Wisconsin Oddities and Motorcycle Travel - Post Your Pix

This thread is another opportunity to take some motorcycle rides to check out some Wisconsin oddities and share pictures of them with our fellow inmates. Need a reason for a ride? Knock off a few of these. Many of you have already visited some of these sites. If so, please share your pix in this thread.

I'll attach a GPX with locations posted.

Below are some overview maps. If the waypoint pin is green, it means it has already been captured. If blue, not yet. Either way, post your pix, and maybe share the story, to help amuse us over the long winter.

Posted so far:

Big ball of twine near Lake Nebagamon (NW WI) Cannonshot
Sinking Caddy in Cudahy Cannonshot
JFK Urinal Spooner Cannonshot
The Fonz, Arnold's Drive In, Laverne & Shirley - Milwaukee Cannonshot
Oscar Mayer Weinermobile spotted in Hurley Cannonshot
Spencer Tracy Boyhood Homes Milwaukee Cannonshot
World's Largest Stuffed Black Bear, World's Largest White Pine Log, Murals in Glidden Cannonshot
Snowmobile Hall of Fame St Germain Cannonshot
Pedal Taverns Milwaukee Cannonshot
Cornell Pulpwood Stacker Cannonshot
Jurustic Park (Marshfield) and Bobrowitz Sculptures (Merton) Cannonshot
Pagoda Gas Station (West Allis) and Sherman Perk (MKE) Cannonshot
Giant Corkscrew near Hurley Cannonshot
Wisconsin Concrete Park Phillips Cannonshot and C Squared
Liberace's birthplace (West Allis) Cannonshot
Dr. Kate and the World's Largest Penny (Woodruff) Cannonshot
Coffee Cup Pizza (Milwaukee) Cannonshot
Viking Motel (Buffalo City) and Prairie Moon (Cochrane) SGrider
Rock in the House (Fountain City) Cannonshot
Dinosaur Sculpture (Kenosha ) Moose Dog
Chicken (Osseo) and World's Largest Roasted Chicken (Elk Creek) CHicken (Birnamwood) Cannonshot
Paul Bunyan (Eau Claire), Paul Bunyan (Sayner), Paul Bunyan (Woodruff), Larry the Logroller (Wabeno), Blue Ox (Lakewood) Cannonshot
Gas Stations - Thorp, Waupaca X2, Kewaunee, Sister Bay, Green Bay Cannonshot
Franks Diner (Kenosha) Cannonshot
Wisconsin Auto Museum (Hartford) Cannonshot
Lionel Railroad Club (New Berlin) Cannonshot
Yerkes Observatory (Williams Bay) Cannonshot
Bay Beach Amusement Park (Green Bay) Cannonshot
John "Trophy" Heisman grave (Rhinelander) Cannonshot
UFOs (Elmwood), Rocket and Crystal Cave (Spring Valley) Cannonshot
UFO and Rocker (Osseo) Cannonshot
Orange Moose, Mouse, Deer, Death Trip (Black River Falls) Cannonshot
Horseradish (Eau Claire) Cannonshot
Big Steer in Osseo Cannonshot
Holcombe Indian (Holcombe) Cannonshot
Laura Ingalls WIlder (Pepin) Cannonshot
Warner Bros in Cement (Nelson) Cannonshot
Worlds Largest Talking Cow, World's Fair Pavilion (Neillsville) Cannonshot
Tractor on a Stick, Murray the Mouse (Chip Falls) Cannonshot
Mel the Cowboy (Spooner) Cannonshot
Big Deer (Fifield) (St Germain) (Antigo) Cannonshot
White Horse (Spring Valley) Cannonshot
Cop Statue (Cornell), Big Gust (Grantsburg) Cannonshot
Birthplace of the Hamburger (Seymour) Cannonshot
First Smokey Bear Costume (Mercer) Cannonshot
Guy Fishing (St Germain) Cannonshot
Snowmobile Derby (Eagle River) Cannonshot
Gasoline Alley, Gas Alley Exhibit, Gas Station (Tomah) Cannonshot
Yellowstone Trail (Withee) Cannonshot
(Ashland) Bass, (Birchwood) Bluegill, (Shell Lake) Two Tailed Walleye Cannonshot
(Hayward) Musky at Freshwater Fishing Hall of Fame Cannonshot
(Milwaukee) Arthur Bremer, Teddy Roosevelt Shooting Cannonshot
(Wabeno) Steam Phoenix Logging Engine Cannonshot
(Laona) Worlds Biggest Soup Kettle, Lawn Mower Cannonshot
(Monico) Rhinelapus, (Rhinelander) Hodag Cannonshot
(Fox Point) Yard Art Cannonshot
(Perkinstown) Garden of Chainsaws Northwoods Yeti
(St Franice) Dobberstein Grotto, (Milwaukee) Welcome to Cleveland, (St. Francis) FBI Hqs Cannonshot
(Rice Lake) Gorilla, (Mauston) Cow Bench, (Oakdale) Cowboy Mouse Cannonshot
(Deforest) Giant Cow, (Westfield) Pioneer Figures Cannonshot
(Hubertus) Bearwolf, Holy Hill Cannonshot
(Clintonville) 4WD Museum and Ice Cream Cone Cnanonshot
(Eau Claire) Donut Chef guy, Ship Shape Car Wash; (Augusta) Beaver Cannonshot
(Milwaukee) Ladybug CLub, Gertie the Duck Cannonshot
(Menomonee Falls) HD Assembly Plant Cannonshot
(Hudson) Dick's Bar and Grill Cannonshot
(Washburn) The Sawdust Factory Cannonshot
(Bayfield) Maggies Cannonshot
(Land O Lakes) Loose Moose Cannonshot
(Rhinelander) Packer House Cannonshot
(Tomahawk) Big Moose Cannonshot
(Aniwa) Giant Badger and Squirrel Garage Cannonshot
(Ashippun) Honey Acres Cannonshot
(Milwaukee) Holler House lanes Koz's mini-lanes Cannonshot
(Milwaukee) Wacky Shack, Tripoli Temple Cannonshot
(Germantown) Dheinsville Settlement and bell museum Cannonshot
(Luck) Duncan Yo Yo Factory Cannonshot
(Clear Lake) Historical Museum Cannonshot
(Elk Mound) Tower Cannonshot
(Amery) Haunted Church Cannonshot
(Monico) Kovac Planetarium Cannonshot
(Tomahawk) Harley Plant Cannonshot
(Tigerton) Rocks for Fun Cafe Cannonshot
(Birnamwood) Statute of Rodeo Rider Cannonshot
(Park Falls) Old Abe Eagle Memorial Cannonshot
(Baraboo) Forevertron LoopGaroo
(Clintonville) Hunk of the Great Wall of China Cannonshot
(Manawa) Old Style Gas Station Cannonshot
(Hartland) Old Style Gas Station Cannonshot
(New Berlin) Easter Island Cannonshot
(West Allis) Old Style Gas Station Cannonshot
(Greenfield) Organ Piper Pizza Cannonshot
(Muskego) Old Gas Stn Cannonshot
(Waterford) Old gas station. Cannonshot
(Waterford) Old gas station. Cannonshot
(Burlington) Old gas station Cannonshot
(Burlington) Liar's Club
(Burlington UFO Cafe [gone] Cannonshot
(Burlington) Top Museum Cannonshot
(Burlington) Mormon Death Cannonshot
(Burlington) Electric Belfry Cannonshot
(Genoa) Old style gas station. Cannonshot
(Lake Geneva) Caboose Motel Cannonshot
(Lake Geneva) Mailboat Cannonshot
(Lake Geneva) Bigfoot Archers Cannonshot
(Fontana) Concrete Frog Cannonshot
(Delevan) Elephant Stomping Clown Cannonshot
(Elkhorn) Watson Wild West Cannonshot
(East Troy) Stevie Ray Vaughn Crash Cannonshot
(Marathon Co) Center of NW Hemisphere rihaha
(Watertown) Three old gas station. Cannonshot
(Aztalan) Ancient colony. Cannonshot
(Jefferson) Hwy 18 Drive-In Movie Cannonshot
(Jefferson) Old gas station.
(Jefferson) Wedl's Hamburger Stand Cannonshot
(Jefferson) National Dairy Shrine Cannonshot
(Jefferson) Fort Koshkonong Cannonshot
(Jefferson) Panther Intaglio Cannonshot
(Jefferson) Flying pig at Jones Dairy Cannonshot
(Milton) Milton House Cannonshot
(Milton) Storr;s Lake Encampment Cannonshot
(Janesville) Cow Cannonshot
(Janesville) Bataan Memorial Cannonshot
(Janesville) Old gas station. Cannonshot
(Janesville) Mega Pheasant Farm Cannonshot
(Beloit) Submarine sales and service, aircraft factory. Cannonshot
(Beloit) Railroad bridge. Cannonshot
(Beloit) Angel Museum Cannonshot
(Beloit) Giant can of chili. Cannonshot
(Beloit) Cow and rat. Cannonshot
(Clinton) Truck in a tree. Cannonshot
(Clinton) Packer truck on mound. Cannonshot
(Delavan) Brick Street Cannonshot
(Delavan) Circus center. Cannonshot
(Delavan) Giraffe, circus district. Cannonshot
(Delavan) Old gas/C-store. Cannonshot
(Mazo) Wiffle Ball Field Ry-on-2
(Blue Mounds) Cave of the Mounds Ry-on-2
(Milwaukee) Big Steer Cannonshot
(Racine) 32d Dvid Highway Cannonshot
(Wind Point) Lighthouse Cannonshot
(Racine) Kewpee Restaurant Cannonshot
(Racine) Dillinger Machinegun Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Restaurants Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Franks Diner Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Mike Bjorn's Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Rustic Road Ripoff Sign Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Orson Welles Home Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Don Ameche Home Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Al Molinaro Home Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Daniel J. Travanti Home Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Old Gas Station Cannonshot
(State Line) Russell Military Museum Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Mars Cheese Rat Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Great Lakes Dragaway Cannonshot
(Kenosha) Southern WI Vets Memorial Cemetery Cannonshot
Waterloo Jimboa the Mouse Cannonshot
Marshall Little Amerricka Cannonshot
Sun Prairie Georgia O'Keefe home Cannonshot
Sun Prairie Ground Hog Day Cannonshot
Madison Elvis Fight Cannopnshot
Madison Ellas Deli Cannonshot
Madison Bob LaFollette's House Cannonshot
Madison Governor's Mansion Cannonshot
Madison Old Gas Station Cannonshot
Madison Sculpture Yard Cannonshot
Madison Octopus Car Wash Cannonshot
Madison Thornton Wilder's Place Cannonshot
Madison Otis Redding Memorial Cannonshot
Madison Another old gas station Cannonshot
Madison Sterling Hall bombing Cannonshot
Madison Forest Products Laboratory Cannonshot
Madison Bucky Figure Cannonshoy
Madison Chris Farley tomb Cannonshot
Madison Forest Hill Cemetery Cannonshot
Madison Confederate Cemetery Cannonshot
Madison Still another old gas station Cannonshot
Middleton National Mustard Museum Cannonshot
Waunakee Goat Tower Cannonshot
DeForest Pink elephant Cannonshot
Glendale old gas stationa Cannonshot
Mequon Old gas station Cannonshot
Cedarburg old gas station Cannonshot
Port Washington Pebble House Cannonshot
Fredonia original Flaag Day Cannonshot
Lizard Mound Cannonshot
Shalom Zoo Cannonshot
Sheboygan Falls Great Wall of China et al Cannonshot
Sheboygan Acuity Flag Cannonshot
Woodland Art near Kohler Andrae Cannonshot
Sheboygan Wall Stories Cannonshot
Spaceport Sheboygan Cannonshot
Sheboygan Art in Lavatories Cannonshot
Manitowoc Giant Cow Cannonshot
Manitowoc USS Cobia Cannonshot
Manitowoc Three Pack Cannonshot
Manitowoc Packer Bar Cannonshot
Manitowoc Sputnik Crash Site Cannonshot
Manitowoc Dino-Truck Cannonshot
Manitowoc Submarine mailbox Cannonshot
Valders Old Gas Cannonshot
Eaton Old Gas Cannonshot
Pipe Capone's Cannonshot
Fond du Lac Old Gas Cannonshot
sheboygan Lottie Cooper wreck Cannonshot
Two Rivers Ice Cream Sundae Birth Cannonshot
Kewaunee Gas Station Cannonshot
Door COunty WI Motorcycle Memorial Cannonshot
Sister Bay Gas Station Cannonshot
Sister Bay Goats on Roof Cannonshot
Ephraim Warehouse Graffitti Cannonshot
Appleton First Electric Lights House Cannonshot
Beaver Dam Statues Cannonshot
Eagle SMiley Water Tower Cannonshot
Manitowoc SS Badger Cannonshot
Chippewa Falls 1st Cray Super COmputer Cannonshot
Thorp Old Gas Station Cannonshot
Cadott Halfway to the Pole Sing Cannonshot
Weyauwega Gas Cannonshot
Readfield Tin Man Cannonshot
Weyauwega Silo Mural Cannonshot
Symco Unionville Private Town Cannonshot
Okauchee Nike Missile Cannonshot
Waukesha Nike Radar Base Cannonshot
Oconomowoc Start of the Yellow Brick Road Cannonshot
Concord Gas Station Zoo Cannonshot
Ixonia Smallest Man on Record Cannonshopt
North Prairie Mini-Structures of Stone Cannonshot
Waukesha Giant Chicken Cannonshot
Waukesha Les Paul Grave Cannonshot
Brookfield Hobbit House Cannonshot
Waukesha Cow Cannonshot
Sussex Junk Grasshopper Cannonshot
Fennimore Igor the Mouse Daleah

Aw shucks, I quit trying to list them all as they were captured.

NEWER VERSION WITH MORE POIs POSTED HERE.


GPX to share. (V2 Jan 1 2017 version) Original downloaded 100 times from prior private site.

This guy has one of the world record balls of twine. Serious competition for a title in that category. 22,100 pounds, 37 years work.







Starter ball. 47 pounds - one for each year of his age.

Sinking Caddy in Cudahy. 1955 Fleetwood.

JFK stopped in to this bar in Spooner and used the urinal back in 1960.

The 1974-1984 show Happy Days was "located" in Milwaukee.

The Fonz statue downtown. Laverne and Shirley attended the cerempny too.


Richie Cunningham and the gang used to hang out at Arnold's Drive In. Arnold's was based on the Milky Way in Glendale (which is now Kopps' Custard).







Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney (Penny Marshall and Cindy Williams) of the Milwaukee "based" Laverne & Shirley show lived in a basement apartment and worked at a local brewery. They were said to live on Knapp Ave but there is only a Knapp St where this residence like theirs is a common sight.

Oscar Mayer Weinermobile spotted in Hurley.



These things go on the road to promote Oscar Mayer products.

Spencer Tracy's Boyhood Homes (Milwaukee)

Spencer Tracy lived in these homes as a boy. Later he became a famous movie start that won two Oscars out of nine nominations. (Captains Courageous and Boys Town wins.)



As a kid, he was quite a scrapper. He went through between 15 and 18 elementary schools mostly because he fought a lot.



He even did some time at a military (naval) academy in Wisconsin. As a teenager, Spence became friends with Bill O'Brien. The two joined the Marines together after WWI.



When they got out of the Marines, O'Brien convinced Tracy to study acting together at the Marquette Academy. They had a blast. O'Brien changed his name from Bill to Pat which is how we remember him for all the times he played a priest in the movies. (Here with James Cagney.)

Glidden

Worlds Largest Stuffed Black Bear

The day after Kennedy was shot in Dallas, a guy shot a giant black bear in the head in its den north of Glidden. The 12 year old bear was 7'10" from tail to nose and weighed 665 dressed out.



The town proclaimed themselves as the Black Bear Capitol of the World. They used to display the bear in parades.



Eventually they built a display for the bear in town. Hard to photograph the bear with the reflections on the glass.



The world's second largest black bear, dressed out at 660 lbs, is on display at the BP on Hwy 8 at Tripoli. I haven't been there yet.





Glidden also boasts the World's Largest White Pine log that is also the last sleigh hauled log. It is estimated to have about 1,950 board feet of lumber.



They also have some nice murals in Glidden.

Snowmobile Hall of Fame St Germain

Pedal Taverns Milwaukee

Cornell Pulpwood Stacker

Jurustic Park near Marshfield

















Bobrowitz Sculpture (drive thru) Town of Merton

Frank Seneca Service (Pagoda style gas station in West Allis). This was built in 1927 when adventure touring by automobile was quite popular. One oil company built about 100 of these with the idea of attracting the curious. One in Cedarburg, that I haven't visited yet, is a jewelry store.





Sherman Perk is a coffee shop in an old gas station in Milwaukee.



It would be nice to see someone develop a tag thread like this to encourage people to locate and photograph these old gas stations around Wisconsin. I've taken a lot of pix of them over the years when I saw some interesting ones. I'm sure others have as well. A good start would be with Jim Draeger's book Fill 'er Up: The Glory Days of Wisconsin Gas Stations (Places Along the Way). Jim locates 59 representative stations around the state but there are others. I met Jim and spoke with him about his books. Nice fellow. I see used copies of this book are available from Amazon for less than $10.

Giant corkscrew near Hurley. Why you ask? Because Danny Hurley was awarded a patent for a cork puller back in 1887. Apparently Danny used to pull a cork from time to time.

Wisconsin Concrete Park near Phillips.

Retired lumberjack Freddy Smith performed as a one man band in his s'loon there. At age 65, in 1950, Fred started building statues to honor people. Over the years Fred built 237 figures. His last was a life-sized Budweiser Clydesdale Team pulling a beer wagon. Fred kicked in 1976. In 77 a big ass wind storm took down a bunch of trees that damaged 2/3 of the figures. The Kohler Foundation did a restoration. Now the place, including the joint and Fred's home, is a park.

Liberace's birthplace in West Allis. Liberace was born here in 1919. He had a natural talent for music, but also trained hard at it. His father played french horn on the side with the International Harvester Band. Liberace used to play locally using the name Walter Busterkeys. More info on Liberace.