Ride 6 - The Cannonball

The Cannonball Path bridge. 5/5/2024 dwm

 I was able to get in a second ride last weekend. It was my first time this year down the Cannonball path which replaced ties and rails of an old railroad line.

 The signature section of the trail is a spectacular, four-span arched bridge across six lanes of the busy Belt line highway and frontage roads on either side.

 Before the bridge was installed, the only route was either on busy streets over the highway or the original belt line bike and pedestrian bridge a mile west.

 I picked up the Cannonball at the biking 5-point intersection which connects to the Military Ridge, Southwest Commuter, and two sections of the Capital City trails. 

Going northeast from the bridge.

I wanted to get in 25-miles but wasn't sure how many miles it was from home to the spot where the Cannonball comes to a halt at Fish Hatchery road. From there I rode up Fish Hatchery to Wingra Drive where I picked up the trail which follows the stream from Lake Wingra to Lake Monona.

The Wingra trail has some cool features. It connects Vilas Zoo and Lake Wingra to Lake Monoa while passing the Goodman swimming pool and several neighborhoods.

When the trail crosses under John Nolen Road it splits into two trails, one on either side of the stream (below photo), all the way to Olin Park which is on the shore of Lake Monona.

I was short of 11-miles at that point, so to reach my goal I pedaled down the Capital City trail, going under the Beltline to the Capital Springs Recreation area. It was along that stretch I hit 12.6 miles and turned for home.

I wanted the cushion for the trip back because I wasn't going the same way I rode out. A couple extra tenths of a mile meant I'd hit my goal at our garage.

Wingra Creek is flanked by two trails. 5/5/24 dwm

 This ride presented a couple options for future rides. One is to ride around Lake Monona from where the Wingra Creek trail ends.

 The other is going from the Wingra trail down the Capital City trail through the Capital Springs Recreation area then heading west through green spaces until it connects with the Military Ridge trail at the 5-points.

 Both rides should be at least 35-miles. 

 For this ride, it was the best all year with calm winds which helped me average better than 15-miles per hour for 25 miles.  Keep riding!