Day Three: New Glarus to Madison - 30-35 miles

Day Three starts with retracing the route on the Sugar River Trail for about 3 miles.  You can jump over to the Badger State Trail via Exeter Crossing.  Then there is a steady climb that culminates at the Stewart Tunnel.  My mini-maglite works much better than my little Planet Bike front light.  The tunnel is curved and for a bit - there is no light at either end of the tunnel.

After you ride through Belleville, there is a gas station mini-mart a short distance off the trail between a factory and a grain silo.  They have good fresh made sandwiches and this is really the last stop for drinks before Fitchburg / Madison which is a good 17-20 miles or so.

Are we there yet?  No, we are not.  At this point a City of Madison Bicycle Map is very helpful to end up in the part of town you want.  Don't trust printouts of google maps.

Now you are there - at the UW-Madison Memorial Union!

Day Two: Beloit to New Glarus 45-50 miles

Day Two is the long stretch.  I haven't taken the Beloit-Newark Road route yet, but it seems superior to the route I took on my Memorial Day ride. That included staying at the luxurious Copperstone Inn on Yale Bridge Road to Boswell Road to County Road K to St. Lawrence to Highway 81 to County Road T into Brodhead.  Rain washed out my Day Two of my mid-September ride.

If you have to bail out in Beloit or just want a one day ride, the Van Galder - Coach USA bus provide a vital escape hatch.  Get a taxi from downtown Beloit to the South Beloit Road Ranger / McDonald's on Highway 75 and I-90.  I won't try to bicycle there - it's car only territory.  The cab was $12 and I felt it was well worth it.

 
Once you get to Brodhead, the Sugar River Trail will take you to New Glarus.  There are two motel options there.  The inexpensive option is the Swiss Aire Motel.  I opt for the Chalet Landhaus.  The rooms with the balconies are really nice.  It's a little closer to town and it has a wonderful whirlpool that really helps the aches and pains of a 45-50 mile ride.

The Sugar River trail is 23 miles long.  It's reasonably fast and flat so the distance of the day two ride is made a little easier.

New Glarus has a tiny post-office where I often mail my dirty clothing back to myself and send postcards to my family and friend.  The off-loading really makes the third day ride into Madison easier.  It also allows you to pick up a few souvenirs like a t-shirt or sweatshirt.

New Glarus is best known for its outstanding brewery, but don't overlook the outstanding New Glarus Bakery and the delicious Swiss-German food at the Glarner Stube.

Paddle and Trail of Beloit

I was able to get free air and chain lube at Paddle and Trail of Beloit.  It's right across the Grand Avenue Bridge.  The fellow was friendly and the bicycle map of Beloit was invaluable.  Zoom in on the route map to see its exact location.

Beloit

Beloit was a pleasant surprise.  The Rock River runs through the downtown and provides some nice scenery.  The continued industrial success is celebrated in some large industrial murals on the sides of warehouses viewable from a river-walk on the east side of the river.

Watching the carp feed reminds me that nature is not always what we commonly consider beautiful.

But the view is pretty nice...

Dorr Road to Beloit

Turn left (west) at County Highway 9.  There is a good shoulder and a Taco Bell and Arby's with bathrooms.  Turn right going north on Dorr Road which turns into Roscoe Avenue and then Northwestern Avenue.  Turn right going north on Blackhawk Boulevard which takes you across the state border into Beloit.  There are numerous motel options in Beloit.  I chose the inexpensive Ike's Motel which is run by a nice Indian-American woman.  It was basic clean and a bargain at $50 per night.  There is gas station mini-mart across the street and the Turtle Tap Bar & Grill next store.  My burger and onion rings were good.

Stone Bridge Trail

The paved Long Prairie Path Trail seamlessly turns into the crushed limestone Stone Bridge Trail.  There are a few map boards along the trail to let you know where you are at.  The highpoint is the Stone Bridge Observation Platform.  Take a break here to admire the structure and read the historical marker.

The Unfinished Connection

I don't know the background on why the eastern trail head is so inaccessible, but the railbed is still intact and clearly not in service.

State Road 173 Hell to the Long Prarie Path Trail Head

The worst part of the ride is State Road 173.  There is a shoulder that you can ride of that disappears.  There are trucks going in both directions in a steady stream.  The shoulder is rocky and mostly impossible to ride on.  Don't give up.  It's only a 15-20 minute walk to County Line Road and the trail head.

The Long Prairie Path has some shade but as the name implies, it's prairie so bring a hat and sunscreen.

Getting Out of Harvard

Take METRA train to Harvard.  Cross tracks and continue in direction of train on Park Street or go into town and pick up Diggins which turns into Highway 17.  There is a bicycle path on the left that will take you to the Dean's Milk plant.  Turn left onto S. Oak Grove Road.  There is a gas station with a minimart.  This is a good place to get a bottle of something to drink.

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201860967478906697231.0004c9653c9307c285f49&msa=0&ll=42.41259,-88.66662&spn=0.021546,0.033989

The Route Map & Day One - Harvard to Beloit 30-35 miles

To view google map view click link below

http://goo.gl/maps/wb3Ai