Milwaukee...always wearing shades

Milwaukee…it’s such an extreme city. In the midst of July you’ll find the beaches…superb. At that moment, Milwaukee transfers you to another place entirely…all without leaving the city. The look is something comparable (in my mind) to a southern California coast…surfers in wetsuits found hovering the waves in the early morning, a trickling of people follow soon after with beach towels in hand, until the beach is filled of sun bathers and frisbee throwers…here you’ll find beautiful 90 degree weather, and a sun so bright…“you gotta wear shades.”

But let’s look 6 months out…barely 6 months…you’ll find a dusting of snow covering the iced waters of Lake Michigan, sidewalks hidden below knee high snow drifts, which require a running start to make it through without getting stuck, and between the buried sidewalks and snow banks…more ice. Wisconsin winter weather is truly a danger for many tailbones out there. And the work it takes to dress before venturing outside…long johns, boots, scarves, hats, gloves, and shades, not to shield your eyes from the sun, but to protect your eyes from the blowing snow (unsure if the wind is blowing snow or if it’s actually snowing)…the attire seems never ending…and never warm enough.

Yeah, I froze my rump on my walk to work this morning (however a walkers club would be proud of the speed and time I had going on)…but you can almost find this weather tolerable with the offerings a snowy Milwaukee can provide. Let’s take a first look at my favorite night to drink…a night before the storm…sitting on a bar stool, anxiously waiting for the first snow flake to fall. This is the green light, a green light to take the first anticipated shot of the evening. And as the snow falls thicker, the booze follows suite. Suddenly you’re slipping out the pub door at bar time on a school night…an ovation is heard from patrons piling out the door, cheering in exhilaration at the heaps of snow that gathered while drinking the night away, and soon a friendly snow fight ensues…you’ll find yourself stumbling into your apartment in the wee morning hours, wet, cold, tired, but having the satisfaction of knowing you had the ultimate evening with your pals, and no worries of having to work in the morning. After all, it’s a guarantee of a city shut down. Every person in that bar knew exactly that…which is why we were all there in the first place.

So what do you do on a snow day?…nothing…absolutely nothing, well, besides the recovery of the hangover. And when the wind finally dies down, you bundle up yet one more time…heading towards your favorite snow hill, but not reaching it until you’ve dug out at least 5 cars who haven’t moved their vehicle off the street since the snow began. But when you reach that snow hill, you’ll see that Milwaukee’s finest has gathered around…with their whiskey and blaze orange High Life cans…toboggans and snowboards, each taking their turn of fate on that hill…steep, long, and so much fun…fun until you tr-uggghh back up it.

However, then the snow plow comes barreling through. Clearly there is no where for the snow to go, other than on top of what was already there…a shelf that was naturally created, where beer cans were placed to chill, and personal items to rest…a member of the gathered mass yelling “move” repeatedly at high volume as the snow plow gets closer, with people frantically grabbing their items, having only seconds to make a split decision…booze or board. Anything could be lost beneath this fresh pile the snow plow is moving off the street, ready to tumble closer to the gathering of people and objects. Hearing either giggles of amusement or ughs of frustration as the snow plow moves past, the damage done…beers lost to freeze.

This is exactly what makes Milwaukee so extreme…those perfect sunny beach days that are followed too quickly by a winter wonderland. And the change seems to happen so rapid…it feels like summer just ended before snow is piling on top of us, but when the last of the snow melts away, the memory of winter seems to be missing.

But it’s a great sensation to see Milwaukeeans enjoy themselves through every season…bomb fires in fall, baseball in spring, music festivals throughout summer…and winter…well, I think you have a good idea about winter...then of course there’s every holiday in between…Cinco de Mayo, St. Patty’s Day, Halloween, Opening Day, Harley Davidson Anniversary (unfortunately that party is an every 5 year holiday). It’s true to say, we make it interesting here. We find the delight that keeps us entertained in our daily lives…we’re good to Milwaukee…and in return, Milwaukee is good to us.