A Northwoods New Year, Pt. II

After lunch we decided to go sledding. We headed to a secret spot (the same place I went hiking with my parents and Blake this summer) where an old ski resort was.

 

Apparently we weren't the only ones that thought this was a secret. A group of locals were there with their snowmobiles and were hanging around a campfire. 

Luckily for us no one was using the giant hill.

This was a serious ski hill. Everytime we would go down we'd crash one or two times and then end up in the middle of brush.

exhibit a

exhibit b

exhibit c

exhibit d

One time Blake become an abominable snowman.

Walking up the hill was a lot of work. It took like 5 minutes just to get up to the top. Well for me at least.

After each of us taking 4 turns we had enough and it was getting dark out so we headed home.

I took one last trip down the big hill.

Before heading out for our New Year's dinner we worked on our new craft projects.

Despite this face, I had a good time doing crafts suited for five-year-olds.

Then Blake and I worked on the puzzle.

Soon it was time to head out. On our way to Eagle River we saw smoke coming out of Weasels (or Veasels as one lady called it), the local strip joint. My mom called 911 and wanted to stay and watch, but we were hungry.

 

This year we ate at the Eagle River Inn. We had drinks in the bar before sitting down for dinner. 

We didn't know our beers were going to be this big. 

When we sat down for dinner the bus man was filling up our water glasses and accidently spilled water on our camera. To apologize he bought us beer.

Earlier this week while hanging out with our friend Alex and a couple of his friends, he asked everyone what they wish to accomplish in 2012. All of us said something around the lines of getting a new job. During dinner I asked my family the same thing. My mom and Blake said something about a new job and my dad was the only one who said lose some weight.

Edit: I was wrong Blake actually said to survive the year. 

Blake and I shared a veggie pizza. The food here was a lot better than the place we went to last year.

  Amidst all this I put on Blake's silly hat that Brooke had been wearing.

After dinner we checked out the pool. You could smell it when you came in.

My dad took a detour to the game room to play his favorite game. 

To the two of them look like they just stole something.

  Next we stopped at The Tiny Tap in downtown Eagle River. We each ordered a drink and my dad handed the bartender a 20. I whispered to him that that wasn't going to be enough. I was wrong, she came back with lots of change. I'm definitely coming back here again.

Then my dad decided to go this bar he found while snowmobiling once. We started heading north and were only like 10 minutes from Michigan. Even though we've always been so close I've never gone that way. Us kids starting chanting, Michigan, Michigan, Michigan. My dad said no. Maybe next time. 

On our way to this bar we were driving for a long time down a road that was completly dark. Then out of no where a bar shows up. We were the only ones that didn't come by snowmobile. 

Brooke's dad ordered a pitcher of Bud Light. He always drinks Bud or Coors. I always found this weird being a Milwaukee native, where Miller is the norm.

The drunk snowmobilers were loving the juke box. Every time a new song came on my mom complained it was hick music. Scott would describe it as honky tonk. 

Blake and I laughed at something, probably my mother-in-law. At some point she whipped out her iPod touch and started playing cards. 

  Heading back home my mom made us stop at Trig's for more sponge candy or as my family always called it, angel food. 

We couldn't find any, but we did pick up some chocolate covered nuts, a whoopie pie and craisins that were raspberry flavored.

It turned midnight on our ride home as a snowstorm was brewing. Then I went straight to more puzzling before heading to bed.

Happy New Year!

to be continued...