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| The Cap City winds thru Madison. |
After church Sunday, I got into my bike gear and hit the road. I was looking to get in some miles and get home to do something else.
The route I selected combine some of my favorite routes - the Capital City trail and riding around Lake Monona on the Lake Loop.
There was partly cloudy skies to start the ride but the sun came out 30 minutes into the ride.
The Capital City trail can be joined where the Military Ridge trail meets the city's Southwest Commuter path. It heads east then turns north where the path borders Lake Monona and is in the shadow of the Monona Terrace Convention Center.
Where the Cap City meets John Nolen Drive is where I headed east on Waunona Way. It's an old area, dating back to a time when many places were used more as cabins than year-round homes.
The road links to main streets and where it dead-ends next to a park, a path takes you through that space, along then over the Yahara River which flows south out of Lake Monona. That's where the trail goes north past nice homes and a number of parks which give public access to the lake.
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| A sign along Waunona Way. 8/27/23 |
I started this ride later than usual, so I didn't see many birds or animals but there were a lot of people out walking or riding to take advantage of perfect weather after nearly a week of days that were too hot and too humid.
When I first rode around Lake Monona there were fewer signs marking the loop around the lake. Since then, signage marks the route going around the lake either direction.
Depending on the day I follow every turn and other times I follow the main route and avoid the occasional side-road detour the loop offers.
Road construction made big changes this year, in one place it's only a few blocks but where the loop usually gets bicycles back to Atwood Avenue to be closer to the lake I stayed on the Capital City trail that runs through the area until it takes me back almost to the point where I turned off to go around the lake.
The right turn instead of going straight sent me home after a few blocks through downtown and the University campus. It was a pretty good ride for just over two hours, 37.5 miles, average speed 15.8 mph.
All photos by David Mossner
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