Winter hangs on...

(and it's getting really tiresome!)

Corn shocks in an Amish neighbor's field

It's the 10th of March, 2013, and Wisconsin seems to be stuck in a February weather warp! Bike riding ranges between unpleasant and imposible. Take today's ride as an example...

I worked in the morning and watched the weather hoping for an afternoon ride after work. Rain was supposed to start around 5pm but on my drive home from work at 2:00 pm, the rain had already began. Undaunted, I dressed in normal 30 to 40 degree undergarments, but drug out my Sterns rain suit and slipt into my rubber barn boots. 

I was on the highway by 3:30 pm and chose a 12 mile route from my place to Lime Ridge, then out highway K where I turned onto Meyer Road. The southeast crosswind on Meyer Road was blowing my pant leg into the chain and sprocket, so I stopped to wrap a bungie cord around my right ankle. A truck stopped and asked me if I was alright... I guess I was as alright as any sane person riding bicycle on a thirty degree windy day in Wisconsin during a driving rain! 

I was doing O.K. until about 7 miles into the ride. I realized I had forgotten my cell phone, forgotten an energy bar, and I was going into a sugar crash! 

I couldn't call for help or I might have, but now I could only struggle through until I arrived home. I rode as easily as I could but still felt the familiar effects of low blood sugar. My world shrinks and when it's over it's like I've been somewhere else. 

I watch the water spraying off my front tire, curving into a four inch arch before it's blown horizontal to the highway in the crosswind. I stop thinking of anything except the next push on the peddle... the line on the edge of the highway... I breathe... in, out, in, out... At the last hill, I stop and get off and walk. My legs feel like they're made of concrete. Numb. Heavy. The rain that has been pelting my face like little ice bombs begin to let up a little and I feel myself coming back around as I enter the last mile of my journey.

Friday's ride on Frank Road

The driveway is too treturous, and I'm too tired to peddle up it, so I dismount and walk up to the house. I'm shaky. Blood sugar is in the 80's by now... but I've returned! 

Sandy makes me a bowl of tomato soup and Puff comes sits on my lap as I cuddle into dry clothes on the couch. 

A 12 mile ride today... 9 miles yesterday because I had to cut my ride short. Sandy picked me up so we could get into Reedsburg and sign our income taxes... 22 miles on Thursday for a total of 252 miles for the year. 

The winter miles are hard miles. I can't wait until spring and summer arrive! I can't wait to jump on my bike with a pair of shorts on, and nothing else, and ride...

Grote Hill and other back roads around Reedsburg

Hill overlooking Loganville, Wi.

 I worked through the weekend, even working double shifts, so I had off today - Monday the 25th of February.

When I awoke at noon, I was surprised at how warm it was outside: in the 40's! Maybe even near 50degrees? I decided I'd have to take a bike ride this afternoon.

Another view of the Loganville valley.

A Buff Orpington chick

 Even though I made the decision to ride, I needed to feed the chickens and ducks that are living in the greenhouse for the winter. In the greenhouse, the temperature has been anywhere from the 80's up to 105 degrees under this warm February sun! The chicks and ducks are happy and I love being in the tropical greenhouse while it's still winter across Wisconsin!

I have Buff Orpington chickens; three breeds of ducks: Kaki Campbell, Fawn Runner, and Pekin; and 19 guineas!

Duckie

I get more eggs than I can give away to friends and family, and I find the birds comical to watch, tend, and care for. Anyway, it all takes time and that's the reason that I got such a late start on my afternoon bike ride.

I started out with an ordinary ride to Lime Ridge and then out County K.

I was in a feisty mood, so I turned down Old K where I knew I'd likely cross paths with a Black Lab named "Cocoa" who thinks she owns the road and thinks I should not be in her territory.

Not today Cocoa!

 I was mildly disappointed when I passed Cocoa's house without a chalenge!

The Baraboo river south of Reedsburg

As I turned down Mill Pond Road, I realized that I was low on energy. In my hurry to get on the road and get my blood glucose number down, I had neglected to eat anything.  Now I could feel the effects of low sugar as I peddled on.

I set my sites on stopping at the Corner Pub in Reedsburg for a cheeseburger and a glass of their local brew. It was deliciousness!

Church used to be the highest thing in town... before the cell tower!

I left the pub and and peddled past the egg company, and the foundry, then I turned south onto Dewey avenue until I came to the intersection of Ski Hill Road.  I debated whether I should turn left for a longer ride, or right, and begin to head for home. I opted for the latter since the sun was already dipping below the horizon and I was 10 to 15 miles away from home at that point.

I followed Ski Hill Road to Grote Hill Road and made my way to Loganville through a back way that included Open View and Sunrise Roads. Even with the longer days of approaching spring, it was twilight by the time I arrived in Loganville, and completely dark as I finally found my way home.

I was soaked through with sweat and my pant legs were spattered with road salt and sand but I felt good as I added another 30 miles to my yearly total... 209.

Night Rides in Winter

I just got in from an 18 mile night ride. It was 32 degrees... a beautiful night for riding! The roads were fairly clear of ice and snow except in a few places where it got a little treacherous.

The Bar Mitts are awesome! Hands slide in and out easily and they really keep my fingers warm throughout the ride. They cover the handlebars, shifters, brake levers, and headlight remote power switch.

The best thing is the new headlight. It's a Niteye B30. I bought it from Overstock.com for $160.99 and tonight was the first time I got to use it. It is very bright. It has four levels of brightness: 100, 350, 600, and 1,000 lumens! I liked the 100 power level while I was cruising slowly and enjoying the moonlit evening and checking out the stars, but the 350 was best for slow country pedaling. I didn't like the 600 setting because that was just the middle spot light so when I needed bright lighting, like cruising down hills at 25-30pmh, I chose the 1,000 setting. This gives a great view of the ditches to watch for night critters that might jump out in my path and it gave a great view of the road ahead as I had to be on the constant lookout for ice or snow pack. That seems to happen especially on hills that are on north slops or shaded by trees.

One thing I didn't like about the headlight is the remote power switch and how it cycles through the brightness settings. Since I like to ride at the 350 lumen level, the only way of cycling through the levels is to click up to 600, up to 1,000, and then down to 100. When meeting cars, it's probably not necessary to dim the lights anyway, but if I wanted to, it makes it apear like I'm clicking on my brights! I wish the lights would at least cycle from bright to dim if not in either direction, that would be an improvement.

The roads and weather have been terrible, so this is my first ride in the month of February. 110 miles in January plus tonight, bring me to 128 miles for my imaginary journey from New York to San Francisco!

Physically, the ride was easy. I've kept in shape throughout the winter by working-out when possible after work. They have a gym with "cardio" room that I'm free to use, and I have my own stack weight machine, exercise mat, and several pieces of exercise equipment. I try to do an hour on the elliptical machine and a half hour on a pedal machine on nights when I'm at work, and something here at home on the days I don't work. It must have worked because I noticed durring the ride how effortlessly I climbed the hills and how well I felt at the end.

Tomorrow, there's more snow on the way, so the bike will be sitting waiting and I'll be longing for spring to finally arrive here in Wisconsin.

I haven't riden much lately, but I went out on a beautiful bike ride this afternoon. It was a relatively balmy day for January in Wisconsin: thick fog in the morning, in the forties by noon with occasional light rain, slipping back into fog at dusk... a promise of a winter storm by tomorrow! It might be my last chance to put some miles on in January, so I rode 24 miles to White Mound State Park. That brings my total to 110 miles so far in 2013. I have a goal for this year but perhaps I should give an update of 2012.

I didn't blog anymore after October but I rode through November and into early December. My total miles for 2012 was about 1,700. I had hoped to achieve 2,000 miles! A friend of mine suggested that in 2013 I should try to do the equivalent of New York to San Francisco... 2,905.5 miles! I think that would be possible, since I didn't start riding until May last year and then only 4 miles a day in the beginning. This year I'm hoping to commute (28 miles one way) to work occasionally instead of just once like I did in 20112, and I've already got a good start in January.... so San Francisco, here I come. Sort of!

I bought some additional riding gear as the weather turned colder. I got a pair of neoprene shoe covers, wool socks, a balaclava to cover my face, and a pair of Bar Mitts for the bike handlebars. It seems that as the temperature drops each 10 degree or so, it requires a different dressing for the ride. Todays ride lasted about 2 1/2 hours and due to the wet road spray and light rain, I was just beginning to get cold toward the end.

Back to today's ride, even though it was in the forties when I left around 1:00pm, I encountered back roads that were still snow and ice covered. These were usually along a north hillside or in east/west valleys.

One of the things I noticed as I rode is that I can see much deeper into the woods than in the summer when the leaves hide so many secretes. Pieces of old junk farm machines, old cars, hidden cabins, buildings, and campers are all unveiled in the naked landscape.

The creeks where high with the January snow melt and the January thunder storm we endured durring the night. This morning as I went about feeding the animals, I couldn't see flooded valley as Narrows Creek became a roaring river, but I could hear it through the fog.









As I finished my ride this afternoon, the creek had subsided but great chucks of ice remained jammed against the bridge and were left lying out in fields adjacent to the creek that had barely slipt back into her banks.




I arrived home soaked from the inside from my own body sweat, and from the outside by the rain and wet highways.  The photo is blurry, sorry.  It was supposed to be a shot of my dirty pant legs and the dirty bike before I washed it and brought it in the basement to dry. My wife tried but missed! Ha!

She did capture the Bar Mitts, they are awesome! They are like a pair of mittens that attach to the handlebars of the bike. You operate the shifters and brakes inside the Bar Mitts. I rode the entire day without gloves as my hands remained warm inside. On colder days, I wear a pair of light gloves inside the Bar Mitts. They're easy to slip hands in and out as I ride even with gloves on. I love them. The balaclava seemed to keep my glasses from steaming up more than when I wasn't wearing it. Lastly, I ditched the helmet for the winter. The one I have doesn't fit well with the additional hats I wear.

Blustery Day in Wisconsin

Trees today, October 8

Same Trees September 21

It's a windy day in Wisconsin, too windy to ride bike. It's hard to photograph the wind, but the bare trees tell the story of what's happening in Wisconsin today. The large cottonwood tree in back is bare, the maple trees are half stripped of their leaves, but the evergreens and lilacs hold on. Autumn has arrived!

Maybe tonight, if the wind dies down, I'll go for a ride... that would be fun! If I do, I'll add to this blog posting. If not, I'll work indoors and workout in the exercise room downstairs.

Tyranena Oktoberfest Bike Ride 2012

Riders getting ready....

The 2012 Tyranena Oktoberfest Bike Ride was the first group biking event that I've been involved in. Up until now, with only a couple of exceptions, I've riden solo for the entire 1400+ miles that I've traveled this summer. Today was a very different experience; I was rider number 1466 out of the event's 1750 participants! I didn't get a photo of the line of bikers out on the highway but believe me when I say it was impressive.

Plenty of port-a-potty's and outdoor tables.

My tag number

I set my alarm for 6:00 am, as I had to finish packing, load up the bike, and try to imagine how to dress and what to bring with me on this ride. The morning was cold. Overnight lows were in the 30's and by the start of the ride the temperature had only climbed into the low 40's.

I thought I would ride the full 70 miles, if possible, but three things got in my way: hills, wind, and cold. Although over the summer, I have riden 50 and 60+ miles in a day, I think the 25 miles I rode today was pushing my limit! Where I ride in Sauk, Richland, and Juneau counties, we have hills... plenty of them. I had hoped that the Lake Mills, Wisconsin area might be a little flatter. Not so! They have hills too! The second curse of the day was wind. Predictions were for westerly winds of around 10 mph, turning northwesterly by afternoon. I left Lake mills around 10:00 or later, and headed what seemed north towards Waterloo and I swear the wind was in our face the whole way! The third curse was that being so cold and having to dress warm, and then working so hard against the wind, it resulting in becoming overly hot and sweating profusely. On our first break, at the Trek facility in Waterloo, I quickly became cold although I was wearing Under Armor clothing. I was soaked inside!

Riders at the first rest stop. Food tent and a bike repair truck.

I dawdled a bit before I left the Trek rest stop. Apparently, I lingered for too long. I wasn't sure how to read the map of the different routes, and then I misplaced my map, so I followed the line of bikers, not thinking about where the different routes split off. After a few miles though, I began to sense that I was no longer with the fast riders I traveled with before, so I pulled up to someone and asked which route we were on... the 25 mile one! I had missed the turn a couple miles back for the 50 and 70 mile route, but by then I also understood that time was going to be an issue. I average 10 to 12 mph and that's about the best I can do with my bike, this morning I came in at 11.?? which wasn't bad for me, but was way too slow for the longer courses. Had I maintained that speed and setled for the 50 mile route I wouldn't have finished until 4:00pm or later! At that point, I settled back to enjoy as much as possible the short run.

Very pretty in the tent and warmer than outside,
 but not enough!

A pork sandwich, fruit, potato salad, chips and cookies!

I arrived back at the tent and cashed in my meal and drink ticket. The food was good and so was the Blond and Porter ales. I would have bought a few 6 packs at $7 but didn't feel like trying to bike them back to the car... where ever that was at! Unfortunately, I hadn't gotten a real good sense of the layout of the town. My car was in a lot a few blocks away from the brewery but I didn't have a clue! At least when I forget where I pack in Wal-mart I know the car has to be somewhere in the parking lot, but now cold, tired, and just wanting to get into a warm vehicle... I knew I parked somewhere in Lake Mills! I took off on the bike and was actually heading in the right direction when I doubted myself and turned back to eventually take a back road, turn on my cell's Navigator, and finally find my vehicle.

It was a long day but a fun time. I hope to do it again next year. I hope the weather is better like it was earlier in the week, and I'll know how to watch for the route signage now. My bike is a good one, a Specialized, but old and heavy.  I watched the people who blew by me with their shinny Treks and Cannondales. Sure, they were probably in their 20's, 30's or 40's and I'm 61 going on 62, but I hope I can upgrade by next year...

For now, I have warm-weather clothing and maybe time enough left this year to achieve my goal of 2,000 miles for the year.

Secrete Lake...

A hidden lake...

 

  Wednesday October 3rd, the third day of my vacation. I rode to a hidden lake. Beautiful! My daughter knew about it, I'd never heard of it.

We rode out of Rock Springs, through the train museum at North Freedom and then to the lake. The leaves were brilliant, the lake was like glass, the afternoon was perfect for a fall bike ride.

After the ride we went to the library in Reedsburg to hear a guy talk about monsters, aliens, and all things creepy! After all, it is October in Wisconsin. We've just enjoyed a 'Blue Moon'. Halloween is coming soon and then winter... I'm looking forward to a time of warm evenings spent next to a wood fire... and a good book.

My daughter and I passing through a train museum. 

Vacation

Panorama photo taken near Ironton, Wisconsin.

I began my October vacation with a few days of beautiful weather, and some 20 and 30 mile rides in the autumn sun. I down-loaded a Panorama App for my cell phone, very cool!

Although the last couple of days have been wonderful, the weather doesn't look so nice for the October  Fest ride coming up on Saturday. Temperature between 26 and 50 degrees, northwest winds at 9 mph, 30% chance of rain!

Yesterday I passed 1,400 miles for the year. Woo hoo!

Falling like Rain

Leaves begin to fall

Leaves falling from trees.

A few days ago as I rode down a country road, the air around me was alive with falling leaves; falling like rain, but fluttering like little birds with each breath of autumn breeze through the trees. I almost passed by without a photo but the moment was so magical that I turned back. I never did catch the air as filled with falling leaves as when I first encountered the moment, but I did manage to photograph some.

At another point along the way, I passed a beautifully fenced pasture with the fall leaves changing in the woods along the edge of the pasture.

Today is Saturday, one week before the big ride next weekend. I can't wait. I hope the weather is as awesome next weekend as it is today, that would make a perfect day for the Tyranena October Fest ride. Although I've skipped riding Tuesday and today of this week, I have added 105 miles making my yearly total 1,350 miles. I'm getting closer to my goal of 2,000 miles for the year. I think I can... I think I can!

Preparing for Cold Weather Ride

Hat, helmet, mirror, windbreaker, and a red face as I come in from a 22 mile ride with temps in the 40's!

It's 2:00AM on Wednesday, September 26, 2012. I just got back from a 22 mile ride; the temperature was 41 degrees. I was very comfortable and wish I could have riden more!

I'm testing out new clothing I bought Monday as I look forward to the Tyranena October Fest bike ride October 6th. This will be my first group ride. The Tyranena bike-ride is limited to 1750 riders and when I registered it was 80% filled! I have the choice of a 20, 50, or 70 mile route. Since I just road 22 miles tonight, after work, for the heck of it...  it doesn't make sense to commit to a day's event for anything less than at least 50 miles, or, unless the wind is against me, 70. The big thing for me now is planning and preparing what to wear.

Clothing

Up until now, I've been wearing regular stuff. No spandex. No biking cloths, just regular duds.  But, as I thought about an October ride, I decided I needed to invest in cold weather, biking specific, clothing. 

Normal temperatures for October range from 40's to 60's. I bought Underarmour Compression Base-layer tights and tops, and outer Nike wind breaker jacket and pants. If the weather is anywhere near normal, I should be dressed adequately.

I'm experimenting with what regular cloths to wear in-between these two crucial layers. I think I know what bring... One thing worthy of note about the windbreaker pants is that I bought what I have used at a second hand store for $3. The other jacket and pants were $50 to $80 at Dicks sporting goods in Madison. I saved some big bucks on the windbreaker pants, but the zippers on the legs are coming undone, so I need to do some sewing there.

I was glad to go out tonight and ride in the 40 degree weather in preparation for the Tyranena ride. The moon was bright and trafic in the country was extremely light. I think I could have riden for hours...

I think I've made good choices, and I am ready to ride regardless of the weather on the 6th.

Fall Showers

Corn fields have become brown, leaves are turning to fall colors and falling from trees, and the days have become windier. Bike rides are beautiful but sometimes excruciatingly hard. The last couple days have found me riding through some very light showers at times. The weather predictions are for snow any day now!

When I left at 9:00 am this morning, the temperature was still in the forties. Twenty six miles later, I rode into a brisk 50-some-degree wind. My inner cloths were soaked in sweat, my face felt wind-burned, and my legs, back and butt were crying out in pain. The wind-breaker jacket and Nike pants did a pretty good job of keeping my body warm... but my face. My head! Soaked in sweat and exposed to the wind; I was miserable! It was one of the first rides where I kept thinking of calling to be picked up. Instead, I kept thinking about the finish and finally it arrived.

My back has been teetering on a breakdown, and the last 10 miles I was afraid it might happen. My knees hurt and I was cold as I wobbled into the house. Slowly, I got undressed, drew a hot bath in the garden tub, and enjoyed my reward for a strenuous morning ride. I turned on the whirlpool and sunk into the luxury of the hot swirling bubbles...

Amazing things have begun to happen with my diabetes. My blood glucose was at 117 this morning when I awoke and 103 after the ride. I did the morning ride without breakfast, which is something that I need to stop doing. I did take my morning drink of 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon (heaping) Ceylon Cinnamon, and 1 heaping tablespoon of orange flavored Metamucil.

My total miles since spring is 1231 miles. I'm wondering if I'll make it to 1,500 miles much less the 2,000 miles that I had hoped for.

Last night I got the packet from a friend to join her team riding next year in an MS fund-raiser. I'm looking forward to not only a strong finish riding for fun this year but maybe a new challenge in 2013... If anyone reads this and you are from the Western Sauk County/Eastern Richland/Southern Juneau county area, and up for some challenging fun on a bike... please contact me! Also, I've meet some friends that would bike, if they had a bike... I gave away my Raleigh on Friday.

Fall in Wisconsin

Fall is in the air in Wisconsin and biking has become a little harder because of the windy days and cooler temperatures. A light frost on Tuesday or Wednesday took out the leaves on the squash, that's how quickly fall is arriving. I can't afford expensive biking clothing for the changing season, so I've visited neighborhood thrift stores and found some clothing that works for me, for now. My favorite is a Nike sport pant with cotton lining. It's light, wind resistant, loose, yet not too lose around the pedals. Sadly, it has a few seams starting to come undone. $3 dollars was all it cost. I hope it will do for this season.

On Wednesday, I left for a ride in a light rain with temperatures down in the fifty's. By the time I returned home, the rain had stopped, but the wind throughout the ride gave me quite a workout, even though I only covered 10 miles. My average mph dropped to eight-something!

The biking exercise, spaghetti squash meals, and a new drink I've been taking before meals is resulting in some amazing low blood sugar readings and even a few sugar crashes! That's very good news. My drink that I take in the morning consists of 1 tablespoon Orange flavored Metamucil, 1 teaspoon of Ceylon Cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder. In the afternoons I usually substitute Crystal Light for the Metamucil for my evening meal. It seems like I'm loosing more weight as the glucose readings continue to improve.

A Thousand Miles

I achieved two milestones on the 22 of August. First, I passed a thousand miles of biking for the summer, and secondly, I rode over 60 miles in a day, 64 miles to be exact. My rides are seldom planned, so when I left on Wednesday, I had no plan of where to ride to. My blood sugar was high from the previous day's splurge on a family trip, so the one thing I did want to do was take a long ride and maybe travel the 32 miles I needed to complete one-thousand miles. As it turned out, I road twice the miles I needed to meet that milestone!

Carr Valley Cheese Factory

I started out by riding to Lime Ridge and then I peddled north on highway G passing the Carr Valley Cheese factory. I think Carr Valley makes the best cheese and the best cheese curds. My wife works there and that may skew my judgement slightly. She was on vacation this week, so I didn't stop. 

After passing the cheese factory, I rode past Easter's Bakery. This is another Amish enterprise that's open during the summer. The little building is another Amish telephone booth, I think. 

The weather on Wednesday was perfect for riding bicycle: blue sky, sunshine, but not too hot. I did wake up on Thursday with a slight sunburn, so maybe there was a little too much sun?

Amish Bakery. Sign. And phone booth

Me and my shadow...we ride solo!

Looking back on the Village of Cazenovia as I peddled up Cunningham hill. 

Be the time I rode past Easter's Bakery, I was beginning to develop a plan, a destination. Valton. I took a back road to Cazenovia and after riding through the park, I planned to head north toward the little village of Valton. I've ridden to Valton once this summer, but on Wednesday, I chose a different route. I like traveling roads that are less-traveled and many times this summer I've ridden roads that I've never traveled before though they are so close to where I live.

Amish along the highway. 

Neat store....

The back roads to Valton were beautiful, filled with hills and valleys and interesting farms. After arriving in Valton.... and since I had the day off... I decided I would continue riding north to the Village of Hillsboro. Someone had told me about a store there that sold spices in bulk, and I wanted to purchase some Turmeric. The name of the store was Whitaker's Farm Fresh Market. It turned out to be a fine health food store with bulk spices, grains, and Amish canned produce. I bought a large tub of Turmeric (.27 lbs for $2.88) but I also found Braggs Apple Cider by the gallon. The price was a full dollar cheaper than what I had been paying for it but I decided that a gallon of cider would be too heavy for the ride. I returned on Thursday and purchased the cider.

Hops... what makes beer as we know it

A difficult to find bike path

I had a burger and a couple of beers at a motel/bar called Beezer, and then I rode the bike trails from Hillsboro to Union Center, Wonewoc, LaValle, and finally Reedsburg. Along the way, I found wild Hops growing in several areas. I raise hops for homebrewing beer, so I'm familiar with when they are ready to harvest. The trail hops weren't ready for harvest yet, but in a week or two they may be? I'll be sure to return to the trails with a bag so I can collect enough for a batch of 'Bike Trail' beer!

A swamp filled with some kind of purple flowered plant.

 I passed swamps filled with beautiful purple flowers and stopped for Culver's Ice Cream In Reedsburg. The sun was setting by the time I approached Loganville and it was dark when I arrived home.

Wednesday's ride was the longest I've ridden so far. I wasn't particularly spent, although I was pleasantly tired. This spring when I started riding, I never imagined that I would go this far and I don't know how far I'll still travel before winter ends my riding adventures. I didn't ride today, but spent time instead in my little exercise room here at the house. I'm afraid I'll be banished to that when the cold arrives, so I'm experimenting now.

In all my rides, I ride solo. I've only seen one other person riding the roads and two or three people riding the trails. So much beauty... so few taking the opportunity to enjoy....

Three Culvert Road

I took a ride down a memory road this evening. It's a real road (roads) that holds a bunch of memories for me.

At the end of our driveway, and up the side road that I used to just know as 'up around the bend', there were three culverts until the floods began coming and washed them away. One year, I don't know which one, the three culverts were washed out and replaced with a cement bridge. Today, the road still bears the name but I don't suppose those under forty or so would remember why it got its name.

The little pool of wate where the three culverts used to
empt

Tonight, as I set out for an evening ride, I turned up Three Culvert Road instead of biking up the county road to Lime Ridge as I normally do.

The first thing I came to was the bridge and the little pool of water where we used to spend so much time swimming. They wrecked the 'swimming hole' when they replaced the three culverts with a bridge. It's shallow now and the sewer treatment run-off from Lime Ridge makes alge grow and no one swims in the pond anymore.

I ride my bike silently over the bridge and the memories of three culverts that were the center of the summer for a bunch of kids 50 years ago.

Along Three Culvert Road, half-way between County S
and East Harris Road.

As I ride 'up around the bin' I remember a time when the road was gravel, before it was black-toped. I remember a day I drove an old truck, 1950, 51? Studebaker pickup truck up this road with a wild bull in the back rocking the truck and two neighborhood friends beside me practically rolling with laughter as we drove the bull back to the farm up the road from where it had escaped.

A sadder day happened off to the ditch on the right where my friend August pulled loose from her leash and was killed along this road. Up ahead on the left is a grove of pine trees. This is where a house once stood where my mother and her family lived for time. I remember seeing the foundation of the house, and a barn in the little valley to the left. This is only a half a mile from the farm where my dad grew up and where I live today.

This is along East Harris Road looking west toward the
Harris School. The play ground is completely covered
in trees.

As the sun set, Three Culvert Road had ended and I turned onto East Harris Road. I approached another grove of trees that hold a forest full of memories. On the left, hidden among the trees in the photo on the right, is Harris School. That was the school that I attended until 7th grade and where my mother, father, aunts & uncles, and grandfather went to school. I believe that even my daughters went to Harris School for a while as it became a kindergarten school before finally closing.

When I left from home tonight, I didn't know how much I would be able to ride. I fell off a building the day before and my left ankle was hurting pretty bad, but as I got on the bike and began to ride, it didn't hurt so much. I hadn't gone to the doctor because I never seem to get really hurt. As I passed Harris School, I thought about Billy Kruger, the farmer that lived next to the school and how we used to get him to stop his tractor and talk to us. I remembered how Billy had shoveled the road by-hand, all the half-mile out to highway G durring a bad snowstorm when we were kids!

When I got to Lime Ridge, my ankle didn't hurt much, so I didn't turn home, but headed out for the remainder of a 12-mile ride. It was nearly dark when I finished. Sandy had slipt off to bed and I went over 900 miles for the year! 910 to be exact...

"It's Gonna Happen"

"It's gonna happen..."

Ready to ride... except for helmet

That's what I said months ago when the subject of riding my bike to work came up, It's gonna happen! Before this year is over, I'm going to ride my bike to work! I had to pick the right day with the right temperature, the right wind direction, and the right moon! Monday, August 6, 2012 wasn't a 'perfect' day but it was a good one.

Small pond in LaValle, a village along the way to work.

One of the many problem with me biking to work is that it is a heck of a long ride! I work in another county, 28 miles away from where I live. Biking to work and back involved a 57 mile ride because I jaunted across town to pick up a sub sandwich before I went to my job. Another problem is that I work second shift. Riding to work mid-morning was not all that out-of-the-ordinary but when I finished my shift, I began my ride home at 10:00pm at night! Dark. The waining moon wouldn't crest the horizon for ten-minutes after my return ride began and it was in fact hidden under clouds for the first hour of my ride home on Monday night.

Crossing into Juneau County. The road had
safe shoulders but dangerous curves.

I rode the back streets and highways out of Mauston, Wisconsin as I began my treck home, but even there, I had more than a few cars and trucks pass me in the night. I use a flashing red light on the back of my helmet and a powerful LED light on the front of my bike and another LED strapped to my forehead to flip on or off as needed. 

I picked a good day as far as the wind was concerned. I enjoyed a slight tail wind while riding both to and from work. The temperature was great during the day, probably in the 70's and 80's, but it was slightly cool and damp on the way home.

Somewhere near the halfway point between home and Mauston is a county park along the highway. This was a great place to stop and stretch my legs for a bit and also use the restroom. 

Summit Park shelter... clean bathroom with running water!

As outdoor facilities go, the restrooms at Summit Park were awesome! Very clean and they had running water, hand soap, and paper towels. A very well maintained park. 

On my trip home, I stopped at a little bar near the park called the Little Summit instead of at the park. That too was a special place. I enjoyed a beverage and a free piece of cake from the friendly proprietor of the Little Summit. I was so impressed with the hospitality that I'll be returning this Friday, by car, for the Friday night Fish dinner. There is supposed to be an awesome view from the Little Summit's dinning room. I'm looking forward to that.

A stone fire place in the park

So, I can say... "it happened"!  I rode my bike to work and back, all 57 miles of it in a day!

The following days, after the Monday ride, I was naturally a little sore. But still, I was able to ride 10 miles on Tuesday, and 12 miles both Wednesday and Thursday.  My total distance for the summer is 894 miles.

Looking Back

A Summer of Biking in Wisconsin.

It's been a wonderful summer of biking in Wisconsin. I visited many area towns and villages, traveled numerous never-before-visited backroads. I broke a bike pedal, blew a tire speeding 30 mph down hill and got chased by a black bear...  I lie! Actually, it wasn't a bear that chased me but a dog. She's chased me more than once. Her name is Cocoa and she doesn't bite... according to the owner... who was standing there on the road with me... trying to control her pet... as Cocoa nipped my right leg!

The 'ride' of 2012 began three months ago in May. I didn't have a plan, just an urge (and a medical need that I will explain later) to get on my bike and exercise.  The first ride I took was from my home to the village of Lime Ridge, then around by my old grade school, and back home again. It was about a four-mile journey. When I finished, my legs were as wobbly as if they were made of rubber. I repeated that ride almost daily for the next few weeks and by the end of May I had traveled about 90 miles.  I timed myself to see if I could complete the Lime Ridge ride in under 20 minutes but I'm not sure that I ever did.

In June, the rides became longer. First it was a five-mile circuit, then eight miles to vote in Hillpoint in the June elections, then ten-miles. By July, I was visited area villages and now in the first week of August, I ride sometimes 30 to 50 miles in a day. 

My Bikes

I've riden over 800 miles since I began on May 11th, and I'm on my third or forth bicycle. They have all been used garage-sale or second hand bikes. The one I'm using now is a Specialized Crossroads that I picked up at a St. Vincent De Paul Store for $120.

The Specialized is the most expensive Bicycle I've owned. The Raleigh cost $35 and the first two I rode were purchased many years ago for $5 or $10 each. I like the Specialized Crossroads because it shifts the best of any of my bikes and the brakes are the best also.

Health

I have diabetes. A few years ago, when I first found out about my diabetes, I had to take insulin for a while, but in a year or a little longer I quit as I was able to control my blood glucose with medication and diet. In April of this year I stopped taking medication and have relied on diet, exercise, and some special teas to lower my blood glucose. The long bike rides are an important way to immediately lower blood sugar levels, but important for the long term, they are reducing my belly fat. I don't really know what I weigh because my scale tells lies but where it used to say I weighed 185 to 190 now it says I weigh 170 to 180. I'm sure my doctor's scale will add 15 to 20 lbs, but still, I must be dropping some weight.

Towns and Villages

Almost all of my rides begin and end here at home. The only exceptions were two times I drove to the 400 trail, and once, when I blew a tire, I had to call my wife to come pick me up. Here are the places I've biked to so far, all in the Sauk, Juneau, Richland County area of Wisconsin: Lime Ridge, Hillpoint, Loganville, White Mound county park, Sandusky, Bear Valley, Bunker Hill, German Town, Cazenovia, La Valle, Reedsburg, Hemlock Park, Lake Redstone, Dutch Hollow Lake, and Valton. The most I've riden in a day was 54 miles. 

I'm limited more in time for riding bike than I am in strength or endurance. I work full-time. In addition, I and my best buddy Puff, tend a large garden, keep a few sheep, 7 chickens, 8 ducks, 33 guinea chicks and I have a hobby greenhouse. The days are busy.