Then after breakfast went to collect a package of Jelly Babies form reception. Getting better already
10 miles out of the hotel after a relaxing late start and the sun is out.
Group divides down the middle into a road group, and a much more hard core fun loving off-road group :)
6 of us (Nic, Peter, Bb, Rob, Bron & I) took the gravel trail. Was shared with lots of people running relay form Madison to Chicago. nutters!
lovely old rail trail.
flowers
birds
Rode through London
bridges & rivers
dedicated cycle way
Stopped at Douseman and greeted by a selection of cyclists and architects. HAd a beer or two. I grabbed a sandwich out of the van. Joined the team in Deb's and I snaffled up the last piece of rhurbarb pie with some coffee. Having chats about not only cycling and cities, but movies and booze (it is Wisconsin after all) so I was in my element.
We rode on as an extended group down the trail, beautiful sunny day on dedicated track away from traffic. The reality of city riding on a Friday afternoon reared it's head on occasion we had to cross roads which were heaving. One of which was the Les Paul Parkway, which is pretty cool.
So we carried onto the motel, a quick turn around and some lifts to the university where we were expected by a collection of architects and cyclist, involved in the university or cycling in the city. Unfortunately our lateness to the venue was a bit of an inhibitor to a full programme of talks. I am again struck by the hospitality and interest in our mission. Many people were very generous with their time (and offering lifts back to the motel in the evening was well above and beyond any call).
It was such a shame to rush through so quickly. The american capital of Beer. The home of happy days! THE FONZ. What. But yet again this is the nature of our trip. I feel like a fraud of an urban explorer for rushing through so quickly, but alas other treasures await and I can only hope to return.
It was an early morning call to get out and down to Racine. We had a tour of the Johnson Wax Factory booked at 11am.
Moments of euphoria in the morning at how lucky we are. And I am.
Ride to the Milwaukee Art Museum by Calatrava to see it with the wings down after seeing the wings up last night.
Escorted out of the tricky bits of the city by more gracious cyclists.
Then a 'sprint' down the highway to get to Racine.
Hopes of a lively night out as was postponed from Milwaukee was not looking good as we made our way to the home of SC Johnson: A Family Company and the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece of the wax factory. It really is quite something, and a total shame not to be able to take any pictures, but understandable.
Writing this now at the end of the day fatigue has really taken me properly for the first time of the trip, so there's not much I can add for commentary.
Except, right now I'm equally disappointed I'm not in Milwaukee, or we didn't make the haul to Chicago ah well, being a day late for World Naked Bike Ride is no massive loss with current company (no offence).
Early night, and Chicago awaits.
Oh, and finally, Wisconsin is the Badger State so:
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