Ashland WI

 Kreher Park is a very nice city RV park in Ashland WI.  Ashland is at the head of Chequamegon Bay on Lake Superior. We stayed there for a couple of nights back in 2013 and really enjoyed it.  We had hoped to stay there again when we drove across the UP last month, but they don't take reservations, and we were a little gun shy about taking a chance.  Consequently, we had made a reservation at a private park instead.  Before leaving Ely, Dorcas made some calls to city hall in Ashland and learned that there was a fair daily turnover at the park, and our chance of getting a site was pretty good if we didn't arrive too late in the morning.  

So ... we packed up and were on the road early, leaving Ely about 6:00 am.  That's right, the 6:00 hour when it is still dark.  This behavior is very un-Whitley-like. We made a quick fuel stop in Superior WI and arrived at Kreher Park shortly after 10:00.  We had a detailed plan of attack whereby Dorcas would run through the park loops looking for a vacant site, while I unhitched the car from the coach.  I would then follow her with the car and stake out our site, providing we could find one.  It turns out there was a prime vacant waterfront site right near the entrance of the first loop, so we pulled straight in.  We paid the iron ranger for 3 nights on Site 22, and then doubled back to the dump station to empty our waste tanks.  SWEET!

The web site for the park warns visitors to not follow their GPS directions, but instead to enter the park via Prentice Ave.  We followed the web site directions, but checked out the GPS directions later   It's not pretty.  Always use your GPS with a grain of salt.

Site 22 at Kreher Park

Kreher Park and the historic Ashland Ore Dock

Our camp is adjacent to the historic Ashland Ore Dock.   This dock was used to load iron ore from rail cars onto freighters from the 1920s to the mid 60s.  There were five such docks operating in Ashland at one time.  Now it has been redeveloped into a recreational space and fishing pier. 

Our camp is also next to the city marina. 

Hotel Chequamegon is one block from our camp and overlooks the bay

All the trash cans in the downtown area are decorated with stained glass mosaics.  Themes included fish, flowers, lighthouses, etc.  This one had a canoe. Each trash can also had an integrated recycle receptacle.  COOL!

Ashland is somewhat famous for its downtown murals featuring historical themes.  Ashland is the Historic Mural Capital of Wisconsin, designated as such by the Wisconsin Legislature in 2003.  There are about 2 dozen downtown murals. 

This mural was also adorned with stained glass images

You should have seen the one that got away!!!

Ashland City Hall

Krist Oil Building

Krist Oil stations are very common in northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin.  They have very competitive prices and usually have truck lanes for diesel.  We have purchased fuel at Krist stations our last two fill-ups.

Life is good.

Tomorrow, after spending three relaxing nights in Ashland, we will continue wandering eastward into Michigan's Upper Peninsula.