Did you see Lake Michigan on Friday? The waves were crazy, making the shoreline look like the coast of an ocean.
It was cloudy, it was raining and it was windy. And the lake was angry that day, my friend.
I drive along the lake every morning so I see the changes and most days the action is in the sky with clouds varying to often create spectacular post-sunrise skies.
But other than changes in color, the lake rarely seems all that different to someone driving along at 30 mph.If you have windows facing it, you know that the lake, in fact, has many different faces.
On Friday, however, you couldn't help but notice the changes once past the McKinley Marina. Before that, everything is within the breakwater and was as placid as ever.
But just beyond the usual group of UWM folks awaiting the parking shuttle bus, waves were crashing up onto the sands and the rocks in the stretch between the marina and the Northpoint Snack Bar.
At the top of the long and winding road of St. Mary's hill, I paused to look out across the lake and although it was chilly, I half expected to see some of Milwaukee's surf nuts out there trying to ride these montrous crests.
Later in the morning the scene was much the same and I received the attached photo via e-mail. You have to look hard amid the varieties of gray to see them, but the waves are huge.
Surf's up!
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
