Solstice Ride 2019

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1105

From The Great River Road....

Tony and I turned right out of Pike's Peak State Park and back on to the Great River Road which is Clayton County Route X56 at this point. It winds down very nicely for about three miles into the town of McGregor, IA. Tony and I would have enjoyed this short trip just a bit more had the nice lady in her 2007 Chrysler minivan not been compelled to drive the straight sections at 5 mph below the speed limit and even more cautiously around the turns.

McGregor is a cute little town, although its relative proximity to the banks of the Mississippi to its east and steep hills and bluffs to its west make it an ideal vessel into which the Ol' Man can pour his spring surplus.


Flood waters have come up as high as the second story windows here. Last year, Cheryl and I stayed in what was once the local jail, now converted into an adorable little Airbnb.


Tony on the northern outskirts of McGregor heading north


Separated from Big Muddy by two thin steel bands; our bridge back to Wisconsin in the distance.

1125
...to a great river road


Our traverse of the Mississippi for the second time this morning went very smoothly. Now we were in Wisconsin for the first time this trip and about to take a left turn off of The Great River Road and on to a great river road.



Motorcycles and bridges make for easier crossings than a log raft and a pole.

Grant County in Wisconsin has a bunch of wonderful roads on which to ride, but County Trunk C from a little west of US18 running north to State Rte 133 is probably my favorite. It's not particularly curvy although there are curves. I love it because there are seldom other cars on it, it runs along (and I mean like right along) the Wisconsin River, and there are almost no crossing roads. And they repaved it this year! C would take us east by northeast away from Iowa and would be the first leg of our return to Chicagoland.



Imagine my elation upon turning onto smooth, new pavement


C runs very close to the river for about 3/4 of its length. It takes on a more "curvy farm road" personality for the last 1/4


Did I mention that C runs very close to the river? Pretty exhilarating to cruise along at highway speeds just a few feet from the water

WI133 is a connecting road. Not much to it, really. It runs along the river, but rarely close enough for one to see it from the road. It does run through the towns of Boscobel and Muscoda which makes it a little more entertaining in as much as it's kind of fun to say "Boscobel" and "Muscoda".


Downtown Muscoda traffic

We had gassed up on 133 in a tiny little nearly ghost town called Woodman and discussed lunch. We were in agreement that Mt. Horeb and The Grumpy Troll should be our next stop. So we went.

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