It's the end of the Summer

 Summers don't last long here in Wisconsin, so you have to squeeze as much as you can out of the warmer weather as you can before the cold freeze sets in. That's exactly what I've been doing since I last wrote. I hadn't even realized that it's been nearly two months since my last post. I need to be better at this. Let's catch up...

I've continued staying active, working out and running. Played on a volleyball team with coworkers. We were the best last-place team in the league. We had a lot of fun though. Another coworker coerced me into playing ultimate frisbee. I hadn't played that since high school gym class. I really wasn't sure what I was getting into, but I was up for it. Pretty much all sprinting, which took a toll on my old legs. Great time though! One thing you can count on during the Summer months is drinks on patios throughout the city. Gorgeous views of the river or the lake with tasty, cool beverages.

Once again, I went to the Milwaukee Firkin Craft Beer Festival for my third straight year. It's such a great festival with over 100 beers to sample from some of the finest craft breweries in the Midwest and elsewhere.

I took my friends on Beer Snob Tour 3.0, the third installment of a creation of mine that takes us on a road trip to visit some of Wisconsin's fine craft breweries. Normally we visit three, but this time we hit five - Grumpy Troll Brew Pub, Vintage Brewing Company, Karben4 Brewery, Ale Asylum, and Delafield Brewhaus. Who knows where 4.0 will take us?

On my way out of the Rave after Gigantour, I was given a couple of free tickets to see Godsmack on August 4th. FREE tickets to see Godsmack? Of course I went! Always an awesome show!

For my birthday weekend, I bought VIP tickets to WIIL Rock Fest, an all day rock festival featuring Volbeat, All That Remains, Nonpoint, Trapt, Smile Empty Soul, Hurt, Red Line Chemistry, Art of Dying, SOiL, Wayland, and several local bands. Amazing day, though I probably should have used sunscreen. When we got to the car to leave, there were free tickets to see Nonpoint at the Rave.  Why not?!

Well, before that show, I broke up the string of hard rock shows to see Mumford & Sons. What an outstanding show they put on too. Such fantastic musicianship.

The last weekend of August was Harley-Davidson's 110th Anniversary party here in WI. I went to a couple of the street parties and had the pleasure of seeing two great free shows...Sick Puppies and P.O.D.

This past weekend was Doors Open Milwaukee, where dozens of historical buildings open their doors to the public and provide free tours to parts of the buildings that normally aren't accessible. I visited a couple of places, including one of six Frank Lloyd Wright American System-Built homes. Designed in 1915 with the intent of making architect-designed homes available to all Americans, these homes never really took off due to World War I. The architecture, and the concept, were certainly ahead of the times. It was quite interesting.

So while it is the end of the Summer, that certainly doesn't mean it's the end of good times and fun things to do. It just means the weather is getting colder and I may have to find things to do indoors. One thing is for sure, there is always something fun and interesting happening here in Milwaukee. Stay tuned for more adventures.