Ride 11 - Merrimac

Families of Canada Geese on the pond. 6/12/26 dwm

Last Friday was a beautiful day for a ride with lower humidity and abundant sunshine. I considered two routes for the day, choosing a long ride to the Wisconsin River crossing at Merrimac.

 

The first time I made the trip from home was in July two years ago, then made it again last September. 

 

The first time I crossed Wisconsin's only free ferry on a bike it was during a seven-day ride from Eagle River to Prairie du Chein.

 

The second time was during the 2022 Ride Across Wisconsin on the second day of the trip from La Crosse to Milwaukee with an overnight stop in the Wisconsin Dells.

 

Ready to cross the Wisc. River. 6/12/26

 I headed up Pleasant View Road into Middleton where I saw two families of Canada Geese lead their growing goslings into a pond for a swim then took the bike path north to Springfield Corners.

 

 Just before reaching Springfield Corners I was treated to see approximately two dozen American Pelicans circling above. I thought about stopping to take a picture, but assumed by the time I had the camera they would be out of range.

 

 From Springfield Corners I took County Road P to the round-a-bout where it meets State Road 113, then north to Lodi where I took a short break before the last eight miles to meet the Merrimac Ferry.

 

 I took some pictures from different vantage points as the ferry approached and was back with the bike as it got closer so I was ready to walk the bike onto the boat. I was surprised there were other people walking onto the boat. 

 

 They left their car in a parking lot to feel the experience on both sides of the river. I didn't hop back on for the return trip, allowing it to complete a cycle across and and back before I walked the bike on-board to head home.

 

Crossing the river. 6/12/26 dwm

The free ferry in Merrimac is literally a right of passage for a lot of cheese heads. While I've only made five ferry rides with my bike, there have been dozens and dozens of trips dating back to childhood, through detours from the interstate over to Lodi so our kids could experience the boat.

 

I took a slightly different ride home, returning through Waunakee so I could grab lunch and then return home using the North Mendota and Pheasant Branch Conservancy bike paths.

 

According to the Bike Computer:

Distance: 76 miles

Average Speed: 15.1 mph

Time in the Saddle: 5 hours, three minutes 

 

Round-a-bout between Dane and Lodi, Wisconsin. 6/12/26 dwm

South side of the river. 6/12/2026 dwm

Merrimac is in Sauk County. 6/12/2026 dwm

The Colsac III leaves the north side with a light load. 6/12/2026 dwm