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My 8th New Year's Day Century
I've been doing these New Years' day rides since the Millenium in 2000,
and for the 8th year in a row, the weather cooperated. Still, though I've done 8 in a row, I don't dare call it an "annual" ride; that would be very presumptuous in a Wisconsin winter. Scattered rain and snow showers had been predicted for the morning, but when I got up and checked, the radar was clear. After a big blizzard on Dec. 1 and about 10 days of very cold weather in early Dec., an El Nino winter has taken over, in Milwaukee as well as most of the NE US. So the good news was that the temperatures were mild, a range of 37 - 43 F, against normals of 15 - 29 F for the date. On the return ride, I was able to wear my open - fingered gloves. The bad news was that it was windy, but all things considered, I'll take it. The roads were wet early from rain yesterday and during the night, but the sun was out by 10:00 and the roads dried. I used my TREK 520 touring bike, as it was mild enough that my feet wouldn't get cold even using the click in shoes I need to ride that bike. Anyway, I left at 6:00 a.m. in the dark (sunup at 7:23), and headed NNE toward Sheboygan, a city of 50,000 on the Lake Michigan shoreline located 50 some miles north of Milwaukee. It is famous for bratwurst, bathtubs (Kohler Co.) and Germans. With the wind from the NW, I'd have a net headwind going out and tailwind coming back. I took back roads the first 12 miles through Germantown and Mequon, meeting only one car the first 10 miles, then picked up the Ozaukee Co. bike trail, which I took the next 19 miles, through Port Washington to Belgium, with the wind getting quite annoying. At Belgium ( a town settled by Luxemburgers, as Luxemburg to the north was settled by Belgians. But when they incorporated, the government got them mixed up) I turned east for two miles before resuming a northerly route near the Lake Michigan shore, taking Sauk Trail through Dutch Country (much of eastern WI is an ethnic kaleidescope), then KK, then Center, and then OK, reaching Sheboygan at 10:40, with 53 miles for the day, after really fighting the headwinds. I took a 35 minute break there to eat and rest, then started back south on a slightly more westerly route, taking OK, then V, OO and 32, to the north terminus of the Ozaukee trail at Cedar Grove. I then stayed on the trail all 32 miles to the Ozaukee/Milwaukee County line. On the way, I made a brief stop at Port Washington after 81 miles for a snack. I had an ice cream bar - quite unusual for Jan. 1. At County Line Road, I turned back west and fought a headwind the last 7 miles to home, arriving at 3:30 p.m., with 107 miles for the day. I met 11 other bike riders during the day, all of them on the southbound return ride - not many other fools starting out on wet roads in the a.m. darkness! The Ozaukee trail had many more joggers and walkers, many with their dogs. But riding through it was no problem. |
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My 8th New Year's Day Century
Ron Wallenfang wrote:
the north terminus of the Ozaukee trail at Cedar Grove. snip on the trail all 32 miles to the Ozaukee/Milwaukee County line. Great trail! http://www.interurbantrail.us/Index2.htm way, I made a brief stop at Port Washington after 81 miles for a snack. Is that Smith's Fish restaurant still there? Yum! I met 11 other bike riders during the day, all of them on the southbound return ride - not many other fools starting out on wet roads in the a.m. darkness! The Ozaukee trail had many more joggers and walkers, many with their dogs. But riding through it was no problem. Next time, try coming south. Chicago's a great biking town! http://www.wgtd.org/trailhome.htm http://www.cityofchicago.org/Transpo...ap/keymap.html -- Bob Kastigar; R-Kastigar (at, you know the drill) neiu.edu Home: http://www.neiu.edu/~rkastiga Work: http://www.wgntv.com School: http://www.neiu.edu Play: http://www.neiu.edu/~stagectr Conscience: http://www.neiu.edu/~gcgroup/ Union: http://www.ibew1220.org (Chicago, IL USA) "Sweet Old Bob" (or just the initials) ----== Posted via Newsfeeds.Com - Unlimited-Unrestricted-Secure Usenet News==---- http://www.newsfeeds.com The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! 100,000 Newsgroups ---= East/West-Coast Server Farms - Total Privacy via Encryption =--- |
#3
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My 8th New Year's Day Century
Sweet Old Bob wrote: Next time, try coming south. Chicago's a great biking town! Chicago would only work for a New Year's day ride if I went one way. Racine, possibly Kenosha, is the best I can do on a round trip in that direction. (I live 20 miles NW of downtown Milwaukee, among other things. As it happens, I have biked Chicago to Milwaukee several times as part of longer trips. I also have business in Chicago from time to time, and greatly enjoy riding the lakefront paths, all the way from 5800 north to 7100 south. Most recently I was there for 7 days this past month. Riding north was inhibited by ice, where the lake water blows over the path. The ride south was wide open and I took it every day. I was starting before it got light and had to stick to familiar paths, so I'm not in a position to be too adventuresome on routes, at least not in the winter. |
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