BikingGrad80

Hi all route question

I am planning a nice ride through southern Wiscosin. To get there I am planning on starting from the end of Metra's Milwaukee North line in Fox Lake. From Fox Lake, due to the lakes, the only real route northwest forces me to take the Rt 12 bridge for about a mile and a half until State Park rd. Is that doable? From google earth it doesn't look good. It is 4 lanes heavy volume and no visible shoulder.


From there I am planning to take Wilmot road up into Wisconsin.

The only alternate I can see is get off at Round Lake and take Nippersink - Mollidor/Lincoln - Chappel Hill to Wilmot about an extra 15 miles. Necessary?

nietsmas

i think it really just depends on the time of day. obviously don't do it during rush hour. it's not suicidal, but there is not a shoulder on the bridge. though i'm pretty sure the speed limit is down to 35 at that point.

BikingGrad80

Ok thanks. I was just worried it would be like trying to bicycle on an interstate which rt 12 is like an interstate in Southern Wisconsin.

ColorChange

I just did this over the Labor Day weekend. Nippersink - Mollidor/Lincoln - Chappel Hill to Wilmot are all pretty good, but don't take Grass Lake Road, really narrow, no shoulder, and lots of boats ... yikes. Some places 12 had a nice big shoulder, other places none, it's also pretty dirty on the shoulder with rocks, etc. I would try to avoid the majority of 12.

no motor?

The railroad crossing on State Park Road just past the turn off of 12 is really rough on a motorcycle, and would be a lot worse on a bicycle. State Park Road has a lot less traffic than 12, with a lower speed limit.

nvr

That's up near me. Can't you take the North Central Line to Antioch? The Antioch station is only about 6 miles from Wilmot. From the Antioch station, you just take 83 to North ave (west) to Trevor Road (north) to 121st (i think west). Follow that out to Highway C (west), and 1/4 mile farther is Wilmot Rd. This is my traffic free way to get into WI. If you must take the Fox Lake line, why not just ride Rt59 north to 173, then head west to Wilmot Rd? 173 has a nice wide shoulder.

BikingGrad80

North Central doesn't run on weekends.

BikingGrad80

Actually I think I may just take Union Pacific North to Kenosha then head West-North and make my way back to Harvard at the end of the ride. Then come home on Union Pacific Northwest

BikingGrad80

Well I tried it last Sunday morning and even then it was pretty scary. I think I will avoid it in the future.

Blatz

Rt 12 in Fox Lake is not an interstate like the short section of "interstate" in WI. The bridge is doable. You could also stop in Antioch and hit the sweet WI county roads from there

BikingGrad80

Unfortunately, like I said, North Central doesn't run on weekends. Next time I'll take Union Pacific North to Kenosha or Union Pacific Northwest to Harvard.