Annexation

Cities and villages often expand boundaries through annexation of land of adjoining towns. Usually it is to accommodate planned growth anticipated on vacant land. But, developed land can also be annexed, and in Dane County there have been a few projects over the past years that resulted in the town being dissolve and with their territory going to incorporated municipalities. I worked on an intergovernmental agreement and Cooperative Plan between Fitchburg, and the town and city of Madison about 23 years ago (Fitchburg was approached by the town). Four years ago that plan was finalized when when Fitchburg and Madison took over the town of Madison specified in the agreement and plan. You could say, it went according to plan. After doing the intergovernmental agreement and cooperative plan with Fitchburg and the town of Madison in 2003 the city of Madison, a few years later, entered into one with the town of Blooming Grove. Madison, per the agreement, was to obtain all of the town next year. However, residents of the rural subdivision April Hills, which adjoins McFarland on one side, but Madison on two (and will be three with the northside quarry going to Madison in 2027), have petitioned the village of McFarland to annex their subdivision. The annexation is a bad deal for McFarland.

April Hills and Madison boundaries
Source:  Google Maps with words by author

The proposed annexation of April Hills to McFarland is a bad deal for McFarland residents for a few key reasons. With this annexation, the village will annex 139 homes, from which it will receive about 352 new residents, 4.2 miles of street, and add 4.2% to the village population. However, due to current state law and levy limits, in return it will receive only $21,559 per year in levy funds due to levy constraints set in statute. This constraint is based on Blooming Grove's current and extremely low mill rate. If one takes McFarland cost of service as its mill rate, the cost of service for this area, based on the last tax bill mill rate would come to $311,535. This means existing village residents will subsidize this annexation to the tune of $290,000, with a concomitant decrease in services with a four percent increase in residents. 

But, it gets even worse, when we get to the asterisk. Towns often rely on nearby cities for many services, and lack the public improvements as do urban areas. Many years ago a colleague called them "sponges." The town of Blooming Grove, over the past several years has been planning for their "going out of business" but doing only what is minimally required for public services. They have sold their town hall and maintenance facility and related equipment. Some public services are provided by nearby municipalities (Madison or McFarland) at an extraordinarily cheap rate as the residents of those communities often subsidize rural town service. With the fire sale, they have reduced their mill rate to less than a quarter of that of the Village of McFarland. It is this mill rate, or the one in effect at time of approval, at which the village gets to tax for the services it provides, hence the $290,000 subsidy by current village residents benefitting April Hills. April Hills could have attempted to annex to the village years ago, before the fire sale, and the mill rate would have been greater and require less subsidy by the village, but they chose not to. They desired their low mill rate, which now burdens the village. The residents chose to have the best of both worlds--low taxes to benefit them, and annex at the latest possible date to McFarland causing a greater service deficit to the village. The village has said it will talk to state law makers about an exception to state law to correct the levy issue. Even if that occurs, it is still likely a bad deal.

Cooperative Plan Map T of Blooming Grove and C of Madison
Madison memo of March 3 2026 (City Planning Director to alderpersons)

The subsidy is one thing, but the village still has to provide a variety of services. The Village will have to spread its services thinner to accommodate the growth. That means basic services will take longer to obtain in other parts of the village. Think of leaf pickup, snow plowing, and other key services. Given its low density, the 4.2 miles of street, is about 10% of the villages total street mileage. This means, they have to plow 10% more streets with what they have or subsidize new equipment to serve April Hills. Heck, the cost of refuse and recycling containers to serve April Hills, which occurred at the October meeting I attended, takes much of the tax revenue they will get for one year from the subdivision. 

There are other costs--both improvement and operating--that will come into play. When I talked to the village administrator, he flat out told me, when I inquired, that the public improvement costs would be fully assessed. I attended a meeting in mid-October on this issue, and found a nice small asterisk on the spreadsheet outlining costs (talk about spin!). The asterisk referred to the cost of public improvements, which would likely be phased in and take about twenty years, would be at the discretion of the village board. Hence, village residents could also end up subsidizing the cost of the improvements.

 

April Hills, Madison and McFarland
Source: Madison memo of March 3, 2026

Village Trustee Boyd, who resigned in late October, brought up the heretofore quiet asterisk--meaning of cost distribution for public improvements being at the discretion of the village. He hoped that a future board would be lenient and “ease the pain”. April Hills residents will have long memories and will remind future boards of his comments. We have a village administrator who told me, apparently not wanting to mention the asterisk, that the costs would be fully assessed. It seems that McFarland has no policy for such a situation, hence the asterisk. The spreadsheet compared costs to Madison, and Madison policy was well noted. As a result, existing village taxpayers, and utility ratepayers may well pick up improvement costs for April Hills, even though we cover our costs through the home or lot purchase. My guess is it will more likely be rate payers for sewer, water and storm water services, if current levy limits are not altered by the new legislature and governor. When the wife and I purchased our house and lot in McFarland, the price included the full cost of the public improvements initially paid for by the developer and which the developer recoups through sales of the lots. this would have included the developer's financing costs. Fully assessing the costs for April Hills would include financing but at lower government bond rates than private finance rates.

But, it gets worse. Madison can serve the area without a sanitary sewer lift station, and has several roads, and utility lines to the area. McFarland needs a lift station. This means an additional operating cost to pump sewage and maintain the lift station. Curious, on this same day I was at the village board meeting on April Hills the Village passed a resolution against the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District's 10% rate increase. Apparently, they have no issue with the cost of service to April Hills being borne by all ratepayers. Madison can loop water main, which is important. McFarland has to take water main from one side (southside) under a four lane highway, and somewhat ironically, cross under a Madison water main. Mr Boyd, unknowingly, made the argument of why April Hills should be in Madison. Madison can serve April Hills with lower improvement costs.

The state Department of Administration, in its required, but recommendatory review, rightly noted that the village annexation is inefficient in services and boundary. Madison does not need a lift station to serve the property, McFarland does. Madison has water and storm sewer around much of the property. Rather ironically, a water main to serve the area from McFarland will need to cross under a Madison main. The McFarland administrator has said their analysis is flawed, but failed to explain the flaws.

 

Madison water main in blue
Source: Madison March 3 memo

McFarland had an intergovernmental agreement with Madison in 1997 which expired in 2018 (twenty years is a standard time frame). McFarland has chosen to not renew or revise the agreement, despite Madison's efforts. Hence, Madison has planned as you can see their subdivisions on two sides of April Hills to make a cohesive neighborhood. But, instead Madison now sees the residents desire to annex to McFarland. Residents argue they are served by the McFarland Post Office and schools. Here is a news flash, those entities do not decide municipal jurisdictional boundaries. Fitchburg has three different school districts that serve its large population, and has three post offices, with Madison having at least three different zip codes serving Fitchburg.

While levy limits may go away with the new legislature, that does not mean that the village should not be careful about how much it increases its levy to accommodate existing growth. The annexation of April Hills is a bad deal for McFarland.

The Kale Salad

It all started when I opened my mouth and offered to help. The wife was dressed up for an appointment, and she said she was going to go up to the garden to pick some kale for a salad for dinner. Since she was dressed up, I offered to go pick the kale. She said, "No, but you can make the salad." Making a kale salad should be simple, but the recipe was pretty complex with a number of different ingredients, and some that lacked an amount for the item.

I was stumped by the recipe, Some items had amounts, such as 1/3 cup of olive oil and one tablespoon of mustard. There was quite the ingredient list, and without going back to the recipe, I suspect that over 2/3 of the items had no amount. Heck even the amount of kale was amorphous, as it said "a bundle of kale."

How much constitutes a bundle of kale? I don't know, but the wife seemed to know because she had the proper sized bowl. Making the salad took more time and effort than I thought it would or should. She even had out several of the ingredients. For massaging the kale, I sprinkled some of the 1/3 cup of olive oil on the kale and worked it with my hands. Only after she got home did she say did you use a bit of salt too? She said she had said use a bit of salt, I did not hear that. Yet, she said it was an "Oh, so good salad." Hence, my massage technique must have worked.

The recipe called for salt, pepper and oregano, but no amounts, so I just dumped some in. Which of course, she had an explanation of what you do when a recipe has salt or pepper but no amount. Of course, I paid close attention, but cannot recall what it was to do. She did have a dig, saying, about me, something to the effect that here is the guy who avoids measuring anything when I make stuffing. That is true. My amounts always vary as do the seasonings I use. I go with what I feel like adding. Some of the spices would be rather unconventional for dressing.

The whole issue of kale this year was difficult. Critters digging out the young plants I started, then I bought more to replace those, only to have them eaten. I planted a third time, and placed a second fence inside an already fenced in garden, and was extra secure in tightening my row cover down. After that much trouble, and expense, the darn salad better taste “Oh, so good!” I am happy, that even though I did I just "dump stuff" in, and may not have massaged the kale correctly, my first foray at a kale salad was one that was good. 

Orange Barrels

There is a saying that Wisconsin has two seasons: Winter and road construction. Orange barrels, white and orange barricades and orange signs with black lettering are now common along USH 51 in McFarland from south of Siggelkow Rd to south near Mahony Road in the town of Dunn. The work involves repaving, round abouts and a new bridge over the Yahara River near Babcock Park, along with a pedestrian and bike underpass.

Construction started a couple year ago when the DOT did a roundabout on 51 at County B and AB, closing all that intersection for several months. Come December, USH 51 will be closed in McFarland for about two years, mainly for the bridge work. A few months ago my DOT expert, my wife, and I went to a public information session at the school behind us. There was quite a crowd, but no presentation. Which I found odd, since the design is set and the project is bid. I think most people had the same questions on how do we get around. Of course the formal detour of Hwy 12 to the Beltline to Hwy 51 is Stoughton is different than the route most of us will take.

Creamery Rd Obstacle Course
Looking Easterly, Oct 18, 2026

There is construction closer to Stoughton for roundabouts and four lane sections. Driving by there at least once a week, for the past month it looks like they really have not done much, other than work on what appears to be a pedestrian underpass. 

The barrels and barricades in McFarland were set up two weeks before any road construction equipment showed up. Several times traveling highways in Wisconsin, and one highway a several times over the whole summer, I see barrels, barricades and signs on the road side but did not see construction equipment. I think DOT is allowing barrels to be stored on the road edges to confuse drivers as to whether or not they are in a construction zone. To top it off, you look at the road as you drive, and it makes me wonder why the repairs or work? The road is much better shape than other roads. Is there too much federal money available? 

Creamery Rd, Looking Westerly
Oct 18, 2026

In other words, this looks like a WIDOT has, what I refer to as Make Work Projects. Just repaving or repairing for no particularly reason than to spend money. My wife is my DOT expert, not only because she receives updates on the road construction each week, but because she is like WIDOT.

How is she like WIDOT, well, her red hair is almost like the color of the barrels and barricades. But, more importantly she likes Make Work Projects--doing something just to keep herself occupied. Doing a project that really did not have to be done, at least at that point in time. With her Make Work Projects, she would be a good secretary of the WIDOT. What a resume builder the projects are.

Closer to home the village has a project on the road our cul-de-sac connects to. We first told end of August, then Sept 15, and as of 10/18 they are finally getting near paving which may be Oct 23 or 26. I was supposed to have shingles delivered for my house to be reroofed, but the semi could not get down because the road was closed at the far west end. If the driver had gone to the east end, but County AB, it may have been open. The work has been rescheduled for Oct 21, but I think there are now more barrels and cones up to navigate around than last week as they have grade markers in, manholes and water valve covers raised. It is like driving Mario-Kart. On separate walks today my wife and I both set up cones knocked over. Two within a few minutes of her setting up and my leaving on a walk.

Swim Ladies

At the time I swim I have been the only male for all but a handful of times in the fun and fitness class from mainly last March to last week. The fun and fitness class is comprised of women who are older than I. A few may be within a year or two of my age, but most are older, at least one is in her mid-80's. I tend to be one of the youngest present. Other woman have joined and I am not sure of their ages. The last thing one does is ask a woman her age. The women can be rather chatty, and well, lets just say this may have gotten them into trouble. One story will be about trouble and the second about how the pool staff has to navigate the complaints raised by the ladies.

I put my suit on at home, and take off shoes, socks, pants and shirt on a bench near the pool, I do not use the locker room until getting out of the pool. A couple weeks ago I was going into the locker room after swim, and I noticed a new sign on the door. Over the past several months, perhaps 98% of the time, I am the only man in the locker room, so but for when the shower runs the room is quiet. The  new sign states that patrons have ten minutes for locker room use before a program and twenty minutes at the conclusion of a program. While I first thought about kids, perhaps having fun in the locker room. My first clue that this was not not the case was chatter. While changing, particularly when I am the only man in the men's locker room, I can hear the women next door, doing what they like to do--talk, and talk and talk. Did I say they like to talk. Putting a dagger in the kid's theory, however, was two days later. At that time, I get involved in a conversation, on my side of the bulkhead, with a couple of the ladies who asked if I had seen the sign on locker room door about time available to use the locker room. I said yes, and I noted that I wondered what led to it. Then one said: "It's us"  For a couple months now, she went on, "we have been told to hurry it up and get out." Then one woman piped up and said, "You know, according to" so and so (I cannot recall the name of so and so, but she used to swim there and has apparently now gone to the great pool in the sky) "we have only twenty minutes after getting out of the water to get lotion on our bodies." That meant, they need to lotion up their bodies at the pool not at home. Now, I have no idea whether the time frame is correct, but the wife seemed to agree with the timing. They were rather upset that the allotted twenty minutes did not allow appropriate time to get out of their suit, use the shower, lotion up and then get dressed. So, the old ladies were causing an issue at the pool, perhaps with staffing, or getting out before the next program. I don't know and don't want to ask why they want people out, but it makes some sense. Being tardy at school is not acceptable, and being tardy at getting out the locker room is not either.

Recent rule on use of locker rooms

I was going to say they could cut the talk, but decided against it. They asked if I had a problem with the allotment of only twenty minutes, and I said, "Well I don't lotion up, so no." I also did not say that I am usually alone and so there is no conversation. Mark, the other man used to show up but has been dealing with health issues since last March, finally appeared last week Friday (10/16). Mark, who was facilities manager for Monona Grove, said in building schools below high school level he told architects to not even bother with showers, as kids don't shower after gym class, and they do not change in front of other kids. Unlike kids, I never realized that the ladies hung around so long. I guess chatting in the pool is not enough, but I do realize the bulkhead divides the group, and when they mix in the locker room they need to chat it up. When I tried to explain to my wife the conversation about putting on lotion, she said she knew what I was talking about so she did not need details, in fact she preferred not having details. She did not need details, can she imagine what it was like being in a man in a conversation where they were giving details about putting lotion on their bodies? 

Up high by the ceiling sitting above the pool are two large fans. A couple other fans, although not as large, sit above the mezzanine bleachers. I have never noticed the fans to be off. My thinking is that they push warm air down to the pool. I am not sure if I recall the ambient air temperature in the pool area, but I do know the pool water is generally 80 to 82 degrees, and when it is 80 verse 81 or 82, the ladies feel it. (Oh, the water is chilly today" is a comment I may hear. I do know going from the pool to the locker room, the locker room seems cooler. Back to the story. One day the fan over the fun and fitness four lanes and bulkhead (bulkhead divides fun and fitness) was off. The other fan was running as normal at its generally fast pace. I noted that to Elijah, the lifeguard on duty, he said they were getting complaints about it being too cold and it was an experiment to see if turning off the fan would help. This was not unexpected. A few weeks earlier, I had heard a couple women complain about the cold air in the pool and they pointed to their intended culprit, the fan. It may have been the draft created by the fan, than the temperature. Elijah said it was many more than two who complained.  It makes me think that the air temperature was likely a conversation in the female locker room. Perhaps part of the chatter to set up a complaint to the pool manager before protesting outside with signs. After swim, the day the fan was off, I was going to be a smartass and say that it was rather warm could they turn the fan on. But being a smartass is not part of my character. 

Ceiling fan, bulkhead is white object at bottom

The next time for swim, two days later, the fan was on, but a low speed, so I mentioned it, and asked if they were attempting to find the Goldilocks setting, and he said that was correct. It is not just the fan, a few weeks earlier some ladies complained about the shower water being cooler. Here I decided to go out of character and said, they are trying to conserve energy. While I said it in a factitious manner, she did not pick that tone up, and thought I was correct. About the same time, I noticed the one shower head, which usually ran long in the men's locker room was now was running much shorter; taking two pushes rather than one to get what was probably the original time it ran. Today, both Mark and I noticed that the shower water seemed cooler. I do think that the shorter time frame on the shower and the cooler water is sending a message to people to not take too long, limit their time so they are out in less than twenty minutes. Maybe they are concerned about long showers, or maybe they just want the ladies to move it along. Or, maybe it really is energy saving. 

When one swims with a bunch of females you never know what topic will arise, but I can guarantee that there will be chatter. Even writing this blog post, I so far have been successful in blocking out images a group of seasoned citizen ladies chatting, showering, and putting on lotion in the female locker room. 

13 Oct 1951

They assembled together near the "Wyoming line" in the early morning hours of 13 October 1951, a Saturday, to begin their advance northerly over difficult terrain to reach a hill on which Chinese soldiers had established entrenched positions. Friends back home were probably in bed recovering from a hangover after watching a homecoming game. Orders had the advance starting at 5:30 am, over an hour before sunrise. A waxing gibbous moon, on this cold, clear early morning, provided light as the men of the second battalion of Fox Company, 5th regiment formed on the left flank of UN coalition forces. They were the lead element of Operation Nomad-Polar, the last major UN offensive of the Korean War. This offensive moved the Chinese and North Koreans back to the negotiating table which they had walked away from two months after negotiations started in June. The Wyoming line today is in the demilitarized zone and is near the border between North Korea and South Korea. 

News article on John 
Completing Basic Training

One of the men who assembled was my second cousin once removed (second cousin to my Dad) and it would be on this battlefield where he would breathe his last. John "Bud" Hovel was born on 14 Aug 1928 to parents John Martin Hovel and Barbara (nee Chladek). He grew up on a farm in Cerro Gordo County, IA near Plymouth, not far from where his grandfather had settled in Union Township in Worth County.  In 1950 the census records him as having completed eleventh grade and was also employed as a bellhop. He would not be alive to see the TV series MASH, from which many have knowledge of the Korean War. I am not sure if John was killed immediately, or if he made his way to a MASH. Given that he died on the first day of the advance, is identified as KIA, and available reports, it appears he  died on the battle field, and never made it to a MASH unit. 

Less than a year earlier, 8 Nov 1950, he was called to service and John Hovel would depart his home in the northcentral plains of Iowa to eventually make his way to basic training, infantry training and then to Ft Leonard Wood where he would complete his months of training in an armored division.  

One of the Objectives of Fox Co.
Highlighted in blue and it was the fight
for this hill that John Hovel was killed in action.

But, in this advance, he was not with the armored division, but was a light weapons infantryman. The primary objective of Fox Company, joined by George Company was Hill 770, known to the men at the time as "The Pearl." It has now been referred to as "an almost impregnable fortress housing a subterranean Chinese command post, complete with deeply tunneled bunkers that shielded enemy troops from air strikes and heavy artillery." Fox, John Hovel's company, would take their initial objective without contact with the enemy. At 1200  hours the 2nd battalion was subjected to 60 mm mortar rounds. At this point, Fox was in a methodical advance to take lesser objectives to meet the main goal. At 1300 hours (1 pm) they received heavy "enemy automatic weapon and small arms fire from enemy troops dug in on their objectives. Artillery and supporting fires were called to strike the enemy defenders." Through this, Fox, joined by Easy Company mid morning, continued the advance. Another source mentions that: "The combat quickly degraded into a meat-grinder of hand-to-hand combat, grenade exchanges, and close-quarters infantry assaults up steep ridge lines."

Smaller Scale map of region

One can see why combat was difficult. It was reported that "The terrain was extremely steep, barren and slippery with rubble; cover for attacking troops was nearly non-existent. Allied troops became easy targets as they climbed upward under hails of gunfire, mortar, and so many grenades it looked like flocks of blackbirds coming over.” Further, one commentator writing years late noted: "Command Reports euphemistically reported the Communists exhibited 'stubborn resistance' and “gave ground grudgingly” in this battle. Survivors know the reality was far more vicious. The Chinese were not about to give up their comparatively luxurious fortress 'grudgingly.'" It must have been hell for the members of Fox Company.

Military Record of his death

Fox claimed objective #6 at 1545 (3:45), but two enemy platoons drove them back fifteen minutes later, forcing the company to fall back to its first objective. Here is where Corporal Hovel likely died, as during this assault Fox had four wounded and two killed in action. However, by 1700 hours the lines were consolidated for the night, and a short while later a white flag went up from the Chinese troops. As troops advanced to receive the white flag they were fired upon by the Chinese. The First Battalion "advanced slowly to secure the hill. They found that the enemy had constructed a series of strong bunkers on the hilltop, covered with four feet of earth. The rest of the hill was 'honeycombed' with trenches and fighting positions. By dark they were still short of the final crest, and dug in to hold their gains." At the end of the day "'B' Company had 49 WIA and 2 KIA on the 13th". John Hovel was a member of B Company.

Grave marker, Bohemian Cemetery in Plymouth, IA
Source: Findagrave

The 5th regiment was attached to the 24th Infantry Division which in the first week of October 1951 relieved the 7th Infantry Division. However, up until the end of August 1951 the 5th regiment, had served continuously for over one year. After one month of rest, refit and reintegration of replacements, the Fox and George Companies would take the lead in Operation Nomad-Polar. I suspect this battle= hardened regiment was given this assignment as command had earlier set the roll they would play in this offensive.

It has been noted that "newspaper reports of this little-known operation drastically underplayed the reality of what happened, especially during the opening days of the offensive. History books, too, give only abbreviated nods – or no mention whatsoever – of Operation Nomad-Polar." It then goes on to say, that "Yet, it was one of the most brutal, and most costly, fights the US 24th Army Infantry Division endured during its historic tenure in Korea." Much more is known and written about the Battle at Heartbreak Ridge which ended on Oct 15, 1951, two days after this operation began. Heartbreak Ridge was mentioned several times in MASH episodes, and there is a Clint Eastwood movie about it. Not to mention being in a computer game or two. Operation Nomad-Polar is not mentioned in any of the 251 episodes of MASH. In terms of casualties and killed in action, on an average per day for the length of the battle, Nomad-Polar (1784 casualties over 11 days) had more casualties than Heartbreak Ridge (3700 casualties over 32 days), see note 1. Yet, there is no computer game, or mention of the operation in MASH. The operation fell by the wayside in history and in popular culture, but this does not take away from the sacrifices rendered. His death is mentioned in a simple almost non-descript manner in news paper articles for the area with two other Iowa men who died in the conflict near that time. Has he become but a statistic? He was one of 288 men who died in battle during the 11 days of operation Nomad-Polar.

He was one of three service men from Plymouth, IA who died in Korea; he with one other are buried at the Bohemian Cemetery. I asked a relative, in our Martin Hovel line who lives in Iowa, if his mom, who lives in Mason City not far from Plymouth, ever heard of John being mentioned, but she had not. John had two brothers, one who died in infancy and one who fathered three children. Those distant family member whereabouts are not known to me. For many October 13 is just another mid-October day. Yet history is replete of stories of sadness and happiness that often go unaccounted. This hopes that John Hovel (b 1928) is not just another statistic from the sad reality of what conflicts produce.

Sources:

https://24thida.com/24th_division/korea_nomad_helm.html

https://thekwe.org/topics/operation_nomad/operation_nomad.htm

https://24thida.com/24th_division/mcadoo_command_reports_5thRCT.html

Note 1: Casualties includes dead, missing and wounded.

Note 2: John Hovel's (b 1928) father was John Martin Hovel (b 1890) and grandfather was John Hovel (b 1847).  His grandfather was a brother to my great grandfather, Martin Hovel. Making John (b 1928) my second cousin once removed. The same generation as my dad means he and my dad were second cousins.

Note 3: This post came about after a nephew in Madison sent me an image of John's service in Korea and asked what I knew about him. I had written a Facebook post about John many years ago and provided that to my nephew. Funny, is that my nephew's parents were at the Bohemian Cemetery, and I had forgotten that John 1928 was buried there. Thanks to AI I was able to find out more about the battle in which he died than what I was able to research and write about over a decade ago in that Facebook post.  

Road Construction

I think my wife is shaking her head a great deal the past couple months at the road work on Creamery Rd in McFarland. Most of the work involves taking a narrow rural cross section roadway to mainly a widened roadway with mostly an urban section. While mostly standard curb and gutter, a portion has  ribbon curb, which the wife says is akin to just a narrower sidewalk. A ribbon curb allows water to flow over the edge, but the concrete holds the road edge better than a typical asphalt with gravel shoulder edge. The road runs by and probably through wetlands, which makes the challenge of construction even greater. It is like a never-ending project and in part shows the absurd nature, almost folly, of road construction and getting things done correctly.

Tan gravel near hydrant shows area of 
additional cut and fill of gravel

When desiring to get out you could look and see what way to go out, left or right. But, coming home would be a different story, with several more minutes to add if I have to enter from the east rather than our standard from the west. The reason is you do not know what part is being worked on. As I write this they have been replacing curb in the small urban section. This portion did not see the water and storm sewer installation the rural section, across from our street and to the east had seen.   It was a crap shoot, only times to figure out you had to back up and turn around and go the other way. Biking, is much easier, I biked on the road on the dirt ripped up from a former narrow asphalt path, and I biked over gravel piles and around equipment. Last week Tuesday we were coming home from a shopping trip and they were pouring curb which took up the whole road to the east of our entry point, but they had equipment digging out soft spots to the west side, at which I waited, until a dump truck driver signaled me to move ahead, and for which, lucky I have a four wheel drive Jeep to get over the holes and gravel piles to get home. When we left they were only pouring curb, and digging soft spots at the other side of entry. 

Our street showing curb just poured at 
intersection with Creamery Rd

The folly of the construction process, and I think this project is using federal highway money which is generally 80% of the cost, is in the undercutting of poot soils. During design it is easy to calculate amount of concrete, and asphalt, by the known dimensions and convert to cubic yards, or tons. However, soils vary and can pose an issue. In this case the engineer designated an 18" undercut of current soil conditions, and for over a few weeks the contractor did just that, cut down 18", and filled the area with gravel. In this case a known quantity. What is unknown is what further undercutting may need to occur. Biking by one day where they were undercutting you could see clay, with perched water on top, the engineer allowed another 12 to 18" cut which they did, and backfilled with gravel. The method of excavation had one large excavator, digging and dumping soil into a dump truck which went out one direction, and a dump truck with gravel coming in from the other. Gravel was dumped and spread by a bull dozer, and in some cases of further undercutting, by a bob cat. A large roller went over the area. Perhaps at some point they will get it right and will be able to pave.

Looking down Creamery Rd from our street

Even though it was noticed by any one with eye sight that the soil should have been cut out some more, it was not approved. That is until the proof roll test. This is a highly sophisticated test of a dump truck filled with gravel and going slowly down the edge of the road (why edges are suspect, I don't know) and an engineer tech or engineer watch the gravel to see how much deflection is present. If they don't like the deflection it is marked with spray paint. The crew then comes back takes out the gravel and digs deeper and puts perhaps some dug out gravel, but seemed mostly new in the cut. They then proof roll it again. 

The highly scientific method of proof-rolling
Proof-rolling area marked was cut and filled previous day
They found a soft area that was once again dug out and filled

They dug up the end of our street, perhaps 40 or more feet, pavement that was just installed in 2021, and proof rolled at that time. Low and behold, the area cut out and filled with gravel a few years ago did not pass the test and was cut again. Seeing the operation as I biked by, and talking with the contractors, it seems that some areas on this project were dug out three times. I inquired of a contractor why not just remove it in the first place when one can see it is bad soil, and he said, it is part of the process intended to save money, by only doing areas not passing the proof roll test.

Proof Roll test and need for excavation prohibited
curb from being poured beyond  fire hydrant, and the
opposite side.

As I pick this up again, they just, once again on Friday, dug up at the end of our street what they had dug up and replaced with gravel just earlier this week. This area was dug for storm sewer and filled with gravel, then they dug out 12-18" and put in gravel, then they proof rolled and dug out the gravel and even more, then they must have proof rolled once again and today are digging it once again. Four times they have dug the same area at the end of our street. I am not sure who the engineer is that he cannot allow the proper depth to be dug out the first time. This is hoping the fourth time is a charm.

The extra cutting then limited the ability of the concrete sub contractor to complete the curb and gutter on the intended day, so they did not finish pouring curb until this Monday afternoon. Not only that, but two days of rain inundated some of the excavation area in which the curb was to be poured, especially the area where they are replacing curb in the west section toward Main Street. On Friday, last week they able to pour drive approaches. It will be interesting to see when the slip form curb machine is brought back to complete the curb. This curb delay likely means that the pavement installation will be delayed. The road, with gravel, is still rough with large dips. 

The project was, we were told, to be completed by the end of August, that switched to Sep 18. Given the amount of underground work and cutting the end of August was highly suspect for a project that started about five weeks earlier.

Photos by author, Sep 29, 2026 and Oct 2, 2026

Heart of Vilas

The Northwoods of Wisconsin has been a getaway for many years, and generations of families. I know of people who are now on the third generation of cabin ownership on a Northwoods lake. The lakes and the woods have been a draw, as can be seen, for generations. When my wife was a tween her family and some relatives camped together for two weeks at a time, in early July during the Harnischfeger Corporation summer break at Muskellunge Lake. The Northwoods is created through a blend of geology, geography and culture. 

Near Crystal Lake, Oct 2021

For as many years as my wife and I have camped, starting in 1998, for some reason we seldom camped in the Northern Highlands American Legion (NHAL) State Forest. I am not sure why, perhaps the popular campgrounds were all taken and the lesser popular ones I did not have much information  on. Many times we camped at Laura Lake, in northeast Wisconsin, which was a good fit with young boys who could simply play at the beach, or we could canoe. We also camped at Brunet Island and Point Beach a good deal. The Heart of Vilas Trail opened in 1994 and more segments were added by 2007. I think the first I knew about the trails was in 2014, when we did a twin time adventure to visit a brother and his wife in Conover. 

Our first major camping effort in the NHAL was in 2019, when my wife and I, in our less than three month old camper, camped at Upper Gresham Campground, off of CTH H, and southwest of Boulder Junction. During that trip we took our bikes and biked part of the trails. A brother and his spouse celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and so we timed our trip to attend their party at the Big Bear Hideaway in Boulder Junction. Upper Gresham is a nice campground, and had many available sites at that time, but biking or driving through more recently, it seems that there has been an uptick in its use, and sites are not as available as they once were. Could it be the popularity of the bike trails?

Heart of Vilas Trail

The system consists of over 52 miles of trail, running from Mercer, in the northwest of the system southeast to St Germain. Many of the trails go through the NHAL. Some segments, such as the three year old North Creek loop have a mix of trail and on-road biking. North Creek Rd, which was unpaved when we camped in 2019, but was under construction for pavement, probably to accommodate the North Creek Loop, is a significant section of this 14 mile loop. The loop goes by Upper Gresham Campground. It also goes by Jag Lake, which is a group campground site. My wife and I one time biked into the group campground, it was unoccupied, but had some nice sites group sites.

Other campgrounds have easy access to the trail system, the massive Crystal-Muskellunge (between them they have 180 sites, where the wife camped as a tween. There also exists nearby or right next to the trail, Firefly, Plum Lake, and the two Trout Lake Campgrounds. It is difficult to get a reservation at Crystal-Muskellunge and the also popular Firefly. Our campground of choice, Cunard lake, is a small campground, just over 30 sites, and is designated as only one of two quiet campgrounds in the NHAL. that means no radios and no generators. Per the statistics of the NHAL, it is also one of the three least busy campgrounds over the past three or four years. This is fine by us. Even this past July, I was surprised how many sites were available, during prime camping season. Located about half way between St Germain and Woodruff, we drive to get to varied trails. We first camped at Cunard in 2022, and through this season have camped there seven times. The most recent in the later half of July.  

We once camped at Clear Lake in 2021, and they now have their own 5 plus mile trail which is rather challenging with hills. Part of the trail is deep in the woods, another segment follows a power line. There are other expansions about to occur, one is near Big Lake, which is another underutilized campground, between Boulder Junction and Manitowish Waters. 

Other trails that not part of the Heart of Vilas system should be experienced. First, there is the Forest Lake Trail, which is set deep in a woods and winds around a bit. It is located off of County B west of County S. Another trail, which we did a few years ago, is the  Three Eagle Trail, which is a 12.7 mile trail that runs between Eagle River and Three Lakes. We often biked from Three Lakes, ate lunch in Eagle River, and bought fudge, and then biked back to Three Lakes. In Three Lakes we would stop at the local winery and taste their goods and make purchase some wine. Each trail provides some similarities, but also some differences. Forest River is fully paved, and can be extended by heading east on a trail that parallels CTH B. Part of Three Eagle is unpaved, but is, nonetheless, a pleasant ride. The small communities are a great place to have lunch, or sit and enjoy some ice cream. 

Forest Lake Trail, Oct 2021

Boulder is a great place to stay for biking. It is near central to the trail system, but more importantly is near many of the nicer segments of trails. For about six years now we have gone to Boulder and stayed at Big Bear with some family members and biked the trails for a week. While we have had our share of cold and rainy weather, the Northwoods is still a draw. Yet, there are other activities, water sports--kayaking and canoeing, swimming, and many varied hiking trails. 

Yet, biking, I believe, now dominates in the summer. I have noticed an increase number of bikers over the five or six years while staying at Big Bear. I think the increase is due in large part, to e-bikes, which now give persons who would likely have difficulty managing15 to 20 miles a much easier method of biking. You see all types of bikers, from the hard-core MAMLs, to children and seasoned citizens, many on e-bikes. What is a MAML? It is a Middle Aged Male in Lycra. I think you know the type. Then there are OWLs, a term my wife and I coined--Older Women wearing Lycra. The largest age cohort has to be retired folks, our anear our age demographic, so OWLs predominate the trails. Seasoned citizens, many on e-bikes, are the main trail users from what I see when biking the Heart of Vilas. At times I am surprised at how few e-bikes I see in some groups.

Three Eagle Trail

This past August at Big Bear there were a group of old women who stayed d in a nearby cabin. We saw them a couple times on the trail when we biked. I used the term old, and was told, by relatives that they were about  "our age". I insisted they were older, and I believe I was proven right. The day they left, another group of women, some our age and some younger showed up and they were hard core bikers. Thus, with the popularity of e-bikes the trail system use has boomed. In fact, there was an article in  Sept 27, 2026 Wisconsin State Journal by a news columnist who biked part of the system with his wife  It was a well-done article and it shows that trail expansion is important. 

My wife and I have biked every time we camped at Cunard. Hence, the trails by St Germain and Sayner are the ones we have biked the most. One of our favorite segments is the Sayner to County M-N intersection. This is a popular segment as it goes through the NHAL and borders along CTH N for part of the route. The segment by and through the woods along Crystal Lake is a favored section with the mixed woods and dappled sun which opens onto the parking lot serving the beach and day use area with Crystal Lake off to the side. Looking in the other direction, one can see through the tall grasses and trees Big Muskellunge Lake. We have biked part of the trails in June through early October. One trip in early October peak color had passed, but the yellows on the birch by Crystal Lake seemed .magical as you biked the golden trail with leaves falling about you.

The Northwoods may have short summers, and long shoulder seasons, but if you get a chance bike the Heart of Vilas Trails and enjoy a different perspective on the Northwoods than from a fishing boat. The trails can be challenging at times, but the views and the enjoyment outweigh the hills.