Today can be considered a Type II Day. A very strong wind blew against us all day long. It was unrelenting. At least, it was not accompanied by rain or uncomfortable temperatures. I got lost twice.
The route today was from Baraboo to Muscoda with a 3 mile option to loop around Devil’s Lake. Ahead of me I could see a couple and a rode with my new friends for most of the day. I was following an older gentleman that I met the day before named Bob, at the Baraboo lodging. In my opinion, an extraordinary fellow. He has been doing long bicycle touring since his retirement some 20 plus years before. Today, he was quite some way ahead of me but I could still see him on the straight stretches of roads. I was gradually gaining on him because he would stop briefly at intersections to confirm the cue sheet. (He rides completely without a GPS or smart phone. He only uses a rudimentary bicycle computer.) We went down a long slope until I caught up to him at a roundabout. We were both were wondering which way to go because there were route markets on the pavement. Finally, I looked at the map and realized we had not only missed our turn but had backtracked almost all the way to where we started in Baraboo. So we turned around and headed back up the hill. We finally got back on track. The place to turn wasn’t as well marked as it could have been. If we had been following the cue sheet more closely or the map on my phone we wouldn’t have missed the turn.
The loop around Devil’s Lake. I don’t know history of the name but I saw nothing of the devil in the place. It is a beautiful lake surrounded by rocky bluffs. We had a few steep climbs and winding descents along the way but views were well worth the detour. I rode with Bob for the rest of the day. I liked his attitude about touring. It didn’t matter how slow we went. So long as we got to the end of the day’s ride before the tavern closed he was happy to go any pace and take breaks along the way. Riding the heavier bike I found his pace (and attitude) perfectly suited me. At the first rest stop we met up with Dennis and Nanette, a lovely I couple from Rhinelander. We rode with them the for the rest of the day. They, too, were on mountain bikes so tended to set a slightly slower pace.
From the first rest stop our struggle against the wind began in earnest. It was blowing from the southwest which was the direction we were going in. The first rest area was a quaint, old-fashioned church in the village of Blackhawk. Rested up and refueled with bananas and Fig Newtons, we set out. Not more than a few minutes after leaving the rest stop we spotted a route marker from the previous year pointing to the right. Dennis was leading out our little peloton and turned right. I was riding next to his wife Nanette and she suggested that that we go straight because there was no new route marker but until now last year’s route and this route had not differed at all so we continued on. We went on for several miles blissfully ignorant of our error until we met another couple coming from the opposite direction who informed us that we were going the wrong way. I loaded up a new map and sure enough we were off course again. We turned around and backtracked almost all the way to the rest stop. That was the fastest average speed we achieved all day. The fierce wind that was like an invisible hand dragging us back was suddenly pushing us forward. I felt like I had a sail strapped to my back.
Back on course we turned back into the wind. The wind was either blowing into our face or pushing at our left side. When it was coming at us from front and left we had to compensate for the resistance by leaning slightly to the left. How much a strong side wind impacted us became very clear when a semi-truck passed us from behind. The sudden blocking of the wind combined with sucking of the truck’s slipstream had the effect of jerking us momentarily into the road. It happened in an instant and was over just as quick when the truck was gone and the wind pushing us toward the shoulder. The combined affect was that we were buffeted first left then right.
As we got closer to Muscoda the roads got straighter and the terrain less hilly. If not for the wind we would have made excellent time. It would have been easy pedaling. I have to say, I like winding and slightly hilly roads better. Long, straight roads get a bit monotonous. Even when we were not talking just the presence or others nearby made the experience more tolerable.
All in all, this was the hardest day of the whole tour. Fortunately, I had recovered physically from my bouncing Century on the first day. While I have no desire to repeat this day and maintain that the best way to ride in the wind or rain is to not ride at all, I am glad I did it.
Photo Gallery
The Road Ends Where the Water Begins
I rode to the end of the pier. It was one of those floating types.
Bike on Pier
The pier was one of those floating types. I didn’t realize how much my walking on it made it buck and roll until I turned back to pose with the bike after handing my camera to Bob. I was lucky the bucking pier didn’t through the bike into the lake. It wasn’t too deep but it still would have been a challenge fishing the bike out of the water.
Paul and Betty on the Pier
The pier was one of those floating types. I didn’t realize how much my walking on it made it buck and roll until I turned back to pose with the bike after handing my camera to Bob. I was lucky the bucking pier didn’t through the bike into the lake. It wasn’t too deep but it still would have been a challenge fishing the bike out of the water.
Wide Open
The vista coming off the hills that surrounded Devils Lake were vast.
Slow Moving Train
The train crept over the bridge to get from one side of the Wisconsin River to the other. It even stopped at one point mid-crossing. Maybe it was taking it easy because of the high winds.
Crossing the River
The train crept over the bridge to get from one side of the Wisconsin River to the other. It even stopped at one point mid-crossing. Maybe it was taking it easy because of the high winds.
Lean-to
This building has developed a distinct lean to it.
Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile on the Move
What was the chasis of this oddity on wheels taken from I wonder.
Ferry Queue
Queuing up for the ferry.
The Merrimac Ferry
The ferry ride across the river is no more than a 15 minute ride.
Bob on the Boat
I could insert a joke about Bobbing on the Boat but that would be too ridiculous. My new friend Bob poses on the Merrimac Ferry. We had been riding together since before Devil’s Lake. At first he was about 500 meters ahead of me. We both decided to go to Devil’s Lake. I was half following him. As I gradually closed the gap I noticed that he was frequently stopping to check his map at intersections. I finally caught up to him at a roundabout. He remarked that it was odd that there were no route markers at the roundabout. I hadn’t loaded up the right maps on my phone. I took a moment to do so and I realized that we had missed our turn and almost ridden all the way back to Baraboo where we started from. We turned around and headed back up the long hill we had just come to rejoin the correct route.
Bikes and Boats
Bob and I took the opportunity to stretch our legs off the bike while the ferry took us across the river.
Paul on the Ferry
Paul looking at the river from the ferry.
Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile
To my delight we rode across the river on the ferry with the Oscar Mayer Wiener Mobile. I never would have guessed that Oscar Mayer was still using them. I am not sure if I was doubly delighted or my delusions were popped when we passed another one going the other way. How many are there? I overheard the young woman in the vehicle say that they were taking their driver’s test.
Baby Moos
Friendly Church in Blackhawk
The people at this church rolled out the welcome wagon for us. For a small donation they had bratwursts, brownies and chips.
Friendly Church in Blackhawk
Nannete
I met Nannette and her husband on a rainy day and then again on a windy day.
Dennis
Bob, Nannette, Dennis and the SAG Wagon
The staff and volunteers manning the rest areas close up shop after the last rider leaves. If you are slow enough the pass you up as they drive to the next location. My companions of the road are consulting with the driver
Church Shaped Building
The quintessential country chapel.
Barn and Silos
Amber Waves of Grain.
The further southwest we rolled the more the hills flattened out (a little bit) and the forests retreated from the road against the advance of farm fields.
Amber Waves of Grain.
The further southwest we rolled the more the hills flattened out (a little bit) and the forests retreated from the road against the advance of farm fields.
Bob on the Road
Bob takes a moment to rest at the top of a hill while I take pictures.
Mailbarn
Another very fancy mailbox.
Wrong Way Warriors
Bob and I joined up with Dennis and Nannette at the church in Blackhawk. Straightaway we took a wrong turn and went a few miles out of our way until we met another couple coming the other way who told us we had gone the wrong way. Turning around and riding with the wind to our back was the easiest riding we had all week.
Windy Day Warriors
Bob and I joined up with Dennis and Nannette at the church in Blackhawk. We were back riding as directly into the teeth of a wind blowing from the southwest as the roads could manage. The wind was the strongest we experienced all week. It felt like an invisible hand on the back of our bikes pulling us backwards.
Swampland
As long as we were near the river their were pockets of swamp.
Modern Water Tower
The town of Muscoda rocks two water towers. This modern representative is the second one.
Riverdale High School
Hey! If this is Riverdale High School, where are Archie and the Gang?
Dusk in Muscoda
My three windy weather companions and I were the last to roll into town. We got there at the onset of dusk after a hard day’s riding into the wind. Bob and I, who got lost twice when 84 and half miles. About 7 miles farther than we needed to.
Old Time Water Tower
When I see a water tower with this shape I think of all the water towers I saw superheroes using to defeat their enemies in Saturday Morning Cartoons.
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