La Crosse to Madison, cut short

La Crosse ended as an amazing experience. Charish and Joel were extremely accomodating in every way possible. Couch Surfing is definately a resources i will utilize in the future--A whole world of new culture and friends are just waiting!

I left LaCrosse sometime after Noon. My planned route was to take the LaCrosse River Trail, Sparta-Elroy trail, and the 400 trail. This is about 70 miles to Reedsburg, where i was going to be finding somewhere to camp. I figured this would be an easy and steady day: 70 miles the first day, 90 the next, and about 20-30 the third morning to Shari's place.

After the LaCrosse River trail in Sparta, it had stated on the entrance sign that the trail had been closed by the DNR. No reason why was listed, so i figured it was okay to just keep on going. At this time, i did not think of what the rains the days before would be doing to hilly terrain, and must i not forget, the local attractions. The spark about the Sparta-Elroy trail are the underground tunnels; The trail was converted from old an old railway line, including the tunnels through some of the hills. If i remember correctly, there are three of them, although i only saw the first. The first tunnel is about 9/10ths of a mile long. There are no lights once inside, and with normal weather outside, it is still very cool and wet the entire way through. I was told that water will drip off of the ceiling and down the cide of the tunnel into small canals, designed to keep water primarily off the walking path.

It was not just wet outside. This was in no way 'normal' weather. Even in LaCrosse, with the Mighty Mississippi, there was flooding off of the trail EVERYWHERE. Too bad i didn't think that this is why the DNR closed the trail. Onward i went through the tunnel, once i got into it. A small portion of the path was washed away, and a small stream needed to be waded through (it was puny, really. i took pictures. i will have them up in a week or so, unless i get another opportunity here in madison, which i doubt.)

The tunnel was not just wet, it seemed almost as if it was raining inside. Apparently, as stated before, the rains from the days before had taken their toll on the landscape. After 9/10ths of a mile, the most scary and exhilirating bike ride of my life--walking part of the way, and bicycling while clipped in the rest of the way--I found out why the DNR closed the trail: mud slides.

As i passed through a bundle of wet muck, and seemingly a misplaced stream, a couple on bikes asked where i was heading to. They advised that i get off the trail before the next tunnel. While i was soaked from walking through the water, tired from lifting my bicycle to avoid too-much mud contact, and enough mud on my entire bicycle up to the hubs to last weeks, i was told the next mudslide was FAR worse, mid-calf through mud at the easiest way through. This couple had to lift their bikes above their waist to avoid mud contact--something i am not capable of with a fully loaded bicycle.

Now, i was riding down the trail thinking of what the couple was telling me, soaked and full of mud. Shortly after the next town, but before the tunnel, I left the trail and climbed the hill on the highway that goes over the tunnel. I checked my map and was immediately irrate. I was on the road for over four hours and was not NEARLY as far along as i should have been. That is fucking it, i thought, only the road from here on out.

I covered almost as much distance in one third of the time on the road, regardless of much more hill there is to deal with. I didn't really mind. WHile climbing hills is not alwasy very much fun, they ALWAYS go back down. All hard work is paid off all the time.

I reached a small town called Union Center. I stopped to urinate and fill my water. I had two hours of touch biking left, atleast, to reach my mark. It was dark all to quickly. As i was preparing to leave, i noticed in the fork in the road i was needing to travel on, visible from the gast station, that the highway i needed to take was detoured...in the opposite direction. I checked my map, estimating which way it could go. The easiest way it could go, taking county roads (which, for the record, it didn't.) was atleast two hours out of the way. FUCK.

I asked the gas station clerk, who also works with the ocunty, how far out of the way the detour went. Exact response, "It doesn't really matter, that road is closed all the way down to Reedsburg. Most of it is under water, especially LaValle"(the town inbetween where i was and Reedsburg, where if you remember, i needed to sleep). So even if i did go around, i would have to sleep somewhere very wet, go atleast 45 miles out of the way, battle 35 mph winds the next day from the direction i was going, and travel even further then planned all while trying to beat the next storm, moving in the next evening. Essentially, i would have to travel much further in perilous conditions, and have no way to avoid the storm(which, if you HAVEN'T heard on the news, is fucking up everything. haha).

Fuck that. I called Shari and she picked me up, having to go 40 some miles out of the way to get where i was, based on the flooding and such. I filled her gas tank, and am still forver in her debt. I have arrived in Madison early.

HAPPY 21 TODAY SHARI!