Driving down Wisconsin Avenue in Pewaukee at sunset is a risky business. Not because of the condense traffic or the jaywalking pedestrians, but because, as you drive past Pewaukee Beach, it’s a challenge not to stop your car and watch the sun slide down over the shadowy trees. The panoramic view will pull you in, making your eyes boggle and your hands twitch for the nearest camera. Your urge to get home for dinner will be replaced by an urge to stare, unblinking, at nature’s scene. If you do run into this problem, it’s in your best interest to park your car (in a legal location), find a seat, and watch the sky’s colorful production.
Once you find a place to park, walk across the cracked pavement street (on the crosswalk, of course), and make your way to my favorite seat in the house: the painted bench. Now, I know there are many painted benches on Pewaukee beach, and the view will be great from any of them, but if you want the best view, pop a squat on the one furthest to the left. From this bench, you are in the perfect position to watch a silhouetted scene--an illustration of the community in Pewaukee.
You’ll see an elderly couple walk hand in hand, holding on to each other for support. You’ll see a father throw a laughter-filled child in the air, as another slurps up a melting ice cream cone from the Chocolate Factory. You’ll see friends and families, basking in the last rays of sun.
Breathe in the fresh spring air and notice the array of swirling colors reflected on the glassy lake, like a painting in a museum. Know that, as you inhale, you are sitting in the center of a true treasure: Pewaukee Beach.