Ride to the Ferry

Who knows how many good riding days are left?

So when the forecast said sunny skies and a nice day after a cool start - I figured I better take advantage of the opportunity.

My bike was loaded on the car for a short drive to Waunakee where my ride would start.  It's not far, and I unloaded and was on the bike before sunrise at 7:06.

Just a little warmer than 32 when I started - it was among the coldest starts to any ride.  However, rain and temps in the 40s feels much colder than I did yesterday.

I was north of town a mile or two when the sun came over the horizon.  After I took a couple of pictures it was back on the bike.  That's when I heard the first gun shots.

Let me tell you, it got my attention.  The shots were in the distance, and the fact the gunfire started after sun-up led me to conclude a new hunting season was underway.  When we lived in north Wisconsin, I recall the opening day of gun deer season being audible at our home in Augusta.

Youth deer season was yesterday and today in Wisconsin.  I expect some young people got their deer, or at least used a lot of ammo in the effort, because I heard the reports of shots throughout my ride.

Highway 113 winds north of Waunakee before bending west through the village of Dane where I had this great view (left) at the top of a hill.

It was beautiful.

A representative of Massachusetts in the Continental Congress, Nathan Dane was responsible for drafting the bill that created the Northwest Territories.  An area that includes Wisconsin.  The state's capital is in Dane County and a community of 900 people bear his name.

Passing through Dane, it was north to Lodi.  By this time, I felt pretty good.  It was helpful to be warmed by the heat of the sun and not have any windchill beyond what I was generating on the bike.

The scenery was breathtaking.  The harvest is underway with many fields cleared and already prepped for spring planting, but more fields of corn and beans still waiting for combines to visit.

The cool air temperature and warmer water of Lake Wisconsin (part of the Wisconsin River) created fog I could see miles away.  That helped me gauge how far I had to go.

While I've crossed the Merrimac Ferry several times since moving back here; this was the first time by bike since a cross-Wisconsin ride I did back in 2005.

The fog shrouded the Colsac II as it made its way south across the river guided by steel cables that keep it on track.

At first, I couldn't see the car (and bike) ferry from shore until it finally broke through the fog and into the sun.

It's a ten minute trip across the river, and once across I waited a turn before riding back on and returning to Waunakee.

Pausing to ride the ferry was a perfect break in the ride and a trip I will repeat in the future.  While the state road is a little on the busy side, there is plenty of space on most miles of the road to say safely out of traffic.  The hills provide a challenge and great views, and with small towns every five miles there is always a place for a snack break (maybe a Little Debbie snack?).

36 miles round trip from Waunakee to Merrimac and back - 15.8 mph.   A good ride - hopefully not my last of the season - and a great biking memory in 2014.