I-94 Meditations Part II: Field Notes

A direct transcription of field notes taken on a Badger Bus ride (Madison to Milwaukee), March 14, 2006:

-Turkey Vulture (1st of season) a few miles east of Madison -- soaring high above field at the center of which appears to be a dead White-tailed Deer
-Morainal topography near Glacial Drumlin State Trail sign...about 10 miles east of Madison -->East of this, and S of I-94, landscape is more heavily wooded
-Creek [Koskonong Creek --> Lake Koskonong]
-Creek
-Wooded drumlins rising from fields and woodlots
-Exit 73: Marshall/Deerfield
-Groves of conifers S of I-94
-Still very wooded
-Lone Sandhill Crane in field
-Many of the roadside conifers, incl. those draping the near slopes of the drumlins, appear to be Cedars
-Cumulus shreds rafting across the sky
-Creek (west of Rest Area, Lake Mills) [-->Stony Brook Creek(?)]
-Creek [Rock Creek-->Crawfish River]
-Rest Area
-Aztalan Cycle Club
-Small cemetery
-Water standing in field
-Crawfish River...water in surrounding flat
-Cloud-field above mirrors army of drumlins below
-Creek [Unlabeled]
-Hwy N
-Rock River...about 1/2 again as wide as Crawfish R. ... Canada Geese in water --> roadside ditch, waterlogged, empties into Rock R. S of I-94
-Jefferson/Ft. Atkinson Exit
-Railroad tracks just west of Johnson Creek
-Drumlin topography visible from Johnson Creek stop
-Creek (flowing S) just east of Johnson Creek [Unlabeled]
-Landfill/swamp
-Creek [Johnson Creek-->Rock River]
-Hwy X
-[Unintelligible] Farms
-Abandoned farmhouse (big stump)
-Small lake (S of I-94)
-Lonesome tree (N)
-Hwy intersection
-Sullivan/Ixonia Exit
-Small gouged-out pond in farmfield (S) --> ducks
-Waukesha Co. sign --> creek
-Red-tailed Hawk descending through thick cover alongside creek (flowing parallel to I-94, S)
-Kettle Moraine S.F. (Southern unit) and Old World WI sign about 2 mi. west of Oconomowoc
-Lake (?) S of I-94
-Turkey Vulture
-Choppy open water fringing ice in first Ocon. lake S of I-94 [Lower Nemahbin Lake]
-Ascend ridge, then valley, then ascend (Hartland-Wales Exit sign, 84) toward "pass"
-N of I-94, ridge seems to confine lake
-Broad descent (we are 22 mi. west of Milwaukee)
-Town of Delafield Sports Commons
-Pewaukee Exit
-Creek
-Buck Rub Archery
-Waukesha exits
-Seems somewhat flatter here, east of Kettle Moraine ridges
-Waukesha/Pewaukee Exit - T
-Creek
-Skipper Bud's (S)
-Peterbilt Dealer (S)
-River (meandering) [Pewaukee R. flowing to Fox River]
-Habish, Habish, and Rottier (N)
-Floodplain of river has patches of standing water (near Steinhafel's)
--> river crosses I-94 [Fox River]
-New cinema being built (S)
-Prairieville Park (adventure golf) (S)
-Brookfield
-Windy outside
-Goerkes Corners (Brookfield water tower)
--> narrow wetland --> Canada Geese feeding
-Almost looks like kettle pond
-Creek [Poplar Creek --> Fox River]
-Creek
-River in parkland (S)...flooded Willows and other trees
-I-94 climbs and descends ridge near Elm Grove Rd --> ears pop
-Channelized river (near 21st St) [Honey Creek --> Menomonee River]
-Railroad tracks
-Railroad bridge near Mayfield Rd