Sheboygan County, WI - ROCKS !

[John Wilke]

I rode from the Zilmer trail parking lot (near Dundee, in Fondulac County) east on W into Sheboygan County this afternoon and it was fresh pavement from the county line to 28. Hwy 28 was all fresh pavement with a 3 ft shoulder on each side and it was CLOSED to traffic ... SWEEET ! Comming back to Dundee from Cascade on F was awesome. F is mostly repaved all the way back west to 41. I rode for an hour and a half and over an hour of that was crack free. Just smooooooth sailing.

Awesome riding there right now.

jw
(and I finished just before it started raining! )

[bike4life]

Thanks for the information, as I'm planning to ride up there this fall. Next time you head up there, check out the Ozaukee Interurban Trail on the way http://www.interurbantrail.us/Index2.htm I rode it last fall and it's a real treat. I also heard that Sheboygan County was going to extend the trail north, from where it ends at the Ozaukee County line, to the edge of the city of Sheboygan. Ride safe!

[jstream]

Thanks for the information, as I'm planning to ride up there this fall. Next time you head up there, check out the Ozaukee Interurban Trail on the way http://www.interurbantrail.us/Index2.htm I rode it last fall and it's a real treat. I also heard that Sheboygan County was going to extend the trail north, from where it ends at the Ozaukee County line, to the edge of the city of Sheboygan. Ride safe!

Ultimately, it's supposed to end up connecting all the way to the bay-something-or-other trail in green bay. And I'm told they are working on a connector to the two parts of the oak leaf trail along the lakefront (milwaukee), and a connector between the oak leaf trail and the interurban(already available via parkway)... . Imagine being able to ride from grant park (south of milwaukee) to green bay and beyond all off road. Wouldn't that be sweet!

[John Wilke]

Ultimately, it's supposed to end up connecting all the way to the bay-something-or-other trail in green bay. And I'm told they are working on a connector to the two parts of the oak leaf trail along the lakefront (milwaukee), and a connector between the oak leaf trail and the interurban(already available via parkway)... . Imagine being able to ride from grant park (south of milwaukee) to green bay and beyond all off road. Wouldn't that be sweet!

That IS a nice trail. I see that it goes south into Milwaukee county, but it's gravel at that point. Will have to explore with the MTB this fall/winter. There are some GREAT routes riding north out of Thiensville. I've been parking at River Barn park and heading north from there. No lack of nice roads.

Back to the original post, here's some pics from that same route, next day:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=224209

jw

[jstream]

That IS a nice trail. I see that it goes south into Milwaukee county, but it's gravel at that point. Will have to explore with the MTB this fall/winter. There are some GREAT routes riding north out of Thiensville. I've been parking at River Barn park and heading north from there. No lack of nice roads.

Back to the original post, here's some pics from that same route, next day:

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=224209

jw

It's only gravel untill brown deer rd. After that, you move over to the parks along the river until just south of hampton where you pick up the oak leaf trail. That's the connector that hopefully will get built in the near future. The oak leaf runs (with only one exception) all the way to grant park. And I'm told you can pretty much ride all the way to chicago. Haven't tried that one yet.

[John Wilke]

It's only gravel untill brown deer rd. After that, you move over to the parks along the river until just south of hampton where you pick up the oak leaf trail. That's the connector that hopefully will get built in the near future. The oak leaf runs (with only one exception) all the way to grant park. And I'm told you can pretty much ride all the way to chicago. Haven't tried that one yet.

I haven't ridden the entire bike path from southern Milwaukee county - south, but yeah, if you hit the connector streets right, it's not TOO bad. Riding through downtown Milwaukee makes me nervous and south 1st street looks worse than it is. Too bad they can't block off some of the Hoan Bridge for a cycling lane.

jw

[jstream]

I haven't ridden the entire bike path from southern Milwaukee county - south, but yeah, if you hit the connector streets right, it's not TOO bad. Riding through downtown Milwaukee makes me nervous and south 1st street looks worse than it is. Too bad they can't block off some of the Hoan Bridge for a cycling lane.

jw

I guess that issue is still open for the scheduled repaving in like 2011, but I hear that another option might be in the works. I hope so. That's a long climb over that bridge... especially from the south. south 1st is not really that bad (a part of my commute), but it could feel safer.

[pHunbalanced]

Sheboygan County is biking nirvana now. Much of wat I encountered on a 3-day mini-tour this weekend was either fresh pavement (US 28 and a handful of county roads east of I-43) or at least pretty recent and smooth. The only bad spot I found was the soft gravel shoulder on the busy section of US 67 heading into Plymouth. A highway with that traffic volume ought to have a paved shoulder. The rest of Sheboygan County, including the Old Plank Road Trail portion that we rode, was perfect. The Kettle Moraine region was of course the best part, with it's strenous climbs and long descents.

[jstream]

Sheboygan County is biking nirvana now. Much of wat I encountered on a 3-day mini-tour this weekend was either fresh pavement (US 28 and a handful of county roads east of I-43) or at least pretty recent and smooth. The only bad spot I found was the soft gravel shoulder on the busy section of US 67 heading into Plymouth. A highway with that traffic volume ought to have a paved shoulder. The rest of Sheboygan County, including the Old Plank Road Trail portion that we rode, was perfect. The Kettle Moraine region was of course the best part, with it's strenous climbs and long descents.

I agree. Sheboygan county is really gorgeous right now from a) a biking standpoint with new, fresh roads, and b) the colors are simply gorgeous after all the rain we've had. Nothing is barren or brown looking at the moment.

[Blonde Warrior]

Sheboygan County is biking nirvana now. Much of wat I encountered on a 3-day mini-tour this weekend was either fresh pavement (US 28 and a handful of county roads east of I-43) or at least pretty recent and smooth. The only bad spot I found was the soft gravel shoulder on the busy section of US 67 heading into Plymouth. A highway with that traffic volume ought to have a paved shoulder. The rest of Sheboygan County, including the Old Plank Road Trail portion that we rode, was perfect. The Kettle Moraine region was of course the best part, with it's strenous climbs and long descents.

I too agree about Sheboygan County. On September 16 we rode in Sheboygan's Maywood Nature Center Earth Day Ride (100 mile route). Just beautiful. The rest stops were scattered throughout the Kettle Moraine, Parnell Tower and at the Old Wade House. One of the best organized rides we have ever done. Check it out next year.

[Sage23]

Too bad they can't block off some of the Hoan Bridge for a cycling lane.

jw

That would be cool!!!!! I remember once as a kid when they closed it off and let pedestrians and cyclists go up to the peak and enjoy the view. They also would put up a trailer that had pictures taken during the construction. That trip had a special meaning to me since my late-grandpa had helped put the footing in for it.

[tenpas]

Made a 23-mi loop today on the country roads in SE Sheboygan county. I was passed by 3 cars, all gave plenty of room.

This really is bike nirvana......

[brotherdan]

The interurban trail sucks people! I was riding on a tour around Lake Michigan and Lake Huron in August and I had the misfortune of ending up on that damned interurban trail on the recommendation of a local that was trying to be helpful. That thing sucks. I was on the trail for about twenty miles before I got completely fed up at having to stop at crossroads every two minutes and having to slow down to go around pedestrians and little kids with training wheels and the little jaunts through residential neighborhoods. I was slowed down so much on that trail that it probably added a whole hour to my transit time between Sheboygan to Milwaukee. Bikes belong on the roads people! It's a far more efficient way to travel, and it's really a whole lot safer for anyone that wants to ride at speeds greater than 12 miles per hour.

[Psimet2001]

MUP riding is a handling skills session with built in intervals.


...kinda "glass half full" perspective"

[brotherdan]

MUP riding is a handling skills session with built in intervals.


...kinda "glass half full" perspective"

Well I'm able to see the upside on some MUPs. The waterfront path in chicago, for instance, is a reasonable tradeoff because it is wider than the interurban trail in most places and it isn't crossed by any roadways for most of it's length. The only concern for cyclists there is to not run over the other people on the path.

[John Wilke]

Well I'm able to see the upside on some MUPs. The waterfront path in chicago, for instance, is a reasonable tradeoff because it is wider than the interurban trail in most places and it isn't crossed by any roadways for most of it's length. The only concern for cyclists there is to not run over the other people on the path.

Oi !

I rode the lakefront trail at downtown CHicago once this summer on a saturday afternoon ... it was JAMMED !

I likened it to trying to ride through Summerfest or the State Fair on a saturday afternoon.

Yeah, if you want to make good time, stick to the roads, if you want a relaxing ride and do some people watching, then you ride the path through town.

The Glacial Drumlin trail from Waukesha to Madison is the exception, that's pretty much a freeway most of the way.

John Wilke
Milwaukee

[brotherdan]

Yeah, I've been in Chicago at times when that trail is absolutely unbikeable. It works just fine on a weekday afternoon, but I wouldn't even think of riding it on a summer weekend.

[John Wilke]

Yeah, I've been in Chicago at times when that trail is absolutely unbikeable. It works just fine on a weekday afternoon, but I wouldn't even think of riding it on a summer weekend.

NOW you tell me!

I wanted to try and ride from the lake front west, through downtown, just for the experience but we were too short on time to try it ... heck, it took 1 1/2 hours just to drive west to O'hair !

How is riding through downtown? Suicide???

jw

[brotherdan]

Riding through downtown chicago is absolutely awesome!

After the frustrating experience with the Interurban trail on the tour that I described above, I decided to avoid the waterfront path when I got to Chicago. I biked through the heart of the city and the financial district. There were bikers almost everywhere I went in the city, so I constantly felt like I was in a race. It was a lot of fun to try to keep up with messengers and commuters, with my fully loaded touring bike in the midday traffic. I just adopted the mannerisms of the locals, weaving in and out of traffic and ignoring any traffic laws that didn't suit me at the time. It seems that motorists are used to bikers doing crazy things on the road in Chicago, so they tended to be far more cautious around bicycles than drivers that I have encountered in other cities. Biking in Chicago appears to be a lot more daunting and dangerous to an outside observer than it really is.

On that tour of thirteen days, the ride through Chicago was by far the most fun that I had. I've been fantasizing about moving to Chicago to become a bike messenger ever since.

[e79]

jeah. eastern wisconsin has some excellent summer riding - well paved roads w/ minimal traffic

[Rogerinchrist]

Sheboygan County is biking nirvana now. Much of wat I encountered on a 3-day mini-tour this weekend was either fresh pavement (US 28 and a handful of county roads east of I-43) or at least pretty recent and smooth. The only bad spot I found was the soft gravel shoulder on the busy section of US 67 heading into Plymouth. A highway with that traffic volume ought to have a paved shoulder. The rest of Sheboygan County, including the Old Plank Road Trail portion that we rode, was perfect. The Kettle Moraine region was of course the best part, with it's strenous climbs and long descents.

I'm right here in the middle of it, here's some info links for ya........

http://www.plymouthwisconsin.com/things.html#biking

http://www.novoprint.com/Sheboygan/Chamber.html

http://www.sheboygan.com/sheboygan-links.html

........... or you can PM me.
~Roger