Laid-Back Adventures in Wisconsin Teaching Days, Wanted Sheboygan
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
aula, a friend from my a bluegrass and Irish string band from I was quickly supplied with a 20-inch tire Laid-Back Adventures in Wisconsin teaching days, wanted Sheboygan. At an information meeting and a bandage for my elbow. I replaced the to connect on a bike later, we found that there were 477 bikers tire and was soon on my way. The help we ride, and her initial plan this year from 36 states, ranging from 9 to received for both of these incidents during Story and photos by Chester Rideout was for us to ride the 80 years old with an average age of 51. We SAGBRAW, both by the road crew, medics, Register’s Annual Great were issued maps for the tour, which were and by Wheel and Sprocket, could not have Bike Ride Across Iowa very well prepared and given the high- been better. We rode the last 10 miles from (RAGBRAI). Although we considered it, lights on each stage. The rest of the meeting the rest stop to Green Bay without inci- 10,000 riders sounded like a little too much had to do with safety, how to contact the dent, arriving at 3:30 PM, a little later than Pof a circus as did 80 hilly miles a day for six support truck, and so on — information I planned. That evening, we ate the first of straight days through Iowa’s heat. Because doubted we would need. I was wrong. our prepaid dinners of spaghetti and were I grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, and since I stuck my head out of the tent door serenaded by an accordionist. After supper, Paula also had Wisconsin roots, I checked at 5:45 AM, figuring I would be the early we shopped for a wrist brace for Paula, and into similar rides there, and Schramm’s bird for the first day, but many campers we hoped this injury would not keep her Annual Great Bike Ride Across Wisconsin were already up and active. I walked over from continuing the ride, especially since (SAGBRAW: bikewisconsin.com/sagbraw) to Paula’s tent, and she was awake and this was our first riding day. caught my eye. organizing too. After loading the bags on The second day was cooler, and Paula Limited to 1,000 cyclists, this year’s the truck, we rolled south on our way felt more confident with the wrist brace for SAGBRAW covered six days of riding at along Lake Michigan toward the town of support. Tailwinds helped push us on into about 58 miles per day along the cooler Green Bay. As we neared the first rest stop Door County with the beautiful waters of shores of Lake Michigan (with one rest at Oconto, two dogs barked and streaked Green Bay giving us stunning views. We day at Sturgeon Bay), so it sounded more across a lawn in our direction. I yelled finished up in Sturgeon Bay, camping in a attractive. I found that this tour, originally “No!,” which stopped the Doberman just field near a junior high school. We tested called Sentinel’s Active Americans Great before it reached the road, but the other the local beers downtown and returned Bike Ride Across Wisconsin (SAAGBRAW), dog, a Golden Lab mix, kept on after Paula to head the line for a tasty lasagna dinner. was first offered in 1978 by the Milwaukee who was ahead of me. She yelled at the We set up the tents, stored the duffels in Sentinel newspaper. It was initiated par- dog, which seemed to spur it on, and sped them, and rode four miles to a home Paula tially because of the success of RAGBRAI, up. Paula was jet propelled at this point had traded for time at her home in Sedona, established in 1973, which was by that time because of her fear of dogs, and all I could Arizona. What a treat to have better access rapidly gathering popularity. My recent do was follow and serve as a spectator. The to showers and laundry facilities! We were self-contained bike tours had involved an dog raced ahead of her, crossing in front even happier with our comfy situation excessive amount of climbing, so an added from side to side. After perhaps half a mile when heavy rain fell that night and contin- bonus is that the 2011 ride, following the of high-speed pursuit and maybe 30 road ued the next day. The planned recreational Lake Michigan shore, was relatively flat. crossings by the dog, Paula finally ran ride for the rest day had been canceled On a hot and humid Wisconsin Saturday into it and was thrown forward onto her as a result. In the afternoon, we rode 20 I arrived by car and greeted Paula at the right side on the asphalt. I caught up and rainy miles along the lakeshore to Donny’s shuttle point near Kewaskum, with my helped her to the side of the road — she Glidden Lodge near Whitefish Bay and Lightning Stealth recumbent and two duf- had sprained her wrist, had a little road enjoyed a fantastic steak dinner. fle bags. All of the bikes were eventually rash, and her bike was no longer in work- After our second night at the house, we loaded into a truck, and we boarded a bus ing order, so I called for the support truck. rode back to the junior high and took down for the long ride north to Marinette, on the At the rest stop, repair attempts were our tents, packing and hauling the duffles Wisconsin border with Upper Michigan. made by Chris of Wheel and Sprocket, but to the truck and riding south. Although Upon reaching our destination, we divided the rear dropout snapped when he attempt- they were outnumbered, recumbents of all into two groups, the tenters and those ed to straighten it (as Chris put it, “The sorts were part of the SAGBRAW mix. At sleeping in the gymnasium. After our tent operation was a success, but the patient a stop near one of the many dairy farms, drill (get duffles, roll them to tent site, died”). His daughter Tessa let Paula borrow I talked to Terry Klahr who was riding move bikes to the site, set up the tent, store her bike while they waited for parts, and a fully suspended Free Rider Cruzbike duffles in vestibules), which would become she was then transported with the loaner recumbent with front-wheel drive. He sang very familiar during the week, we head- to the next rest stop. I followed on my bike its praises and certainly looked comfort- ed over to the University of Wisconsin- down the road. About 10 miles farther, I able while heading down the road. Much Marinette campus food service to get some had a front tire blow out, and I also hit the of the ride that day was along scenic Lake chow and suds. There we were treated to pavement. Luckily, because I was riding a Michigan. A special treat was our stop at some great music performed by “Beef Tea,” recumbent, I didn’t have as far to fall, and the von Stiehl Winery in Algoma where I 10 ADVENTURE CYCLIST JUNE 2012 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG ADVENTURE CYCLIST JUNE 2012 ADVENTURECYCLING.ORG 11 tasted wines and met Jackie Frost of North in the past. Unlike those rides, I saw little Dakota, a repeat SAGBRAW rider. drafting, but that wasn’t necessary. The The afternoon turned into a scorch- fastest machines included the tandems and er, and we were fighting headwinds. As Ice Trikes, the extremely low Catrikes and we approached Mischicot, waving natives Catbikes, and the Volae recumbents, which called “Welcome to Mischicot!” Then a offer little wind resistance even though the farmer rode up on his small motor scooter rider is seated above 650-cm wheels. and asked if we would like some water, During the afternoon, industry rep- producing ice cold bottles for our gang of resentatives displayed bikes and allowed eight riders. The road took a bend to the test rides on a half-mile course. Tandems east, and we flew along with a stiff tailwind were available from Terratrike, Greenspeed, pushing us into town. We found the town and Volae, as were trikes made by Hase, had a pleasant camping area, and that night Greenspeed, Terratrike, and Catrike, and we were regaled by a local polka band. numerous recumbents of every kind. Test Paula’s bike was finally repaired, so she bikes were plentiful, and I found I could paid the bill and gave Tessa her bike back ride any bike of my choice with at most before our fourth riding day. The route a 10-minute wait. Electric-assist bikes and south toward Sheboygan was relatively trikes, upright and recumbent, were also flat. Just south of Manitowoc, we visited available to test. the Cedar Crest Ice Cream Factory, which Inside a nearby building, seminars were really hit the spot on a warm sunny day. held, and I attended a talk by Jeff Yonder While we were there, a group of antique of TerraTrike. This company sports a great tractors pulled in, heading north to the variety of excellent trikes, but the new hot Manitowoc Ferry. Their drivers planned seller they offer is the inexpensive Rover, to show off their antique machines, all of ranging in price from $699 to $999. Paulo which appeared to be brand new, at a fair Camasmie of Catrike also spoke, outlining in Muskegon, Michigan. the construction of their speedy trikes. The At a rest stop, I met James and Tatiana Catbike Masashi was one of the newest addi- Miller.