Madison, WI

I arrived back in Madison late Thursday night.  I had such a good golf round going at the Soldier's Memorial Field golf course in Rochester, MN that I figured that it would be worth it to keep playing and to drive at night.  The golf was a good idea, even if driving until 11:30 p.m. is no fun.  I shot 37-43 and just missed breaking 80.  Which doesn't happen but every few years.


That area of Interstate 90 east of Rochester is a lonely place.  Not much traffic and 14 miles between exits until you intersect Interstate 94 which runs from Minneapolis to Madison and there is much more activity.


Then from Wisconsin Dells to Madison you take the back road of Highway 12 which is generally 55-60 mph and you've got a recipe for a not-in-a-hurry drive. 


Friday was my lunch at Epic Systems.  What an interesting place.  There's a large dining area with multiple choices, everything from packaged shrimp salad to go, to steak, green beans and broccoli.  We ate with Shane and it was fun.  You actually sit at picnic tables inside. 


Each of the buildings has a theme to the common area.  E.G. Dungeons, New York City, Old West, Space.  One of the architects had worked with Disney and their motto was "Creativity before Functionality"  which looks like they had a field day.  Two more themed campuses (multiple buildings) are under construction:  Wizards and Authors.


Then I headed toward downtown Madison.  I thought I would see the University of Wisonsin.  I did and it was a lot of walking.  The signature building Bascom Hall is on a large hill - a hard walk up although I did see a triathlete doing hill repeats running up.  Tough person.  I hear that the hill was an Indian burial mound.  All too American to build a state university on top of a Native burial mound.


There's also an area called the Terrace which is the student union right on Lake Medota.  There are docks where the students were sunning themselves in shorts and bikinis.  Looked like too much fun!  I guess we did our share of that back in the day.   Cold weather and finals will take that place soon enough, so Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May.


Saturday I met up with Cousin Emily and her husband Thane and we went for a bike ride around Lake Monona - the sister lake.  Weather was great and it was not an easy ride.  They were active cyclists so they appreciated the opportunity to do that with a visitor.  We stopped at the Chocolate Moose and had ice cream.  A great afternoon!