Great Lakes - Scenic Shore 150

Anybody else doing this 2-day ride? Any past participants want to share their experiences. This'll be my first year.

This year will be my 7th ride and my wife's 5th ride. Last year the first rest stop didn't have the portapottys because they were delivered to the wrong location, but that was corrected just after we left the first rest stop. Also a couple of the rest stops were a little short on snacks last year, but that was the first yeat this occured. Otherwise we have nothing but good experiences with the ride. The ride is well supported and much of the ride is on country roads without a lot of traffic. Because the ride follows the lake Michigan shoreline it doesn't get real hot except for the last two sections of the ride when you cross over the Door county Peninsula. Let me know if you have any questions

David

Heading south to north I assume typically you are not fighting much of a head wind, is this correct. If anything I would assume one actually may get a bit of a push out of the south.

Also, how hilly is the route typically?

I am somewhat new to riding, considering I slacked off hugely last year. I am going to do the scenic shore 150 this year, mostly because it is a ride to benefit luekemia and my mom just passed away from luekemia april 7th of this year. I want to do this ride to support her. I know I can do the ride, I just want to be somewhat prepared for what to expect course wise and what not.

Thanks guys

Jeff

The two biggest hills I remember are coming out of Kewaunee on hwy 42 and just North of LaSalle county park in Door County on South Lake Michigan Drive.
In Kewaunee, you come in on 42 and there is a big downhill into town that I love to fly down with a rest stop on the north side of the Kewaunee harbor. Coming out of the rest stop you have a long hill that you go part way up before you turn off hwy 42. It's probably more intimidating because it's late in the ride and it's a big hill but you only have to go part of the way up the hill. it's probably 50-60 feet of climbing over a half mile.
The second hill is after the second to last Rest Stop at Lasalle park on Sunday. South Lake Michigan Drive turns away from the lake and you go up about 40 ft in 2/10 mile then it levels out and go up another 40-50 over the next 4/10 miles.

There also a river valley you go down into and out of after lunch in Sheboygan on Saturday and there is a hilly section on Lake View Drive north of the Kewaunee nuclear plant.

In general it's fairly flat. Some sections are a little more rolling than others and it's a very scenic ride along the lake.

David

P.S. I don't know what your sleeping plans are for Saturday night, but the first year my brother-in-law rode, he slept in the gym at UW-Manitowoc and he said the next morning his gear all felt damp because of humidity from all the people sleeping in the gym. We've camped each year since then. Also just as a warning if you are camping, check the weather on Friday, in 2003 or 2004 we woke up to 45 degrees on Sunday morning and we were rather cold that morning .

I forgot to post on the wind. Most of the time you have a cross wind so it doesn't affect you as much except if you are going toward or away from the lake. Some years we have had the wind be more out of the north that slowed us some but it was never very strong. I only remember 1 year with a strong wind (15-25mph), but it was out of the west so it only was a problem on a couple roads when heading west.

David

I appreciate the reply David. I am going to do the ride, this helps me in being prepared for what i am getting into. I have never done a century, so I would like to do the optional 25 mile loop on the first day to make it a century.

Jeff

It's amazing how many hills from the first day you end up forgetting after the second day.

My wife and I made it through the ride without too much trouble. I think the rain killed her cell on Saturday and I'm not sure if it wrecked the LCD our digital camera or not. I need to check out my bike now it was making an annoying squeaking whenever I got out of the saddle. I was probably the easiest time we've had on the SS150, probably because of the health club membership we started last fall.

David