The first Ride the Drive will be held on June 6, and like last year’s inaugural event, will allow only bicyclists and pedestrians on six miles of roadway, including John Nolen Drive along Lake Monona, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
On the follow-up Ride the Drive in late August, the route will be lengthened to 11 miles. Preceding that laid-back afternoon event, the Trek Time Trials will pit Armstrong and other professional riders against the clock.
The presence of a biking icon like Armstrong will no doubt add to the prestige of the event and perhaps swell the number of participants. Last year’s Ride the Drive drew an estimated 10,000 to 15,000 bikers, skaters and walkers, including myself. I relished the carnival-like atmosphere and exhilaration of going where no bikes have gone, sans other traffic, before.
“People were so excited at last year’s event,” Amanda White, director of the Madison office of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin, said. “Our hope is for more and more participants each year the more people hear about it.”
The June 6 ride will follow the same six-mile route as last year, including down sections of East Washington Avenue, around the Capital Square, through the Bassett Street area and down John Nolen Drive. The second ride will follow a different route west of the Capitol and will include West Washington Avenue, the Monroe-Regent Street area and possibly the University of Wisconsin Arboretum, according to White.
She said the event is a joint venture of the city of Madison, Madison Parks, Trek Bicycle and the federation. Madison Mayor Dave Cieslewicz, who rode the loop last year along with Trek President John Burke, was “instrumental in making Ride the Drive a reality,” she added.
Cieslewicz is an avid cyclist and strong proponent of elevating Madison from gold to platinum status as a bike-friendly city, as defined by the League of American Bicyclists. Platinum status is held by only three other communities nationwide. “Madison is proud to be a bicycle- and pedestrian-friendly city,” the mayor told those who attended the event last year. “Not only does it encourage healthy lifestyles for our citizens, but the biking industry also contributes millions of dollars to our local economy.” The event is staged using no taxpayer dollars.
Ride the Drive might throw open a few thoroughfares that are usually inaccessible to the cyclist, but if you spread out the Madison bike route map, you’ll find a spider web of green lines marking bike paths, lanes and routes that are available to cyclists anytime. Those who are in town for the Ride the Drive festivities and want to explore more of the area on two wheels can try one of these rides.
Lake Monona Loop
If you’re looking for a short ride to cap off a leisurely Ride the Drive day, this approximately 13-mile loop circles Lake Monona, taking you from downtown Madison through the east side of the city. Starting at the Capitol, ride down Martin Luther King Boulevard to the Monona Terrace Convention Center, a Frank Lloyd Wright-inspired curvilinear structure that soars out over the lake, offering incredible views from its rooftop terrace.
The route follows the lakeshore for a couple of miles along John Nolen Drive. You’ll pass Olin-Turville Park, often the site of weekend soccer matches and a hub for boaters launching their crafts. Another mile or so from the park, you’ll pull up at a fork in the trail. If you veer right, you’ll be on the Capital City Trail (more about that ride later). But for now, go across the railroad tracks onto Waunona Way. This quiet part of the town of Monona offers the only moderately hilly part of the ride with three modest climbs.
To your left, you’ll catch glimpses of the southern part of the lake. Follow the bike route signs and cross the Yahara River Bridge. A parade of watercraft, from kayaks to hulking pontoon boats, head downstream toward Madison’s more southerly lakes. From here, follow the signs through Monona side streets. The route jogs from street to street, so keep your eyes peeled for the bike route signs.
On Dempsey Street, cross Cottage Grove Road and one of the bumpier railroad crossings you’ll encounter, turn left onto the bike path again. From here, you’ll be heading back toward downtown. Olbrich Botanical Gardens, with its golden Thai pavilion and tropical conservatory, will be on the left a mile or so later, definitely worth a stop in any season. A dirt service road just across the bike bridge will take you to the entrance. Admission is free.
As you wind up your trip, you’ll pass prairie flowers that volunteers have planted along the path and the extensive community vegetable gardens and a towering sculpture of two stylized egrets made out of scrap iron. Back at the convention center, you can give your legs a rest and take the bicycle elevator up to street level and Martin Luther King Boulevard.
Capital City Trail
If you want something a bit longer, somewhat hillier and boasting some beautiful scenery, opt for the city’s signature ride, the Capital City Trail. This 17-mile loop shows off Madison’s 3,000-acre green belt, the Capital Springs State Recreation Area south of town. Begin the same way as you did for the lake loop, except this time when you arrive at the end of John Nolen Drive, continue on the bike path. Don’t cross the railroad tracks.
A couple of miles later, you’ll find yourself passing the Nine Springs Greenway. Spring through fall, this green space is a mecca for bikers, hikers and bird-watchers. The settling ponds on your left attract migrating waterfowl and shorebirds in spring and fall. There is a campground and access to quiet hiking trails through prairie and oak woods.
At the campground, cross Lake Farm Road and pedal into the most secluded stretch of this ride. Along the way, take in the prairie and farmland. A bench at the top of the hill beckons you to stop, stretch your legs, and watch for deer and turkey in the valley on the right.
Your uphill pedaling is now rewarded by a nice coast to the bottom again, where you cross very busy U.S. Highway 14. Continue through more prairieland and a refreshingly, cool pine grove to Fish Hatchery Road via a short jog along Glacier Valley Road. Cross there and get ready to enjoy a long twisting downhill. This is a mostly wooded meander along a cobbled, often dry creek bed and an expansive city park that takes you to Seminole Highway. Traffic is often heavy and fast here, too, so take care when crossing.
Dunn’s Marsh is on the right, and in late summer, a riot of yellow wildflowers bracket the path a little farther ahead.
You’re going to get a bit of a shock when you hit Verona Road and the Beltline Highway. Stop for a moment on the overpass and gaze down at the hurtling cars below to reflect on how lucky you are to be in zero-carbon mode and on a more tranquil journey. It’s a long steady downhill cruise back to the downtown area. This grade is imperceptible to the eye, but your legs will love the effortless cruise in high gear. Residents along this Southwest Commuter Trail have enhanced this section of the bike path with beautifully landscaped trail side gardens.
When you get to Park Street, you have the option of adding a few miles to your trip by going north to the university campus, where you can sip a beer on the Union Terrace and look across Lake Mendota and watch the sailors or sample locally-renowned Babcock Hall ice cream. After refreshments, take a ride east along University Bay on the Lakefront Path a couple of miles to Picnic Point, where you can hike or bike the dirt path to its slender tip and enjoy still more vistas of Lake Mendota.
Back at the Union, take Lake Street to State Street, a car-free avenue of shops and restaurants that runs right into the Capital Square, the Saturday home of one of the biggest farmers markets in the country.
Military Ridge State Trail
West of its junction with the Southwest Commuter Trail, the Capital City Trail pushes on to connect with the Military Ridge State Trail, a 40-mile mostly crushed limestone rail-trail that terminates at Dodgeville and the adjacent Governor Dodge State Park. If you’re planning to ride from downtown to the Military Ridge, be forewarned that the first four miles or so are going to route you along noisy U.S. Highway 151. Once past Verona, the trail becomes more inviting as it traverses the southern Wisconsin landscape.
The Riley Tavern, six miles from Verona, is a popular stopover for burgers, beer, music and Sunday all-you-can-eat pancake breakfasts. From Riley, it’s another six miles or so to Mount Horeb, “Troll Capital of the World.” The town celebrates its Norwegian heritage with curbside-carved wooden trolls on the “Trollway.” Enter Schubert’s Bakery, recently reopened under new ownership, and step into a soda fountain from the past, complete with old-fashioned malt mixers (their shakes are incredible), swivel stools and delicious baked goods. You can burn the calories on the rest of the ride.
The next section of the trail, from Mount Horeb to Blue Mounds and on to Barneveld, is one of its more secluded and scenic stretches. Blue Mound State Park is linked to Military Ridge and offers several miles of mountain bike trails, including a challenging singletrack. Access is at the pool parking lot. Blue Mound, at 1,430 feet, rises well above the surrounding countryside. Climb one of the two observation towers for unforgettable panoramas of the rugged Baraboo Bluffs.
Twenty miles west of Blue Mound lies Governor Dodge State Park, which is connected by a spur to Military Ridge Trail just before County Road Z. Sprawling over some 5,200 wild acres, the park includes a pair of lakes, a waterfall and mountain bike trails ranging from easy to difficult and from 2.5 to six miles in length. Hiking trails invite you to explore steep hills and bluffs, broad grassy valleys, oak and hickory forests, and remnant prairies. Watch for deer, turkey, ruffed grouse, fox, beaver, woodchucks and muskrats. Red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures soar over the park’s hills and valleys. In the woods, the hammering of a pileated woodpecker may be heard echoing as it excavates hollow trees for its dinner.
Maps of these trails as well as numerous others can be downloaded on state and city websites. A state trail pass – $4 per day or $20 annually – is required.
James Sajdak is an English teacher in Madison, Wisconsin.
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5/26/10 - 11:54AM