Wisconsin Tag

Commentary, Covid-19, Diversity, Environmental Justice, Essays, Outdoors For All, Private Land, Public Land, Wisconsin / 18.05.2020

Over the weekend I packed up the Jetta Wagon for a short Joy Trip. After almost two months of working from home during the Covid-19 lockdown I was eager for a long car ride to go someplace pretty. A good friend had recently purchased a piece of property on a lake with a series of hiking trails about an hour east of Madison. Loaded with my boots, hip wadders, a backpack and a fly rod I set out on the open road under a clear blue sky through...

Adventure Media Review, Environmental Journalism, Native Culture / 11.09.2014

In this short film from the Wisconsin Media Lab we get a wonderful view into the ancient tradition of wild rice harvesting in the Sokaogon Chippewa Community of Mole Lake. As part of the Ways series on Great Lakes native culture and language producer Finn Ryan shares the story of Fred Ackley who at 64 carries on the practice of ricing to preserve his heritage along with a holistic relationship with the natural world. Manoomin: Food that grows on the water  is a poignant essay that illustrates the importance of honoring...

Book Review, Fly Fishing, Life Out Loud, Outdoor Recreation, Product review / 05.06.2014

I haven’t cast a fly rod in several years.  Back then I didn’t have much luck. That is to say I had plenty, all bad. Casting lines with my friend and master fisherman Craig Amacker on the Wisconsin River I spent more time untangling my hooks from low hanging branches than actually tempting trout. With all the best equipment and under the instruction of a talented angler I had to assume that any failure I experienced that day was all due to my own lack of skill and expertise. Fishing was...

Life Out Loud, Video, Walking, Winter / 02.01.2014

In the middle of a Wisconsin cold snap any temperature above Zero is cause for celebration. On the first day of 2014 with blowing snow and frigid low temperatures I walked two miles to my gym for a morning workout. With a Sony Action Cam strapped to my backpack took a single frame every 10 seconds to photograph the route and create this stop motion video. Even in this ridiculously cold weather Madison is a wonderfully walkable city. 2014 Day 1 Above from James Mills on Vimeo. Music by American...

Life Out Loud, Skiing, Travel / 18.02.2013

A few weeks before surgery to replace my left hip I got a call from an old friend. The Colorado-based ski journalist Rachel Walker had just taken a job as the editor of new blog from the snow sports apparel brand Stio. She wanted to give me an assignment. Telling stories about mountain culture across the United States the Town Hill Chronicles is a fun read that profiles favorite ski resorts from the perspective of area locals who love them. Even though I haven't been able to...