Doe s riding a bicycle feel like an uphill battle? Try an e-bike Drive-in owners invite you to enjoy a cold treat and a warm smile A brew, BBQ and you — Let the good times flow Plus ... Reader photos
AUGUST 2026
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PUBLISHER Jennifer Heintzelman
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Have a field day A couple of creature keepers invite you to see the world in a whole zoo light.
Charging cycle Is riding a bicycle an uphill battle? Put the pedals to your mettle on an e-bike.
It’s one heck of a dill A Lena bar will switch gears for a day to become a purveyor of all things pickle.
Grinning from ear to ear
Enjoy a taste of small-town America topped with a cherry and whip cream? Take a drive in to Lena
40 Let the good time flow Bar owners want people to feel like they’re in good Company when they stop in to enjoy brews and BBQ.
48 Life on the Lake Lady Liberty wishes America a happy 250th!
Real Estate Listings PAGES 49-55
Dr. Doolittle wasn’t the only one who imagined a world where we could talk with the animals and walk with the animals, Rick and Tammy Anderson did, too.
But they didn’t sing about such a world — they created one.
The Andersons are the keepers of the Summerfield Zoo in Belvidere, a family-run operation where people can meet with an assortment of animals, some familiar, some not, but all worth the walk through the zoo. It’s a “multi-faceted experience,” said Rick — fun, interesting, educational, even relaxing.
“Obviously we want people to enjoy themselves,” Rick said, “but we also want to educate them; not only to teach them about animals, but about the Earth and everything in general. There have been studies out there where people care more if they get a little hands-on experience or can get up close to animals. There’s a calming aspect to it, and that kind of thing can also make it something they’re interested in later on.”
You won’t be able to speak rhinoceros or sing in hippopotamus — and why notamus? The Andersons leave some of those larger subjects in the animal kingdom to bigger zoos, preferring to give people an experience that’s more up-close and personal.
Don’t worry though, you’ll still be able to converse with quadrupeds and confer with furry friends — and while you may not understand what they’re saying, you’ll understand more about them after you’ve visited the couple’s zoo.
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Above: Visitors to Summerfield Zoo can get a hands-on experience with the animals — in some cases with their hands full of feed, like these folks feeding goats at the zoo.
You can wonder what a Lynx thinks, talk turkey or gab with a goat, and learn everything from A to Zebra about Summerfield’s animals, courtesy of the Andersons and their zoo crew.
Sometimes all it takes is standing a few feet away from a member of their menagerie to spark a lifelong curiosity about creatures great and small, and that’s an experience that a smaller zoo like the Andersons’ can offer.
Summerfield Zoo combines rescued exotic animals, endangered species, familiar farm animals and interactive experiences into a destination that feels as much like a conversation as a walk through a zoo.
Owned and operated by Rick and Tammy since opening in 1990, the zoo makes the adventure of discovering animals into something more memorable than just a day spent simply looking through fences or peering into a pen. It
becomes a chance to ask questions, hear stories and leave knowing more about the world around us.
For Rick, creating those lasting connections between people and animals has been the zoo’s mission from the beginning.
The zoo has animals many visitors have never encountered before, including binturongs, capybaras, spotted hyenas and Arctic wolves. Those are exotic animals, but there are also more familiar ones there, such as farm animals — cows, pigs, donkeys, sheep, chickens, ducks and turkeys — that aren’t found at larger, urban zoos.
Horses are among the animal cast, too — in fact, they’re central to the zoo’s origin.
Rick had previously worked for a veterinarian while the family bred, trained, showed and sold Arabian horses on their property. But then the horses started getting some company and, they found themselves caring for more and more creatures in need of homes.
“We started taking in unwanted
exotic animals,” Anderson said. “A few went by and then they started to get too great in numbers, and we decided we needed to do something to offset just pulling money out of our pockets to feed them.”
The zoo cares for animals ranging from threatened species to endangered and critically endangered ones. Many are rescues surrendered by owners who underestimated what caring for an exotic animal would involve.
“People have bought exotic pets and don’t know what they’re getting into,” Anderson said. “We have a wide range of rescues that have come from people’s homes as pets, from monkeys, African circle cats, alligators, and snakes. They have a novel idea, and then they find out the reality of some of these animals. Our tortoises are all rescues; they’ll buy them at pet stores when they are small, and then when they get big, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, what do I do with it?’”
Some rescues arrive with little warning.
“There was a farmer not too far from here who found a huge African tortoise walking along the road,” Anderson said. “We don’t know if he got out of someone’s backyard or something; we never found out.”
Unlike some zoos, Summerfield visitors often see daily feedings and habitat cleanings, rather than done behind the scenes, giving them a glimpse of the work that goes into caring for dozens of species. The capybaras, for example, have diets that are supplemented with Vitamin C gummies because they are especially susceptible to scurvy, Anderson said.
Rick Anderson, owner of Summerfield Zoo in Belvidere, gives a presentation on a baby Patagonian Cavy on May 29 at the zoo. Also known as a mara, the animal is native to the southern region of South America and is one of only a few monogamous rodents in the world.
Being a smaller zoo has shaped both how the animals are cared for and how visitors experience them.
“This is more of a personal kind of approach,” Rick said. “We always have our keepers and myself walking around, so if people have questions or want to know something, there’s usually someone around who they can ask and we’ll have a nice answer. You’re kind of on your own at some of the big city zoos, where people are more behindthe-scenes than we are.”
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DAVID OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY
DAVID OLSON PHOTOGRAPHY
One of Anderson’s favorite animals, the binturong, also captures the zoo’s educational mission, introducing many visitors to a species they’ve never even heard of.
“Especially with our binturong, most people have never seen one, and they’re like, ‘What is that?’ We’ll tell them it’s a binturong, and they’re also called a bearcat — but they’re not a bear or a cat,” Anderson said. “They propagate most of the Asian rainforest. There’s a special kind of tree that’s there, and they’re the only mammal that’s good at dispersing seeds from that plant.”
Then comes one of the details visitors rarely forget — the kind of detail one doesn’t get from just looking at a photo.
“They smell like popcorn,” Anderson said, “which is kind of cool.”
While unusual species often steal the spotlight, another
of the zoo’s most popular attractions is much more familiar: its baby goat area. The supervised pen is where visitors can take a bottle and feed the young kids (the name for a baby goat) among the racket of bleating babies.
“People love to go in there, and be in there petting them and playing with them,” Anderson said. “The kids just go crazy over it.”
Visitors can also watch daily animal presentations, with shows offered once each weekday and twice on weekends. The featured animals change throughout the season, and the presentation sometimes feature new arrivals. Throughout the spring, new babies are a regular part of life, although some arrived later than usual this year.
New additions in June included a
baby Patagonian Cavy, a baby bat-eared fox and an umbrella cockatoo. They were among animals shown by Anderson during daily 20-minute presentation shows that month. The Patagonian Cavy, also known as a mara, is native to the southern region of South America and is one of only a few monogamous rodents in the world. Athena, the bat-eared fox, native to south and east Africa, uses its large ears for thermal regulation and identifying predators and prey better; it can hear a termite chewing underground. Sara, the umbrella cockatoo, is a rescue that is estimated to be about 50 years old; they are native to Indonesia and its name comes from having its feathers shoot straight up in the air when provoked.
Having the babies in the animal show helps expose them and acclimate them to people, public relations coordinator Danielle Amundson said.
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SWEITZER NURSERY,LLC
Amundson
Summerfield Zoo visitors get up close and personal with Sara, an umbrella cockatoo, during a presentation May 28 at the zoo. The bird is a rescue that is estimated to be about 50 years old; they are native to Indonesia and its name comes from having its feathers shoot straight up in the air when provoked.
The zoo’s annual Christmas show is popular with visitors, particularly those young enough to still believe in holiday magic — and the reindeer are a big part of that popularity. “The kids are wideeyed and can’t believe that there really are reindeer,” said zoo co-owner Tammy Anderson.
“They get used to the hustle and the bustle,” she said. “A lot of times those are animals that people can get up close to, which is really a nice part of being a smaller zoo.”
School groups visit throughout the spring, while the zoo’s summer camps immerse children in the routines of animal care. Campers help prepare enrichment activities, feed browse (vegetation fed to animals) to herbivores, and learn firsthand what caring for wildlife involves.
The program has grown to eight weeks this year, with families traveling from as far as an hour away and registrations already being accepted for next summer.
Private animal encounters also are offered with select species, giving visitors opportunities to get even closer to some of the zoo’s residents.
“I love the educational
opportunities,” Amundson said. “In the spring time, we do a lot of field trips, and that’s a lot of fun. In the summer, the kids get an opportunity to see what zookeeping is all about, how much hard work it is, and what goes into it. It’s a nice exposure for kids who otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity.”
Even after more than three decades, the property continues to evolve. The zoo itself has weathered challenges, including a devastating tornado that struck the property in 2015, yet improvements have continued as new animals arrive and visitor interest grows. New habitats for the rock hyrax and reindeer have recently been completed, and part of the zoo is being redeveloped into an expanded farm area. Elsewhere on the property, Summerfield Farm continues its longstanding Arabian horse breeding program, with horses regularly earning top honors in regional competition.
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Few moments illustrate a strong connection between people and animals more than the zoo’s holiday season. Each year, after the regular season concludes on the first weekend of October, the zoo reopens from mid-November through Christmas for a special event centered on its reindeer. Among the holiday features is a Flight School show that takes the reindeer through an obstacle course complete with clouds, rooftops and Christmas lights. The Christmas attraction was created after years of visitors asking to see more of the animals during the holidays.
“During our Christmas event with the reindeer, the kids are wide-eyed and can’t believe that there really are reindeer,” Anderson said. “It makes them believe in Santa Claus, too. We bring our reindeer inside our building and it turns into Santa’s magical reindeer barn. Santa’s here, the elves are here, and everyone loves Flight School.”
Those moments of wonder aren’t just for kids: Even grown-ups sometimes leave having learned something they never expected.
“Even adults have come up and said, ‘I didn’t know there were really reindeer,’” Anderson said. “They thought they were just in story books.”
Anderson hopes they leave with a greater appreciation for the natural world and the creatures that inhabit it. Each admission also helps make that mission possible, supporting the care of rescued animals, expanding habitats and preparing for the next unexpected arrival that may need a permanent home.
“We love to see people here,” Anderson said. “It helps with feeding the animals and building habitats. The more that people come, the more that we can do for the animals we have here.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Summerfield Zoo, 3088 Flora Road in Belvidere, is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $10 for children. Find it on Facebook or Instagram, go to summerfieldzoo.com or call 815-547-4852 for more information.
BY CODY CUTTER
SAUKVALLEYMEDIA
BY CODY CUTTER
or some cyclists, the hill where the Jane Addams Trail curves east toward Freeport south of the U.S. Route 20 underpass means it’s time to hop off and push.
John Zimmer has watched it happen countless times from beneath a nearby bright orange canopy where he sells and rents electric bicycles. They shift gears, they push their pedals and pump their legs as hard as they can, they speed up before the hill and hope momentum will do the job.
The approaches may vary, but the end result is the same: They finally surrender to the trail.
On a recent July day, he couldn’t resist, and he shouted toward a group pushing their bicycles uphill.
“If you had an e-bike, you wouldn’t be walking your bike!”
The good-nature ribbing usually starts a conversation with riders on the trail. Sometimes, it even ends with cyclists discovering that riding farther, longer and with less strain isn’t really cheating, it’s about simply finding a better way to enjoy the trail — with some help from a battery and a bicycle.
Zimmer owns Trail Blazers E-Bikes and spends much of the cycling season introducing people to electric bicycles through rentals, demonstrations and sales along the Jane Addams Trail in northern Stephenson County.
Trail Blazers has four pop-up e-bike rental and sale locations along the trail on select days from early spring to late fall. As long as the temperature is in the 50s or higher, you can find him at the Wes Block Trailhead north of Freeport by U.S. 20, Tutty’s Crossing in downtown Freeport, Richland Road between Red Oak and Buena Vista, or the Richland Creek Shelter House in Orangeville (dates and locations are announced through the Jane Addams Trail Blazers & E-Bike Riders Facebook page).
E-bikes are bicycles equipped with an electric motor and rechargeable battery that provide riders with some assistance, helping push the pedals and make it easier for riders to tackle hills, ride longer distances and reduce fatigue while still pedaling.
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Left: John Zimmer owns Trail Blazers, offering e-bikes for rent along the Jane Addams Trail in Stephenson County. . Not sure you’ll like switching gears from a regular bike to a battery-powered one? Ask Zimmer what his customers think: “People just love it,” he said.
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Zimmer, who lives between Cedarville and Orangeville, not far from the trail, also owns a home improvement and interior decorating business that remains his primary occupation. When that work slowed earlier this year, however, he began searching for something that would supplement his income while letting him spend more time doing something he enjoyed.
June was Zimmer’s first month in business, and things have gotten off to a good start, he said.
“I wanted to have something that would get me out and involved with the community,” Zimmer said. “I really love the community. I asked myself what was it that I enjoyed doing, and I enjoyed sales. Then I thought about what I’ve wanted to do that I had never yet done, being close to retirement, and I always wanted to be a dealer and distributor of products. I ran into really great bike companies that I wanted to promote.”
Along with offering e-bikes for rent, his table is stocked with trail maps, sales binders with information about the e-bike brands he carries, and advice for newcomers wondering if an electric bike is right for them.
Many customers, he said, are experienced cyclists looking to ride longer distances. Others arrive with minor mobility limitations that make traditional cycling more challenging. The conversations he has with them often become opportunities to explain to riders how e-bikes work: Riders still pedal an e-bike; the motor simply provides varying levels of assistance.
Wally's is the PLAYce to be!
John Zimmer’s Trail Blazers offers e-bikes for rent, as well as purchase. Information is available at his pop-up locations along the trail.
“In my generation, growing up, we only had bikes, and everybody did it,” Zimmer said. “It didn’t matter if you were tall, fat, short, skinny, none of that mattered. Now those kids are old. It’s the right time to do this, because that demographic is getting the hips replaced and getting the knees replaced. When you have an e-bike, you have an insurance policy of it getting yourself home when need to — you don’t have to pedal at all, if you don’t want to.” Zimmer believes today’s e-bike boom is arriving at just the right time for the generation that grew up riding bicycles but now faces the realities of aging. For many riders, an e-bike provides the confidence that they can venture farther from home knowing they’ll still be able to make the return trip if fatigue, sore joints or an unexpected issue sets in. TRAIL BLAZERS cont’d from page 16
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Kingbull, Velowave, Freesky and Eunorau e-bikes are offered, along with Cravot bike racks. The bikes feature four-inch-wide tires, well suited for the Jane Addams Trail’s changing terrain of concrete, asphalt, gravel and dirt. Prices generally range from about $800 to $4,000.
“They’re looking for guidance on what they need and what they want,” Zimmer said. “These bikes, what you’re getting for the price is pretty amazing. I narrowed a list of 32 brands to these four.”
Modern e-bikes have also evolved significantly over the past two decades. While public awareness began growing during the mid-2000s, Zimmer said the selection has expanded dramatically during the past six to eight years. Folding models now allow riders to transport bikes inside many vehicles, and manufacturers have developed systems that better match a rider’s pedaling style.
Some models use cadence sensors, which provide motor assistance once riders begin pedaling regardless of how hard they push the pedals. Others feature torque sensors, which measure pedal pressure and deliver assistance that feels more natural by increasing power as riders pedal harder. Unlike traditional bicycles, today’s e-bikes aren’t marketed as men’s or women’s models. Instead, riders focus on choosing a frame style and features that best fit their needs.
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The Jane Addams Trail is named for social work pioneer Jane Addams (illustration below), who was born in nearby Cedarville; she established the Hull House in Chicago in 1889 as a community center and provided needed services for the city’s immigrants. The trail formerly was a railroad line for the Illinois Central until abandoned in 1996; it runs from downtown Freeport to the Wisconsin state line just north of Oneco — a nearly 17-mile stretch of shade — and gives travelers a cruise through varying terrains, narrow rock formations and interesting sights, such as riding next to an abandoned grain elevator in Scioto Mills (photo at left)
Zimmer believes personalized service is what separates his business from larger retailers.
“The advantage of what I offer, I think, over what’s out there to offer, is that I can assem ble and deliver it for them, and if it needs service I can pick it up and deliver it back to them,” he said.
He also teaches customers how to care for their investment. That includes allowing batteries to cool before charging after a long ride, storing them properly and understanding that a well-maintained battery can typically last 7 to 10 years. Replacement batteries also are available for each brand Zimmer sells, and he also provides basic maintenance services, including tune-ups, brake and drivetrain adjustments, tire service and accessory installation.
TRAIL BLAZERS cont’d to
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Renters receive a short orientation before leaving the tent. A driver’s license, credit card and signed waiver are required before taking a bike onto the trail. Each rental bike is electronically limited to 20 mph, although many models are capable of reaching about 28 mph. Riders select from five levels of pedal assistance, with each successive level providing roughly another 5 to 7 mph. Most renters, Zimmer said, stay in the first one or two levels.
Helmets are required for renters, and Zimmer has some available.
“I recommend both a helmet and glasses,” Zimmer said. “You don’t want to take a bug in the eye at 20 mph — that hurts. It’s happened to me and I said, ‘Why was I not thinking?’ All it takes is that one time and you never make that mistake again.”
Zimmer offers two- and five-hour rentals, giving riders enough time to experience much of the trail. A comfortable ride from the trailhead to Orangeville and back takes roughly three hours, he said. Along the way, cyclists encounter wooded stretches, open countryside and changing trail surfaces, with occasional wildlife crossing their path. The trail changes names once it reaches the Wisconsin state line, becoming the Badger State Trail. Riding on Wisconsin trails isn’t free, and riders continuing into Wisconsin should remember the $5 cash pass required at the pay station in Clarno.
Having lived in Freeport for the past decade, Zimmer has become deeply connected to the trail. He rides it four or five times each week when weather permits and also serves on the Jane Addams Trail Commission, which helps maintain the popular recreation corridor.
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“It’s a very scenic trail of all kinds of surfaces,” Zimmer said. “There’s unique stuff along this trail that’s hard to replace. If you stopped in Orangeville, you could stop to eat a burger or have a beer at the bars downtown. It’ll give them an opportunity to see parts of the trail they might not see while walking.”
It’s that experience, he said, that keeps people coming back.
“People just love it,” Zimmer said. “They may have tried it, or they may not have, but they know about it or know something about it, and this is an opportunity for me to educate them. This gives them the freedom they’ve been waiting for, especially if they couldn’t get on the trails because they were scared of wondering whether they might get hurt. [They wonder,] ‘Who’s going to pick me up and carry me back?’ This solves all of that. They enjoyed biking when they were young kids, and they’re looking for an opportunity to meld that all together.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Trail Blazers has four popup e-bike rental and sale locations on select days from early spring to late fall — as long as the temperature is in the 50s or higher — along the Jane Addams Trail in Stephenson County:
• Tutty’s Crossing Trailhead, 250 E. Stephenson St., Freeport
• Wes Block Trailhead, 2636 West Fairview Road, Freeport
• Richland Road trail intersection: 3250 West Richland Road, Freeport
• Richland Creek Trailhead, 101 N. Ewing St., Orangeville
Find Jane Addams Trail Blazers & E-Bike Riders on Facebook, go to trailblazersebikes.com, email trailblazersebikes@ gmail.com or call 815-567-1968 for more information.
BY CODY CUTTER
SAUK VALLEY MEDIA
and a bright green tutu. the fun.
drinks and costumes transform the brewery and restaurant into a playful sendoff to summer, where embracing the theme is half the experience.
over Labor Day weekend, on Sept. 6, continuing a tradition that has become one of Lena Brew’s signature events. While more details about this year’s festival will be announced in the days leading up to the event, owner Katie Quittschreiber said visitors can once again expect an afternoon filled with specialty foods, live music, pickle-themed drinks and plenty of lighthearted fun.
spired Quittschreiber to make changes to fit its growth. This year’s event will feature changes aimed at improving the flow of food service while preserving the relaxed party atmosphere that has made Picklefest a favorite for returning guests.
gest day of the year. With that being said, it needed a little reworking. We had our full menu available and our featured ‘pickle menu’ available, and they did all of the ordering at the bar, so there was an extensive amount of lines — which is fun for a party, but not if they get to be too long. This year, we’ll try to rework it. ... Hopefully it will alleviate some pressure on the kitchen and allow people to get their food faster.”
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CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@SHAWMEDIA.COM
The menu remains a work in progress, but Quittschreiber said there will once again be no shortage of pickle-inspired creations, having gone down a “rabbit hole of pickles” to come up with ideas. Some have become annual favorites, while others push the boundaries of what diners might expect from the humble dill pickle.
Past menus have included pickle pasta salad, pickle deviled eggs, pickle cheesecake, pickle-flavored cotton candy, pickle slushies, pickle cheese balls, house-made pickle pretzels tossed in dill seasoning, filled cheese curds and the Pitter Paddle Pickle Burger, topped with pickle spears, fried pickles and dill pickle gravy.
“There will be some form of all of those this year, for sure,” Quittschreiber said. “The people who love pickles have loved it. Pickle cotton candy might not be my jam, but it was fun and bright green, and you could buy it by the container as well. We’ll have plenty of that.”
PICKLEFEST cont’d to page 27
Katie Quittschreiber, owner of Lena Brewing Company, looks forward to welcoming visitors back for Picklefest, where pickle-themed food, drinks and community come together to celebrate summer's final weekend.
The festival’s signature drink also returns. Lena Brewing brews its pickle ale specifically for Picklefest, and will increase production this year to help meet demand. If any remains after the festival, visitors may even find it available the following day when the brewery has a special Labor Day opening, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. — a rare Monday opening for the business.
The seasonal pickle brew starts with the brewery’s light pilsner recipe, using its LFD Ale as its base, before adding its pickle twist. The LFD Ale is 4.3% ABV featuring Pilsen malts and German Perle Hops, and is named in honor of the town’s fire department.
“It’s a very light beer with a tickle of pickle,” Quittschreiber said. “You can smell it on the nose when you go to lift the beer. It’s a little saltier than your normal light beer. It’s not super ‘dilly,’ which some people worry about, but it’s nice and light and relatively refreshing.”
There’s more than beer to the pickle theme.
Pickle Bloody Marys made with pickle vodka from Barnstormer Distillery in Rockford will return, while fried pickles — already a year-round menu favorite — remain available alongside sandwiches and wraps served with pickle spears.
Picklefest began as an event at The Rafters restaurant in 2015 — known for its bright red barnthemed exterior. Lena
Brewing assumed ownership of The Rafters in
March 2025 and has carried on the pickle tradition. The event serves as the brewery’s annual farewell to summer, part of a tri-fecta of summer fun: Sausagefest kicks off the season each May, the Dog Days of Summer corn boil lands in early August, and Picklefest closes the calendar with one final celebration before autumn arrives.
This year’s festival will be Quittschreiber’s sixth. Some of her favorite moments from past events come from the pickle-crazy people who travel to Lena each year.
PICKLEFEST cont’d to page 29
PHOTO
“It’s got a fun ring to it,” Quittschreiber said. “People love pickles. Last year, we had people show up with pickle t-shirts, green tu-tus, pickle earrings — they were pickled out, for sure. It’s fun to see people get excited over a theme like that, especially if it’s something that they’re passionate about, even if it’s something as silly as pickles.”
Local band Just For Kicks will once again provide the soundtrack from 2 to 5 p.m., performing music spanning the 1970s through today while brewery employees join the festivities in pickle-themed clothing and costumes.
“Seeing people’s love and passion of pickles is always entertaining,” Quittschreiber said. “I love seeing the costumes and the getups. They taste the pickle beer and compare it to their other favorites, whatever they may be. When they see a funky pickle dessert, they always mention another funky pickle dessert. It’s fun.”
Among Andy Griffith aficionados, “The Pickle Story” consistently ranks in the top 10 of best episodes of “The Andy Griffith Show.” In the classic episode, Aunt Bee’s homemade pickles aren’t quite the tasty treat she thinks they are, but no one wants to tell her the truth about her “kerosene cucumbers” — and things get worse for our hapless heroes behind the badge when she decides to enter them in the county fair.
Picklefest also introduces many first-time visitors to everything else Lena Brewing has to offer. Alongside the pickle ale are 15 other beers on tap, cocktails and the brewery’s house root beer, giving guests plenty of options, whether they’re pickle enthusiasts or simply curious about the celebration.
“It’s fun to see what we come up with,” Quittschreiber said. “It’s a great day for our staff as well. Every time we throw a party, it’s like a party for them as well. There’s a lot of work that goes into it, but everyone really comes together. It’s all hands on deck that day, and at the end of the day when you see so many people coming through your doors and enjoying a party that you put on, it gives you a good feeling and a sense of camaraderie to have fun and show people a good pickle time.”
Nope, it’s Just for Kicks, a local band that entertained at last year’s Picklefest, where pickleinspired food, drinks and costumes created a festive farewell to summer. They’ll be back again this year, too.
PHOTOS PROVIDED BY KATIE QUITTSCHREIBER
Last year’s Picklefest offered a glimpse of just how popular the event has become. About 75 people followed brewery staff through the doors when it opened, helping produce the festival’s largest turnout yet. Quittschreiber said the brewery is preparing for another strong showing this year, while acknowledging that late-summer weather always plays a role.
“Last year was our biggest year, and we’re expecting equal to or greater turnout this year,” she said. “There’s always a factor in that, and last year we had perfect weather, so we’re praying for that again this year.”
Whether visitors come for pickle beer, pickle desserts, fried pickles or simply the novelty of an event devoted to the briny favorite, Quittschreiber hopes they’ll leave with a new appreciation for pickle-inspired flavors, even if they aren’t devoted pickle fans. More than anything, she said, Picklefest has become an annual reunion for familiar faces and a celebration that marks the close of summer.
“We hope it’s a good day to remember closing out your summer of 2026,” Quittschreiber said.
“There’s a lot of people we don’t see until Picklefest every year. It’s a fun activity to have here in Lena.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Have a dilly of a day!
Lena Brewing Company’s annual Picklefest is from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 6 at the brewery and restaurant, 9416 W. Wagner Road in Lena. The place also will be open the following day, on Labor Day, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Regular business hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook and Instagram, go to lenabrewing.com or call 815-369-2588 for more information.
PHOTOS: CODY CUTTER/CCUTTER@ SHAWMEDIA.COM
Emma Esser (left) and Sherlin Sanchez are two of the smiling faces happy to help customers at Lena Drive Inn.
ome places don’t become community traditions in small-town America by always being open. They might earn that reputation one summer evening at a time.
In Lena, one of its longtime community staples has been serving treats that keep families returning there generation after generation, where happiness comes in the comfort of an icecold treat on a warm night, topped off with a bit of nostalgia.
For more than six decades, the Lena Drive Inn has been part of Lena’s summertime. Since purchasing the longtime business in 2024, Steve and Andrea Magee have worked to preserve that tradition while putting their own family-friendly stamp on the seasonal ice cream shop.
The Magees, who are originally from Stockton, also own Coach’s Golf and Grill at nearby Stagecoach Golf Course, which they purchased in 2004. While Coach’s focuses on sandwiches, burgers and other meals, the couple envisioned the Drive Inn as a destination centered around frozen treats.
“We were in the food business already, so we thought we would expand by having ice cream here,” Andrea said. “It’s about families and kids coming together.”
After taking ownership, the Magees remodeled the interior while keeping the business’ familiar seasonal role in the community. The Drive Inn, which dates to the 1960s, is open from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Many customers come from traveling along the Stagecoach Trail highway between Lena and Galena, from Lake Le-Aqua-Na State Park just up the road, or after a day spent at the town’s water park a half-mile to the east.
“Ice cream makes people happy,” Magee said. “Seeing people’s smiles on their faces, especially on little kids when they come — everyone loves ice cream. People aren’t coming here in a bad mood. It’s really about the people.”
The business has undergone several changes over the years. Hot food such as burgers, hot dogs and chicken tenders is no longer served — the Magees invite customers looking to eat to head up the road to Coach’s — and familiar drive-in speakers and lit-up menus under the wavy metal awning have been replaced by a car hop bringing a menu to customers. Not comfortable in your car? Limited seating is indoors.
“If it’s 90 degrees and you don’t want to sit in your car, you can come up to the counter and there are a couple of tables inside,” Magee said.
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The menu balances traditional favorites with plenty of opportunities to branch out. Specialty Flurries, colorful boutique lemonades and cream-in fused “dirty sodas” offer dozens of flavor combinations, while customizable mix-ins let guests put their own spin on des serts. Younger visitors can choose playful options like the Dirt Dessert with Oreo cookies and gummy worms or the Clown Sundae topped with M&M sprinkles. Sig nature S’mores flurries and sundaes are even finished with marshmallows roasted to order using a culinary butane torch. Among the more distinctive offerings are Ice Cream Nachos at right), inspired by the Lena Famous
French Fry Nachos, one of Coach’s popular menu items. This variety has waffle cone chips and ice cream toppings
“At Coach’s we do a French Fry Nacho,” Magee said. “I thought, ‘Let’s do an ice cream nacho, kind of like
There’s something on the menu for man’s best friend, too. Another unexpected hit has been the Pup Cup – vanilla ice cream served with a MilkBone treat.
“For anyone who has a dog, those are big,” Magee said. “That was a little surprising. We’ve owned a dog for 18 years, and we hadn’t taken it somewhere to buy ice cream for it. So we started selling them, and there’s
DRIVE INN cont’d to page 38
Whether
like Sherlin Sanchez (right). “Giving
said co-owner Andrea Magee.
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Beyond serving desserts, Magee said one of her favorite parts of operating the business is giving young people an opportunity to enter the workforce.
Most of the Drive Inn’s employees are teenagers working their first summer job. Between the Drive Inn and Coach’s Golf and Grill, the Magees employ 46 people, and some of the crew works at both locations.
“Giving the kids a place to work during the summer, that’s a good thing for a small town to have,” Magee said.
One of those employees is Emma Esser, a recent Lena-Winslow High School graduate who has worked as a hopper for the past two years. When curious customers — which often include her classmates — ask her for a suggestion from the menu, she’ll point to the Mudslide, a hot fudge, Oreo cookie, whipped cream sundae with a cherry on top.
“I like meeting new people,” Esser said. “They’re all like friends. It’s fun working here and it’s a good job.”
The business also weathered one of the area’s biggest stories on April 17 when a tornado swept through Lena. While the gas station across the street sustained heavy damage, the Drive Inn escaped with comparatively minor repairs.
DRIVE INN cont’d to page 39
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“Our roof was damaged, but I’m surprised how the whole awning didn’t get ripped off,” Magee said. “It’s literally a little sheet of metal.”
The backs of the hoppers’ shirts carry playful sayings such as “Ice Cream Fixes Everything” and “I Like Big Scoops and I Cannot Lie” — a reflection of the fun times and smiles that the Drive Inn serves with its frozen treats.
For the Magees, though, the real reward isn’t found on the menu, but rather outside through the Drive Inn’s front windows.
“It’s an opportunity to give kids their first job, or a summer job,” Magee said. “It’s a community thing, and we’re keeping it alive for them, because it’s been here so long. We wanted to keep it local. Groups of kids laughing and eating ice cream, that’s why we’re here.” n Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@ shawmedia.com.
Lena Drive Inn, 304 N. Freedom Street in Lena, is open from 1 to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday, and 1 to 8 p.m. Sunday. Its season runs from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend. Find it on Facebook or call 815-369-2222 for more information.
and Amanda
own Mud Run Beer Co., blending historic character, handcrafted brewing and smoked barbecue into an experience where the building, beer and people all share unique stories.
The owners of Mud Run Beer Co. want their business to be more than just a run-of-the-mill bar and grill, they want people to feel like they’re in good Company when they stop in to enjoy brews, BBQ and history that are all hand-crafted and homemade
Kevin
Pierce of Stockton
FLOW
by Cody Cutter . Sauk Valley Media
very business owner hopes they enjoy a good run.
Kevin and Amanda Pierce hope their customers do, too.
The Pierces are the pair behind Mud Run Beer Co., a Stockton bar and grill that blends historic character, handcrafted brewing and smoked barbecue into an experience where the building, beer and people all share unique stories.
For the couple, the business is more than just a place to grab a quick brew and a bite; it’s a place where they want folks to feel comfortable and stay for a while.
Every decision the Pierces made in crafting their business — restoring a historic building, developing a menu and brewing the beer — centered on creating a place that would leave a lasting impression on the people who walked through their doors.
“We weren’t just trying to create a place to drink beer, we’re really trying to create an all-encompassing experience,” Amanda said. “The atmosphere is just as important to us as having really great beer.”
The brewery’s name reflects Kevin’s early days as a home brewer. He began brewing about a decade ago at his home north of town, a property where Mud Run Creek flows through the land.
The talent he tapped into found favor with his friends, and that got him thinking about taking things to the next level.
“I had friends tell me, ‘That’s pretty good, you should probably sell that,’” Pierce said. “One thing led to another, and the next logical step was either go big or go home — start selling it, or leave it where it’s at — and we decided to make it and sell it.”
MUD RUN cont’d to page 42
MUDRUN
They set about finding somewhere to serve suds and found it in a place that was just waiting for someone to come along and add another chapter to its long history: a downtown building that had spent decades largely dormant. They bought it in 2018 and spent the next 3 years bringing new life to the building. When they bought it, the plan was to focus on a brewery, but the project evolved as the renovation unfolded. Delays brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the opening from 2020 to July 2021, giving them additional time to rethink the experience they wanted to create.
Originally constructed in 1896, the location had served a variety of purposes over the years, including a movie theater whose former projection room now overlooks the taproom as a mezzanine seating area. Much more of its history remains visible today. Original hardwood floors were refinished but still bear char marks left by a fire in the early 1970s, while reclaimed wooden trusses were transformed into a bar overlooking an exposed brick wall. Outside, a backyard patio, rooftop deck and second-floor event space have expanded the gathering places beyond the main taproom.
As for its beer, the recipes carry stories of their own. Mud Run’s beer list reflects Kevin’s journey from home brewer to professional brewer, with several of his earliest recipes still pouring years after they were first tested at his home. His brother Grant made his own beer first, and Kevin followed. After beginning with small batches in 2014 and eventually working up to 15-gallon brews, Kevin found encouragement from friends who convinced him his hobby deserved a larger audience.
Every beer is brewed on site, with grain milled and crushed in-house before making its way into the bar’s 20 taps. The lineup stretches from easy-drinking lagers and wheat beers to hop-forward IPAs, nitro stouts (brews infused with a nitrogen/carbon dioxide blend), and seasonal specialties, a range Pierce describes as diverse and offering something for everybody, from light lagers to dark nitros.
MUD RUN cont’d to page 43
After 33 years of serving the area with quality furniture and flooring, we have decided
Many of the beer names tell stories rooted in Stockton or Pierce’s own life. Blackhawk Road, the brewery’s flagship lager, traces back to one of the first all-grain recipes he brewed at home and carries the name of the road leading to the dairy farm he grew up on. Holy Holstein tips its cap to the Holstein cattle his father continues to milk, while 124 Main Wheat borrows both the brewery’s address and a bit of wordplay. The Roundhouse, a light, crisp beer, recalls Stockton’s former Chicago Great Western Railroad roundhouse, and Carbon ARC references the carbon-arc projectors once used in movie theaters.
Pierce and assistant brewer Tommy Ward have produced roughly 40 to 50 different beers since opening, with new ideas often sparked by beers Pierce samples elsewhere.
“I might taste a beer that I like and go, ‘You know what, I like it but I think it would be better if it were like this,’” Pierce said. “I’ll build it up, see if it works, and most of them have worked.”
MUD RUN cont’d to page 45
There’s some history baked into the place that Mud Run calls home. The building itself stretches back 130 years, and once housed a movie theater. Elsewhere, tell-tale signs of a fire in the early ’70s can still be see in char marks on the floor.
Seasonal releases
MUDRUN
keep the tap list changing throughout the year. Stocktoberfest returns each late summer, while Pumpkinilla — a pumpkin-and-vanilla ale introduced last fall — earned an extra batch after proving unexpectedly popular. Cotton Candy Cream Ale also makes a seasonal appearance, and four or five new beers joined the rotation in 2025 alone. New releases are announced through the brewery’s social media channels and text alerts.
“It really works out where there’s a very distinct style in his beers: smooth, drinkable, a little lower ABVs, and in a variety of flavors,” said Amanda.
Cocktails also receive the same creative treatment as the beer. The popular Beerita puts a beer-based twist on a classic margarita, the Smashing Lemonade incorporates beer into the refreshing summer drink, and the brewery’s Bloody Marys feature their own house-made barbecue sauce for an unexpected smoky kick.
Barbecue eventually became just as important to Mud Run’s identity as the beer itself, and Kevin credits another family influence for that. His brother Brett competed in barbecue competitions, drawing Kevin into the craft much the same way his younger brother Grant had introduced him to brewing.
“I got wrapped up in a couple of them, and found out that I enjoyed doing [barbecue],”
Kevin said. “I guess if you want to blame someone [for all of this], blame Grant and Brett.” Pairing beer and barbecue just seemed natural, he said. “They both fit well together. Who doesn’t like beer and barbecue?”
Food was never intended to become such a large part of the business as it is today. Amanda said the original plan called for a modest menu of appetizers, giving guests something to eat while enjoying a pint, but trips to other breweries helped change that thinking.
“We wanted to have food because we would travel to all of these different breweries, and if they didn’t have food, we’d leave,” Amanda said. “We wanted to have that for our customers. We talked about doing heavy appetizers, something simple, then we ended up going with the barbecue because that was something else he did.”
MUD RUN cont’d to page 46
Everything begins with meats smoked in-house, including brisket, pulled pork and chicken, which become the foundation for barbecue platters, sandwiches, tacos, rice bowls and burgers, while house-made sauces and sides add another layer of personality. Among the more distinctive offerings are the Vietnamese-inspired BBQ Banh Mi Pork sandwich, which combines smoked pulled pork with cucumbers, pickled onions, citrus slaw, cilantro, Asian barbecue sauce, sriracha and garlic aioli; and the Smoked Chicken Wonton Tacos, topped with citrus cider slaw, Asian barbecue sauce and pickled onions over cilantro-lime rice.
“The different infusions not just creates good
food, but a different experience, too,” Amanda said. “We’re always looking for something to take it to the next level, something different and memorable for our guests — something that you’re going to talk about.”
The Pierces work alongside their staff to develop new menu items, aiming for dishes that look as good as they taste — what Amanda calls “Instagram-ready.” Even desserts get the smokehouse treatment, with smoked cheesecakes and smoked brownies joining the menu. Regular weekend specials include smoked prime rib on the first and third Saturdays of each month and smoked ribs the second and fourth Saturdays.
Five years after opening, Mud Run has continued to grow and change beyond its original vision. A staff of about 15 keeps the brewery and restaurant running, while additions such as outside catering, occasional live music, trivia and bingo nights have expanded what the business offers beyond food and beer.
MUD RUN cont’d to page 47
AMANDA PIERCE MUD RUN BEER CO.
MUD RUN cont’d from page 46
One of the most rewarding parts of owning the business, Amanda said, comes from watching people discover it for the first time, whether they’re just passing through Stockton, they pop in to try a new brew, or they’re settling into one of the brewery’s many cozy corners.
Creating a welcoming place has become every bit as important as brewing the beer that first inspired the business. Visitors are increasingly seeking more than just a good drink or meal when they choose where to spend an evening.
What their customers are expecting has evolved, Amanda said, and she and her husband have evolved right along with them.
“What we’re creating is an experience,” she said.
“It just all started out simple and has now evolved,” Amanda said. “Our joke is that we wanted to be a brewery that had food, and we’ve kind of turned into a restaurant that makes our own beer.” n
Shaw Media reporter Cody Cutter can be reached at 815-632-2532 or ccutter@shawmedia.com.
Mud Run Beer Co., 124 S. Main St. in Stockton, is open 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday. Find it on Facebook or Instagram, go to mudrunbeer.com or call 815-9479089 for more information.
Happy birthday, America!
Who’s that Lady Liberty wishing America a happy 250th birthday? That sequined sentinel of freedom is Lake Carroll’s own Maryann Buettner, whose pride and patriotism was made in the good old U.S of A — along with some of the birthday gear she had on display this year. Maryann was also a bit of a Betsy Ross, and like America’s most famous seamstress, she took needle and thread in hand to sew not only Lady Liberty’s costume — “You can’t beat a sequined Lady Liberty,” she said — but the “USA 250” star-spangled banner as well, spending more than 20 hours sewing. Maryann’s Independence Day pictures have become a tradition in Lake Lifestyle’s “Life on the Lake” feature each August, and we’re glad to have them grace our pages again. Thanks, Maryann, for sharing your photos of life on the lake!
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