My day of Trans-Wisconsin

Started out the day before with a drive up and an overnight camp out in a city park.

Had Breakfast the morning of the event at Gangsters the gangster breakfast was eggs, bacon, sausage, hashbrowns, and toast. This turned out to be a bad decision had stomach cramps the first hour or so of riding. I always have to remind myself that no matter how fast I may ride I do have trouble keeping up with more experienced riders. The roads were mostly paved until after Cassville. We stopped in Cassville for lunch and to wait out the heavy parts of the rain. I didn't get many Pictures on the ride due to the fact that is rained most of the day after Cassville. We hit the gravel at 46 miles in and the gravel roads in Wisconsin are not like Iowa. One lane wide and through valleys of beautiful scenery and rain forest conditions. The rain was pouring and steam came out of the streams that crossed over top the road instead of under it. It really felt like some wide single track. We hit a couple (like 10 or so) long steep (6-9% grade) climbs that found me in my 32x34 gear combo and doing 4 mph. There were also some descents that found me at 40mph. Everything was going okay until around 75 miles I missed a turn took an extra very steep climb and by the time I got turned around I was an hour (or more) behind Steve and Dennis. Granted I couldn't keep up with them anyway but I had to decide what to do at this point I got a signal on my phone and decided to head for Eastman in hopes of a campsite and dinner. I found dinner but no campsite so I re-evaluated my plans since I had been having chills for over an hour at this point and it was 90 degrees outside and I had goose bumps and my knee was hurting pretty bad. I decided at this point I couldn't continue another day (94 miles) So I headed for Prairie Du Chien (12 miles south). I found a motel about 7 miles out of town where I crashed for the night (117 miles). I realized at that point I was coming down with something also, but I was glad to have shelter for the night.

Illinois Border

The Start

Spoke Change

About 94 miles in when I decided I was done