This past Valentine's Day weekend we invaded the Dells area for some inexpensive off-season prices. We found ourselves at one of the consummate log building resorts.
Rivers Edge Pub and Grub has the rustic cabin building construct that is so ubiquitous once you get north of Madison.
Of course the inside follows the theme of the outside. There are lots of taxidermed critters on the wall over the fire place. There is a huge bar area with massive logs hanging from the ceiling. And the theme would not be complete without the large tree right behind the bar. And adjacent to the restaurant is the...bait shop and resort store.
But as usually, we are here for the Friday fish fry, not necessarily the architecture. They offer an all-you-can-eat buffet. This is something that is slowly but surely disappearing south of Madison. You can smell the good fried fish presentation from the parking lot.
The buffet offered fried Haddock in small chunks, church style fried Cod, and baked Cod with melted butter. There was homemade macaroni and cheese in a creamy pan-style presentation. I liked the red potatoes basted in butter. There was good fried chicken, baked beans, course cole slaw, and marble bread. The salad was crisp and fresh. I liked the big tubs of French and Ranch dressing. It always seems to taste better to me if comes by the 55 gallon barrel.
If you need a less expensive weekend out. Head for the Dells in the off-season. You can get a peek at how the place works from a behind the scenes view in the winter. Follow were the locals go.
Rivers Edge Pub and Grub is cool with Cool Dadio. Find them at 30 County Road A, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. Call (608) 252 - 6600 for more information. Or, go to their Web site at
riversedgewisconsindells.com .
Wisconsin Military Service Person Special Mention of the Week
(each week Cooldadiomedia mentions a Wisconsin service person killed in Iraq or Afghanistan)
Army Corporal Jason Floyd Lemke, 30, West Allis, Wisconsin, died on Saturday, January 5th, 2008 in Ibrahim Al Adham, Iraq. His vehicle was struck an improvised explosive device (roadside bomb). He was assigned to Company A, 2nd Battalion, 23rd Infantry Regiment, 4th Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division out of Fort Lewis, Washington. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted that Corporal Lemke's death took place in Diyala province which is northeast of Baghdad. He had enlisted in the Army on December 18, 2004, in Milwaukee and started his military training in Fort Benning, Georgia. Jason reported to Fort Lewis, Washington in May of 2005. His brigade was deployed to Iraq in April of 2007. It was Lemke's first tour in Iraq. The Journal Sentinel mentioned that Lemke was the 34th soldier from his brigade to be killed since it left for Iraq in April of 2007. Lemke graduated from high school in 1996. His Military Occupational Specialty was 11C (Indirect Fire Infantryman).
The Web site iraq.pigstye.net a data base for military casualties noted via information from the Chippewa Herald that Lemke had trained in the Arabic language for a year before being deployed. Jason was also known to speak Spanish. The Web site mentioned Jason graduated in 1996 from Wisconsin Lutheran High School. As a civilian Jason had worked for a company that made stainless steel kitchen appliances. He had two children that were living with their mother at the time of his death. Jason's grandfather's and an uncle had been in the military. Corporal Lemke was a recipient of the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on terrorism Service Medal, and the Army Service Ribbon.
The News Tribune in Tacoma, Washington noted Lemke's fellow soldiers remember his as a source of comedic relief with his sense of humor; someone who could be counted on to finish a task; and, he was also know as a linguist. He was also known for keeping track of the status of wounded and injured fellow squad members. He had originally planned to sign up right for the military after graduating from high school, but he got married and worked odd jobs to support his family.
The Web site legacy.com via information from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel obituary pages noted that at the time of his death Jason was survived by his children Amber, Liz, and Casey; mother and father Colleen and Greg Lemke; brother Jerrie Lemke; sister Jill Lemke; and, grandmother Rosemary Lemke. Corporal Jason Lemke was the 84th Wisconsin military service person to be killed in Iraq since the spring of 2003.
As of this blog entry's posting date:
99,702 Iraqi civilians have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
9,830 Iraqi Security Forces have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
4,439 Americans have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
1476 Americans have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
318 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
848 Coalition soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
32,038 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
10,308 U.S. troops have been wounded in action in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
103 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
27 Wisconsin soldiers have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
145 journalists (several nationalities) have been killed in Iraq since Spring, 2003.
21 journalists (various nationalities) have been killed in Afghanistan since October, 2001.
Wisconsin military service person special mention of the week, military casualty, and journalist casualty information sources: Committee to Protect Journalists; cnn.com; Milwaukee Journal Sentinel; washingtonpost.com; thehighground.org; Wisconsin Department of Veterans Affairs; iraqbodycount.org; www.defense.gov/news/casualty.pdf; and, icasualties.org.
