Despite Patti's less than subtle hints that I spend too much time in the garage (I don't), I'm still able to occasionally sneak a day away for a solo ride and a return to my roots. For some 40 years my motorcycling playground has been the Driftless Area of southwest Wisconsin. This Wisconsin version of the Texas Hill Country offers hills, curves, pastoral scenery, Amish charm, no traffic, small-town cafes and so many roads it would take weeks to cover them all. No map required; just choose a direction and explore. Here's a short drone video of the area. Yes, the midwest winters can take their toll on road surfaces but there's no shortage of great riding.
Five years ago we relocated two hours to the southeast, so to make the most of the daylight I've taken to trailering to the edge of the hill country and riding the day from there. My base is charming New Glarus, WI, a boring two-hour drive from home. I leave early and get home late, giving me all day to explore, eat and...ride.
Earlier this month I purchased a new Kendon ride-on single bike trailer, pictured above. The advantage of this design is that it stores vertically against the garage wall, which allows those of us with limited room to still own a quality trailer and store it out of the elements. Last week I took advantage of an absolutely perfect riding day to do an inaugural run with the new rig. Here's some of my day....
(click on images to enlarge)
Five years ago we relocated two hours to the southeast, so to make the most of the daylight I've taken to trailering to the edge of the hill country and riding the day from there. My base is charming New Glarus, WI, a boring two-hour drive from home. I leave early and get home late, giving me all day to explore, eat and...ride.
Earlier this month I purchased a new Kendon ride-on single bike trailer, pictured above. The advantage of this design is that it stores vertically against the garage wall, which allows those of us with limited room to still own a quality trailer and store it out of the elements. Last week I took advantage of an absolutely perfect riding day to do an inaugural run with the new rig. Here's some of my day....
(click on images to enlarge)
(Below) For this ride I strapped on my Held tailbag; an excellent quality expanding bag that holds perfectly in place and pops on and off easily. I also tried out a small Alaska Sheepskin pad, which always helps in the comfort department. It does restrict side-to-side movement a bit if you like to move around the saddle in the turns.
I left New Glarus in a generally northwest direction, working my way up through Mt. Horeb and then west along Hwys J, F, K and other favorites. Wisconsin labels their county highways with letters and combinations of letters, leading to the phrase "alphabet roads." In this landscape of kettles or coulees (valleys) and moraines (hills) carved by the last glacier, the roads generally developed high along ridges or down in the river/creek valleys, producing the entertaining and scenic byways we find today. Sometimes we find a gem that takes advantage of both the ridges and valleys, like an all-time favorite, Hwy HH in Iowa county. Ten minutes of twisty bliss.
(Below) The area is dotted with historical markers which make convenient (and informative) rest stops. This was an area of French fur trappers and the Blackhawk Indian wars, logging barons and Mississippi River lore. I love history and geology, so this is my kind of place.
(Below) The area is dotted with historical markers which make convenient (and informative) rest stops. This was an area of French fur trappers and the Blackhawk Indian wars, logging barons and Mississippi River lore. I love history and geology, so this is my kind of place.
(Below) I eventually make my way to a favorite lunch spot, the Piccadilly Lilly Airport Cafe at the Tri-County (Lone Rock) airport, Sauk County. The Piccadilly Lilly is named after the last B17 Flying Fortress in use by the Air Force. I flew here for many $100 breakfasts and lunches in my flying days. With all the genuine ambiance of a rural airport cafe, this is a must-stop for me. On this day I rolled in just as a National Guard Chinook was taxiing for takeoff. I also enjoyed a chat with a pair of riders who were in on the secret of riding this area on a quiet weekday.
(Below) Back in the saddle I tour some farm roads, both fast and slow. Here's a typical Wisconsin farmstead with their backyard view.
(Below) Working my way north, I take advantage of a rest stop (with rest rooms!) conveniently located on the 3d hole tee of a golf course in the village of Plain. Later, I roll into Leland, home to the twice-annual Slimey Crud Cafe Run. Pretty quiet today, just the way I like it.
(Below) After getting a little lost on a sleepy backroad, I came upon this twisty piece of heaven along a beautiful stretch of Hwy C in Sauk County.
Some of the locals saunter up to check out the Interceptor. You know what they say: Chicks love bikes.
(Below) Eventually I roll east into the Baraboo area, home to Devil's Lake State Park and Circus World Museum. Devil's Lake was also a result of glacial action on a massive scale when glacial deposits blocked both the northern and southern flow of a river, forming a naturally dammed 368-acre lake. This is the most visited of the state parks, offering camping, rock climbing, hiking and non-motorized water activities. But the road serving the south side is the attraction today.
(Below) I can't roll through Baraboo without a stop at the Log Cabin Family Restaurant at the east end of town. Great north woods ambiance, excellent food and the best pie north of the Illinois border. Today's selection is fresh peach, warmed, à la mode with black coffee. I have a tee-shirt that reads, "Will Ride For Pie," and I will.
(Below) I came across a new distillery in town — this sleepy little city is growing up. Elephant rides were in full swing at the Circus World Museum. This shot was taken across the swollen Baraboo River. South-central Wisconsin has suffered some localized flooding recently, but I didn't encounter any issues on this ride.
As I continue south towards the trailer and home, I have the choice to cross the Wisconsin River on any number of forgettable bridges or to ride the Colsac III at Merrimac. This cable ferry is part of Hwy 113 and is the only free ferry in Wisconsin. It operates 24 hours per day from April to November or as long as the gods of winter allow. The crossing takes all of five minutes but is a cool and calm respite towards the end of this day's ride.
My day on Wisconsin's back roads comes to an end just before sunset as I load the bike on the trailer for the drive home. The GPS stats tell the tale: 299.5 miles at a moving average of 46 mph and a top speed of 84 mph. My gas receipts say that the VFR averaged 44 mpg. I don't know about all of that, but I do know that, while I've always savored days like this on these beautiful roads, as I face the twilight of my riding days I need to treasure them even more. Each time I come here is a homecoming, and it always will be.
RSS Feed