denomination.) But the best by far was the sign in Benton advertising lawn mower races, to be held at the “Death Bowl.”
Then as I was driving through a rural area in Lafayette County, I saw this scene and immediately thought of Janesville:
These observations made the long trip much more interesting and often amusing, but it also made me wonder what travelers think when they pass through Milton or Rock County. What do visitors find amusing or odd about our area? I’m sure Bessie the Cow turns some heads, and Heaven knows I’ve heard enough comments about the three roundabouts in Milton.
I’m sure it’s all perspective. What is commonplace to us probably strikes others as weird, just as people in Lafayette County don’t find the “Primitive Methodist Church” sign the least bit interesting. But being on the lookout for the unusual made seven hours in the car go much faster for us.
Jun 26, 2010 at 10:09 a.m.
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Yep, Pamela Anderson had Borat, and I've got Anony-Mouse.
Jun 26, 2010 at 8:57 a.m.
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Earlier this week, I found myself in the car for seven hours?
mmmm!
Jun 26, 2010 at 8:14 a.m.
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Anony-Mouse, you're back! I've been missing you, my dear!
Jun 26, 2010 at 12:12 a.m.
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i personally survived the races at the New Diggings Death Bowl!!! there are races there on the 17th of July! its the ONLY High Banked track in the midwest that we know of! (hence the name) located in the big town of New Diggings. there are lawnmower races starting at 5:30 for hot laps and racing at 6:00 5 bucks to get on the gate and you get to watch the races, following the race there will be a LIVE band (Whiskey Train (from Benton)) and there also is Fireworks at dusk (around 9:30ish) a bonfire after the fireworks start, and FREE CAMPING!!! bring a tent, camper whatever. bring your own beer for the night. the race usually brings in around 400-500 people!!!!! all the money from the gate goes to paying insurance bills and the rest goes to the AMAZING fireworks show. thanks to R&R Fireworks!!! so July 17th, Keep it open, Bring your beer, a camper and 5 bucks and you will have the best night of the summer!!!!!
Jun 25, 2010 at 9:37 p.m.
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The sign in Browntown might be falling down, but it does not look as trashy and ugly as a board in downtown Janesville Wi. The board sits on the side of a building, and has had paper flapping on it for a long time.
Surprised the city hasn't done something about the eye sore.
Jun 24, 2010 at 6:07 p.m.
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For an even more scenic route take a detour on hwy 81 in Monroe through Argyle to Darlington. Besides the incredible views outside of Argyle you can see a bigger than life concrete rhino being stalked by a lone wolf and a 8-10 foot redbird perched on a corner of a lot.
Jun 24, 2010 at 4:24 p.m.
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The "big pumpkin" west of Milton, not easily accessible from I-90 though:( - and the collection of "old stuff" on display on Hwy 26, near the cemetery. Would love to take my camera to that collection and "shoot all day"... great stuff!
Northleaf Winery and Patty's place add ALOT to the drive thru Milton too, and of course... the Milton House!!
Jun 24, 2010 at 12:01 p.m.
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a cool website to go to is roadsideamerica.com
Jun 24, 2010 at 10:31 a.m.
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And you are right with that...They do have some weird things in Lafayette county
Jun 24, 2010 at 10:21 a.m.
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My Grandparents grew up in Independence Iowa, along with my dad and his sisters before they moved here when they were young.
Jun 24, 2010 at 9:11 a.m.
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It isn't "backward hill" it is "Gravity Hill" and it is a neat illusion. The bar/store in New Diggings with the dirt floor burned down, but a new bar was built out of old lumber and serves the best 1/2 lb burger around. On Sundays the old bar across the street has some good bands.
I have driven that route once or twice a month for the last 30 years. If you want a real treat stop into a local establishment and visit with some of the friendly folks or shop in the stores in Shullsburg. It is a mini Galena.
Jun 24, 2010 at 8:26 a.m.
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Funny about the "Primitive Methodist Church", but you actually did miss this (it's a jot off the route, but along a decent one to Galena):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Augus...
.
Hwy 11 is a nice route, and the state has clearly done some good advance planning -- most of it has already been acquired for widening to dual carriageway, although a lot of the road itself has not. And I really like the westbound crossing on the Wisconsin Bridge using US 151.
Jun 24, 2010 at 8:08 a.m.
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On Jim's trip west, he missed stopping at the famed New Diggings Bar/Store and backward hill near Shullsburg. "Backward Hill" is not on the map, so you may need to ask the locals to find it. Both are worth the side trip.
I beleive the "icon" denoting the Janesville/MetroMilton area is the big cow at the former site of the Oasis.
Jun 23, 2010 at 10:42 p.m.
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On a trip to St Louis back in 94, I saw one of those blue road signs that usually show you what is at the exit except this one was blank. Guess that was the exit to nowhere. On the way back I ran across a street sign for something like 134th street...in the middle of a long stretch of cornfields. Wishful thinking that the town would grow that large?
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