Trip 20 - Ferry Bound

On 113 north of Waunakee. 6/26/2024 dwm

 Friday morning, I left the driveway at 6:30 with a general plan of riding to Waunakee. I wasn't sure where I'd go once I  got there.

 

 There was road construction, building a new bridge on state highway 113, so I started west, then stopped at a grocery store for a beverage. Inside, I asked if there was a way around the road work.

 

 A local man said the sidewalk was still open, so I headed that way. The last time I rode north of Waunakee on 113 was in 2014 when I drove to the city then unloaded my bike and road to the Wisconsin River.

 

At this point, I was aiming for the small town of Dane, named for Nathan Dane whose name is also on the county, and then decide where to head next. 

Dane, WI. 7/26/24 dwm

I stopped to get a shot of the town's water tower then headed uphill. Near the top was a sign indicating Lodi was just four miles up the road. Lodi had a Kwik Trip, where I could get a snack.

 

From Dane to Lodi, it was mostly downhill, I rolled into the Columbia County community around 9 am. I was about to turn into the Kwik Trip's parking lot when I noticed a nice stretch of fresh asphalt just ahead. A man, I presumed lived in Lodi, was walking my way, I asked if the road from Lodi to the ferry was recently improved. 

 

He said it was; that was exciting to hear because my previous rides along that stretch of 113 was more scary than anything else. New pavement meant a better shoulder and conditions along the road's edge. After my quick stop, I turned left, my destination the south shore of the Wisconsin River.

 

As I crested a hill I saw the river and the Colsac III ferrying vehicles to the north shore of the river. I came to a stop, ready to catch my breath while waiting for the boat to return for our trip. I wasn't planning to get off the ferry in Merrimac, the town on the north shore, but it was nice enjoying the view going across and back after 37 miles.

 

The ferry approaches the end of Hwy 113. 7/26/24 dwm

 There weren't many cars going across on my trip, three cars, a truck, me, and a couple of kids crossing to fish from the opposite shore. 

 It was my first crossing of the year. It's an enjoyable break when driving a car or pedaling a bicycle. 

 

 It takes roughly seven minutes to cross, enough to take pictures from either side of the boat and enjoy the ride.

 When we reached the south shore landing, the ramps for lane 1 and sidewalk lowered into place, hitting the ground to stop.

 

Waiting to get off. dwm

I wheeled the bike off the edge of the sidewalk, got on and returned south, graciously allowed by the car behind me to turn left from the center lane.

The trip back to Lodi was easy thanks to the road and light traffic. I passed through town then headed home a different way. The glaciated parts of Wisconsin and the Driftless region meet in the area. The driftless has more hills; a fact I recognized on the ride home.

Instead of staying on 113 back to Waunakee, I took County P southwest which featured a number of hills I'd characterize as a bit steeper than your average rolling hills.

Where P intersects with U.S. Highway 12 it also meets the bike path I've ridden a number times from Middleton to its stopping point two miles north of Springfield.

From Springfield home, it was nearly a straight shot south. I kept a 15 mph average for 60 miles, hitting that mark a minute after 3 hours, 59 minutes. The last 9 miles were a touch slower as consecutive climbs and fatigue set in. 

It was the longest ride in 2024, by one mile, and one of the most enjoyable with new sites and marking the first time I made the trip from home to Merrimac and back.  Trip 20 miles, 69, total for 2024 818.