Any spider experts out there?

David, if you haven't been introduced to Larry Weber and his work, check him out. He has a book called "Spiders of the North Woods" that would help you with this question and more.

I second the recommendation for Larry Weber's book, and for all the books in the nature of the north woods series.

My guess on your spider (without being able to consult my books at home) would be marbled orbweaver.

David, like Sonya says, you've found a lovely specimen of Araneus marmosa, the Marbled Orbweaver. Charlotte of Charotte's Web fame was a related species.

It's hard to tell whether it's a he or a she. Looks like a girl but usually it's guys you see walking around, looking for a cute Spiderette to date.

If it's a girl, she'd normally be hanging out near a fair-sized orb web, likely off to the side, often hidden but connected by "signal lines" that relay vibrations from caught and struggling prey. Interestingly, these spiders usually take apart (eating the silk), and re-weave their webs each night. Seems like a lot of work but then with their crappy eyesight they can't watch TV.

I have a huge creepy orb spider web outside of my backdoor. Depsite my irrational fears of spiders, I'm letting the spider stay as it's harmless and not in my way. However, if it makes a web blocking my door, or adds "That's some pig" to the web, it is so gone.