May 14, 2022
Trail Boss
Blue Mound State Park
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I had two cups of coffee while casually reloading my bike. Then I barreled down the hill out of the campground without braking, thereby, in my own mind, I conquered my nemesis from yesterday--the hill that had previously conquered ME.
I had been a little worried about the climb from the shoreline of Fox Hollow Lake back up to the ranger station, but it wasn't that bad. Maybe all the climbing from the previous days made me STRONGER!
My destination for today is Blue Mound State Park. If I really want to delve into the Driftless Area, I don't think I can go wrong with state parks located in that region. Blue Mound State Park features the highest point in the southern half of Wisconsin.
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At the northern outskirts of Dodgeville, I turned onto the Military Ridge State Trail. It would eventually lead me all the way to Blue Mound State Park via a mostly smooth, level trail.
I wasn't too happy to come up to a pay station a short time later. Five dollars to ride an unpaved trail?
Reluctantly, I put the money in the envelope and carried the permit with me as instructed. I did so as a matter of personal integrity, because I highly doubted there were trail police checking all the riders' permits. In fact, I thought it might be fun to stop a few people along the way and, with an air of authority, ask to see their permits. I'd bet less than half of them paid the fee.
Occasionally I'd get some nice views through the view-blockers, and there were a few areas where the trail emerged completely from the view-blockers to showcase hills, dairy farms and exposed sandstone.
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1 year ago
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The closer I got to the state park, the more cyclists I saw. And when I got off the bike trail and onto the road to the park headquarters, I saw even more. A lot more. All roadies.
At the ranger station, there was a serious roadie lying on the sidewalk with his jersey zipped down to his navel exposing the elastic band that those guys wear around their rib cages. I interrupted his breathing exercises to ask, "is there some kind of cycling event going on here this weekend, or is this place ALWAYS so busy?"
He replied, "I don't know if it's always this busy, but I'm from Minneapolis and a few friends and I like to come down here because it's the best place in the Midwest to ride up and down miles and miles of 10% hills. So, yeah, I can see why it might seem busy."
I found my way down to the hiker/biker campground. Again, I had the place to myself, which meant more Madison, Wisconsin beers and more loud music.
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Later on, a couple with backpacks came along. Then two more backpackers. Then a father and son on e-bikes. After dark, a solo woman arrived on a touring bike.
Today's ride: 29 miles (47 km)
Total: 180 miles (290 km)
| Rate this entry's writing | Heart | 14 |
| Comment on this entry | Comment | 3 |
You can't just leave the story hanging like that after writing what sounds like the start of a steamy romance novel. :>)
2 years ago
2 years ago
2 years ago