The rider.

It happens every mid-August; panic sets in. I realize that summer is almost over, three-fourths of the home projects are not even started, the garden is overflowing with veggies that need canning, and there’s a ton of yard work to be done. This year when the panic mode struck, I sat down with a cup of peppermint tea to contemplate the situation. After a bit of thought, I went to the garage and strapped the saddlebags on my trusted Surley Long Haul Trucker bicycle and headed for Bayfield. Four days later, the bike and I were enjoying the ferry ride from Madeline Island to Bayfield at the conclusion of the trip. 

My route began in my hometown of Menomonie and meandered on several county and town roads to Chippewa Falls. I rode on portions of county roads: E, M, and N, pedaling down a few town roads to connect the dots. This route was fairly hilly, but it was also one of the most scenic parts of the entire ride. The countryside was a mixture of farms and woods, and most hills had great vistas at the top and long glides on the back side. In Chippewa Falls, I connected with the Old Abe Trail and rode that to Cornell and camped at Brunett Island for the night. My wife drove to Cornell and we had great burgers and cold beer at Turks BBC in downtown Cornell. Burgers and beer were a constant theme for supper. I theorized that the burgers supplied the protein necessary for tired muscles to recover, and the beer was a rehydrating nectar.

Day two I rode north on Highway 27 and then Highway 70 and ended the day in Winter. Highway 27 is not the most pleasant biking road. It’s not terribly scenic, and there is a lot of traffic. However it is straight and has wide shoulders, so it’s safe. Also from Cornell to Winter there is nearly a 300 foot gain in elevation. Heat indexes this day were also off the charts, so this was the “tough guy” day. And I toughed it out. I also opted not to camp at the Ojibway campground, and instead stayed at a motel in Winter – air conditioning was irresistible. 

On day three I rode from Winter to Washburn. I got an early start and rode east on Highway 70 to County Road GG, which took me to Mellen. GG runs through the heart of the Chequamegon National Forest, and was the highlight of the trip. There were very few cars, the quiet was intense, and the scenery was great. GG also runs through the heart of elk habitat, but I didn’t see any this day. In Mellen, I connected with northbound Highway 13, where I had a couple of harrowing collisions with big pick-up trucks, so I took the BART (bus service) back to Washburn, where I camped for two days at Memorial Campground. I concluded the day with a monster burger at Patsy’s and mugs of rehydrating nectar. Day four, I rode to Bayfield, took the ferry to Madeline Island, and rode around the island. Madeline Island is very bike-friendly and flat, in contrast to County Road GG.

Most of the routes I rode on this trip are suitable for day trips. When I was taking a lunch break in Chippewa Falls on the first day, I realized that with a slight change in the route I could easily have ended up at the famous Leinie Lodge.

GG should be on every biker’s “to ride” list. This county road is about 40 miles long, so it can be ridden in its entirety in one day. And with Clam Lake as the halfway point, it could also be broken down into several shorter rides. Plus two national forest campgrounds are located just off of GG, so this road could be the core of a “Bike the Chequamegon” trip.

Destination biking is all about having fun while biking. Riding a pleasant route with some fun stops is the best way to bike. No need to worry about how fast or far one is going. The best plan is to ride an hour or two, stop, eat, rehydrate with nectar, chill out, and then ride some more. Fall is a great time to get out because the weather is, hopefully, cooler and less humid and the colors are great.