The "400"

I've been looking forward to this ride a long time.

The 400 State Trail is one of many I've not yet ridden.  One of the special things about it is that it is linked to three other trails that allow a biker rider to stay on rails to trails bike paths for 100 miles.

That will be another trip I hope to do someday.

To tackle the trail meant an early wake-up call and I was in Reedsburg by 6:30 for breakfast at Greenwood's Cafe - enjoying some bacon, a chocolate chip pancake, and chocolate milk.  (I was tempted to go Mt. Dew, but the extra nutrition changed my mind.)

The trail head just a block from the restaurant and less than an hour later my bike was off the car and I was ready to go.  It was a very chilly morning - high 40s at the start of the day - so I dressed accordingly to be warm and ride.  The day was perfect to break out a new jersey my sister's family gave me last Christmas and was just the second time I've worn it.

One of the more difficult things on cool mornings for me is keeping my hands warm, and the solution I stumbled on a few years ago are simple wool work gloves.  They aren't heavy, but keep hands out of the wind.  I'll grant you they look funny, but since they work and I had them in the garage - seemed like a perfect solution which you are free to borrow for your own.

Steam rose off the lakes in the cool air creating a beautiful special effect that Hollywood can't equal.

The 400 may quickly become a favorite trail and one of the primary reasons is there are relatively few crossroads to the trail, allowing uninterrupted riding for up to 10 miles or more between slowing down to check for traffic.

The trail, north and west of Madison, is surrounded by wetlands and some beautiful cliffs and rock formations.  The one at right was repeated many places along the trail.  Other majestic rock formations were man - made as workers cleaved through the hills for trains and eventually bikes.

The 400 ends in Elroy and there I was able to hop on Juneau County's Omaha Trail.  It finishes in the small community of Camp Douglas which is home to Volk Field - a place kept busy with National Guard exercises.

Highlighting the trail is an 875 foot tunnel that burrows through a hilltop. 

Part of what made riding the Omaha special for me was it comprised most of the route for the mini-marathon I ran last September.  I was amazed at how different it seemed from the seat of a bike and at much faster speeds!

And, if you have always wanted to visit every town called Hustler in the United States - you can have an easy time of it with a trip to the very tiny burg tucked along the trail.  It claims to be the only one and will stand by it until proved otherwise.  (On my trip up and back through Hustler it seemed people were resting since the only people I saw were enjoying the day's Farmers Market in very leisurely fashion.)

Returning to Elroy offered a trip over a short covered bridge (built for bikes and pedestrians.  It was a worth a trip through hip high weeds to see the pretty stream flowing beneath it.

Back in Elroy, I hit the famous Elroy Sparta trail for a short trip to the first town north for a late lunch and then pedaled back to Reedsburg.

A fun day - three trails, five hours on a bike, 82 miles, 4 deer, 2 Sandhill Cranes, a turkey, an owl, and an up close look at the wonders of creation.