Rockey
August 21st 04, 05:51 PM
Hello, this is my story about riding from Madison to Highwood (a north
suburb of Chicago). I began my 140 mile adventure on Sunday August 15th
from Ogg hall on the UW Madison campus at dawn. We had moved my stuff in
to my new dorm room the night before, I will be moving myself in on the
26th. My set up was a 24 inch Schwinn with a Kris Holm seat and a piece
of 15" metal piping extending outward underneath the back of the seat,
that I bolted to the seat post with 2 small metal plates. I was able to
bungee my small pack of about 20-25 pounds to the seat post and this
piping. I also had a water bottle holder hose clamped to the seat post
so that I could put a water bottle under the front of the seat.
My ride began on the Capitol City trail bike trail which extends around
Lake Monona. So I rode around the top of Lake Monona until I reached
Cottage Grove road which tooke me to the town of Cottage Grove, WI about
8 miles east of Madison. There, I began riding the fantastic Glacial
Drumlin State Trail of Wisconsin, which goes along an old railroad line.
This 52 mile trail was beautiful, going through prairie, marshlands, and
classic Wisconsin farmland. The first day of riding was the best because
of this gorgeous landscape shaped by glaciers I was riding through. It
was very rural and wild. At about 5 p.m. I stopped in Sullivan, WI for
dinner then rode a little ways until I found a spot in the woods a bit
off the trail where I would sleep. I rode 45 miles the first day. I was
making great time. I carried a sleeping bag, a change of clothes, a
little food, bug spray, a jacket, a cell phone, a GPS, and a few other
necessities. So I just slept in my sleeping bag in the woods on some
farmer's property. I was reading my book before the sun set in dead
quiet, except for the slight rustling of leaves caused by scurrying
squirrels, for about half an hour when I heard a strange subtle noise. I
turn around and there is a wild turkey about 10 yards away from me
walking about. I watch him for a while, and he eventually flies up into
a tree! Seeing a turkey fly into a tree is quite a sight. I slept pretty
well that night considering I had no air pad or anything.
I started the next morning at dawn, and rode through mist in the
marshlands. I stopped for a breakfast of granola in Dousman and
continued riding to the end of the trail in Waukesha. I rode through
Waukesha, and continued on the New Berlin trail which took me to New
Berlin a suburb of Milwaukee. That 6 mile trail connected me to the Oak
Leaf trail which goes around the perimeter of Milwaukee. I rode on that
until I was south of Milwaukee not far from Lake Michigan, and I rode
along some quiet country roads, until I reached a bike path that went to
Racine. I had a lot of energy the second day, and I just kept riding. I
was really hungry around 5 p.m. and there was no place to eat until
Racine, so I just kept riding. I got into Racine and had a huge dinner
at a barbecue grill restaurant. Only problem now was that I was in a big
town, it was going to get dark soon, and I had nowhere to sleep yet. I
rode through town and got a little lost, I was thankful I took my dad's
GPS, so I got back on track. I was going along the Root River and I was
dead tired, completely exhausted, I could go no further, and it was
dark. I first stopped by a school to sleep but it was too close to a big
street, so I moved to a park along the river that was kind of secluded
and that was perfect. I slept in the grass and was not disturbed until
it started drizzling in the middle of the night. Luckily there was a
picnic shelter nearby where I spent the rest of the night on a hardwood
floor. I woke up at dawn and right as I was ready to go it started
raining again, pouring rain. It went for about an hour and a half, I
just read my book. When it stopped I got started and was determined to
get to Highwood that afternoon or evening. I rode about 55 miles the
second day, so I was sore and tired that morning but I was going to make
it, I knew it.
I rode south to Kenosha and had a breakfast/lunch of blueberry pancakes
at a cafe. I continued riding south to the state border, called my dad
and told him I was coming home that day. I had planned a 4 day trip, but
I was going to make it in 3. I kept going, pushing my legs and knees to
the limit. The riding was pretty dull compared to the beatiful drumlin
trail but I was psyched I was in Illinois and almost home. Then in Lake
Forest, about 3 miles north of my house, the thunderstorm hit. It began
pouring rain, and lightning was striking nearby. I kept riding because I
was so close. It soon began hailing on me but I fought through it, and
pulled into home with my adrenaline pumping.
I had made it! 140 miles in 3 days, on a 24 inch unicycle. I had only
trained seriously for a week before the ride, and got my post attached
only a few days before the ride. I pulled this ride together to finish
off my summer, and it was an amazing experience. Now if I ever want to
unicycle home from college I know just the way.
Thanks for reading,
Will Rockey
--
Rockey - tearin' it up
Revelations of Simplicity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rockey's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3460
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34658
suburb of Chicago). I began my 140 mile adventure on Sunday August 15th
from Ogg hall on the UW Madison campus at dawn. We had moved my stuff in
to my new dorm room the night before, I will be moving myself in on the
26th. My set up was a 24 inch Schwinn with a Kris Holm seat and a piece
of 15" metal piping extending outward underneath the back of the seat,
that I bolted to the seat post with 2 small metal plates. I was able to
bungee my small pack of about 20-25 pounds to the seat post and this
piping. I also had a water bottle holder hose clamped to the seat post
so that I could put a water bottle under the front of the seat.
My ride began on the Capitol City trail bike trail which extends around
Lake Monona. So I rode around the top of Lake Monona until I reached
Cottage Grove road which tooke me to the town of Cottage Grove, WI about
8 miles east of Madison. There, I began riding the fantastic Glacial
Drumlin State Trail of Wisconsin, which goes along an old railroad line.
This 52 mile trail was beautiful, going through prairie, marshlands, and
classic Wisconsin farmland. The first day of riding was the best because
of this gorgeous landscape shaped by glaciers I was riding through. It
was very rural and wild. At about 5 p.m. I stopped in Sullivan, WI for
dinner then rode a little ways until I found a spot in the woods a bit
off the trail where I would sleep. I rode 45 miles the first day. I was
making great time. I carried a sleeping bag, a change of clothes, a
little food, bug spray, a jacket, a cell phone, a GPS, and a few other
necessities. So I just slept in my sleeping bag in the woods on some
farmer's property. I was reading my book before the sun set in dead
quiet, except for the slight rustling of leaves caused by scurrying
squirrels, for about half an hour when I heard a strange subtle noise. I
turn around and there is a wild turkey about 10 yards away from me
walking about. I watch him for a while, and he eventually flies up into
a tree! Seeing a turkey fly into a tree is quite a sight. I slept pretty
well that night considering I had no air pad or anything.
I started the next morning at dawn, and rode through mist in the
marshlands. I stopped for a breakfast of granola in Dousman and
continued riding to the end of the trail in Waukesha. I rode through
Waukesha, and continued on the New Berlin trail which took me to New
Berlin a suburb of Milwaukee. That 6 mile trail connected me to the Oak
Leaf trail which goes around the perimeter of Milwaukee. I rode on that
until I was south of Milwaukee not far from Lake Michigan, and I rode
along some quiet country roads, until I reached a bike path that went to
Racine. I had a lot of energy the second day, and I just kept riding. I
was really hungry around 5 p.m. and there was no place to eat until
Racine, so I just kept riding. I got into Racine and had a huge dinner
at a barbecue grill restaurant. Only problem now was that I was in a big
town, it was going to get dark soon, and I had nowhere to sleep yet. I
rode through town and got a little lost, I was thankful I took my dad's
GPS, so I got back on track. I was going along the Root River and I was
dead tired, completely exhausted, I could go no further, and it was
dark. I first stopped by a school to sleep but it was too close to a big
street, so I moved to a park along the river that was kind of secluded
and that was perfect. I slept in the grass and was not disturbed until
it started drizzling in the middle of the night. Luckily there was a
picnic shelter nearby where I spent the rest of the night on a hardwood
floor. I woke up at dawn and right as I was ready to go it started
raining again, pouring rain. It went for about an hour and a half, I
just read my book. When it stopped I got started and was determined to
get to Highwood that afternoon or evening. I rode about 55 miles the
second day, so I was sore and tired that morning but I was going to make
it, I knew it.
I rode south to Kenosha and had a breakfast/lunch of blueberry pancakes
at a cafe. I continued riding south to the state border, called my dad
and told him I was coming home that day. I had planned a 4 day trip, but
I was going to make it in 3. I kept going, pushing my legs and knees to
the limit. The riding was pretty dull compared to the beatiful drumlin
trail but I was psyched I was in Illinois and almost home. Then in Lake
Forest, about 3 miles north of my house, the thunderstorm hit. It began
pouring rain, and lightning was striking nearby. I kept riding because I
was so close. It soon began hailing on me but I fought through it, and
pulled into home with my adrenaline pumping.
I had made it! 140 miles in 3 days, on a 24 inch unicycle. I had only
trained seriously for a week before the ride, and got my post attached
only a few days before the ride. I pulled this ride together to finish
off my summer, and it was an amazing experience. Now if I ever want to
unicycle home from college I know just the way.
Thanks for reading,
Will Rockey
--
Rockey - tearin' it up
Revelations of Simplicity
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Rockey's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3460
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34658