Ride 4 - Looping Lake Mendota

My first time at the bike rest stop. 5/2/2026 dwm

 Fittingly, the bike rest stop was almost exactly the half-way point of Saturday's ride. I made a point of stopping at the rest area this time after the family responsible for this nice gesture told me about it after seeing one of my blogs last spring.

 

 After parking my bike, I took several pictures, then opened up a chocolate milk and a package of 6 cheese on cracker sandwiches. I saw a person I thought was a member of the family working outside, but wasn't close enough to say hi or thanks for the nice spot.

 

 It's set up nicely with a large cooler of water; several pumps to inflate bike tires; and a complete set of bike tools if you need to make adjustments or repair. 

 

Swings (left & center); a picnic table; and bike rack. 5/2/26 dm

The rest stop is at the intersection of Green Avenue and Westport Road; after five to ten minutes, it was time to go and I headed up Green Avenue.

Just a few blocks later there was a sign advising the road was closed to through traffic as new sewer line is getting installed. 

 

I asked a bicyclist coming toward me if it was open and he suggested to take the sidewalk instead of the street which was mostly gravel. The project is estimated to be done this fall.

 

 That's too bad because Green Avenue is really the only way to go through this area of the city on a bike. I've ridden on Northport Drive before but it's a four-lane street with heavy traffic. The sidewalk may remain an option, but Troy Drive, which is connected to Green Avenue is torn up for the same work.

 

 Once I got past the work on Troy Drive I was in the clear as far as road construction. But I did encounter a group of people at Warner Park walking in support of those with MS.

 

 When I reached Monona, I found people running either a 5 K or 20 K sponsored by Fleet Feet, a running store in Madison. I rarely run into racers or charity walk/runs while riding because I'm usually on the road earlier than most races start.

 

 The overnight low Friday going into Saturday was in the mid-30s, so I waited until 9 to get going, riding up Pleasant View Road north of U.S. 14 to the Pheasant Branch Conservancy biking and walking path which I took through most of Middleton until getting on County M.

 

Storm damage closed the walk. 5/2/26 dwm

Over the last two years, much of this route has been moved to the North Mendota Trail, but in the gaps between trail sections, that's where cyclists ride on the edge of the road. 

A new section of the boardwalk was recently closed after a storm forcing bikes, walkers, and runners on to the road. There appears to be a tree or two that needs to be removed, but damage to the fence looks like it would be easy to fix and hopefully re-open soon.

 

I noticed another bicycle/pedestrian bridge while riding Pleasant View Road, it connects a path with a golf course on the west side of the road. I'll make sure to get it's picture on a future ride.

 

Bridge over Cty Rd PD near U.S. 151. 5/2/26 dwm

 This week's bridge is the one I ride the most as it connects Verona with Madison via the Military Ridge Trail. Before the bridge was built and the intersection with 151 was updated, cyclists had to use a crosswalk to cross the busy road.

 

 The bridge was built with some nice touches that make it a Madison structure. The glass panels on the lights have silhouettes of bicycles and trains that combine the previous and current uses of railroad line.

 It was a good ride, 52 miles with a 14.6 average. I'm hoping May 2 will be the last, or near the last of rides starting with temperatures near freezing. Keep Riding!

 

The path starts just west of Pleasant View Road, passing a creek and goose pond. 5/2/26 dwm

One of five bridges in Tenney Park designed to honor 1900 Prairie School design. 5/2/26 dwm