Page 14 - USA ROAD TRIP SUMMER of 2000

There was no place in the inn for miles around this most popular

tourist area so we ended up staying in a truck stop motel. Really
nothing fancy – but after Iceland, indoor plumbing rates at least 3

stars in our categorization of facilities.

ELROY, SPARTA, and LACROSSE – BIKE RIDE DAY

Sunday - Got to the bike trail head at 9 AM and headed off on our
32 mile bike trip. The trail follows an old train right-of-way

improved by the Rails-To-Trails Association. Neither Lois nor I have
ridden a bike more than a couple miles in the past few years. Oh

well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Sharon drove the car

ahead and met us at the small towns along the way. The first 9
miles were a steady uphill grade – just enough to make your legs

holler. The weather was perfect. Temperatures in the low 70’s,
beautiful blue sky with puffy white clouds, the smell of new mown

hay, birds singing in the fields and groves of trees along the trail,
Amish farms with the buggies at the doors, deer, cows and horses

everywhere. It was a perfect day.

There are three tunnels on the route left over from the old train

days. The first and second were ¼ mile long and the third was ¾
mile long. You were required to walk through which only made

sense as it was pitch black and you’d have killed each other
coming and going if riding. Most everyone including us had

flashlights. Finished in 6 hours with a break for a picnic lunch and
a couple of cold drink breaks and then drove into Lacrosse. Spent

the evening trying to get the pictures onto the Internet for the

family. It seems to be working. To bed earlier than usual. Seem to
be tired for some reason. Maybe it’s from trying to eat and type

standing up.

14