a bridge out on the county roads i had planned to ride in wisconsin led me back to rt 64, the double lane hwy that map my ride kept throwing me off. it was under construction for some miles but eventually got 'normal'. again, being a monday morning, it was not at all crowded and i didn't have any qualms riding along a freeway. in fact i got several close encounters with birds off in the surrounding fields: a hawk perched in a tree, another hawk hunting a field, five or six turkey vultures circling off in the distance, one-two-three pheasants in the corn stubble, and my second flock of sandhill cranes--4 of them, taking flight with their raspy calls, less than 100 yards away.
when 64 reduced to two lanes i passed a large bar and grill with picnic tables out. i set up under one of their umbrellas and was on my third sandwich when a mini-van pulled in and a guy got out and came over to me. turned out keith, was a local minister that dabbled in commercial window washing and blessings for travelers in this part of the country. he asked if i minded getting one of the latter. when i replied that i thought he already had blessed me by stopping to talk, he took that as a yes and gave me an official one, chanted in hebrew no less. i felt refreshed as i packed up and got back on the road.
the midwest might not seem like the most exciting biking terrain, and at times i suppose i could agree, but i fell into some sort of comforting zone as i kept pedaling east, absorbing the experience. at a snack break i noticed the sky was full of roiling clouds of deep blue and purple with bright red highlights and realized the sun was setting. it was time to start looking for a camp. i passed the town of bloomer and got serious finally settling on another bar and grill that just happened to be closed on mondays. pushing my bike to the back under some oak trees and next to a cornfield, i found a flat spot. i mixed up some hummus and ate a couple of sandwiches. the stars were all out as i set up the tent and crawled into sleep.
day 27 (115 mi.)--what time is the right time: when i got up around 5:30 it was really windy--blowing the tent hard. when i took out the two stakes holding down the fly and tent, it started rolling off into the cornfield. in flat farm country the wind seemed to always be blowing--check out the street view on google! i slept at the back of the building, listening to the wind, traffic, and the refrigeration in an alternating chorus.
the hills appeared soon after i got on the road just as the sky was starting to lighten in the east. even though he was out in la, jalil and i still had an argument going as to which was worse, hills or wind. this morning i was actually thinking they were about even.
it was still dark enough to see two owls fly across the road. i started thinking about how those owls were occupying the same niche as the hawks seen the day before, only without the sun. since i was pedaling in the dark, i naturally contemplated how that was different than riding in the daylight. flashing bike lights and lower traffic aside, seeing things on a much reduced scale in both amount and detail, made me focus other senses more than i might in the light.
in taylor county, 64 runs into and then south of a fairly large collection of natural areas that combines several different ecosystems. the ice-walled lake and the eskar sections seemed like places to explore if i wasn't on a bike headed home. i did stop and eat first lunch at a large entrance sign to the pirus road swamp where 119 runs into 64. it was a sunny comfortable spot that would have lulled me to sleep if i was interested.
a few miles down the road i started my county road riding that would take me into wausau. what that basically meant was that i would avoid the big towns and pass through little "hamlets" as some call themselves. i stopped for a second lunch at a graveyard next to a cute little church. i had just seen a woman walking her dog--on a leash--way out in some well-manicured fields. at what seemed to be the dog walker's brightly painted, richly trimmed house i noticed at least two late model suvs and i wondered which big city did they move here from? soon enough, back on the road i got a possible answer when i came into the town of little chicago. as i went up and out of town, a woman in the loudest biking suit i have ever seen--a really bright blue with some sort of wild design--atop a super bike--carbon fiber and fast--flew by me. dogs on leashes and really expensive bikes seemed more city than country.
even with the wind against me and steep hills galore i made good time and got into wausau. after a lucrative stop at a grocery, i found the start of my next off road trail, the mountain-bay state trail. i laid out a fine supper with all the food i had just bought and ate until the sun completely disappeared. thinking that this was not the best place to sleep, even though it was quiet and flat, i packed, turned on the lights, and headed east. about 10-ish more miles out of wausau i stopped and set up the tent. it was a clear and getting cold and felt really good to crawl into the sleeping bag.
day 28 (95 mi.)--cold can lead to warmth: my first frost--cold riding but sparkling for the eyes. the sun was pretty much in my eyes but i did see the deer standing in the trail. for some reason animals seem much less skittish with bike riders and i often got really close to them before they bolt. i was wearing my winter gloves but it didn't take too long before my fingers felt like wooden blocks. i figure it is the constant pressure of leaning on the bars. it definitely gets worse when i am on a graveled trail rather than smooth asphalt.
i rode on to warm up before stopping to eat. my reward was a picnic table beside a nearly glass surfaced lake. i was able to take off some of the cold weather gear and spread out a breakfast feast. i have been buying the large container of yogurt since jalil left (he didn't think we could finish it...) and eating it over two sittings--one in the evening and one in the morning. my favorite is to add fruit, usually a banana or strawberries, granola, and dark chocolate chips.
...great trail most of the way to green bay...
some snowmobile club guys working on bridges...'sin'amon buns...getting through the big city of green bay...Denmark...relatively protected on the trail--no hills until i left the hills...
day 29 (30/10 mi.)--wow, that chain really was dirty!: cruise into manitowok...health food store...piggly wiggly...josh and dan at the heavy pedal...library closed on thursdays...sub...ss badger...bob...kids love granola bars...10-ish miles out rt 10...wind and hills
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