Fat Biking: A New Winter Pastime

The calendar shows that winter begins on December 21st, but it begins for me at varying times each year. In my mind, the sure sign that winter has arrived is the end of my two wheel riding. First, the Harley Lowrider gets put to bed, usually in October. Sometime in November, when the temperatures barely creep into the 40's or the first snow flurries appear, I winterize the BMW GSA and officially put and end to the motorcycling season.

In past years this has also meant an end to bicycling for the year. I live near the Fox River Trail and ride over 1000 miles each year, most of it on the trail. Riding a Trek road bike or a Trek hybrid, I spend many hours enjoying the riverside trail.

But once the cold weather comes I seldom visit trail until spring.

A couple of months ago I started thinking about the upcoming winter and what plans I had to make the most of it. Being retired for three winters now and not snow birding in Florida or another warmer clime, I knew that I needed to have something to keep me active. In past years I had done some cross country skiing. It was good exercise, but it meant loading up the equipment and driving to someplace to ski. The weather did not always cooperate, so in some years the skiing was not very good.

Over the summer I had seen more and more people riding what are called fat bikes. The bikes have 4.5 or 5 inch wide knobby tires and they are made to be ridden in soft sand or snow. Most of them are fitted with hydraulic disc brakes and one small front sprocket with ten or eleven gears on the rear wheel. Whenever I visited the local bike shops I would take a look at them. They appear to be tremendously heavy, but can be made fairly light with the right materials. I started thinking about the possibility of riding through the winter on one of these bikes.

One advantage of biking rather than skiing was that I could ride a bicycle on the trail I used all summer. The local municipalities had agreed to plow the trail, so I knew that as long as it did not ice up I would have a place to ride. One November night while downtown for dinner I visited a bike shop. As I was not dressed to ride it outside, the sales guy let me ride it around the shop. That pretty much set the hook for me and a couple of weeks later I was test riding one outside at a different shop.

This shop sells Trek bikes and their entry level fat bike is the Farley 5. It has a carbon fork and the other features mentioned earlier. The day after my test ride I called and told the salesman I wanted to pick up the bike later that day.

He said he would have it ready by mid afternoon and my wife gave me a ride to the shop so I could ride it home. After a quick rundown on the operation of the controls, a seat adjustment and a few maintenance tips, I was on my way.

The route home included a stretch along a county road without much of a shoulder. I was glad I had brought along my front and rear LED lights as the cars whizzed past me. The big tires on the bike allowed me to ride in the snow-covered gravel shoulder in a comfortable fashion. The air pressure in each tire was probably about 5 psi, and the big knobbies seemed to float over the track.

Once over the East River I turned north on the East River Bike Trail. It still had snow on it from the couple of inches that had fallen three days earlier, but it was a good chance to begin to get comfortable on the Farley.

I found myself looking for shortcuts through the woods when I reached Greene Isle Park. From there to my house it was mostly pavement except for a half mile or so on the Fox River Trail.

Later that evening I took my Schwinn Typhoon off the hooks in the garage and moved it to the basement. My intention was to hang the new Farley in its place, but those big fat wheels were not going to fit in those hooks. But after a quick stop at the local home improvement store I had bigger hooks and the fat bike had a new home. I have to put a tarp over the hood of my Toyota Tacoma now when the Farley is put away wet, but it is a small price to pay for the fun this new bike promises.

A Day Ride to the Kettle Moraine State Forest

Once the calendar gets to within a couple of weeks of Halloween, the riding season in northeast Wisconsin is nearing its end. Fortunately, the motorcycle gods smiled on us with 70 degree temperatures and bright sunshine last week.While this time of year means a lot of yard work, and family responsibilities continue year round, I did manage to get out for some beautiful fall riding.

My work as a part time employee at Road America was complete in August and I was last at the track for the Sports Car Vintage Racing Association weekend in September. But recently I noticed on someone's Twitter account that the track owners were making some improvements, so a ride down there was in order. The track is located near the Kettle Moraine State Forest and that is always a great area in which to ride.

When I work at Road America I normally ride down the back roads, so on this day I chose Highway 57. There was a bit more truck and farm vehicle traffic than I expected, but it was still an enjoyable ride. The small towns of Hilbert, Chilton, New Holstein and Kiel don't change much, but there is a big addition to the Sargento Cheese Company being built in Hilbert.

Just beyond New Holstein I turned south on County Road A. It winds through some hilly farm country and past a picturesque white church. I have been on quite a few of Wisconsin's Rustic Roads this summer and found myself wondering why this one had not received that designation.

Entering the resort and racing town of Elkhart Lake, I cruised past the newly opened Throttle Stop. Billed as a "car and cycle concierge", they are capable of hot rodding or restyling your car or bike in addition to offering consignment sales, storage, and detailing. The Throttle Stop, along with the recently built Motorsports Villas on the south end of town, have made Elkhart Lake even more of a mecca for the well-heeled car owner and racing fan.

As I entered the Road America facility it was apparent that it was a quiet day. Often there are car clubs or driving schools using the track, but today there were only the sounds of construction equipment and riding lawn mowers. After a brief conversation with the gate guard and showing him my employee identification card, I was waved through. At present the road from the tunnel up to the paddock area is being repaved and the motorplex track was resurfaced earlier this fall. I stopped for a snack and a picture in the Carousel before continuing south on 67.

The trail leading to the inside of Canada Corner is a popular viewing area.

About six miles south of Elkhart Lake is Plymouth. This is the home of Sargento Cheese and a nicely kept downtown area. Highway 67 leads into the Kettle Moraine State Forest. The name is drawn from the kettles and moraines formed by the receding glaciers. It makes for some great riding and spectacular views.

The view from Parnell fire tower in Sheboygan County

A little south of Plymouth the highway was closed due to bridge construction. By chance, the detour led past the Parnell Fire Tower. I had not heard of it, but took the opportunity to climb it. It was a clear day and the fall colors were almost in full swing.

The weather had warmed more than I had expected, and I felt it after my hike up the tower. I took the liner out of my Olympia AST jacket and stowed it in the pannier of my GSA. After an apple (a real apple) break I was on my way again.

The detour led me back to Highway 67 and I continued south to Highway 45. There I turned back north toward Fond du Lac. Lunch was at the McDonald's on Highway 23 and then I rode Interstate 41 back up to Green Bay. I was thankful for the great weather and for having the time to enjoy it.

Riding the Lake Michigan Shoreline

The end of the riding season in Wisconsin is near and I thought a ride up to the tip of Door County was in order. The weather on Sunday was forecast to be sunny and in the mid-70's, so I made plans to spend the afternoon on the peninsula. Those plans changed on Saturday morning when my wife met a friend at the local farmer's market who said she was going to some sort of pumpkin fest in Egg Harbor on Sunday.

Not wishing to compete for highway space with a multitude of minivans, crossovers and sport utility vehicles, I decide to ride only as far north as Sturgeon Bay. As I cruised north of Green Bay on Highway 57 I noticed the sign for Wequiock Falls County Park. I had not stopped there for years and wanted to take a look. The falls are just as I remembered and the county has moved the Jean Nicolet statue to the park. He is said to be the first European to set foot in northeast Wisconsin.

Jean Nicolet 

The traffic was not too heavy on the four lane heading up into the Door Peninsula. I was thankful for the fairing on my Lowrider S as the air temperature dropped nearer to Lake Michigan. Highways 42 and 57 meet just south of Sturgeon Bay and that's where I turned back to the south. Highway 42 follows the Lake Michigan shoreline pretty closely and there are many great views.

My next stop was the Ahnapee River dam at Forestville. There is a small park and boat landing there. There were no boat trailers there on Sunday but there was a family fishing off of the dock. Below the dam were quite a few people fly fishing for trout and salmon. I had brought along a snack and enjoyed it before mounting the big Harley Davidson and  continuing south.

Ahnapee River in Kewaunee County

The wind was out of the south and I was glad I had dressed warmly. The shoreline in Kewaunee County is marked by two cities that are about ten miles apart. Algoma is the northernmost and is known for, among other things, the Von Stiehl Winery. Von Stiehl has been in Algoma since 1967 and advertises itself as "Wisconsin's Oldest Licensed Winery". Bearcat's fresh fish is also pretty well known and hearkens back to the days when Algoma was a commercial fishing community. There is still a fishing industrty in the town, but it is now mostly sport fishing charters. There is a picturesque wayside south of Algoma and I stopped there to enjoy the lake view.

Lake Michigan south of Algoma

Back on the bike I was soon riding past the recently shuttered nuclear plant. The plant's owners could not justify keeping it open and it was an economic blow to the county when they announced the closing several years ago. There is still a skeleton crew employed maintaining the facility and doing what is necessary to safeguard the nuclear materials left there. The place does not have a welcoming appearance, but I stopped to take a couple of pictures.

The small town of Kewaunee is also a fishing community. The big pier is known for salmon and trout fishing in season and there are also charters available. The little community has a pretty good restaurant named Uncorked. I was there for dinner a few weeks ago. The prices are higher than I expected, but the menu is one you won't find anywhere else in the area.

The highway south of Kewaunee veers away from the Lake as it goes toward Two Rivers and Manitowoc. A detour led me a little farther west before taking me back into "Trivers", as it is called by the locals. Fortunately for me there was a Kwik Trip right on my route and I filled up the tank. The triple chocolate doughnut was calling me, but I was planning on a McDonald's stop soon.

Boats for sale in Two Rivers

I cruised through Two Rivers and down into the city of Manitowoc. It was time to start for home, so I followed the signs for Interstate 43. Once on the slab I set the cruise control at 70 and rode north. There is a McDonald's restaurant at the Denmark exit, so I stopped there for a late lunch.

Not knowing if this would be my last ride for the season or not, I enjoyed the last few miles home. It is a long winter here so I tried to capture the sights, smells and sounds that make motorcycling such an enjoyable experience.

As it turned out, I got out for one more ride before I decided to put the bike away for the winter. Yesterday I put the Sta Bil in the tank, attached the Battery Tender and put the cover on the bike.

Riding Fourteen Rustic Roads in Southeast Wisconsin

The calendar said that autumn had begun four days ago, but it was almost ninety degrees in southeast Wisconsin in late September. I had just ridden my sixth Rustic Road of the day and was looking forward to reaching my quarters for the night when the familiar brown and gold Rustic Road sign appeared. A quick check of my map and guidebook showed that I had stumbled upon one of the two designated Rustic Roads in Rock County. After a short and pleasant out and back ride on RR 35 I was off to the Super 8 in Whitewater, Wisconsin.

On the north end of Rustic Road 35

 My ride had begun at 7:00 am when I pulled out of the driveway in Green Bay. The goal was to ride thirteen Rustic Roads spread over six counties in southeast Wisconsin over the next two days. It would be a couple of hours before I reached the first road in Columbia County, so I settled in to enjoy the ride.

I got up to speed among the morning commuters on Interstate 41 south. The big BMW allowed me to travel comfortably with the traffic and I got off the slab at WIS 26 just south of Oshkosh. At Waupun, I went west on WIS 68. It leads through the little town of Fox Lake. I noticed that an old friend from my days in the Wisconsin National Guard had a real estate office there, so I stopped in for a visit. It was great to catch up with him, but soon it was time to get back on the road.

WIS 33 traverses the state in an east-west direction and it led me to Columbia County and my first three Rustic Roads of the day. The first one, Rustic Road 69, travels along the Portage Canal and leads up to the Indian Agency House. Built in 1832, it is open for tours on certain days of the week. Back on 33, I crossed the mighty Wisconsin River and turned onto RR 49. This road parallels the big river and travels through the Aldo Leopold Reserve.

The Indian Agency House on Rustic Road 69

My next road was still in Columbia County, but it was 20 miles south, near Lodi. By the time I got there it was after noon, so it was time to find some lunch and fuel. I had passed up a few of my beloved Kwik Trips, so I settled for a Mobil/A & W combination in Lodi. It turned out to be a good stop and the Wi Fi was appreciated.

I found RR 110 just northwest of Lodi and had three roads in the hopper as I cruised WIS 60 back to Interstate 39/90/94 south. Dane County holds three Rustic Roads and they were next on the list. The first is number 96 just south of Cottage Grove. Nora Road winds through some typical Wisconsin farmland and woods. The next two, Rustic Roads 19 and 20, are to the southeast of the state capital of Madison. RR 20 skirts Lake Kegonsa and includes a historic one lane bridge over the Yahara River.

One lane bridge over the Yahara

Number 19 leads north off of County B on Lalor Road and ends near Goodland Park on Lake Wabesa. I stopped and enjoyed the peacefulness of the deserted park before mounting up and continuing on.

View of Lake Wabesa from Goodland Park

Following my serendipitous capture of Rustic Road 35 I called it a day. Once I was checked into the hotel I took a walk around the little town of Whitewater. It is home to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, but does not really seem to have the feel of a "college town". Getting back to my room, I mapped out my ride for the next day.

A cold front came through overnight and it was noticeably cooler on the bike in the morning. There are three Rustic Roads in Jefferson County and they were first on the list for the day. The first two, 87 and 88, were easy to find and I had ridden them both before 8:30 am. They took me through farmlands, woods, and past well-kept cemeteries. Finding number 84 along the Bark River in Fort Atkinson was a bit more difficult, but it was worth it. Halfway through the ride there is an artesian drinking fountain.

Artesian drinking fountain midway on Rustic Road 84

I needed to go east to Waukesha County, but a bridge was out on WIS 106. Following the detour, I found myself right back at the Super 8 in Whitewater. The detour led me to WIS 59, and I followed it through Palmyra and into Waukesha County. Turning north on WIS 67, I looked for Piper Road. Turning right on Piper I soon saw the sign for Rustic Road 86. It follows Waterville Road through the Southern Unit of the Kettle Moraine State Forest. Its north end is at US 18 and I rode 18 west into the little town of Dousman.

My hope was to find a Kwik Trip, but there was none to be found. I fueled up at the Mobil station and bought a big chocolate muffin and coffee to get me through to lunch. WIS 67 intersects with US 18 in Dousman, and I went north on 67 in search of Rustic Road 10. This area is all part of the Kettle Moraine, so even the roads between the Rustic Roads are a joy to ride. The highway here is particularly scenic and winds over and through some beautiful topography.

Number 10 passes near the famous Pabst Farms and a couple of small lakes. The area near the road is still a little rustic, but the tentacles of suburbia are not far away. Following Pabst Farm Boulevard led me to Delafield, home of St. John's Northwestern Military Academy. Reaching WIS 83 on the east side of Delafield, I went north into Washington County.

The highway is also known as Kettle Moraine Scenic Drive, and it lived up to its name. Rustic Road 33 can be found north of the intersection of 83 and County Q. RR 33 is unique in that it is comprised of a myriad of Irish heritage named roads that you cannot ride in a linear fashion.

Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians

It is primarily an agricultural area, but there are some pretty impressive homes along the road. There is also a good view of the steeples on the Holy Hill National Shrine of Mary, which is located on the highest point in southeast Wisconsin. At the corner of County K and County Q I stopped by St Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church. It was a pretty flat piece of land in this hilly county and a nice place to take a quiet break.

St. Teresa of Calcutta in Washington County

The last road I had on the list was in far northeastern Washington County. I had to ride Interstate 41 north to get there and it was time for lunch. The McDonald's in Richfield was calling me, so I stopped there for a Big Mac Meal and the use of the Wi Fi. The day was turning colder as I was now closer to Lake Michigan, but my Olympia AST 2 jacket kept me comfortable on the bike.

Rustic Road 52 was the only one I rode over the two days that had any gravel. It coursed through some farmland and some farm houses that dated to the 1800's. Right after the Rustic Road ends, on Blue Goose Road, I passed a fenced in area that is designated as the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee Field Station. It abuts the Cedarburg Bog and supports research, education, and public outreach. As a proud UWM Panther, I stopped to have a quick look around.

Entrance to UWM Field Station

Blue Goose Road led me north to WIS 33 and I realized that my first Rustic Roads the day before had intersected 33 just a few miles to the west. It was time to go home, so I rode east to Interstate 43 and eased into the late afternoon traffic. Over the next 80 miles I thought about all I had seen over the two days. Farmlands, woods, big and small rivers, lakes, bogs, cemeteries and churches all combined to make the trip one to cherish.

Rustic Roads in Central Wisconsin

If you read my 20 May post, you know all about Wisconsin's Rustic Roads. The thunderstorms that came up on my ride in May chased me away from one of them, so I made plans to get back to it this month. As long as I was making the trip, I found two other roads within striking distance.

The morning weather forecast showed rain showers to the west of Green Bay, so I left anticipating some wet riding. In order to get to the area where the Rustic Roads were I stayed on US 29, a 70 mile per hour four lane. At my first stop, in Shawano County, it looked pretty dark to the west. Checking the radar I only saw a few spots of rain and as I passed through Wausau the clouds cleared and the sun began to peek through.

My first goal was Rustic Road 73, which is located south of the little town of Curtiss. Following County E south, number 73 veers off the to west. It is a 2.5 ride over gravel through good old Wisconsin farm country. The most scenic part of the ride is an old bridge over a double set of railroad tracks. There is one intersection that is not marked, so it is important to study the map of the route or you could miss it.

Satisfied with grabbing my first Rustic Road of the day, I found a Kwik Trip and took a break. A Kona coffee and raspberry filled Danish was just enough to get me back on the trail. My plan was to go back east on 29 and north on Highway 13 out of Abbotsford. This would lead me to County D and Rustic Road 1.

By now the sun was shining brightly and the ride up 13 was as enjoyable as any ride this summer. The two lane is smooth as an opal and gently winds its way through woods and farmland. I passed through a couple of small towns before reaching Medford and crossing Highway 64. After another fifteen blissful miles I came to the small town of Westboro and the junction with County D. Turning right, the road winds through the little burg. Several miles past Westboro Rustic Road 1 leads off to the east.

This road is  gravel and five miles long. It passes through woodlands and a small lake. The area is known for hiking trails and the National Ice Age Trail is nearby. It connects with other hiking trails in central Wisconsin, but there were no hikers around on the day I visited. Some of the Rustic Roads in this area are approved for ATVs and I saw several of those during my ride.

I was getting hungry for lunch, but I had one more Rustic Road on the list. A better map recon and a belief in the "bridge out" signs would have saved me some time, but I made it to RR 78 soon after midday. This road mixes blacktop with gravel over a course of four miles. This ride involves a couple of unmarked turns and I was tempted to stop a couple of young ATV riders for guidance. But following what seemed to be the natural curves proved correct and I ended up back a little north of County E, which I had departed to ride Rustic Road 78.

Having successfully ridden the three roads and documented my accomplishment, I was ready to find lunch. I rode back down to Highway 64 and rode east toward Merrill. I was pretty confident that I would locate a McDonald's, but it wasn't until I was on the east end of town that I spotted the golden arches. After a predictably tasty Big Mac meal I mounted the big boxer and headed for home.

I decided to eschew the big slab as long as I could and followed Highway 64 all the way to Mountain. To be completely honest, I had ridden my Harley Davidson up through Mountain a week or so earlier. On that ride I noticed an ice cream sign at the junction of Highways 32 and 64. As long as I had the opportunity to ride past again I was not going to miss the ice cream again. A double vanilla and chocolate twist from a disinterested waitress was just what I needed to complete the last 60 miles of my ride.

An hour or so later I was parking the GSA in my garage. I had a feeling of accomplishment while realizing that I have still ridden less than half of the state's Rustic Roads. It is all the more reason to keep my unstoppable BMW GSA and plan more rides.

The Race of Gentlemen at the Harley Museum

The Harley Davidson Museum has become one of Wisconsin's most well known and popular attractions. Opened in 2008, it has brought visitors from around the world to the Milwaukee area. Many of those visitors are motorcycle riders, but many more come to learn the history of this iconic motorcycle. While strolling around the museum it is common to see families in shorts and flip flops mingling with bikers in leather, boots and do-rags.

As a Harley Owners Group member I receive free admission, so I have been there many times. I go once in January or February to get little mid-winter motorcycle buzz and then ride my Harley down once in the summer. Yesterday was the summer trip.

Wisconsin has received a lot of rain this summer, but yesterday was dry. As I rolled onto Interstate 43 south, the sun was shining and it was a comfortable 70 degrees. I had not filled the tank after my last ride, so I stopped in Manitowoc for a fill up and my daily banana snack. Road construction between Manitowoc and Sheboygan slowed the pace, so I was thankful that I was not on anyone's schedule but my own. Once south of Sheboygan it was a easy cruise into Milwaukee and the Harley Davidson Museum parking lot.

The Garage is a separate building from the rest of the museum and houses special exhibits. In June of this year an exhibit titled "The Race of Gentlemen" opened. It closes in September, so I was happy that I was able to work in this trip.

The Race of Gentlemen, or TROG, as it is known, is an event held each June on the beach in New Jersey. It is for cars built in the 1930's and for motorcycles built prior to 1947. The organizers insist on the authenticity of all parts, although the vehicles can be modified. The event itself is not a recreation, but an entirely new concept developed by a group of old car buffs about twelve years ago.

This group was interested in the car racing culture that developed in Southern California after World War II. Returning service members modified motorcycles and cars and raced them in the desert around Carlsbad. These WW II veterans and their vehicles were the inspiration for the group that began TROG. The connection between the veterans and the current racers is explained in great detail within the exhibit.

The Harley Davidson Museum managed to collect an interesting sample of vehicles for this temporary exhibit. The Number 4 Horseshoe Tavern roadster was recreated by a father and son team after finding a picture of the car a a rally in the late 1940's. The 1931 Model A they built eventually raced against another car that had the original Horseshoe Tavern engine installed in it.

Among the motorcycles, my favorite was a WLA bobber. These vehicles all have stories that are as interesting to read as the bikes and cars are enjoyable to look at. This bobber was built by a young man who had to overcome some adversity in his life. The bike project helped him get through it and he rode the old WLA 500 miles to participate in TROG.

If you are interested in taking in this excellent exhibit you have to hurry as it will close September 4, 2017.

Shuttles and Flats

After about a twelve year hiatus in which the Indy Car series went through several major changes it returned to Road America in June of 2016. It arrived at Road America for the 2017 season late last month. The track officials were ready for a big crowd and I was ready for a busy weekend driving a spectator shuttle around the huge grounds.

Road America is referred to as the National Park of Speed for good reason. The track itself is just over four miles long and it is spread over 700 acres of the Kettle Moraine in east central Wisconsin. Spectators can choose to walk the hilly grounds and many do. But there are several options available if you would rather ride. Cars are allowed into or near most of the popular viewing areas. If race fans have planned ahead and are willing to pay, they will have a golf cart rented and waiting for them when they arrive. But many fans choose to walk until they cannot anymore and those are my customers.

The shuttles take spectators on a route around the inside part of the track where only authorized vehicle are allowed. They also bring fans to some of the best vantage points to watch the races. Most of these are near one of the fourteen turns on the race track. In addition, the shuttle routes take riders into the paddock area and to the newly renovated Road America shop. The shop itself is worth the trip to the track. It would rival any store in Door County for the number of items and art work you can peruse. Instead of barns and sailboats, these items all revolve around racing at Road America.

I worked Friday, Saturday and Sunday on race weekend and rode my BMW R1200 GSA to Elkhart Lake each day. The big panniers allow me to carry rain gear, snacks, a lunch, extra water and anything else I might need when working outside for eight to ten hours. The weather was a little cool, but still great for motorcycle riding and open wheel car racing. I rode through a little rain on the way home on Sunday, but otherwise the weekend was dry.

When I got home Sunday night I put the bike in the garage and did not get back on it until Thursday morning. I had just pulled out of the driveway when the red light on the dash starting flashing and the Tire Pressure Monitoring System light was on. A closer look alerted me to the fact that my rear tire only had seventeen pounds of pressure. I nursed the bike around the block and put it back in the garage. I needed to be somewhere, so I closed the door and took my truck.

When I got home I put the bike on the centerstand and spun the wheel. It did not take long to identify the problem. There was a nail embedded in the tire tread. A call to my BMW dealer confirmed that their recommendation was a new tire rather than a plug. They had a Metzeler Tourance Next in the correct size in stock, so I was able to make an appointment for late Friday afternoon. It seemed that the tire held air pretty well, so I filled it and marked the time.

The next day I checked the tire and it had only leaked about six pounds of pressure in fourteen hours. So before I left for the ten mile ride to the dealership I filled the tire. According to the monitor it did not lose any pressure on the ride. An hour later I had a new tire mounted and was ready to ride again.