A bit of a bust but 11, 12, and 13

Well this trip was sort of a bust.  We headed out from Rice Lake after dropping off the car to get the brakes fixed.  Our intent was to head to the Blue Hills of Rusk County.  Specifically to Felsenmeer. (11)  It has a pretty sweet description, so we drove to it.  But that's it... because you can't get to it without calling ahead (OOPS), so you get to read about it instead!

"Blue Hills Felsenmeer features talus slopes and is an outstanding location for geological interpretation of glacial action. The natural area consists of several small valleys, strewn with lichen-covered rocks, on the southwest side of the Blue Hills. These unusual features required unusual circumstances to develop. Early Woodfordian glaciation covered the Blue Hills and cut canyons on the western flank when the glacier retreated. The late Woodfordian glacial advance covered all but this western portion. The tundra climate in the area led to excessive frost activity, leading to the development of several features. The felsenmeers (meaning "sea of rocks") were formed by excessive frost activity. Quartzite, being a brittle rock, is very susceptible to frost wedging. Continuous wedging over time formed slopes of angular rock rubble. Some slopes are very stable; others have six-foot-high ridges of "talus moraine" formed at the base. Cold air emanating from deep within the slopes maintains a tundra-like environment. Several species with boreal and tundra affinities are still present, and the lichen flora is diverse. Blue Hills Felsenmeer is owned by Rusk County and was designated a State Natural Area in 1969."

So we headed to Rustic Road 18 (12) and checked out the sites there.  Nothing overly exciting to report.  I think the highlight of the trip was stopping at Yogurt Blendz in Rice Lake on the way back.  Due to COVID-19, you can't DIY your ice cream, but the girls got a tasty treat anyway and we definitly recommend a trip to Yogurt Blendz (13) in our 50/50 destinations!