Wisconsin Life #601: Off to the Races


September 13, 2018

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Wisconsin Life host Angela Fitzgerald is off to the races as she explores the Crandon International Raceway. Home of the World Championship Off-Road Races, this dirt track sees thousands of visitors each year. Fitzgerald talks with president of the track, Cliff Flannery, about how the track got its start. Then she gears up for a ride of a lifetime with off-road racer Adam Weber.

We then take a trip to the small community of Pine Bluff for a different kind of motor spectacle. Every first Sunday in May and October, motorcycle lovers descend on the town to showcase their bikes and take a scenic ride known as the Slimey Crud Café Racer Run. Randy Abendroth, a pioneer of the Crud Run, explains this homegrown event that brings together Wisconsinites who have a shared passion for motorcycles.

Next, we head to Milwaukee’s Lindsay Heights Neighborhood to visit artist Evelyn Patricia Terry and her gallery of creations. She went to school to study home economics before being discovered by a teacher who encouraged her to pursue art. She did, and her journey into the art world was eye-opening. Today, Terry’s art includes more than 400 public, private, and corporate collections around the world.

Then we head to Janesville, to meet Ron Olsen a retired architect who loves Frank Lloyd Wright-designed structures. After a visit to Pettit Chapel in Illinois, Judy, Olson’s wife, suggested he use his drafting skills to build a scale model of the famous landmark. Soon Ron’s hobby evolved into a passion. He’s now drafted nearly 30 different models; all are exact replicas of the original structures. Some of Olsen’s creations are now housed in Fortaleza Hall in the S.C. Johnson Headquarters as part of a permanent exhibit.

Lastly, we head to the Northwoods in Summit, to the site of a wild encounter. A run-in with a bear and her cubs gave author Carol Dunbar a different view of mothering. See how Dunbar’s adventure unfolded, in this animated tale.

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2019-12-18T21:20:40-06:00

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