Ride 7 - Two Loops

The Capital City trail. 5/12/24 dwm

 On my seventh ride, I tried one of the extended rides that revealed itself a week earlier; taking the 'lake loop' around Monona and a loop created by riding the Cannonball to the isthmus then returning west on the Capital City to where it meets the Cannonball.

 I've been on all the paths before but hadn't put them together like this. 

 My change-up was stopping to take photos in places I usually ride through.

 Monona Terrace is the city's convention center designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. It took 60 years of off-and-on debate before ground was broken in 1997. It's a beautiful place and looks at home on Lake Monona.

 Jutting out over the lake is a lip from the building  where three lanes are drawn so bikers can both directions and people can walk in the third. Closest to the water is the ledge is where you usually find several people fishing.

 

The Yahara River meets Lake Monona. 5/12/24 dwm

It's a neat place to ride because you can see into a ballroom on one side and a guy catching a fish on the other.

 

Lakes Monona and Mendota are separated by a small strip of land called an isthmus. The Yahara river connects the two, flowing from Mendota to Monona and downstream. A dam and lock allows boat traffic between the lakes.

 

You cross the river on a beautiful old cement bridge, one of many connecting main thoroughfares and streets that connect neighborhoods, and in this case, a bike route.

 

Lunch. 5/12/24 dwm

 20 miles into the ride I stopped at Kwik Trip for lunch. A few months ago I discovered they had ready-to-go sandwiches in their grab-and-go section. 

 

 It hit the spot with quick energy and protein.

 

 One more note about my Kwik Trip stop, When I went inside, I took my water bottle. I asked the clerk if it was OK to fill up my bottle. She looked at me and said, "No."  

 

 "Excuse me?" I said. She paused, "Just kidding, go ahead."  I thought she was kidding because I've never had an issue filling my bottle, but who knew, maybe they changed their policy.  She got me.

 After going around the lake I continued to the point where I began to check the mileage, 13 miles for my trip around the lake after an 11 mile ride to get there;  just 17 miles more I was home.

 A spring storm was coming in later so it was breezy. I benefited for the first sixteen miles. The finish was in and out of the wind depending on where I was. 

 Overall, it was a good trip, 41 miles, averaging 15 miles per hour. The total so far, 229 miles on the year.

Keep riding!