When you do something twice it could be considered a habit or maybe just an eccentric variance or probably, in my case, just plain craziness. Being the crazy person I am, last year in 2021, in order to visit relatives and avoid Interstate 94, I biked the awesome 300 mile, four-day bike trek from Minneapolis to Madison and had so much fun I decided to do it again in 2022. The ride along the Great River Road and Highway I35 has a wide shoulder and is full of beautiful views of the Mississippi River. Once you hit the town of Marshall be ready to catch the rail-to-trail bike trails. These run over a hundred miles all the way to Reedsburg. After that you weave your way past Baraboo to Sauk City and then to Middleton and Madison.
This year I saw a few more long distance bicycle trekkers. There were a lot more cars and trucks on I35 than in 2021 as the ending of the pandemic made it so people were out driving. The trucks on I35 were a bit precarious and belligerent so if you ride this route keep an eye out for the big rigs.
A new discovery was the historic Trempealeau Hotel where I spent two nights, the second waiting out the thunderstorms. Excellent food and a friendly bar. I even caught a local jam session on Tuesday night. When I stayed the historic rooms were only $50 a night which came with a shared bath. There was only one other room with guests so I basically had the place to myself. Big thanks to Amy and the staff who greeted me with a few pints of cold ice water after a blistering 95 degree ride from Pepin. I will definitely be back!
Day 1
Minneapolis to Pepin
Day 2
Pepin to Trempealeau Hotel
Day 3
Day off to wait out the storms in Trempealeau.
Day 4
Trempealeau to Elroy
Day 4
Elroy to Madison
Good times!
GALLERY OF MINNEAPOLIS TO MADISON
