July 24 SW Wisconsin day ride-meet up in Dodgeville

Wisconsin and Illinois riders (and IA or MN as well): Come one come all!

Meetup at the Dodgeville, WI McDonalds at 9:30am.

Kickstands up with full tanks at EDIT -10:15 am- EDIT.

...riding north and west towards Boscobel and Gaysville and other points north and west.

I have no planned route as of this point and have no desire to lead...but will if no other competent leader steps up. PM me if you are interested in leading this ride.

Send me your favorite roads in this area if you have a can't miss road. Otherwise I will likely fall back on old standby routes I have used in the past...with maybe an unknown road I have not scouted but would like to try (can you say gravel hillclimb?..just kidding) Route will be adjusted depending on how many riders are present.

This will be a full day...but you are welcome to ride part of the day with us and peel off towards home as needed.

Post up if you're interested...

EDIT: If any Chicago area riders want to meet up at the Belvidere Oasis for the blast up there...meetup at 6:45am, kickstands up with tanks full at 7am.

Riders...thus far

wheatonFJR

griff

murph

Gramps

Scoobyvroom

Shane

carlson_mn

FJR4me

SwollenRaccoon

Wheatie!

I rode a county road near there a couple of years ago that you need to try out just for giggles. Just ENE of Boscobel, about 9 or 10 miles, on the south (same) side of the Wisconsin River is Blue River; about halfway between Muscoda and Boscobel. County road T crosses the river there, and if you go straight, it changes into County Road X, due to it being Richland County instead of Grant County. County X has a section where it's fairly straight, but up-and-down like a roller coaster. I'm sure with a little more velocity, I would have been airborn several times. I was laughing out loud inside my helmet. Of course, any of the adjoining roads around there are good, too.

I'm busy every weekend of July except that one, so maybe I can get there. I'd have to leave pretty early and slab it most of the way. Pretty boring, but nothing beyond the expansive limits of the mighty FJR!

Thanks SR...I'll check the Gazetteer for those roads...

Dang! Wheatie, I'll be at WFO else I'd let you chase the Black Bitch (VFR) again.

I was hoping you guys were going to plan another one of these this Fall.

Reminiscent of September 27, 2008 <Link>

I won't be able to make the 24th.

airboss said:

Dang! Wheatie, I'll be at WFO else I'd let you chase the Black Bitch (VFR) again.

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Sure...rub it in.

I love chasing your black bitch around. I'm gonna have to get me one a dem someday.

Joe2Lmaker said:

I was hoping you guys were going to plan another one of these this Fall.Reminiscent of September 27, 2008 <Link>

I won't be able to make the 24th.

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That could still happen this fall, Joe. Just looking at a day ride on this short notice....sorry you can't make it this time.

bump - anybody else up for SW WI?

I will try to make it, haven't met but a couple people from this board so I'd like to meet more local riders. I usually lead in my group rides, but those roads will probably all be new to me. Just as long as there's somebody fast for me to tail!

carlson_mn said:

I will try to make it, haven't met but a couple people from this board so I'd like to meet more local riders. I usually lead in my group rides, but those roads will probably all be new to me. Just as long as there's somebody fast for me to tail!

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Okay carlson...I'll add you to the list. I won't be running real hard, but maybe someone else will...and you can chase them.

SwollenRaccoon said:

Wheatie!
I rode a county road near there a couple of years ago that you need to try out just for giggles. Just ENE of Boscobel, about 9 or 10 miles, on the south (same) side of the Wisconsin River is Blue River; about halfway between Muscoda and Boscobel. County road T crosses the river there, and if you go straight, it changes into County Road X, due to it being Richland County instead of Grant County. County X has a section where it's fairly straight, but up-and-down like a roller coaster. I'm sure with a little more velocity, I would have been airborn several times. I was laughing out loud inside my helmet. Of course, any of the adjoining roads around there are good, too.

I'm busy every weekend of July except that one, so maybe I can get there. I'd have to leave pretty early and slab it most of the way. Pretty boring, but nothing beyond the expansive limits of the mighty FJR!

Click to expand...

So SR...are you coming?

Very possible. I went for rides Friday and Saturday, and my new front tire should arrive today. I can't commit quite yet, but my wife already told me to go........hmmmm, she's either going shopping or asking the mailman in for cookies. My bet is on the shopping. Anyway, I should know more a week from now. Maybe I'll get hold of Marc (Gramps) and see when he's going through here. I'll try to keep you posted.

Well, here is a tentative route loop from Dodgeville to Dodgeville



Enlarged portions of the map, so more route numbers can be seen...

SE portion



South portion



Central portion



Northern portion of the loop



I can send gpx files or S&T files if you want to look at them...

305 miles - Leaving Dodgeville, WI at 10:15am,

-eating lunch in Ferryville at some biker bar about 12:15-12:30,

-stopping in Coon valley about an hour after we ate, and about 160 miles into the tank

-arriving at Wildcat for the first of two runs about an hour after we tanked up in Coon Valley, taking a break after our two runs to reflect on how good XXXX is at riding

-taking a break about an hour after Wildcat...just before hitting WI 171

-getting back to Dodgeville at about 6:30pm, about an hour after the last break, and about 145 miles into the tank

I figured about an hour for the dinner break, 20 min for the gas break and 15 min, for the other two breaks. If there are too many breaks, or if everybody is feeling fine, we can skip a break or make them shorter...but it could be really hot that day and I don't want anybody "fading" during this ride...with some unexpected/unmarked turn sending them into a ditch.

If this is too long a ride for someone, they could cut a loop out and head for home...or if everybody feels that way, let me know and I can revise it.

I have been on most of these roads but not all, so please let me know if you have info on any of these roads.

Comments??? Good? bad??

Here is the whole route for me, Wheaton to Wheaton - 650 miles...

Looks good to me. I'm assuming your son is going along, so being on a few state/US highways is a good plan. I'm very happy to see you plan on county P over to Wildcat. It's one of my favorite roads....I've been down there twice this summer. 33 at Wildcat Mountain may be busy on a typical Saturday with campers and canoeists, but it's still pretty. Just a safety note....On the way to Wildcat, north of Rockton, you show going over on cty F to 33. Not sure if you've been on county F before, but I'm sure you have. There are a couple of blind, tricky corners that can have gravel in them....make sure you keep your son behind you on that road, so he can see what you're doing. Very nice route! :yahoo:

SwollenRaccoon said:

Looks good to me. I'm assuming your son is going along, ...On the way to Wildcat, north of Rockton, you show going over on cty F to 33. ...Very nice route! :yahoo:

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I am not going to have my son David on this ride. I want to ride with him more before bringing him along on an FJR ride...he's still got to get seasoned up for awhile. Maybe I'll bring him to a gathering type event so he can meet everybody, but we can go off and do our own ride, at his pace.

As far as cty F...we're taking 131 up to 33 east, then using cty F south to connect back to 131 to do a loop. I figured hitting Wildcat twice would be enough on this ride. Yes, I've been on cty F, and yes there are spots...as there are on cty P and all the other cty roads we will be on.

BTW, if you think we are doing to many state routes, feel free to post up an alternative. I tried to only use main routes that had some fun sweepers in them, but I know a few of them are just connector roads.

I haven't ridden cty N before, not cty S on the east side of the route heading south, so if any of you know then to be tricky or rough, let me know.

Also, if you know that any of the roads you see are under construction, let me know...

I think I've been on N, but it was quite a few years ago. Cty S is nice....good scenery and plenty of turns. One note on doing "laps" of the good section of Hwy 33. Just a half block SW of the Cenex station in Ontario is the local cop shop. They DO know that motorcyclists like that part of the road, and they DO patrol it. A buddy and I stopped there for gas, and the desk jockey deputy came over and checked us over while he pretended to look at magazines. Then he walked back to his office, where I'm sure he got on the radio. Sure enough, on the trip back down 33, here comes Barney Fife, going nice and slow to check us out. Just do your best to be relatively inconspicuous near Ontario, and you'll be fine.

EDITED FIRST POST,

Kickstands up time = 10:15am

Some great old favorites/verses the great unknown......................Oh well, ypu guys are going to have a ton of fun. be safe.

Can you save the routes and do it again in September, Wheatie.

Looks like a fun afternoon :yahoo:

Unfortunately myself, DaJuice, Behmer, stryg8r and Rick will be touring the Iron Range on our Dirt Diggers :clapping:

A fall ride would be cool, the apple orchids are open then :dribble: Fresh apple crisp :dribble: :yahoo: