The HOP

With Tony Evers winning the governor race here in Wisconsin yesterday, I figured I should start getting used to paying for all sorts of free stuff for voters in this blue county. Free trolley rides is a good start. Friends Jimmy Q (of Memphis blog fame) and Eric joined me for a day of bar hopping on The Hop.

This is the only image I remembered to get of the outside of the trolley.  We were sitting in the first bar above called "My Office" waiting the approx 15 minutes between trolleys and the dam thing went by at 8 minutes.

First stop was the bar across the street as we missed the next trolley too. It came at 18 minutes. See a pattern here on their schedule? This was a nice Greek place and they were thrilled The Hop actually brings business.

Finally boarded and on our way. Nice and clean trolley cars. Has that new trolley smell. Next stop was a bar that used to be The John Ernst Cafe. Its a perfect place for hopping as you can sit on a stool and see the trolley coming out the window. This was the first of "drink and dash" stops of the day. Paid for drinks but had to run.

Whatever the place was called it was here where we picked up a fellow traveler. John is the white guy in the middle. I don't know who the black guys is but it appeared he was doing the same thing. John is an airline pilot and just moved to Milwaukee. You gotta respect a guy who is willing to join three strangers on a bar crawl before going to work. 

This was also where the trolley reaches the end of the line on the north loop. Since the cab has a drivers compartment at both ends, the driver simply gets out and walks through the car to the other end and starts going back the way we came. A group of passengers that had been sitting in the forward seats, walked with him and got into the new forward seats. Looked like an outing from a nursing home. They love anything like this.  Eric believes the design should have put a turntable at this end and we all push it around. Have fun kid. Our next stop was Victors which isn't exactly on the line but Jimmy Q "knows someone" and got them to open up a bit before 5 just for us. John lives across the street in Juneau Village and has already been there. Imagine that.

So we are off again and the rigors of this commuter rail thing is starting to wear on Jim. Running from Victors we had our first chance to run in front of a moving trolley. They have a big horn and it works. They also can yell at you from the cab on the PA system when you board and shame you. This was our first trolley violation of the day.

Next stop was the Public Market. There are 4 bars in this place so I'd call it a hub. Amy who used to serve us at Pandl's in Whitefish Bay made a sausage and cheese plate. Hopping gives you an appetite.

I think this is the old Smith Brothers fisherman but not sure. We asked him to join us too.

Then we headed to the trolley to go back the other way with intent of calling it a day, but right across the street is Benelux. Had to stop.  Eric was playing with his wedding band and it dropped and rolled. He appeared a little shaken when we looked for a few minutes and it wasn't showing up. Nice young girl found it under my bar stool.

On the way home we ate pretzels in the cab. Our second violation. And that pretty much was our 6 hour day on The Hop. Although the guys got parking tickets. Free ride not.