Wisconsin Bicycle Trip, Day 13, Friday, July 26, 2013

Day 13, Friday, July26, 2013

Muscoda to Prairie du Sac 73 ½ km in 4 hrs

Rob, the wet kayaker from last night came over and chatted with me while I packed Silver. He talked about taking scouts canoeing, bicycling and hiking trips. Both of their sons were involved and that is how he  and Ken got involved. He is very good at finding good deals on camping equipment.  I told the about Dave’s twin uncles , Geoff and Red and their scout involvement. I was off at 7:22 It was a lovely day for bicycling Hwy 60 east. It was overcast and a little cooler. I had arm warmers on for most of the day. The people I talk to say some rain may come later. I took lots of photos--mailboxes, cowboy stuff, farms, cows and lots of the river. Every time I bicycle near certain areas, the little birds circle over my head making noises to ward me away from their homes. I passed Gotham and they did have a town park with a canopy. My snack was at Carl’s  Paddlin’ store which was closed. A beautiful place that all my grand children would like is Peck’s Playland and animal Park  and corn and vegetable sale place. Sometimes the road went inland but it was basically flat and there was hardly any wind. I was making good timeI want to make Merrimac if possible. The corn is very high everywhere . I had lunch in the front yard of a house on a bluff. When I came to Sauk City, there was road construction ahead so the ladies in a restaurant helped direct me towards Prairie du Sac. From them I got 2 phone numbers for campgrounds. I called ahead to the one in Merrimac but it was full so I decided to find the one in Prairie du Sac. Which has a sign for the best water in the USA. I could go up busy HWY 12 to Devil’s Lake State Park but it is Friday afternoon and busy on the roads so that also helped my decision. And the sky wasn’t looking good either. I found the Veteran’s Memorial Park and Campground and it was alovely place on the Wisconsin River. I asked permission to set up under a big canopy and they said yes. I spent the day watching many canoes take off with vacati

oning folks headed down the river to Spring Green where their shuttles waited. It did rain and some joined me under my shelter. I talked to Clint and Karl and later to Aaron. I gave them all my card.A strange evening with sun, then wind, then rain and then cold.

Wisconsin Bicycle Trip, Day 12,, Thursday, July 25,2013

Wyalusing State Park to Muscoda  75 ½ km in 4 hrs.

I was up at 5:30 and out by 7. I was real careful going down the hill that I had to climb yesterday. --afraid of hitting animals, sticks or rocks. Yesterday a small stick made Silver jump. I rode back over the Wisconsin River and back east on hwy 60 again. The morning was very good today. I took lots of breaks. At first it was mostly farmland but later the river started showing. It has lots of sandbars which people camp on. Apparently the water levels are good for all the canoeists and kayakers. I stopped by a road railing for stretches and snack. I stopped in Wauzeka to ask about the weather and the distance and road to Gotham. I was to expect some hills. Lunch was by a cemetery in the country. Around this time I passed a hug convoy of army trucks.The sky was very dark. A short stop in St. Andrew and the bar/motel at the corner of the bridge going to Muscoda. The motel was 40 dollars, Gotham apparently didn’t have much and there was a campground right over the bridge alongside the river in Muscoda and it looked very much like rain so I decided to check out the Riverside Campground. It was very nice.I met Jim and Debbie who are on a canoe trip and waiting for friends to join them for the next section. . I wasn’t sure where tents were supposed to be set up until Paul, a local who also sells firewood here showed me the sign and the area away from the electrical sites. I set up in the middle of the field but later someone came by and said a severe thunderstorm was predicted so I called the park attendant number and asked if I could move under a big empty canopy. She said yes and was there in a couple minutes to help me lift and carry the whole tent to the shelter. Paul helped me tie it up to the benches. He stayed and talked for a long time. He worked for a local foundry for 38 years until he had a heart attack. He told me about the sawmills here and the Meister cheese factory and ordering on line to send gifts to friends. THANK YOU DEAR LORD JESUS for watching out for me for it rained and thundered for about 4 hours. I would have been a drowned rat.  During the rain, 2 kayakers came in. Ken ,63 and Rob,49 are boy scout leaders doing a kayak trip of their own. They paddled 2 hours in the rain, brought their kayaks ashore and waited under my shelter for the rain to subside to set up their hammock and tent. They were almost hypothermic but eventually got set up, into warm clothes and had their grilled steak thanks to some dry wood that Paul brought. I was so THANKFUL to be dry.