Capital City Circle Tour in and around Madison, WI



Capital City Circle Tour, June 8-15, 2013

Sat., 6/8/13 Arrival and pre-tour ride

Arrived at the Sheraton in Madison around noon. Had spent the night at brother John’s in Huntley, IL, and wished him a Happy Birthday!

Got my bags into the room, went to the Heartland Grill right here in the hotel and had a delicious spinach salad for lunch.

Met up with Don, Jackie, Kevin, and Terry. Kevin led the way to a really nice bike shop. Nice bike paths in Madison, seems to be very bicycle friendly. Got back to the hotel, and John, Kathy and Bill, and Cathy and Paul joined us for a ride around Lake Monona. I was feeling tired and in need of some quiet time, so I skipped the ride around the lake and went to my room.

Went up to the 7th floor when Don & Jackie got back from the ride, and had some good complimentary appetizers. At seven o’clock the whole group met for an orientation meeting, followed by ice cream! Saw Mary and Sharon from the Crank Club. They had had a long drive and didn’t arrive until after six..

Some of the group went out for Chinese food, but I went to my room. Needed to get things lined up for tomorrow. 80% chance of rain, possible thunderstorms. 



Sun., 6/9/13, Madison-Spring Green, 59 mi.

Left Madison at 7:45. Had heard weather reports of 80% chance of rain and/or severe thunderstorms, but the day was overcast and pleasant.

 cool electric assist bike

loading bags, getting ready to leave

rental bikes

Kevin led us on an alternate route for the first 23 miles. It avoided a few hills, and also some chip & seal pavement. We were grateful for the alternate route!

John and Stanley

church designed by Frank Lloyd Wright






We arrived at the rest stop after the time that they said it would be closed, but they were still there - thankfully - and there were other stragglers besides us.

After the rest stop we followed the cue sheet, and the group got separated. It did eventually rain, but it was a light rain, and didn’t last long. Actually felt good!

yard full of sheep and goats!

and a donkey under the pine tree!

Dinner was at the Round Barn, our lodging for two nights. It was a nice buffet: chicken, beef (prime rib?), broccoli, fruit salad, garlic bread.

After dinner there was a short meeting. I turned in early, I was pretty pooped! I thought I could stay up and do some reading, but my eyelids got heavy, and it was lights out about 9:15.   



Mon., 6/10/13 Layover day. Optional routes up to 60 mi.
             I rode 18 miles.

The hotel breakfast was good, scrambled eggs, fruit salad, mini-muffins

I didn’t do the tour’s optional mapped bike ride today. I biked to the Frank Lloyd Wright Visitor Center and watched the 15-minute video about Taliesin. Had a hard time deciding if I wanted to sign up for the two hour house tour or not. It was a little pricey at $42.00, and I ended up not going. I explored the area, riding to look at a few of the buildings on the Taliesin property.

chapel

bank

bank

farm

visitor center

Got back to the hotel and went to the pool and hot tub for a while. Biked into town to a restaurant called Freddie Valentine’s. Sat on the patio and had a delicious chopped salad with grilled chicken, and a glass of wine. Saw part of the group ride by, and they found me and joined me on the patio. A little while later two more of our group joined us.

After lunch I went to a couple of shops in town, then back to the hotel.

At happy hour a talked with my new friends Ruth and Jan, also Diane, one of the PAW crew. We talked about bicycle tours, ones we’ve done, and ones we’d like to do!

I was still full from lunch, so I didn’t go to dinner. Stayed in, washed some bike clothes, read, etc.

Wisconsin River


Tues, 6/11/13 Spring Green-New Glarus, 48 mi.

Very hilly ride today. Beautiful country scenery, though.

funky iron gate

heading up to Mt Horeb

You can see a long way when you’re on top of a hill! The climb into our rest stop in Mt. Horeb was especially long. Mt. Horeb is a neat little town. A few of us walked to the Grumpy Troll and had a beer.



Took a group photo after arrival at hotel.



Crew treated us to New Glarus beer at happy hour.

Had good spaghetti and Swiss meatballs (?) for dinner at a local restaurant.


Wed., 6/12/13, New Glarus-Janesville, 64 miles







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