#acaNoTier Osceola to Haugen, 69 Miles | From a Latin Mass to a George Jones Tribute Tavern

Riding Stats

Accommodations

Route Tracker

We started the day waking up in a luxurious king size bed with lots of clean fluffy pillows. Tom rolled out of bed first and went to get us some coffee. What a champ!

After eating a “free” breakfast with a couple of take-away muffins we were off to 8:30 am Mass at St. Joseph, which was just a block away from our hotel.

As we were going in an usher welcomed us and let us know it was a Latin Mass. Hummm I think we have only been to one in our lives.

It was very different. Gosh it’s hard to imagine what it would be like to experience worship like this every Sunday. I find it to be more of an academic experience than a spiritual one as I tried to figure out the what and whys but I would go again!

And let me tell you, the servers at a Latin Mass bring a whole new meaning to the word Mass server.

We began riding about 10 am and our destination was Edgewater, about 85 miles away.

Rural Wisconsin does not disappoint! The county roads were peaceful, scenic and we even encountered a Classic car show in one of the little towns we rode through. It took all of our self discipline not to stop and stay a while. Brats, bevvies, cheese curds – anything you could ever want – but we pressed on.

Although we were shooting for Edgewater we adjusted our destination due to the heat and wind and ended our ride in Haugen, a very small town that had a nice local grocery and just celebrated 40 years of business. #buylocal

Jim, the proprietor, suggested a campground nearby and drew up some directions for us on his “special” stationary.

We’d set up a time to FaceTime with our kids and were eager to get to the campground so we could make that happen however we were having a bit of trouble finding it. Awww those times when you’re tired, hungry, thirsty and want to be done.

Finally we rolled into the Shady Rest Campground and Mike offered us an air conditioned cabin however we opted to camp. Ya know…. we have that camping for cash challenge going on. Every camp night earns $18 for Back on My Feet or St. Vincent de Paul.

We were able to FaceTime with our kids for only a short bit and then we found that George Jones music is alive and well in west central Wisconsin. This little tavern named PoorFolks had every conceivable George Jones artifact. And the folks in there were a lot of fun to talk to.

We spent a bit of time visiting with them and then set up our tent and took a walk down by the lake. Both of us fell asleep immediately and I with my phone in my hand again as I was trying to get a post completed.

We had just a short sprinkle in the middle of the night as if being sprayed with a little holy water for making it all the way through a Latin Mass and darned if Tom and I didn’t both wake up at the same time to the sound of a guitar string breaking. Not kidding. It was as if old George was saying “good night”.

Today’s video features a song dedicated to Tom – with just days away from his half birthday. In these last few months in your 50’s you’re definitely still rockin’ if not on stage, on your bike. And you def don’t need no rockin’ chair, Tombo!