Day 58: Dodgeville to Madison

July 28, 2021

Racing to beat the heat

“What time is it?” Rachel asks as we start to ride the trail, just across from our motel. “05:40,” Patrick says. Today is supposed to be the hottest day of the week, a Red Alert Day according to the local weather channel. Thunderstorms are supposed to roll through tonight cooling things down, but for today our goal is to get to Madison before it gets too hot. Our first goal though is a second breakfast in Barneveld.

The Military Ridge Trail, orginally an American Indian footpath, starts out rough through Ridgeway and until we reach Barneveld. It’s not entirely a typical rail bed either, big dips where there probably used to be a bridge. There is a red sunrise over the cornfields, farms and flattening hills. We go off the trail to find the Barneveld Community Café Inc.

This is a café with a mission to address food insecurity. The bill is $0 however donations for the food are welcome, but not necessary. (also donations can be made through a paypal account barneveldcafe@gmail.com) We left a donation for our breakfast for what we’ve been paying in an ordinary café.

The trail greatly improved after Barneveld. At Blue Mound the trail gently inclined to Mt. Horeb and we crossed into the Upper Sugar River Watershed. At 15 miles from the end of the trail we have a 2 mile decline. The trail continues much the same through Riley and we reach Verona. We take a break in the shelter surrounded by a beautiful garden, and tool station for bikes. We have 4 more miles to official end of the trail at Fitchburg.

Madison has awesome bike lanes. It is obvious the bikelanes are not an afterthought like in so many American cities, but instead are carefully laid out to provide well-connected and smooth travel for cyclists to get from A to B efficiently. We make our way past the huge university to the lake and follow a bike route almost all the way to our hosts house shortly after noon. We are welcomed by Evan and Leslie and their young son Wyatt. It is hot and muggy and we relax for most of the afternoon. In the evening we go to a beer garden at the shore of the lake to enjoy some brews and a catfish sandwich.

Rest day tomorrow.

Mt Horeb's answer to Sparta's Ben Bikin'

The end to the Military Ridge Trail, now to navigate through the city on the bike paths.

When cyclists are a priority, bridges aren't an afterthought

The stoplight includes lights for bicycle's crossing. Zoom in and see the bicycle in the red light....just like in Holland.

From the Southwest Commuter Path to the Lake Loop Path that will take us very near our Warmshowers hosts.

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Today's ride: 51 miles (82 km)
Total: 2,440 miles (3,927 km)

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