My First Century

I bike to go places. When not biking for transportation, even my recreational riding has a destination - a park for a picnic, a campground for the night, a brunch spot - even if it may just seem like an excuse to bike somewhere. 

After several years of touring, I finally had a reason to bike 100 miles in a day. In planning a bike trip from Madison to Rock Island State Park (off the tip of Door County), Peter and I decided to camp the first night north of Milwaukee.

On a fully loaded touring bike, with hands numb from gripping the handlebars and a big desire to get out of the saddle, I joined the Century Club sometime near midnight and somewhere just south of Cedarburg. 

Instead of staying up to celebrate, as soon as we got the tent set up and my sleeping bag unrolled, I went to bed. In the morning, we had coffee and a typical, yet delicious, breakfast at a main street cafe in Port Washington. Recharged, I was ready to complete the additional 80 miles up to Two Rivers, where we would rest for a day before continuing north along the Lake Michigan coastline. 

Guerrilla campsite off the bike trail

Where Ya Headed?

A pair of fully loaded touring bikes is a sight that makes people wonder, perhaps where we came from and where we’re headed. I think most people tend to imagine it’s Coast to Coast, while we may only be on our way to a Wisconsin state park. Nonetheless, a comradery of wanderlust is built on as little as a smile or a nod to two people on a bike camping adventure. 

In any case, we’ve found people are more hospitable to bicyclists with panniers and camping equipment than without. For example, motorists tend to slow down and give more space. People we pass along the way, whether working on their yards or walking along the sidewalk, often smile and say “Hi.” Other cyclists really get a kick out of seeing us grinding up a hill, pulling the weight of everything stuffed into panniers or bungeed across the racks. As they pass by on sleek road bikes, they quite commonly give a cheer or a thumbs up.

A fully loaded touring bike also invites a conversation. It seems like whenever we’re stopped, people come up to us to ask about touring, where we’re headed (and react with a bit of surprise to a destination in Wisconsin), or to share a story about their own cross-country trek.

Make a Bike Touring Journal

When out on a bike tour, it's nice to have a place for notes on your route, where you stop along the way, your pace, observations, and for a general record of your journey.

Peter and I have gotten into the habit of keeping detailed journals while bike touring. It's fun to refer back to when taking the same route later, as well as simply to reflect back on a fun trip. Still, I never had a specific journal for this, rather, I'd just grab some small notebook I had lying around.

This year I decided to make a touring-specific journal. I chose a light, thin Moleskine notebook that would be easy to personalize.

I used the photo scraps left over from an earlier project, letter stamps, a potato stamp, gel medium, and my trusty X-Acto knife to decorate the cover.

Now I just have to wait for spring to take my first tour of the year!

Summer Biking

From bike camping to commuting, we've enjoyed rolling through the summer days.

Bike Path Foraging: Black Raspberries

On a recent trip to Mt. Horeb, Peter and I stopped for a fresh snack on the Military Ridge Trail. There were enough ripe black raspberries to munch on, but not quite enough to fill a container to bring home. The bramble had been cut back quite a bit from last year, plus many of the berries were still pink.

Anytime around late July, keep an eye out for a treasure patch of wild black raspberries!

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.

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. 

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.

Devil's Lake Bike Camping

You Biked 20 Miles in That Dress?

Here's how to bike 20+ miles to a party and show up looking like you didn't bike:

Nearly Time for Bike Touring

Spring has officially begun and even though it’s snowing as I type this, I’m getting excited for the bike touring season! My calendar is already filling up with weekend bike trips.

Featured Bike Ride Route: New Glarus

The 60-mile round trip route to New Glarus is doable as a day trip, but with camping available at New Glarus Woods State Park, it can also be an overnight destination. The ride along the Badger and Sugar River state trails provides an opportunity to take in the fall colors.

Pick Me up at the Border

When my alarm went off at 11pm waking me from a brief nap, I admit to thinking, "That ride sounds fun, but it feels so good to be sleeping." Soon my sleepiness was replaced by a caffeinated anticipation for that night's ride to the Illinois border on the Badger Trail.

Two Tips to Prevent Knee Injury

by Peter Herreid

Bicycling is a healthy activity, but pedaling at a low cadence on an ill-fitted bike can lead to knee injury. Cadence refers to the revolutions of the pedal crank per minute: the rate at which you are turning the pedals. Higher cadence more evenly applies power throughout the rotation. 

Bike Tour Clothing Tips

Having cultivated an aversion to cycling garb as a bike commuter, I was quite reluctant to incorporate any pieces into my touring ensemble. I went my first season without – horrified by the mere thought of padded bike shorts and bright, busy jerseys. 

I have since learned the value of cycling-specific clothes on a long bike tour, though this is not defeat. I’ve discovered that it’s possible to have the comfort of performance clothing and to keep it subtle.

Merino wool jerseys are great in heat or cold, moisture wicking, and odor resistant. Also, they can be worn more than once between washings, reducing how many tops you need to bring and won’t stink like polyester active wear will.

After the first year of touring, we upgraded from toe clips to SPD clipless pedals. SPD stands for Shimano Pedaling Dynamics and is a pedal and cleat system of the mountain bike variety. What makes them different from SPD-SL, the road biking system, is that the shoe has one point of attachment and the cleat is recessed in the shoe, making them easier to walk in.

Pulling a knit skirt over your bike shorts, pants or capris will hide the chamois liner (you can also find cycling skorts). Also, looser shorts with a chamois liner are available for men and women. In my experience, padded bottoms make for a comfy ride. There are fewer seams and less fabric to bunch and chafe. Also, your sit bones will thank you.

Braids are great for keeping long hair from becoming tangled and unmanageable.

You will also want clothes and shoes for off the bike. Bring something warm for cool evening and mornings. If there’s any chance of rain I bring a waterproof jacket, pants, and shoe covers. Don’t forget your bathing suit!

For trips longer than over the weekend, I hand wash my chamois and tops along the way, hanging them off my bike to dry as to always have something clean to wear.

Bike Touring and Camping Food Tips

Rare occurrence of cooking while touring

After a day in the saddle, starting a fire and cooking dinner does not appeal to me and I rather not lug around a camp stove and cookware on a bike.  Instead, we bring food that doesn’t require preparation and stop at a café for breakfast.

Bike Touring Gear

Pruning the gear you bring along is a process that may evolve over a few trips. Yet, the first trip goes far in helping you figure out what is necessary and what is superfluous. Once you get back (and have caught your breath), sort out the items you didn't use and ask whether they couldn't be left at home next time.

How to Pack and Haul Your Gear on a Bike Tour

I group everything I'm bringing and pack my panniers by theme. Be sure to pack items that you'll use along the way in a convenient place. The front left pannier is typically the easiest to access on the trail, because most people get on and off the bike from the left side and lean the right side up against something to park it.

An Introduction to Touring Bikes

The finest saddle, nicest panniers, and clipless pedals aren't necessary to venture out of the city. If you can be comfortable on your bike for a few hours and have at least a rear rack, you are ready to embark on your first trip. 

Non-touring bike on the trail

Methods of Bike Touring in Wisconsin

Bicycle touring may conjure up images of mule-like bikes and weary travelers heading toward California, but aspirations of loading up and heading to the Pacific aren’t a prerequisite to incorporating tours into your bike life. You can enjoy what touring has to offer – exploring communities beyond the Dane County line, fresh air, scenery, and exercise – on a weekend adventure or even just a day trip.

Packing light for a day trip or credit card tour

The touring cyclist can generally choose between credit card touring or self-supported touring. On a credit card tour, cyclists bring clothing, personal items, and some basic gear, but pay for food and accommodations along the way. On a self-supported tour, cyclists carry their food, gear, and camping equipment on their bikes, making supply stops as needed. 

Self-supported touring at Mukwonago County Park

We usually do a combination of the two, paying for one of our daily meals and finding refuge in a motel if foul weather hits. Rail trails go through plenty of towns where you can dine out or resupply.