Just after earning my driver's license, my folks let me borrow the small station wagon and my best friend and I loaded our two ten speed bikes in the car and drove from Janesville to Elroy.
It wasn't going to be the longest ride we had ever taken - there was an overnight ride to Eagle and long rides from Janesville to Broadhead and up the Sugar River Trail. But, it was the farthest from home.
Leaving Elroy and heading north on our bikes, we enjoyed the new sights and seeing the train tunnels. Then, outside the third tunnel between Norwalk and Sparta, we found this oasis (above).
You can see a backyard facing the trail with a vending machine loaded with soda and a small building for other concessions.
I don't remember if the building was there at that time, but it probably was.
What sticks in my mind was the pop.
The machine dispensed 16 ounce bottles of ice-cold soda. So cold, there were little chunks of ice floating in the delicious flavor.It was a machine like this (left - now covered for winter) one. One bottle, twenty five cents.
We took a break from the ride to sit by the small stream of water (below) that flowed along the trail downhill from the tunnel. I recall taking off my shoes and socks to cool off my feet.
It was a great moment; one I have truly remembered all of my life (so far).
Fast forward to this past Saturday. As I came upon the place, I slowed down to get a few pictures. I saw a man walking across the backyard.
After saying hello, I asked how long he had lived here. "All my life," was his reply. "I grew up here."
He told me that in the beginning days of the Elroy-Sparta bicyclists would flock from miles around to ride the rollings hills and experience the adventure of train tunnels.
"We (Tom and his father) would do $1,000 a week back then selling pop and snacks to bikers. Now there are more trails and it's not near as busy."
I told him my story and thanked him for one of the best bike memories in my life. He asked me about the riding I like to do now, and how long I've had my recumbent. I asked his name, and he told me his friends know him as "Tunnel Tom."
It's the first rails to trail project in the United States, established in 1965 and open to bikes in 1967. Next year is it's Golden Anniversary.
The trail, the countryside, and the tunnels might be the star attractions on the Elroy-Sparta... but every special place is made that way by the people who love, nurture, and pass on the beauty and heritage to the rest of us. People like Tunnel Tom.
Thank you, Tunnel Tom, for the memories back then and now.
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