Maddy in Madison

I had the pleasure of taking Maddy to college last Friday and wanted to post some pictures of our trip! Maddy was very gracious in humoring me when I kept taking pictures. As always, it was great to travel with her. University of Wisconsin has a beautiful campus. 

We pulled up to her dorm and several "Badger Buddies" in red shirts helped unload the car and take everything upstairs. All done in about 15 minutes. I don't remember anything like that when I moved into the dorms!! We were on our own...

We left Champaign in the morning. Maddy said good-bye to flat, flat Illinois ("flat and fertile" as one local t-shirt would have it). 

The Subaru was packed full! This was basically my view through the rearview mirror.

Flatness as far as the eye can see.

She looks a little too happy to be leaving, doesn't she?!

On the way, we stopped in Janesville, WI to have lunch at Olive Garden - love the salad and breadsticks! 

I was only away for one night but it felt like a lot longer -- in a good way! We moved Maddy in pretty quickly, went to Target and then got her more settled. Her roommate, Katie, was there and seems like a very nice young woman. Here's a 360 of her room:

 

This is Katie.

This is Maddy again.

She and Maddy decorated it later that day so it looks even better! While Maddy was at her first house meeting Friday evening, I went for a walk along the lake. Maddy's dorm is right next to the lake so it's an amazing location. The path by the lake was very nice. Bikers, walkers, runners, strollers, etc. It was so nice to see people out.

This is right outside Maddy's dorm. See the sailboats in the distance?! Incredible location.

Here's a closer look down the path from her dorm.

View through the trees along the path.

This is where the University starts to come right out to the lake. The union is at the second pier in the distance.

After Maddy's meeting, we went to State St. for a yummy Mexican meal at Casa de Lara. 

Maddy was hungry!!

Enchilada clean plate club.

 Took a bit of an unplanned self-guided walking tour of campus since there was so much construction and we weren't sure about the fastest way back to the dorm. Got Maddy there and then I went to the hotel for the night. Next morning, breakfast at Sunroom Cafe on State St. Delish. 

Good hair day isn't it? Rested and eating a breakfast burrito (I think).

Walked around State St. and the Saturday market for a while. Mostly, I was surprised at how uncrowded things were. Even moving in. The market, though, was packed with people. Maddy started mooing at one point saying she felt like she was in a herd of cattle. We didn't stay there for long. 

Made our way to a Trader Joe's on Monroe St. where Maddy stocked up on snacks and other goodies. Had some great pizza at Pizza Brutta. It was a really fun little place. After lunch, we went back to Maddy's dorm and walked over to the Babcock Dairy Store  for ice cream which is made by the Dairy at the University. Maddy hopes to be able to learn from a master cheese maker. Where else but Wisconsin?! I guess she'll have to learn how to make beer too. 


After ice cream, it was time for me to say good-bye. It was hard to leave Maddy there but also exciting that she's starting a new semester in a place I think she'll really like. Seems like a great fit for her. 

Bye, Mad...We'll miss you!!