Chippewa Valley, a stop for the soul -…

It’s only after you’ve left a place for a while and come back that you truly realize how much your small hometown has – and doesn’t have – to offer.

I am originally from Chippewa Falls, more precisely from the city of Lafayette. I grew up among the rolling hills of apple orchards, where my family has lived for generations.

I moved to Oshkosh in 2014 so my ex could go to school. I was terrified at first, having never left home, but I quickly grew to love it. Many weekends were spent exploring the many “beach towns” on Lake Michigan—Manitowoc, Sheboygan, Two Rivers, Port Washington, and others. There was no shortage of things to do, see, and eat.

When the tragic end of our relationship brought me to Green Bay, I took advantage of my newfound freedom to explore every park I could find within an hour’s drive. I was absolutely fascinated by Wisconsin’s “East Coast” and had no intention of leaving.

But the Universe had different plans.

A series of unfortunate events brought my husband and I back here in April 2023. Due to the traumatic events that had taken place in our lives at that time, being back home with my family was an instant balm for my soul. I remember the first time I looked up at the night sky and saw the brilliance of countless stars, unpolluted by the lights of the city—it brought tears to my eyes. When was the last time I saw that?

Coming back to my home country immediately comforted and invigorated me. Life here was safe and predictable. Our first summer back was one of the best of my life. We spent weekends relaxing on the boat and laughing around campfires; we went to the fair, Pioneer Days and the Jaquish Sunflower Farm. I showed my husband Big Falls and Irvine Park. We spent many dates getting ice cream at Olson’s and walking around downtown. It was peaceful and perfect.

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I remember the first time I looked up at the night sky and saw the glow of countless stars, unpolluted by city lights – it brought tears to my eyes. When was the last time I saw this?

ROBIN TILLMAN

We’ve been back for a year now, and while we still enjoy our little sanctuary in the Wissota woods, this time has given me the opportunity to reflect on what I love about this area…and what misses him.

The first thing I fell in love with again was the water. When I moved to the eastern part of the state, I was very surprised – and dismayed – to learn that people don’t swim in Lake Winnebago. In fact, because of the amount of industry there, it’s very hard to find a nice beach with clean water. And no one seemed to be as bothered by it as I was. I grew up between Big Falls and Ray’s Beach – swimming was literally a 10-minute drive in either direction – so being next to the BIGGEST lake in Wisconsin and being told I couldn’t swim in it just blew my mind. As you can imagine, I was super excited to be living next to beautiful bodies of water again, and I went swimming as often as I could.

The first thing I missed when I came back was the variety of restaurants. I apologize if this offends die-hard Chippewa Vallians, but this area is sorely lacking. The Green Bay area has more authentic Mexican restaurants than you can count, as well as any other ethnicity you desire. They also excel at healthy foods: it’s not difficult to find a restaurant serving delicious dishes made with fresh ingredients. I often feel like my choices here are burgers, steaks and fried fish, accompanied by potatoes. My husband – who has lived in California and Colorado – loves to remind me of the Wisconsin stereotype that we are the land of milk and cheese – cream cheese, cottage cheese, sour cream, real cheese – and that we like to put all these ingredients in ALL our dishes. I don’t think it’s really an exaggeration, to be honest.

One thing this area does extremely well and shouldn’t be afraid to brag about is music. I love that there is such a vibrant music scene, from open mics to weekend bar closings to music in the park to multi-day festivals. They are also affordable (or free), something that big city music venues can’t boast about.

I love how accessible music and events are in this area – it’s fantastic. Downtown Eau Claire in general is fantastic. It’s something I sorely missed. Other than the Packers, Green Bay didn’t really have that “vibe” – that vibe of “This is my city, and I’m invested in it, and I’m proud of it.” »That’s something I’ve always loved about Eau Claire.

When I left town in 2014, the River Prairie development in Altoona had just begun. The Pablo Center in Confluence did not exist. When I interned at Volume One in 2007-2008, I participated in the first April 1st Pillow Fight and helped develop the very first Eat Scene. I knew Eau Claire had incredible potential and that Volume One was going to be the driving force behind it. It’s been amazing to watch this area grow and see Chippewa Falls follow suit with its new waterfront park. No matter where I go in this life, I will always be proud to say that I come from this region.

Every city obviously has its pros and cons. And what you consider those pros and cons depends a lot on your hobbies, age, vocation, personality, etc. I also firmly believe that the characteristics of a city can serve you differently depending on where you are in your life. The excitement and adventure of Wisconsin’s East Coast was exactly what I needed at that time in my life; the laid-back, slower paced, small-town festival-every-weekend-in-the-summer atmosphere is what I need right now. For some people, it’s home, and that’s wonderful. For others, like my husband and I, it’s a rest stop, and we’re going to enjoy all it has to offer until it’s time to move on to the next chapter of our lives.