Other Stuff from the RAW Ride

In front of Olson's. 7/10/26 dwm

Since we used to live in the area, it was fun taking time the day before the ride driving to some of our favorite places. 

It's been a long time since we had a scoop or two from Olson's Ice Cream in Chippewa Falls.

The location at 611 North Bridge Street is where we stopped when we found ourselves in or near Chippewa. I forget how many times we visited as a family, knowing the boys would love it, and we loved it too!

But the visit we won't forget was the time we sat in one of their cozy booths happily licking our ice cream when Mark, expressed concern that there was a bug in his ice cream.

I told him it was a chocolate chip and everything was fine. 

He said there were legs in his ice cream, and antennae, too!

Chocolate Frostee. 7/10/26 dwm

 I assured him it was OK, and to eat the ice cream. 

 Upon reflection, I should have considered the possibility there might have been an insect in his ice cream, and should have asked one of the people behind the counter to provide an insect-free scoop. 

 Instead, our family has laughed about it for years, although it did take Mark a while before he thought it was funny. 

 One reason we enjoyed living in Augusta was because it was only ten-minutes from the original Norske Nook!

 I'm pretty sure when we moved there in 1993, it was the only Norske Nook. The location I remember was across West Seventh Street from the current Norske Nook location in Osseo. 

 It remains a family rule that if we're within twenty miles of Osseo, we're going to get something from the Nook. It wasn't long after moving to Madison fourteen years ago, a Norske Nook was built in Deforest, which is a little farther from us here than Osseo was from Augusta.

13084 W. 7th St, Osseo, WI. 7/10/26 dwm

Sunday morning we stopped for breakfast before driving home. It's been 20 years since we lived in Augusta, so we've been surprised over the years when we still see familiar faces when we walk. I believe some servers worked there more than 25 years!

I ordered two buttermilk pancakes with two slices of crisp bacon and they were made to order. The place was bustling with others, like us, stopped to eat before heading home.

People sitting at nearby tables reminded me of dad, who usually ordered a slice of pie with breakfast when we ate at the Norske Nook. At the next table, they ordered a slice and then two complete pies, peach and blueberry, to take home.

My wife made it her mission to shop at Weaver's Country Store in Fall Creek. It opened in a former home that was eventually replaced by a building with more than 11,000 feet of fresh food, baked items, nuts and dried fruits, plus gifts and home decor. 

My wife loves the section where she can pick up items - dehydrated marshmallows are popular - to bring home and use when it cools off enough to bake.