We're Checking for Trail Passes

The first ride of the year on a State Trail took me west from Mt. Horeb to Barneveld and back to Verona where I made the left turn towards home.

Barneveld is 30 years removed from a devastating F-5 tornado June 8, 1984.

The storm hit just before 1 in the morning destroying or damaging 170 of the 225 structures in town.  200 of the 584 residents sustained injuries and nine were killed by the tornado.  All three churches were flattened.

The water tower was the only government structure that survived the tornado, but it needed some repairs.

Thirty years later, you can still observe the impact the storm had by the lack of many full-grown trees.

The people persevered and by 2000, the small community had double its size from when the storm hit.  It's a small agricultural community and bedroom community to Madison - with a living legacy to the need for storm awareness and safety.

The ride back east from Barneveld was interesting because most of the times I've taken the Military Ridge State Trail it's from east to west and then a car pickup and ride back home.

By riding back, it provided a different vantage point of the large Blue Mounds between Barneveld and Mt. Horeb.  It also offers a bit of a downhill ride.

It was on the west side of Mt. Horeb that I saw a person standing in the middle of the trail ahead.  There was no bike parked nearby.  They didn't seem to be walking.

As I approached a voice called, "we're checking for trail passes," so I slowed the bike down so I could get off and fish around the bike bag for my wallet and the laminated Department of Natural Resources 2014 State Trail pass.  A quick flash and then it was off again on down the trail.

Last year there were times that asking someone if they wanted to see it was enough for the Ranger on duty to let me on my way.  I don't mind the checks - as far as I'm concerned paying $20 for a year's worth of riding the magnificent trails in Wisconsin is worth it.  The trails have been well-maintained and more trail is added each year to the network.

I suppose there is a price at which I would balk, but for now I'm thankful and glad to be part of one of the many things that make Wisconsin such a nice place to live.

Further down the road, I noticed quite a few yellow Tiger Swallowtail butterflies pausing on various trail-side flowers, and Red-Wing Blackbirds seemed to warm their friends and family up the road as I approached.

Upon approach to Verona, I came upon the sprawling campus of Epic and was able to take a side trail into the campus and toward home.

A couple hills to finish up a 35 mile ride and another great trip in Wisconsin.