I love the Driftless Area, and I’m hardly alone. Chances are that one of your favorite local haunts is called The Driftless Something. The natural beauty of this region works like an alchemy upon us, its fertile ground nurturing such an astonishing variety of food and farming enterprises that we local foodies are truly spoiled for choice. The chance to take a food-focused road trip from Madison to La Crosse, with stops at a handful of unique spots along the way, felt like a dream; this summer I invite you to turn my dream into your reality.
A journey through the Driftless is an invitation to slow down. Look at a paper map, trace your finger along backcountry roads; whatever your route you’ll pass through towns that are destinations in their own right, while meandering roads treat you to some of the most iconic scenery of our state. You’ll follow the Wisconsin River and cross the Kickapoo, dip down into coulees and crest bluffs where, under a big blue Wisconsin sky, the land rolls out to meet you.
You’ll also see reminders of how vulnerable this land is. Depending on your route, you may drive beside a line of high-voltage power lines that went up in spite of ongoing public dissent and environmental concerns. These power lines, meant to “connect” us, are seen by many as doing the opposite, deepening the disconnect between neighbor and neighbor; between all of us and the Earth…