Riding the Ridge

In Mt Horeb on the Military Ridge Trail.

  When we moved to Madison ten years ago I was excited to ride the Military Ridge trail which hadn't been developed when I last lived in the area.

  It was a fun and challenging ride stretching from the southwest corner of Madison to Dodgeville in Iowa County.

  The 40 mile path is an excellent way to accumulate miles under the wheels and while this trail minimizes climbing there is still enough elevation to provide a workout.

  The trail west of Ridgeway has a short distance that was covered with asphalt but much of that has since crumbled replaced in places with a combination of crushed limestone and what feels like beach sand.  Unless you are riding a bike with oversize tires, it isn't fun trying to ride through sand.

Stretches of the trail do double-duty as a track for snowmobiles in winter.  Many of the recent winters have been short on snow accumulation which means more wear and tear from sleds.  

Trail north of Co. Hwy PD.

When trails aren't maintained, it gets more difficult to ride.  Logically, poor trail conditions translate into fewer riders.  The most popular stretch of the Military Ridge trail is between Verona and Mt Horeb; unfortunately parts of it are more hazardous.

A lot of cyclists stop in the tiny burg or Riley which has a popular watering hole just off the path.  From there to Mt. Horeb there are loose boards on bridge decks (I had to make an evasive maneuver to avoid a nail sticking out of 2" by 6.") and a disturbing number of places where piles of sand and or gravel threaten to grab or pull tires out of kilter with little or no warning, especially in shady areas where it is hard to distinguish the danger.

The bike trails around the state are a treasure and allow bikers to safely travel long distances out of harm's way.  

The annual fee for riders 16 and older is $25, an excellent bargain.  It might be time to increase the fee or find another way to maintain the existing infrastructure while also adding more miles to the system.

All photos taken July 2, 2022 by author.