Guess what is back today. The sun!
Today I rode from Sparta to Levis Trow, 63 miles. My longest day of the trip.
I had some great thoughts today. Riding alone for this entire trip, being out in nature you might start to ask if this how we are meant to spend our time, alone. I'm sure everyone is different, but I reflected a lot on how I love experiencing life with others. Don't get me wrong I can go for a long time without interaction but some of the views on today's ride brought a huge smile to my face and I wish I had someone to share them with. I certainly was thinking that as I did a hike a bike to the top of a mound at mile 20, opening up a vista of everything around me, with the sun getting warmer, it just made me smile.
My idea to photograph cranberry bogs was squashed when I realized the one I had routed to was right next to a military base with large signs stating that there was to be no flying of personal aircrafts (drones). I made the decision that even though the bog was next to the military area that the military would most certainly not buy that argument, so I opted to keep it stowed away.
The next decision I had to make was about valuing my life overstaying exactly on the route. I came to find out that Jackson County was having their final day of the season for riding the atv/utv trails the Saturday I came through. I stopped for lunch at the intersection of the road and the UTV trail and it seemed that everyone that had access to a UTV, motorcycle or four-wheeler was out today and making sure they didn't leave any gas in the tank as they were gunning it. I still decided to at least venture out onto the trail but the sand was eight inches deep, the UTVs were whipping around blind corners and I figured even a road with no shoulder would be better than this. My reroute was short and brought me to a gas station in the town of Millston where I filled bottles, grabbed some snacks and continued.
I opted once again to avoid the UTV trails coming into the town of Hatfield. Dinner was at one of my favorite Wisconsin supper clubs The Stone's Throw. Saturday night meant one thing, prime rib and I polished off the biggest one they had before headed on my way to Levis Trow for camping. Getting into camp I was delighted that Dustin Marsh hid a can of beer and a coffee energy drink, and I had a game of following his photo clues he had texted me to find where he had buried it under leaves for me.
Tomorrow I get to the top of the mound!
