Fishing Expo

Yesterday I agreed to go to the Madison Fishing Expo with Scott.  Clearly I love that man, because that's pretty much the only reason I would go to a fishing expo.

The expo was held at the Alliant Energy Center downtown.  There were 2 events scheduled at the Alliant yesterday:  the fishing expo and some type of cheer leading competition.  As we pulled up, it was easy to tell which building the fishing expo was in; it was the building with all the pick-up trucks in the parking lot.  Of course.

It cost 16 bucks for the both of us to get in.  After we bought our tickets (and signed up to win a free fishing trip to Canada), we ventured towards the entrance to the main area where the expo was held.  The hallway (and I don't think that's the right word but I can't think of a better one) leading towards the entrance was lined with vendors, including this one:

 Wha-, wha-, what??  Fancy coffee, smoothies and margaritas at the fishing expo??  Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.



I actually ended up enjoying myself for three main reasons:
1.  I was with Scott and I do love him and we do always have fun when we are together.
2.  We spent less time looking at fishing stuff and more time looking at boats.
3.  Beer.

As soon as we got into the exhibit area, we went straight to the boats on display.  One of the first boats we saw had a 300 horse power outboard on it.  If you are familiar with boats, you know that's a monster of an outboard.  If you aren't familiar with boats, this will give you an idea of how big a 300 horse outboard is.  Scott provides the point of reference.

That sucker (the outboard....) is huge.  I'm guessing a boat with a 300 horse outboard will scoot you across the water at 80 mph.  That's damn fast on the water.  As another point of reference, the boat we have currently only has a 25 horse motor.  Pretty wimpy in comparison.

Speaking of the boat we have now, this is it (with the bumpers thrown over the side because we were getting ready to launch.)  It's a Lund, which is respected brand of fishing boats-- even the old ones, like ours, garner respect. 

This is a new Lund fishing boat....definitely one to garner respect.

44 thousand dollars for that boat.  Gulp.



This is the inside of our Lund.

This is the inside of the new Lund.

Ummm....yeah.....just a little, tiny bit nicer than ours.

Scott would like to have a new Lund because he likes that brand.  Of the fish/ski boats they had on display at the expo, this is the boat I liked best- a Triton.

This bad boy costs $40,000.00. I wouldn't know what to do with myself in a boat that nice.  Guess I don't have to worry about it.  For 40 grand, I'll never find out.



We liked this boat a lot too.

It's only $24,000.00 brand new ("only" being a relative term).  We can't do it this year, but maybe within the next couple years we could upgrade to something like this.  It's a fish/ski boat, which is what we would try to get if we ever do upgrade, instead of getting just a straight fishing boat.

The tiller motor we have on our boat is an Evinrude.  Other common boat motor brands are Mercury and this one:

I'm not making it up when I say boat-people will talk to each other about the size of their Johnson's.  They are being serious and referring to horse power.  When I hear someone talk about the size of their Johnson, my 3rd grader sense of humor immediately kicks in.  Whatever a person may be referring to, I'm never mad at someone who has a big Johnson.

As we were waiting in line to get our tickets to the expo, Scott and I contemplated how many dudes we would see in camouflage hats.  I assure you, there were no shortages of them. Lots of rugged dudes in lots of camouflage hats.

Even though the men were rugged, it was a quiet, laid back crowd at the expo.  By 11:00 AM, nearly everyone there had a beer in hand, including us.  Now that's what I'm talkin' about.

As we walked around, we passed a large display that looked like this.

Self-service, bulk, any-flavor-you-could-imagine beef jerky.  (I think I just threw up a little.)

In addition to signing up to win a free trip to Canada when we entered the expo, we also signed up to win a free trip to the Upper Peninsula (or the U.P., as people around here call it.)  I saw this on one of the outboards we walked by.

My question to Scott was:  where do I sign up for a direct injection?

Peaceful Snowfall

The scarcity of snow in Wisconsin this winter is both surprising and unsettling (global warming?)  Tonight, however, for a change of pace we are getting some snow.  It's the kind of snow with the big, fluffy flakes that come down fast and heavy.  It's so beautiful and peaceful.  I just stepped out on the front porch to take a few pictures.  In addition to taking pictures, I paused for a moment to inhale the quiet and serenity of the snowfall. 

I hope you can view the pictures on a screen big enough to get a sense of the true beauty, which may be something better experienced than seen in pictures.  First shot is looking out from the front porch/front door of our home directly across the street.

Next shot is from just outside the front door, on the porch looking to the neighbor's house on the left.  The heavy, wet snow is just sticking to everything-- including the trees.

 
And, finally, the tree in the front yard of the second house to the left of ours.

This is the kind of snowfall that can be especially appreciated because the temperatures are mild and there is virtually no wind.  Just quiet snow falling.  I think it's something to be revered when it comes down fresh and clean; an example of Mother Nature at her best.   

Cheese Curds

Wisconsin is known for many things, probably most primarily:  cows, beer and cheese.  In my opinion, that's a pretty good resume.

Wisconsin cheese comes in many varieties, but Wisconsinites especially love cheese curds.  When you mention cheese curds to people who aren't familiar with them, the reaction is usually one of skepticism.  Until they try them.  Then it's usually love at first bite.  And I'm specifically talking about the breaded and fried version of cheese curds in this case.  

I don't think I have been to a restaurant in Wisconsin that doesn't serve cheese curds as an appetizer.  Scott and I usually try them wherever we go.  Over the past couple years living in Wisconsin, we have sampled a lot of curds.  Last weekend, though, I think we found the absolute best cheese curds, hands down.  The Sunday paper here in Madison featured a restaurant out in Middleton named Craft Table & Tap.  The article included a rave review about their cheese curds.  Now, Middleton is probably a good 35 minute drive from our house in Stoughton.  But refer to cheese curds as the best in Wisconsin?  We were in the car within, like, 5 minutes driving to Middleton.

We had never been to the part of Middleton where Craft Table & Tap is located.  It's in an area with some newer development.  Here's the outside of the restaurant.

We arrived around noon and the place was packed. 

We found a couple seats at the end of the bar, right in front of the taps-- which included this tap of a little fella holding his wee-wee.  It was a tap for a beer I'm not familiar with named Blanche de Bruxelles.  In Wisconsin, we have access to an impressive variety of beers.

Scott started with a Bloody Mary.

Many restaurants here in Wisconsin include cheese with their Bloody Mary garnishes.  (Have I mentioned that I love Wisconsin?)  We've seen full string cheese sticks in some Bloody Mary's.  At the Craft Table & Tap, they included a cheese curd (non-fried, of course.)

That's the cheese curd right there on the end next to the pickle.

I decided to try something new for my first drink.  A Gin Mule.

That bad boy was good.  We're going to have to figure out how to make them at home.

With first drinks in hand, it was time to order the cheese curds.  Craft Table & Tap has a bit of a different way of serving their curds, in a cute little tin bucket tipped on its side and with homemade buttermilk ranch for dipping. 

That right there, my friends, is a picture of what indeed may be the best cheese curds in Wisconsin.  I'd make a 35 minute trip to Middleton anytime for these.

I'd also make the trip for another one of these beers, which Scott ordered after he polished off his Bloody Mary + cheese curd garnish.  I had never heard of Ayinger before, but it was excellent.

The Ayinger tap was nestled between a couple of other interesting taps, including one for a beer named Hoegaarden (which, of course, I giggled at  with my 3rd grader sense of humor) and a Cappuccino stout...I'm not sure about a Cappuccino beer; we didn't try that one.

So, that's it.  Craft Table & Tap.  Good drinks and the best cheese curds around.  In terms of the Wisconsin resume, we were three for three:  beer, cheese and a cow (me).