Sister Bay is the northern anchor of Door County's bay shore, and it wears its Scandinavian heritage with a certain amount of humour. Norwegians, Swedes, and Danes settled this part of Wisconsin in the nineteenth century, drawn by the fishing and the timber, and you can still see their influence in the names, the food, and the architecture. The most famous example is a restaurant with a sod roof on which goats graze all summer, a sight that makes most riders pull over and take a picture before they quite know why.
The village sits in a sheltered bay, with a marina and a waterfront park, and the bluffs rise behind it. It is the last decent-sized settlement before the peninsula narrows toward its tip, and the roads fan out toward Ellison Bay and Gills Rock. From Gills Rock or nearby Northport, a ferry crosses to Washington Island, through a passage that French explorers named Porte des Morts, or Death's Door, because of the shipwrecks that the strong currents and storms caused. The crossing is short and ordinary now, but the name remains.
Highway 42 is again the road, and north of Sister Bay it becomes quieter and more rural, with farms and woods and occasional glimpses of the lake. The corners are gentle, and the ride is relaxed, though the shoulders are narrow and the summer traffic can be slow. In autumn the trees turn to gold and red, and the roads empty. Fog and sudden rain are possible on the peninsula, and the temperature can be much lower near the water than inland, so keep a layer in the pannier.
Sister Bay has a good selection of cafes, bakeries, and restaurants, and the cherry products are as good here as anywhere. Fuel is available in the larger villages on the peninsula, but the sensible reference point for a full tank is Sturgeon Bay, or Menominee on the far shore, both a fair distance away. In winter, the village is quiet and the water often freezes at the edges. A hot drink by the harbour, with the wind coming across the bay, is a fine way to end a long day on the road.