our story starts here | part i

we haven't mentioned this trip at all on the blog, but since about march we've been planning a summer getaway to door county. depending on how long you've been following along, you'll remember that we went last summer with my parents (read that here). in that post, i talk about why that peninsula is my favorite place in the world - and now its first place is solidified in my heart.

the plan for this trip was always to do it slow. to do something different than what my parents and i usually do (while that's great, my pace with alex is just different), and have some new experiences in this magical place. i've never been proper camping before, and that was also part of the plan.

for the first two nights we rented a yurt in ellison bay at the wagon trail campground. it was a great introduction to camping, and the grounds and facilities were wonderful. it was in the middle of the woods so we weren't by the water, but it allowed us to enjoy the towns a bit more. i cooked the first night we were there. one of my personal goals for this camping trip was to cook over the open fire, so we finally invested in a cast-iron skillet and some other open-fire cooking tools. we made paella with chorizo, chicken, peppers, and peas, paired with some grilled elote corn. we watched the sunset from sister bay, the nearest town, and then watched the campfire and chatted before we headed to bed.

the second morning we woke up and made eggs and coffee in the aeropress, then we walked to a nearby resort and picked up some fresh pastries. we had a hard time getting moving so we relaxed by the fire and took our time. we heated up our leftover paella from the night before and shared an afternoon beer (spotted cow, for any local wisconsinites out there). we then drove to the spa at sacred grounds in the outskirts of ephraim and enjoyed our first couples massage! it was just what we needed on that day. after the massage we showered, then got ready for dinner. we wanted to go to the wickman house, but discovered after launching google maps that the restaurant is closed on tuesdays. i quickly searched for a plan b and discovered top deck, the restaurant at the gordon lodge compound in bailey's harbor. it was an absolutely delightful dining experience at this sweet little refurbished lodge on the water. the food was simple but good, and paired with good cocktails and the chance to watch the fog roll over the water it was a marvelous experience. we chatted with the couples at the neighboring tables, took some portraits in the beautiful foggy light, and basked in the peace we felt at that meal. as we were driving back to the campground, i mentioned that i have always wanted to frolic in the many fields by the roadside that are literally everywhere in door county. given the fog, alex pulled over and said "how about now?" so we did. we ran through the field and it was so much fun. we quickly went to bed once we got back, and listened to the soft rain fall on the roof of the yurt.

we awoke early to pack up as we had a 9am kayak tour of some caves in jacksonport. after we were all packed up we headed to cloud nine for breakfast. i had seen it in a local magazine the day prior. if you're looking for some real, healthy food this is it. they roast local isley coffee lab coffee, serve smoothies and cold-pressed juices, and a small selection of delightful breakfast dishes. we split a hash with eggs, black beans, and tons of veggies. it was the perfect fuel to prep us for kayaking. we have only tandem kayaked once, last summer in louisville. it was a lot harder than i expected, but i realized after a brief lesson from our tour guide that it was probably because i was doing it wrong. alex and i, and three other couples loaded into the company's tour van to head to the water. once we were in our kayak, alex and i quickly found our rhythm and were nailing the whole thing. we felt great as we headed south past the rock beach piled with cairns, and paddled effortlessly in and out of the rocky indents in the cliffside. we listened intently as the waves slapped the rock, producing a beautiful song. the first half of the ride was completely picturesque and easy. going back north, we noticed whitecaps closer to where we had to dock the kayaks. the wind had picked up significantly, and it was about a mile and a half back to where we needed to go. the tour guide decided to tow the rest of the group back, but alex and i accepted the challenge of doing it on our own. we really got our money's worth of experience as we pushed through waves and 20-30 mph winds. the lake water is still only about 53 degrees, and by the end of the trip we were completely soaked. at some points we literally couldn't push the kayak forward because the wind was just too strong for our paddles. we were so proud that we made it back (30 minutes before everyone else), and even though it was a tough trip it was totally worth it and a ton of fun.

after we got back to the car and changed into some dry clothes, it was time to make the trek to rock island. we drove back through sister bay, where we made a pit stop for a pizza at wild tomato. this was also the moment that i realized i left my sandals at the kayak rental place 25 minutes away. alex drove back to get them while i got our pizza. after the slight delay, we got back on the road and drove north to northport, where we boarded the car ferry to washington island. we made a quick stop at mann's food store, the only grocery store on the island, for groceries, ice, and firewood. we packed the cooler and scooted to the port for the rock island ferry. because even mid-june technically isn't "in-season," there weren't many ferry options so we had to be very conscious of the time. we got to the dock with time to spare, so we grabbed a glass of island orchard cider (a local door county cidery) while we waited.

rock island is a super small island that is basically all owned by the dnr, so most of it is a state park. the only thing that isn't considered a state park is the potawatomi lighthouse at the northern-most tip of the island. most people that travel there do so to camp, but no cars or bikes are allowed on the island so there is a very comical but very average scene that occurs every time people board the ferry. everyone's camping gear gets passed over the side of the boat at the front, and the crew of the ferry piles everyone's belongings in the front of the boat. we quickly noticed the regulars jumped right in and just started grabbing anything they could to pass over, regardless of who it belonged to. this was the same with the unloading - people just grabbed to get the job done, then you found your stuff once it was all unloaded. luckily there were carts available to borrow, otherwise we never would have made it. but alex booked us the best campsite.

when the ferry pulls into rock island, it docks next to this somewhat foreboding but incredibly beautiful boathouse built by the old owner of the island, who was from iceland. he wanted the island to be a vacation spot and haven for icelanders, so all the architecture that remains from him is icelandic. by the boathouse are the bathrooms, and then you follow a trail to enter the campground. our site was the second closest to the boathouse. it seemed that all the campsites on the lake side have a grove of trees where you pitch your tent, but then the lake is only maybe 10 feet away at most. the beaches on washington island and rock island are rock beaches, made up of beautiful and smooth white rocks of all sizes. we pitched our tent, and sat in our beach chairs by the water for a while just taking it all in.

this campsite on rock island epitomizes the door county experience. people travel there to be by the water, to enjoy the slow pace of the villages, to find peace and tranquility. camping right next to the water - knowing that i could be at the shore in mere moments - gave me a more full and peaceful feeling than i've ever felt in all my time traveling to the peninsula. it was the feeling that i always wanted to hold onto, but because we were always moving from one thing to another in our trips i never really got to sit in it. on rock island, that feeling lingered the entire time we were at our campsite. as someone who is new to camping, what i really appreciated about the experience was the pace and the simplicity. you have to live by the sun. if you don't cook before it gets dark, or make a fire before it gets dark, then good luck. and you can't cook before you make a fire so you better get on that. in a way, it was almost religious with its unique set of rules and tasks. it also just forces you to pause. to not look toward the next thing you'll be doing. and you have way less options for things to actually do. so you are just with yourself, blanketed in the peace of knowing the beauty and perfection of the moment. what a thing to feel!

little did i know upon docking on rock island that there were many more surprises on my horizon. read the next post for part ii of this story, and watch the videos of our trip.