July 26, 2013

Will Bike for Lefse

Peter and I rode to Mt. Horeb for the Sons Of Norway's 42nd Annual Kaffe Stue where we enjoyed such treats as norsk kaffe kake, søtsuppe (fruit soup), and sweet potato lefse.
Mt. Horeb is on The Military Ridge Trail and makes for a fun day trip. When there isn't a Sons of Norway breakfast, Schubert's Diner is our favorite brunch spot. For a trip later in the day, The Grumpy Troll is a popular stop for food and beer.
The round-trip is about 46 miles from the Capitol Square to downtown Mt. Horeb. You can take a break at the depot in Verona where there are bathrooms and water fountains. It's a gradual climb from the Sugar River bottoms to Mt. Horeb, but you'll enjoy a faster, downhill return trip.

July 17, 2013

Bike Path Foraging: Mulberries

Foraging wild foods is a fun and rewarding activity. A variety of edibles can be found along Madison's bike paths. If you are new to foraging, mulberries are easy to identify, tasty, and in season right now.
I received a tip on some low-hanging mulberries along the SW Commuter Trail, so I went on a ride to forage some to bake into muffins. Of course I snacked as I gathered - the bike ride had given me an appetite!
A note on the muffins: I'm a bit of a recipe hacker, substituting/adding this and that. To create these muffins I used a basic banana muffin recipe as a template. You can use mulberries in a recipe just like you would any other berry. 

July 11, 2013

Blue Mound Bike Trip in Photos

Bike camping at Blue Mound State Park is hard to beat. The length of the ride on the Military Ridge Trail is great for people new to bike touring and the park has a bike-in campground.

Want to know more about bike camping at Blue Mound State Park? Check out this post for information on the route and campground.