Ride 19 - Elroy

The Elroy train depot. 7/25/2025 dwm

The last time I rode the Elroy Sparta trail was in 2022 when it was part of the Ride Across Wisconsin route from LaCrosse to Milwaukee.

This time, it was a ride with my nephew, Harmon, from Elroy to Sparta and back on the original railroad to bike trail conversion.

After a week of extreme heat and days of rain, the Friday forecast indicated rain would hold off, so we took a chance.

We got to the depot in Elroy after 9, unloaded the bikes and headed north.

Harmon heading to tunnel #1. 7/25/25 dwm

The track and the tunnels opened for trains in 1873. At its peak in the early 20th century, according to an account by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 6 passenger trains and 40 to 50 freight trains traveled between Elroy and Sparta every day.

The depots and tunnels are what's left after the trains stopped and the rails closed in 1964. The railroad removed the rails and ties, but the rest adds to riding the trail.

My childhood best friend and I rode from Elroy to Sparta in 1980 when we were in high school; I rode it again in 1981to write a story about it for the Janesville Gazette. This was the fourth time I rode the iconic route.

Tunnel #2. 7/25/25 dwm

It was Harmon's first ride between Elroy and Sparta, so we took our time at the depots, old train cars, and tunnels.

The best part of the tunnels on hot and humid days is that they are natural coolers - probably 20-degrees colder.

The second tunnel, between Wilton and Norwalk, is the wettest with water falling from the ceiling or running down the walls of the tunnel before washing into ditches either side of the old bed that act as creek beds draining water out each end.

Thanks to LED bike lights, we saw amazing designs and colors on the walls. It looked like marble as it gleamed when the light fell on it (photos below).

Signs are posted outside each tunnel warning that bikes must be walked. The uneven surface are wet and the tunnels long enough that the only light is from a headlight or headlamp.

The wall mid-tunnel. 7/25/25 dwm

I hadn't looked at the walls before and was amazed by the colors.

Coming out of the tunnel, we went downhill for a mile or more to the next community, where we'd start climbing again.

The hill wasn't steep but it just kept going, eventually we made a turn where the hill opened like a wedge where rock and dirt split to create the opening where the track went underground.

The third tunnel, north of Norwalk, is the longest at three quarters of a mile. It's a long walk and the most treacherous with holes, dips, and places that could easily trip a person. We heard on the return trip a cyclist riding through a tunnel who fell and broke a leg.

It was a long walk through the last tunnel. When we reached the end, we got on our bikes for Sparta. The 'official' distance between Elroy and Sparta is 32 miles, but if you ride into Sparta, like we were for lunch, it adds miles.

'Ben Bikin' welcomes cyclists and others. 7/25/25 dwm

We stopped to get a shot of the statue with a rider atop a penny farthing before stopping at Rudy's Drive-in.

We each had a burger and a chocolate shake. Then, before we headed back, bought snacks for the trip back.

We each had a three-pack of chocolate donuts and a crunchy peanut butter Cliff bar.

At the end of the day, there was a dinner waiting, so we focused on getting back. We did a two-person draft for several miles that allowed us to maintain18-mile an hour pace.

Tunnel #1 north entrance. 7/25/25 dwm

It was a good ride, especially for our first ride together. It was fun getting better acquainted and sharing stories.

We did make it to dinner, after making the others wait an hour. There were spirited conversations and a good time had by all.

I'm not sure if I'll get to ride with Harmon again, but the experience over 74 miles in the beautiful driftless region of Wisconsin will live in my memory a long time.

74 miles pushed me over 1,000 for the year, I'm now at 1,009.