Ride 3 - The Q

Part of the Lake Loop in Monona. 4/13/24 dwm

 This was the nicest day so far for a ride. It was cool overnight, so I waited until late morning to head out. 

 About half-way into the ride, I came up with a new name for this route, I'm calling it "The Q."

 The little line that turns an O into a Q, was the ride from the Capital City trail to McFarland and back. 

 The route is somewhat circular, starting in southwest Dane County, heading east to the east side of Fitchburg, where the route has a 2.5 mile path and boardwalk to McFarland and return.

 From there it heads around Lake Monona on trails that turn west back to Madison then southwest through the isthmus.

The Capitol is across the lake.

There were a lot of people out and about on foot and bikes. While passing through different areas of the city, there were bird calls, wild flowers, and special aromas depending on the neighborhood. 

I picked up lunch at a Kwik Trip - a PB&J sandwich, chocolate milk, and pack of Ritz crackers with peanut butter. It hit the spot and provided enough protein and energy to complete the trip.

Three rides in, there are 96 miles on the odometer, as yesterday's ride was 43 miles.

The first two-thirds of the ride were almost breeze-free. It wasn't until the route was headed southwest that I felt the wind in my face. Compared to the first two rides it wasn't as windy but it did slow things down a tick or two.

I'm still not at the speed I'd like, but since my bike season is starting more than a month ahead of schedule, I think it will get there at some point. 

Spring flowers blooming next to the Southwest Commuter trail. 4/13/2024 dwm photo