Fifty Plus (50+) - We're takin' the bikes to Milwaukee

Gonna spend a weekend visiting with our daughter, a student at MSOE.

We're staying at a hotel in the neighborhood on State St. I'll probably do some solo riding but I certainly intend to do at least one ride with the Bride. I'm aware of the nice path down along Lake Michigan north of the harbor, are there any others that I definately should not miss? Our ride distance is limited to about 10 miles max and we can transport the bikes to a trail with our Van.

Thanks

I like the Ozaukee County Trail. It may stretch your 10-mile limit. It starts just north of the city, up toward Thiensville. It's a great ride up to Cedarburg, which is a beautiful small town with good restaurants, historic buildings, wineries, and nice shopping. Then if you want a longer ride, you can ride up to Port Washington, which also has nice shops & restaurants with a beautiful Lake Michigan setting.

http://www.interurbantrail.us/

You can study this for bike trails and routes closer in to the city:
http://www.city.milwaukee.gov/maps4460.htm

If you look at the top of the map for the North side of Milwaukee, you'll see a red trail right where Milwaukee County borders Ozaukee County. That trail connects into the Ozaukee County Trail system.

I've ridden portions of the Ozaukee Trail on each of the past 2 years.

I rode in the area this summer when visiting family and used the Milwaukee by Bike (http://www.milwaukeebybike.org/) map. We're in the area for a few days most summers staying in the northern suburbs and I've taken my bike the last two trips. One suggestion is going just a little bit north and riding part of the Ozaukee Interurban Trail, a rails to trail (http://www.interurbantrail.us/BikeMaps/MileMarker/Index.htm). Maybe start at Cedarburg and ride the loop around Grafton and back (should be about 10 miles). Seems like all the trails are part of the Oak Leaf Trail, over 100 miles in Milwaukee County (http://www.county.milwaukee.gov/router.asp?docid=8289). You should have fairly reasonable access to the trail and can head north along the lake and then up the Milwaukee River. I rode south on that section from Glendale down to Oak Creek on a Saturday morning. Once you get past the Art Museum you have to zigzag through poorly maintained city street until the trail starts back up in the Bay View neighborhood, so if you want to ride the southeast portion you should probably drive down to Cudahy or South Milwaukee. The trail out in the southwest and along the Root River Parkway was also a nice place to ride. If you are only there for a long weekend, you'll not have time to exhaust your riding opportunities.

Thank you both. Maps are printed and ready for use.

I'm taking the Volae and one planned stop is the Hostel Shoppe, and as a bonus (for me) I'm even contemplating a swing by Waterford if there's time.

I wonder if Trek still does any tours.....gonna have to Goggle 'em.

I believe Trek does give tours from time to time.

If you visit Waterford, we will be pretty close to each other. My wife and I will be spending the weekend in Lake Geneva, WI. That's only 20 miles from Waterford, WI.

...

Just found that Trek has been suspending their tours for a while. Supposedly to start again on 9/1/09. No information as to whether they have started again.
http://www.trekbikes.com/faq/categories.php?categoryid=10

Thanks Tom. We're intending to pull into Milwaukee on Fri. late afternoon and then leaving homeward bound on Monday morning. This is Columbus Day weekend we're talking about. I believe I'll ride the park along Lake Michigan on Saturday and ride around in the 3rd Ward at sunrise on Sunday. Hopefully I'll get the bride out along the Lake on either Sat. or Sun. .....depends on how busy the daughter is. She's looking forward to our visit (we haven't seen her since the morning of Jan 31) but studies take priority.

The daughter has her bike up there someplace, maybe she'll have time for a ride too.

The flex time we have is on Thu. and Fri. We're driving into the Wisconsin/Illinois area on Fri from upstate NY on Wed....about a 13 hour drive. Hope to overnight around Rockford and then slip up to Stevens Point and spend Thu night around Wausau. So The Hostel Shoppe is a definate, and Waterford and/or Trek are posible maybe stops. I have to keep the bride's interests in mind also; museums and turn of the century house tours. Gonna keep those AAA tour books handy.

When you ride the lakefront trail, make sure you take the loop south of the Art Museum that goes through Lakefront State Park. It's the island in front of the Summerfest grounds, and I'm guessing that most local residents have not been there - pretty cool view of the lake and the city skyline from there.

Another place you should stop is Alterra Coffee on the lake - when you're ready for a rest and some people watching.

You can take the Oak Leaf trail south to Grant Park, which must have been something in it's day, before parks budgets were cut, but still a pretty cool place.

Also, you might check out the Hank Aaron state trail which runs from downtown to Miller Park - stop for a tailgate and maybe a game - I think the Brewer's last home stand is this weekend.

I live in New Berlin, about 10 miles west of downtown, so I ride mostly rural roads south of here, but those are some points I like on my ventures east. Oh, and Sven's cafe in Bay View is another great coffee and pie stop.

I hope you enjoy your visit are able to dodge the raindrops for a couple of nice rides. It's going to be unseasonably warm, but wet this weekend.

The flex time we have is on Thu. and Fri. We're driving into the Wisconsin/Illinois area on Fri from upstate NY on Wed....about a 13 hour drive. Hope to overnight around Rockford and then slip up to Stevens Point and spend Thu night around Wausau. So The Hostel Shoppe is a definate, and Waterford and/or Trek are posible maybe stops. I have to keep the bride's interests in mind also; museums and turn of the century house tours. Gonna keep those AAA tour books handy.

Ah, so you will be arriving in Rockford on Wed, Oct 7th? Heading to Stevens Point on Thur, Oct 8th? I'm working on those days.

I do have 10/9 through 10/18 off, but will likely be heading to my northwest, to either the Elroy-Sparta/Kickapoo or up along the Mississippi River to Wabasha/Red Wing, MN. Nothing certain yet.

It's been a while since I was in downtown Milwaukee. At least 4 years. It's only 85 miles from me.

So I'm in Lake Geneva today and the town is overrun with bicyclists (and cars too). It's a beautiful mid-70s early fall day and this morning they held a Fat Tire ride, which had hundreds of participants riding mountain bikes, cruisers, hybrids, and other fatter tire bikes. Now it looks like many of them have stayed into the evening. Just walked past a sports bar and there were bikes lining the sidewalk for nearly a block.

http://www.fattirememorialtour.com/about.html

So, are you still heading up this way in a couple of days?

I'm still considering heading up to Stillwater, MN / Hudson, WI this coming weekend, but the weather forecast looks bad. They are looking at highs in the mid-40s and lows in the lower 30s. I'm not ready for that yet. May have to consider heading south instead.

So, are you still heading up this way in a couple of days?

I'm still considering heading up to Stillwater, MN / Hudson, WI this coming weekend, but the weather forecast looks bad. They are looking at highs in the mid-40s and lows in the lower 30s. I'm not ready for that yet. May have to consider heading south instead.

I hope we are. Our other daughter has some health issues so the trip is touch and go. Sat & Sun. high temp 40F.....I'll just pack winter wear!

I hope we are. Our other daughter has some health issues so the trip is touch and go. Sat & Sun. high temp 40F.....I'll just pack winter wear!

Milwaukee is predicted to be 53 & 50 on Sat & Sun

Milwaukee is predicted to be 53 & 50 on Sat & Sun

50's I'll take any day!!!!!

A new bike bridge has just opened, north of Cedarburg in Grafton. I've ridden through there a few times, the bridge will be nice.

A bridge to open: Interurban Trail celebration Oct. 3
By Tom Held of the Journal Sentinel
Sept. 15, 2009

Nearly doomed as a bridge deemed too expensive, the span carrying the Interurban Trail over I-43 will open with a ribbon-cutting celebration on Oct. 3, according to news from the advisory council.

The redesigned bridge cost is part of a reroute that cost $1.76 million and replaces about two miles of the trail that had been on Hwy. W in the Town of Grafton.

Construction on the 415-foot bridge over the freeway had been slated to start in 2006, but was delayed when the initial bids put the cost at well over $2 million.

The council's glowing description: "This improvement will take pedestrian/bicycle traffic off of a busy, high-speed County Highway and provide a safe and scenic trail that will pass near a four-star rated golf course, hardwood woodlands and several small wetlands between Grafton and Port Washington."

OK, the bridge is open, but are they also taking the kink out of the trail that sent you on the highway anyway? When I rode the trail in early August I saw the bridge work, but saw no sign of trail work at the northern end of the highway section. As they say, their is still two miles of trail to complete, the crossing of I-43 seemed to be the least problematic in terms of traffic faced.

Bridge is done, trail is done, it's a great trail to ride. Your bride will love Cedarburg if she's into turn of the century houses and the like. The trail is mostly off road paved asphalt except within the towns. The trail generally follows the rail line and power line. Parking can be found on Brown Deer rd in the office park next to the import car dealer/Otto's liquor. The first mile is actually the Brown Deer rec trail and is approx 8.5 mi one way from Cedarburg. The bridge is approx 15 mi one way from here. Another option is to park on County Line rd in the back of Howards tavern, this cuts off 1 mile. The next option is park at Libby Montanas tavern on Donges Bay rd, cuts off another mile. The next parking is at Mequon community center another mile north on Mequon Rd. The final option is park in Cedarburg at the muni center and ride one way or the other out of town and have the quaint although touristy Cedarburg as your base of operations. For any needs along the way Extreme ski & bike in Theinsville is just past the Harley dealer right on the trail. They are very helpful and fixed a broken spoke while I waited rather than walk 3 miles to my car.

http://www.interurbantrail.us/TrailEnhancementProject/InterstateBridgeProgress.htm

http://www.cedarburg.org/