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!

Minneapolis to La Crosse

Saturday I was done biking by about 5pm. I had that aching sensation that comes before rain, so i found a suitable elevated yard, and then asked the man that lived there if i cou8ld camp on the edge of his property. He said that was fine, and also offered me directions to a park in the next town and the option of setting up my tent in his new-age barn--or a shed, as he called it. I was happy with his yard, so i unloaded and set up as promptly as i could. He had come to talk to me a little bit, and had said he didn't think it was going to rain. it was "too light out" still, and it seemed like the clouds were shifting. But i knew, i just knew. As soon as i was in my tent with all of my gear, it began to rain. It was very light at first, but before long, it was really thunder storming. It hardly stopped until 930AM on sunday.

The pattering of the rain was a subtle comfort, something i have missed, but on occasion the thunder, lightening, or strong gusts of wind would be very unsettling. The dog that lives with this family at just hung out next to my tent all night. It was very interesting, hearing it stir and rub up against the tent every now and again. I knew i was safe with that creature there.

I slept from about 545pm saturday to 830 or 9pm. then, i slept from about 10ish PM until 9AM the next morning, on and off, waking often as usual. Regardless, I slept for a very long time. I saw no point in getting up if it were raining, so i decided there would be no moving until it stopped.

Earlier that day, I said goodbye to Jenna, and was on the road by about 930AM. My temporary farewells to Minneapolis were then, and then passing through St. Paul was a different experience. Interesting, the Twin Cities, how the atmosphere is completely different from one to the other.

The weather was not quite as i expected on Saturday, and it was very bright. I had my sleeves rolled up and what was left of my pasty white arms became very red, irritated, and burned. I was able to get sunblock on before the burns became too severe. That, with a healthy dose of Aloe, have kept my skin from peeling. This is a big deal to me, seriously...

The ride was either extraordinarily pretty or immensely depressing, based on either forest or crop fields. I was not riding along the Mississippi river like i had wanted to, so there was not as much scenery to view as i had hoped. But, i shouldn't complain, because there was plenty to view. It is good to see more than just the beautiful to fully understand the grand scheme of things.

There were no unpleasant dog excursions throughout the day, but i did panic a little bit when a car was riding too close on the shoulder line. I jerked and shouldn't have, but did, weave off of the road a little bit. Typically, it is easy to come back on to the shoulder from the gravel, but there was a decline into a steep ditch and the gravel was very soft. my weight could not be supported, and i fell into the ditch, catching my self in the muck and grimy water with my right forearm. I had gone through the motions in my mind before, expecting to eventually fall like this, so i unclipped my right foot (which is very instinctual for me at this point. sometimes i go through the motion when i stop even when i am not wearing my cleats) and held the bike from toppling aver me with my left foot and leg, catching the backside of my bicycle with my left arm. I came out of that ditch unscathed, but i am sure that if i did not stop my bike it would have rolled over me at least once, leaving me in a very uncomfortable position.

It was nice to be able to stop and take long rests on this ride, and even with the long breaks i would have made it to la crosse a day early! On sunday, after the rain had stopped, i packed up and set off for as far as i could get. I would stop often to water up and rest, and even took two long lunch breaks. after the second lunch break, i knew i was going to get rained on, because the clouds moving in were scary....and i was not far enough to set up camp. i double-checked to assure myself everything was adequately prepared for some serious rainfall. Although this day was the scenic ride, i was saturated to the max. It rained, and i biked, and it rained harder, and i biked. it was great, in a dreadful kind of way. okay, so it was just great, except i worried about my guitar(which is fine).

It became very hilly as i approached the river, and i had reached a destination of mine very early. it was only 5pm, and i had already reached winona....not even three hours from lacrosse. as i went through winona, all i could think of was how beautiful it was (even in the rain). I could see some serious potential, and immediately wanted to move there.

i had called the lady i was going to be staying with in la crosse, asking if it was okay for me to come a night early and stay for two nights, but she had not answered, so i just left her a voice mail. i was going to just hang around or get as far as i could until i heard back from her.

Going through downtown Winona to the bridge i needed to cross was exciting, especially when i got the bridge. "BRIDGE CLOSED". great. the only alternate would be to cross over by la crosse, on the INTERSTATE, which i was avoiding. terrific.

i was randomly biking around downtown, trying to think of what to do, when i finally decided to stop at a cafe to ask for directions. just as i was getting off of my bike, a young man with dreadlocks came out. he immediately was interested, and asked me where i was coming from. The normal routine of question/answer came out, but the whole time i was thinking that i already knew this kid.

"i think i've met you before."
"where are you from?"
"Appleton, WI."
"I've never been there before, but i have been to oshkosh for..."
"Derrick Jensen! You were there, i met you at so-and-so's house!"

And a beautiful relationship commenced. he showed me the bicycle co-op in winona, and we just chatted about all sorts of things. he said he could totally help me out with food and a good place to stay for the night. Out of the deal, he cooked, i showered, and then we just hung out and talked about everything before his friend came home. It was his friends place, so she stayed up with us and talked a bit. She made rhubarb crisp, and we ate it. It was delicious.

Eventually we slept, and the next morning we dispersed after eating. Later on, i was hanging out at the bike co-op with some random punk rock kids, and then the other friends i made came and hung around for awhile. as fun and as stimulating as that was, i felt like it was time to go to la crosse. apparently, there was a ferry crossing the river by the bridge, helping people out for free(or a small fee?) who needed to commute across the river and such. Well the coast-guard decided to say that what this person was doing was illegal, and for every vehicle that was carried across the river, they'd charge 3500(0?) dollars. either way, that is a crock of SHIT.

My other option? take Minnesota highway 61, which turns into I-90, which crosses the river. Talk about intense. The highway itself was fine, you get used to that, but crossing the river on a two-lane (each way) interstate, while trying to take pictures, is fucking scary. there is NO SHOULDER on the bridge. I thought it was funny, after my life was less in jeopardy from putting the camera down.

eventually i made it into lacrosse, and my couch surfing host is basically awesome. I learned some basic gardening skills, and then we washed vegetables and cooked yummy vegan food, and all was right in the world. She is super awesome to talk to/hang out with, and her and the husband(who i haven't met yet) are totally just telling me to make myself at home. i even get my own room! it's pretty exciting. This is definitely another strike to both my "lucky stops" and "great meals".

(i lacked on picture taking on the first two days, but today i made up for it by taking a shit-ton of pictures of the river and bluffs. i will posted them at a later date)