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Ashland, Wisconsin with Zeb and Soapy

We stopped in Ashland, Wisconsin.   Ashland is on Chequamegon Bay in Lake Superior.   We are really in northern Wisconsin.   This is a great town.   They even have special signs to mark ATV Routes.

ATV Route. We want to go!

ATV Route. We want to go!

Isn’t this a fun town!   The city has encouraged mural art.   The murals on buildings are huge.   Look at this one honoring the US military.

Mural art honoring US Military

Mural art honoring US Military

We think it is great!   This entire block is a mural of a city.

Mural Art for entire block

Mural Art for entire block

We think this is a wonderful idea.   This Ashland Railroad Mural

Ashland Railroad Mural

Ashland Railroad Mural

is perfect and it is located across from this engine.

Steam engine

Steam engine

When this engine was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works of Philadelphia, it was the world’s largest steam locomotive.   It weighed 190,000 pounds.   Steam operations were concluded in 1954.   This engine was donated to Ashland in 1956.   And it is big!   We are in Ashland in October, and there are many cute Halloween decorations around town.   This was at our hotel.

Halloween decorations in front of our hotel

Halloween decorations in front of our hotel

Driving through town, we admired this display in someone’s yard.

Halloween decorations in the neighborhood

Halloween decorations in the neighborhood

Isn’t it cheerful?   The bank must not like this man.

The thief will hang

The thief will hang

Perhaps bank robbers will be hanged.   Check out this lady on the street.

Halloween lady

Halloween lady

She leaves us speechless.    Unusual signs catch our attention.   The fish is bigger than the boat.

Go with SS River Rock

Go with SS River Rock

We love it!   Ashland has beautiful old stone buildings.   We like the old architecture.

Catholic church

Catholic church

This is Our Lady of the Catholic Church.   Remember Ashland is located on Chequamegon Bay, a part of Lake Superior.   From this pier we see the mouth of the bay opening into Lake Superior.

Pier looking toward Lake Superior

Pier looking toward Lake Superior

This park is an ideal location for a picnic.

Let's have a picnic

Let’s have a picnic

What a beautiful view!   Another pier so you can take your boat into Lake Superior.

Pier over Chequamegon Bay

Pier over Chequamegon Bay

The people of Ashland were very friendly and there is so much to see and do here.   We hope  you visit soon.   We like Ashland!

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Zeb and Soapy Visit Wisconsin Concrete Park

Driving in Phillips, Wisconsin, we had to turn around.    Wisconsin Concrete Park looked so interesting, we had to see it.   Here is the Friends of Fred Smith Veterans Monument.

Friends of Fred Smith Veterans Monument

Friends of Fred Smith Veterans Monument

This statue is Iwo Jima.

Iwo Jima

Iwo Jima

Look at this one.

Budweiser Wagon

Budweiser Wagon

It is the Budweiser Wagon, with the dog, Spuds!   Wisconsin native, Fred Smith worked as a lumberjack.   When he retired at age 63, he taught himself how to build sculptures.   He created over 200 statues that are here, near his home.   He made concrete sculptures for about 15 years.    He passed away in 1976, 90 years after his birth.   This is what we saw driving on the highway.

So many sculptures

So many sculptures

This sculpture of Paul Bunyan is the tallest in the park.

Paul Bunyan

Paul Bunyan

Of course, we need lumberjacks here also.   Zeb and Soapy are on the saw.

Wisconsin lumberjacks

Wisconsin lumberjacks

In the north woods, fishing is popular, so here is the fish.

A fish

A fish

This is one of several horse drawn carts in the park.

Let's go for a ride

Let’s go for a ride

Nice way to travel.   Another group of animals.

Great group

Great group

The movie Ben Hur is featured here.

From Ben Hur

From Ben Hur

Honoring Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln here.

Lincoln Todd Monument

Lincoln Todd Monument

The sign says this is the second statue of its kind.    A similar granite statue is in Racine, Wisconsin, but it was not made by Fred Smith.   We liked this deer.

We like this deer

We like this deer

Of course, fireplaces are so relaxing.

Peaceful fireplace

Peaceful fireplace

We, Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck, have never seen anything like this.   It is fascinating.   For more information visit http://www.friendsoffredsmith.org   If you are near Phillips, Wisconsin, we hope you stop and walk through this park.

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Halloween Party in Chatanika, Alaska

I, Zeb the Duck, have news from Alaska.   Eider Duck, my Alaska cousin, sent me these pictures.     Eider and the humans go to Chatanika, Alaska, a town near Fairbanks, for the Halloween party.

Eider said he had a lot of fun.   Some people wear costumes.

Halloween in Chatanika, Alaska

Halloween in Chatanika, Alaska

Fun in Chatanika, Alaska

Fun in Chatanika, Alaska

The decorations are pretty fantastic.

Scarey

Scary

Eider says everybody has a lot of fun.

Really decorated

Really decorated

The bar and restaurant also has a few motel rooms, so many people stay for a night or two.

People have a wonderful time in Chatanika.

Halloween party in Chatanika, Alaska

Halloween party in Chatanika, Alaska

Eider, be careful.   Is this party safe for feathered creatures??

Eider. Watch your neck

Eider. Watch your neck

Thanks for sending these photos, Eider.   Looks like you had a crazy, but great, Halloween party.  We all hope you have fun for Halloween.  Remember, have fun and be safe.  Halloween is a holiday for all ages to have a great time.

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Riding Camels in Broome, Australia with Zeb and Eider Duck

We are walking past the rocks on Cable Beach now.

Rocks at Cable Beach

Rocks at Cable Beach

What are these?

They are big

They are big

We are sitting on a camel!

We are on a camel

We are on a camel

Ours is sort of cute.

Rather cute

Rather cute

The people are Red Sun Camel employees.   They will help us on the camel and walk with us to ensure we do not fall off the camel.

These humans will help us

These humans will help us

This is our shadow.

Shadow shows we are far above the sand

Shadow shows we are far above the sand

We ducks have to stay in our travel bags during the ride.   Humans think we may fall off the camels.  We agree.   The camels are connected and there are 18 camels in our train.

Our camel group

Our camel group

We have 2 trains.    Anyone know a good camel dentist?

Too close

Too close

There two other companies providing camel rides.   The blue camels,

Blue is nice also

Blue is nice also

and the yellow camels.   We really like the blankets on these yellow camels.

Yellow blankets are attractive

Yellow blankets are attractive

All the camel companies offer the same sunset ride.   The sun is setting.

Another perfect sunset on Cable Beach

Another perfect sunset on Cable Beach

Another beautiful sunset on the Indian Ocean at Cable Beach, Western Australia.   These camel rides at sunset on Cable Beach are very popular and now we know why.

So cool

So cool

They are wonderful.   We hope you can try one also.   When you go, be sure to look at all the great souvenirs of your ride.   We just bought a professional photo of us on the camel, but they have so much to offer.

Many souvenirs available

Many souvenirs available

We love Cable Beach.   We love Broome.   We love Western Australia.   We love the sunsets.    And, we even love our camel.

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Town Beach and Stairway to the Moon in Broome, Australia with Zeb and Eider

Walking from our Hotel Mercure Broome, Zeb and Eider Duck found Town Beach.

Welcome to Town Beach

Welcome to Town Beach

There is a great water area for kids there, even before we got to Roebuck Bay.

Great play area here

Great play area here

Small humans and parents can get into the pools or play in the water fountains.   They were having a great time.  A large grassy park is also there.   We loved this bridge.

Pretty and peaceful atmosphere here

Pretty and peaceful atmosphere here

Pioneer Cemetery is also located at Town Beach.

Cemetery is beautiful overlooking Roebuck Bay

Cemetery is beautiful overlooking Roebuck Bay

Here is the marker for Diamond Jack Palmer.

Diamond Jack

Diamond Jack

What a great name!  This marks the final resting place of Captain Harry Talboys.

Final resting for this sea captain and Master Pearler

Final resting for this sea captain and Master Pearler

He was a Sea Captain and Master Pearler.   Broome was built by sea captains and the pearl industry.    Not be forgotten, this is were the casualties from the first air raid on Broome were taken during World War II.

Air Raid on Broome on March 3, 1942

Air Raid on Broome on March 3, 1942

Isn’t this a pretty beach?

Town Beach is wonderful

Town Beach is wonderful

As you can see, the tide is pretty high now.

High tide. Water in tree area

High tide. Water in tree area

We liked this crow like bird, even if he was very noisy.

Very talkative

Very talkative

Tonight is a full moon, so there is a special event at Town Beach.   During some months of the year, when the moon is full and the tide is low, the light of the moon reflects on the mud flats and it looks like there is a stairway to the moon.   Tonight is Stairway to the Moon, and we are here, in Broome, Western Australia.

Stairway to the moon

Stairway to the moon

The Stairway to the Moon is best viewed from Town Beach.

Stairway to the Moon in Broome, Western Australia

Stairway to the Moon in Broome, Western Australia

We liked the Stairway to the Moon and there was a festival there also.  It was a lot of fun with great food.   At the festival we visited many craft booths.   The food booths were so tempting.   The closest neighbors to Broome, Australia are Indonesia, New Guinea, Malaysia, Singapore and other islands.   As  result the craft booths had so many items we don’t usually see at home.  Incredible wood carvings and so much more.   The aromas from the food booths were truly making us salivate.   A warm tropical evening, full moon, new and appealing fragrances  and a Stairway to the Moon. . .   This truly was a night to remember.  It was too dark for photos.    Just look how dark this tropical sky is tonight.

Flood lights on a palm tree

Flood lights on a palm tree

We hope you are in Broome, or Western Australia, sometime to see the Stairway to the Moon.

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Northern Wisconsin with Zeb and Soapy Smith Duck

We drove across a bridge from Duluth, Minnesota to Superior, Wisconsin.   When mom and our cousin, Eider Duck’s dad were kids, they used to vacation in Northern Wisconsin.   We are crossing northern Wisconsin, heading toward Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.   Just before Michigan, we took highway 51 south.    We passed by, and drove on, so many quiet roads like this one.

Quiet roads

Quiet roads

Here you can see that the leaves were turning colors for autumn, but they were not yet at their peak color.

Leaves changing, but not peak colors yet

Leaves changing, but not peak colors yet

A little north of Tomahawk, we turned on a small road that partially circled a calm lake.

Mom spent many summers at this lake

Mom and Eider’s dad spent many summers at this lake

This is the lake mom and her brother visited as kids.   Isn’t it a beautiful place?   Was great for kids to learn to swim and handle small boats.   Here we are sitting on logs.

We are sitting on logs

We are sitting on logs

This is what you would imagine for the forests in the north woods area.   Wisconsin is not all woods though.   This is a Wisconsin farm.   Remember, Wisconsin is the Dairy State.

Pretty Wisconsin farm

Pretty Wisconsin farm

Isn’t this pretty?

Reflections in the lake

Reflections in the lake

We saw so many scenes like this.   The tall trees and a lake.   We love the reflection of the trees on the still water of the lakes.   Another typical scene driving down most roads in Northern Wisconsin.

Typical Northern Wisconsin road

Typical Northern Wisconsin road

You can see the leaves have started to change colors.

Leaves starting to change around this lake

Leaves starting to change around this lake

On this quick tour of Wisconsin, we drove from Superior east to highway 51 near the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.   Then south to Tomahawk.   A little west and drove on highway 13 back to Ashland, located on Lake Superior.    We loved our drive through Northern Wisconsin.   We hope you like it also.

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Derby, Western Australia with Zeb and Eider Duck

In Derby we visited the Wharfinger’s House Museum.

Back terrace of Wharfinger House Museum

Back terrace of Wharfinger House Museum

The Wharfinger is the person who owns or has control of the Wharf.  This is an example of prefabricated wooden housing of the 1920s and 1930s.   There are three sections of this museum:  shipping, communication and aviation.  This canoe from Sunday Island is great.

Canoe from Sunday Island found in marsh area near Derby

Canoe from Sunday Island found in marsh area near Derby

Makes us want to go for a canoe ride.   Oh no!   This is a dentist’s drill?

Dentist Drill??

Dentist Drill??

Makes the Colorado Traveling Ducks glad they do not have people teeth.    Walking around Derby we found the Old Derby Gaol.   The Old Derby Gaol is located next to the current police station.

Old Derby Gaol

Old Derby Gaol

This original prison, or gaol, was often overcrowded and without proper sanitation facilities.   Many prisoners were chained to the floor to prevent movement and escape.

Prisoners were chained to floor

Prisoners were chained to floor

The signs in this area say that most of the prisoners were aboriginals.

Lots of information here

Lots of information here

Near the wharf we saw the Old Derby Woolshed and the Derby Historic Tramway Project.

Historic Woolshed and Tramway

Historic Woolshed and Tramway

The old equipment from the tramway was real interesting.

Old equipment

Old equipment

The tides at the jetty vary greatly.   These tides are Australia’s highest, with tidal variations being as much as 11 meters.   These photos are near low tide.

Low tide

Low tide

Low tide

Low tide

These photos are near high tide.

High tide

High tide

High tide

High tide

The jetty is also a great place to watch the sunset.

Another beautiful sunset on the Indian Ocean

Another beautiful sunset on the Indian Ocean

We love sunsets!   We enjoyed our visit to Derby, Australia.   We think you would enjoy Derby also, but go during the winter if you can.   Summer brings rain and flooding during The Wet.

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Zeb and Eider Duck Drive to Derby, Western Australia

Zeb, Eider, and the humans are driving to Derby.    We will stay over night in Derby and then return to Broome.   This sign is not too important today, but it is very important during the summer or rainy season.

Important sign during The Wet

Important sign during The Wet

They call the rainy season The Wet.    Much of this area will be flooded and closed.   The termites have really been busy here.   Lots of additions, maybe a termite town?

Termite hill. They keep adding to this hill

Termite hill. They keep adding to this hill

Approaching Broome, we stop at the Boab Prison Tree.

Prison Boab Tree

Prison Boab Tree

This tree is believed to be about 1500 years old, and has a girth of 14 meters.   The trunk of the tree has been slit and much of the trunk was hollowed out to place prisoners inside.   Prisoners were put inside the tree while being transported from one area to another.

Tree was slit so prisoners could be inside

Tree was slit so prisoners could be inside

In this same location, we saw the longest cattle trough.

Longest cattle trough

Longest cattle trough

Built in 1917, it is 120 meters long and could handle 500 cattle at a time.   Water to the cattle trough is now pumped by this windmill.

Windmill

Windmill

We really liked these Boab trees.

Fascinating trees. We will not see them in many other parts of Australia

Fascinating trees. We will not see them in many other parts of Australia

They grow only in the Kimberley region of Western Austraia and in the Victoria and Fitzmaurice river basins in the Northern Territory.   Africa and the island of Madagascar also have Boab trees.   The fruit of the tree contains malic, tartaric and ascorbic acids.

Nut of Boab tree

Nut of Boab tree

The seeds have high protein value.   The pulp is eaten dry or mixed with water as a beverage.   The Boab nut is also often carved and decorated to be purchased by tourists.   We will only see these Boab trees for a short time, so we are really looking at them.   We visited the nearby Mowanjum Art and Culture Center.

Here we are. Mowanjum Art and Culture Center

Here we are. Mowanjum Art and Culture Center

This is an example of newer aboriginal rock painting.

Newer aboriginal art

Newer aboriginal art

There is a Boab tree at the Mowanjum Center.

Mowanjum Center has a Boab tree

Mowanjum Center has a Boab tree

Carved and decorated Boab nuts are available for purchase.

Decorated Boab Nuts

Decorated Boab Nuts

We saw and learned at the Mowanjum Center.   You will like it if you visit.   Next time we will show you what we found in Derby.