Fond Farewell

To Wilton, Wisconsin -- 50.2 miles, 12.0 mph, 850 ft

Deano deferred to me for today's blog.  It was a tough and tearful farewell this morning from Aunt Ruth's house.  Jerry and Bobby had made the last few days really special and elevated our riding in so many ways.  Auntie Ruthie was as good as ever to put up with the many hide and seek games the kids played and being the fire marshal as Dex and Kylie stoked the fire... as the rain fell.  Seeing our hearts a little heavy, Aunt Ruth bestowed us with some Lily's of the Valley to keep with us, which served as a wonderful reminder of our too-short visit with her and Bob and Jerry.  So it was, with cloudy skies, coolish temps, a little rain falling, and a lump in my throat, off we went.

Today's ride was truly beautiful and helped lift my spirits.  Bob and Jer would have loved it.  The route had us on quiet back roads until we hit the small town of Reedsburg, where we picked up the "400" State Trail.  The trail, though not paved, was hard packed crushed gravel and we enjoyed the lush (and level) scenery.  At one point, Dex said to me, "If I didn't know better, I'd think we were in a rain forest".  It was true.  There were loads of ferns and with all the rain Wisconsin has had this spring, the foliage was verdant and dense.

Sandhill Crane

Personally, I don't mind the cooler temps; it helps to keep the pedals turning.  We've been fortunate not to be caught up in too much rain, and by the looks of the swollen streams and rivers, our luck has been stronger than we realized!  As we rode along, we met another couple with touring bikes.  Chad and Keara were a young couple from Minneapolis heading to a wedding this weekend in Milwaukee. It was their goal to get to Madison today, and they were well on their way.

We stopped for a quick bite in Wonowoc, and then enjoyed the rest of the day on the trail, riding along parts of the Baraboo River.  At one point, we came to an old train tunnel, which was pretty fun, once I angled my bike light properly....

We arrived in Wilton by 4 p.m. and enjoyed our Mid-Trail Hotel room.  It was a small place, and we were the only customers.  Yesterday, when I booked the room, the woman explained that she'd be working at the gas station, so, if we were ok with it, she'd just leave room 4 open with the keys inside, and we could let ourselves in.  Love Small Town, USA.  Dinner was at the local pub where the kids enjoyed the beer can display.  Bobby, can you spot the Blatz can?