To the Mountain

If you live in the upper Midwest, it's probably been pretty damp in your neck of the woods this year.

I'll ride in the rain.  But, if it's going to be a steady rain and only into the 50s for a high... well, maybe, just maybe, there are smarter things I should do instead.

Thankfully, day 2 only offered a minimum of sprinkles when I pedaled away from the hotel.

The path through the city was very nice.  Which surprised me since I read online the trail involved surface streets in Shawano.  I nearly thought the trail was finished when I didn't see a detour, but then it came.

A small sign "Recreational Trail" pointing right off the path indicated the direction, but after a sixth turn and heading north into the country without any mention of the Mountain Bay Trail specifically, I had my doubts.

There were also some concerns, since later in the day we wanted to be in our former hometown of Augusta, Wisconsin to attend a funeral.  The way things were going, I'd be hard pressed to complete the journey and get to Augusta.

So, an audible and the cell phone was called, and my trusty wife and "Uber Driver with a Bike Rack" picked me up back in town.  We skipped about 20 miles of the path to resume the ride in the town with the German name of Wittenberg.  Which is where, see photo above left, I needed to cross Wisconsin Highway 29.

It's a four lane highway with a posted speed limit of 65!  I figured my best course of action was off the bike and thanks to some lulls in traffic made it across.  The last couple miles of the Shawano County trail was quiet and pretty.  A small tree across the trail was easy to remove and soon enough I reached Eland (below left).

Eland's glory days were years ago.  A train station stands by the trail and nearby is a miniature railway which I bet gets used for an annual festival.

Eland was also my entry to Marathon County and the last portion of the ride.

The trail was spacious and groomed for the last 18 miles of the trip.

It was just west of there I needed sunglasses for the first time in two days.

The scenery became more varied into the heart of central Wisconsin.  I'll tell you more about Norrie Lake and a long bridge in Sunday's blog, and the colors became more plentiful.

Another bunch of turkeys ran in front of me for a short time just pass this view (right), and none of them paused to visit.  I think they were trying to avoid dinner invitations.

The "Mountain," in case you're wondering, refers to Rib Mountain.

It is no mountain, but it is the state's second highest point and home to more than a dozen ski runs and a prominent State Park.

And, like the Bay portion of the name refers to Green Bay, it only generally refers to the origin and end of the line.  I didn't start next to the body of water known as Green Bay, and while I could see Rib Mountain in the distance, it was the end of the line long before I could get there.


This spot in Weston, Wisconsin (just east of Wausau and a neighboring city) offered a rest stop and a place to change before getting on four wheels for the rest of the trip.

Two days, 100 miles and plenty of beautiful scenery (turkeys, a deer merely feet away, and some other interesting views) made this a fun late fall adventure... one that definitely left a mark.