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.

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)


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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.