Day 6: Menomonie to Minneapolis
It was nice to have Jim join me for about 10 heading west out of town. My route took me through River Falls, the home of the University of WI at River Falls. I stopped at a garage sale and picked up a book about the culture and history of tattooing. I crossed in Minnesota in Hudson. I got a little turned around in St. Paul and did some extra touring of different neighborhoods. (When biking in St. Paul, be extra alt because their are some potholes that will take a bite out of your wheel rim.) The helpful Minnesotans directed me to Minneapolis. Ascending Summit Ave just about did me in. At about 9 pm I made it to Sunrise Cyclery, Jamie McDonalds bike shop. He is also the bike mechanic on the Habitat500. Jamie and Jennifer, my hosts for the night, provided me with my own room at the Minneapolis mansion, with the luxury of an air conditioning unit in the window. Thanks again Jamie and Jennifer! We went out to eat at Muddy Water in a very hip area of the city. It reminds me that I need to start reading my book about the history and culture of tattoos.
Road treasure report: one socket
Coulee Country: Day 6
David and Nik waved farewell in Hixton, WI and I continued northward through Coulee Country towards Eau Claire. Coulee is a word of French origin, meaning “valley.” It is the area south of interstate 94, approximately where the glacial periods have not smoothed out the landscape. It’s a beautiful area dotted with farms and lush rolling hills- picture postcard WI. My legs were learning a different variation of the word Coulee with accompanying pain. The workload increased considerably in this region. I took a quick stop in southern Eau Claire and then headed out towards Menomonie on Route 12, passing through Elk Mound.
I rolled in Menomonie on Main street and was greeted with cheers from a welcoming crowd outside of Bad Cat Bicycles. Owner Peter May arranged my lodging with Jim Swanson. I recommend stopping into Bad Cat the next time you are in Menomonie. Peter May provides a welcoming and friendly spot for bicyclists. Jim suggested we eat at one of his favorite restaurants in town, an authentic German microbrewery called Das Bier Haus. I had a tasty German stout and a pork sandwich hit the spot. Jim is a high school teacher, hunts with a black powder rifle and spends part of each year teaching others about how mountain men lived hundreds of years ago.
Mileage for Day 6: 89.
Road treasure report: one socket and one hex wrench
Day 5 Black River Falls to Menomonie
At this point I would like to talk about blue long handled plastic spoons. Scanning the shoulder of the road has become habit for me as I pedal the day away. You can tell a lot about an area by what you see on shoulder of the road. In Wisconsin, I have noticed blue spoons. I have seen very little debris on the road shoulder in Wisconsin. Drivers here don’t litter much or the people of Wisconsin do a great job of cleaning up the road sides. What is it about long handled blue spoons? The answer lies with a regional delicacy. The spoons originate from Culver’s. Many of these spoons were likely used to consume what is known as the “cement mixer” I had one during a habitat500 several years ago. It is a milkshake like conoction with many options to mix into the ice cream. It’s heavy, it’s sweet, good on a hot day. I do not reccommend a whole cement mixer while you are biking, though. You might want to share. So, blue long handled plastic spoons across Wisconsin road shoulders serve as memorials, if you will, to a love affair with a creamy delight known as the “Cement Mixer”
Day 4 Elroy to Black River Falls
Waved goodbye to the Toltzman’s and headed out for Sparta. I was already looking forward to eating the sandwiches that Candy had packed. Pedaled through Kendall and into Norwalk. The telephone poles in Norwalk were adorned with flags displaying Norwalk as the black squirrel capital. I did not see any. Maybe they were all in session. On to Sparta. I had been looking forward to Sparta for several days. What does it mean to be a Spartan I wondered? Just how spartan are the residents of Sparta? Well, would you believe that Sparta is the bicycle capital of Wisconsin! Sparta is home to the first rails to trails bicycle trail(Elroy-Sparta) and home to a giant statue of a gentleman riding atop a classic bike with a giganitic front wheel, appears to be one of the earlier touring bikes. On the trail there are several tunnels, one is nearly a mile long. On the way out of Sparta I hit a road treasure jackpot! I found seven sockets scattered on both sides of the road. The weight in my rear luggage was noticeably different. Took route 27 into Black River Falls.
Nice downhill into town and over the Black River. Hosted in Black River Falls by the Pardoe family.
Just like a habitat home is built through many hands coming together and strangers helping each other out, the success of this cycling journey is reliant upon these same concepts. I have been hosted many times all over the country over the years. David Pardoe’s welcome rates an all time high on the hospitality meter. There was a note taped to the door of the house which was set close to the bottom of a wooded ridge surrounded by lush fields, some with cattle and horses. The note directed me inside where I could find a cooler with cold beer at the foot of the bed where I would be sleeping, location of the shower, and ready to eat snacks. David arrived home shortly and I met his three kids Nik, Elizabeth, and Abby. David’s wife was away at work during my stay. That evening after a tasty pasta dinner, David cleaned my bike chain, adjusted my brakes, and derailleur. Shortly after that we saw cattle ambling up the driveway. My memories from Black River Falls now include a cattle drive with the Pardoe’s. Together we rounded up those little doggies. Thanks for joining pedaling with me for a few miles out of Black River Falls Nik and David.
Daily Mileage:67
Road Treasure update: 7 sockets, bungee cord
Day 3 Bismarked in Madison
Indie Coffee House
Greenbush Bakery
Some of you may think that days spent pedaling up and down hills across Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota is a great way to get in shape and maybe even trim down that waistline. It’s a nice thought. I was even thinking those thoughts myself, until I found the Greenbush Bakery in Madison, on Regent Street. Last night I stopped in and inhaled while standing in front of all the chewy, doughy, sugary delights. The aroma was intoxicating. The creme filled Bismark before dinner was just right. It was like nothing else in the world existed but me and my Bismark. I wanted to stuff my bike jersey pockets with Bismarks. I honestly was thinking that I could eat only Bismarks for the rest of the week until arriving in St. Joseph, MN. This morning I got up early and made my way back to the Greenbush Bakery. I ordered another Bismark and feeling adventurous, a strawberry filled glazed doughnut. I took my little gems down to Indie Coffee(excellent), sat down with a cup of coffee and inhaled both doughnuts, saving the Bismark for last. Heading north out of Madison I came to the realization that I had most likely consumed two or three thousand more calories than I was likely to burn in the next several days. Now I’m wondering if I could get sponsors for Habitat solely for the purpose of eating more Bismarks from the Greenbush Bakery. How about the Bismark 500? I could set out to eat 500 Bismarks from the Greenbush Bakery. I wonder how many others would join me? Perhaps we could do laps around lake Mendota with shopping carts full of Bismarks. I’m convinced that this could work. Give it some thought! I’ll have to get back to this later. Back to the days events – One thing that I’ve learned from my bike trips – You need to have a plan for each day and do not hold on too tightly to your plan. The road may have another plan in store for you and the road always, always wins. I managed to ride past the Greenbush Bakery without stopping for another Bismark. I had a big mile day in my head. I was ready. My rear tire wasn’t. It seems like I spent half of the morning on the shoulder, traffic whizzing by. I am taking a tube out and trying to find where the newest hole is. I am not sure how the holes happened. One looked like a pinch flat where the tube gets caught in between the tire and the rim. One of the tubes I know I had in there just right, no possibility for a pinch flat, I’m pumping my little hand pump, and the valve stem snaps right off! The tip of the stem even got caught in the end of the pump! After about four times of taking the rear tire off etc. I got back on the road. In Sauk City I tracked down via a postman someone who could sell me a couple of new tubes. There is no bike shop there. This is the guy in town that the postman knows can get bike stuff. You’ve gotta love small towns. Not too far north waited the Baraboo Ridge. It was a nice steady climb. I had been told a mile long. It seemed like a mile. I imagined that a giant Bismark doughnut was waiting for me at the top. So today was the only day that I did not have lodging arranged. The revised route had me stopping in Reedsburg. Well I made it to Reedsburg and kept on going. Was not too sure how far I was gonna pedal, but I felt pretty good. Partly due to the power of a sweet potato I had picked up in Madison and cooked in my private dorm room. I stopped in Lavalle while a rain cloud rolled through. I road on, light rain stopped. I rolled into Elroy and was pleased to find the library door open. I met Candy Toltzman at the front desk and asked if she knew of anyone who might put me up for the night. She said that she and her husband Dale are on the Mennonite your way list and often host travelers. So I write you this from the home of my generous hosts Candy and Dale Toltzman.
Miles pedaled today: 83
Road treasure: small pair of still functioning, but broken scissors.
It’s off to bed to dream of Greenbush Bakery Bismarks…
