Day 4: Sunday, July 28, 2013
Location: Connecting Route between Pine Line Segment and Mondeaux Esker Segment, Taylor County, WI
Today we drove straight to WalMart in Medford. They had better bicycle seats, and I wasn’t riding another foot along the connecting routes until something was done about the implement of torture that still felt improperly inserted somewhere in my anatomy. We spent nearly an hour and a half selecting, installing, and adjusting our new bike seats. I never would have believed I could actually have enjoyed riding again that day, but I left that parking lot with a whole new appreciation for ergonomic design.
From there, we drove straight to the same place we parked the day before, dropped a car, and then to the far end of the connecting route between Pine Line Segment and Mondeaux Esker Segment, along Fawn Avenue. We parked just off-road and spoke briefly with a local land owner who asked very nicely if we would be camping, and told us he would watch our vehicle for us if we were. Really nice guy. That’s the kind of person I really like meeting, and it makes me proud to be from Wisconsin. We rode east 3.3 miles (with the wind) along this relatively flat gravel road and all the way to the beginning of the next segment (Pine Line). At that point we realized we had never touched the sign, so we made the short trip off-road to perform that ritual, and officially ended our ride. Running total: 22.5 miles of trail covered; 5.3 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
Location: East Lake Segment, between STH 13 Wayside and Beards Lane, Taylor County, WI
We decided next to hike a 1.8 mile piece on the western end of East Lake Segment, between STH 13 Wayside and Beards Lane. We decided to leave one car at the wayside, then drove up and around until we got to Beards Lane, where we found limited but adequate parking along the road. We touched the sign and headed west this time, walking through what turned out to be a surprisingly overgrown trail, which gradually got better as we approached the wayside where day hikers frequented the trail. All along the way were beautiful park signs that had fallen to the ground because when they were put up a few years earlier, they used lag screws instead of carriage bolts. At least a dozen signs lying uselessly next to their posts. Oh well. We drove back to Beards Lane to pick up our other car, and headed east again to where we would complete our last segment of the day. Running total: 24.3 miles of trail covered; 5.3 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking.
Location: Rib Lake Segment, Taylor County, WI
We decided to take Rib Lake in three pieces. We dropped the van with the bicycles at the western end of the segment on Hwy D, in a large parking area made for the purpose. Then we drove about a mile east to where the trail crosses Harper Road. A large, convenient parking area was located at the beginning of the trail, and we walked the approximately half-mile segment back to where the van was. It was wet, and the grass was long in places, but most of the walk was along ski trails built on logging roads. In one part a new pine tree had come down across the road, but it was easy enough to go around. At the van, we drove to the far end of the 3.3 mile connecting route on STH 102, and rode our bikes back to where we left the car. It was about ¾ gravel, and with the wet roads we picked up our share of back-splatter. My shirt still bears the stains. Part of the trip passed the side-trail to Timm’s Hill. 9.5 miles, each way. Maybe some other time. Finally, we dropped the bikes, drove the red car to the east end of the Rib Lake Segment, found a place to park, and walked back to the waiting van. This last third of the segment was extremely grassy and wet, and at one point the trail was difficult to follow as it pushed past an open area with no visible blazes, and later on when it ducked around a re-route on a very seldom-traveled area of long grass and lots of trees. Could definitely stand some trail improvement here. We were done hiking for the day, but we now had transportation in three places. We drove back to pick up the red car. (Theresa swears if it had been up to her, the Prius would have been lost somewhere in the north woods forever.) Then we drove to pick up the bicycles. Then we drove home. Running total: 28.8 miles of trail covered; 5.3 miles ‘extra’ hiking/biking. End of Day 4.
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