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A Final Show, a Fair, and a Footstock

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August 17th through 23rd, 2026

Last week opened with pleasant temperatures, a little sun, and no rain. The pleasant temperatures and sun were nice, but we really need rain. Lots and lots of rain. It must be the morning dew or something, but many of the local plants are currently happy despite the lack of any real rain. In the middle of the week, the last ski show of the season was very well attended. The show had one of the few 4-tier pyramids of the year. After the ski show, it rained! Not a lot, but any amount helps. The water in Lucerne is as clear as ever. And getting colder. On Sunday it was an un-balmy 68°F. Highly localized storms hit the lake area on Saturday. The north end of Lucerne didn't get nearly as much as Lake Peshtigo did during the first day of Footstock. The rain seems to have re-sprouted the geese. They were sliming up lawns and blocking traffic on the north end just before the weekend. A very event-y weekend started off with the Barefoot Hall of Fame dinner at the Mole Lake Casino. It was very well attended, had good food, and raised a few bucks for the ski team (them motors ain't gonna service themselves). The Forest County Fair was a little underwhelming this year. The midway was particularly disappointing unless you like your cornhole game surrounded by a lotta space. There was a small petting zoo that had goats and bunnies. And baby kangaroos! There were also carrots. Just north and west of the Fair on Saturday and Sunday, there was Footstock on the currently less weedy Lake Peshtigo. We got there just in time for the flyby. A strong wind buffeted the drone and kept the runs short. The boats conspired to end Footstock this year. Of the 3 to 5 boats available at the start of the event, 4 suffered various issues and were not able to do any pulls. Two more boats were recruited. They performed well for the entire tournament. Not sure on all the details, but in addition to much footin', there was some fish catchin' that may or may not have involved kicking or crashing on a fish and then grabbing it. Not sure if these methods would pass muster in most fishing contests, but that's how they roll at Footstock. The wind was brisk and Peshtigo was lumpy. Crashes were as good as ever. When you glance across the wake and stare the other footer right in the toes, you can count that as a win. After all Saturday's runs and faceplants, the Footstock grounds remained open with music, food trucks, and a mechanical bull. There was also a canoe sinking contest. And an eagle flyover. Sunday's chunk of Footstock had more wind, less fishing, and some results that ranged from the expected to the shocking for the different flights of footers. Last week could be best described as exhausting. By late Sunday, the surviving boats were pulled from the cold water of Lake Peshtigo, the spent drone batteries were on the charger, and many were ready for a nap. Congratulations to all the winners and survivors of this year's Footstock! And a special thanks to all the planners and volunteers that made this event possible. Despite the terror of flying a drone close to its limits, it was fun and many points were accumulated. In the next few weeks, there are plans to put up a special Footstock 2026 page to enshrine all the fun, excitement, and horror. It really depends on the weather. If the sun is out and the air is warm, it's hard to select, edit, and code a tribute page while on or under Lucerne.<br><br><br>-Nemo admired the carrots then quickly moved on.

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