I planned a trip to Winona to see Candy for the first time since I was there when Dad passed away. Although there were chances for rain and storms, I opted to take the bike and brought along the rain gear.
It was a bit of a chilly start on Friday morning, but tolerable. I left around 7:30 and planned a more direct route on mostly two-lane highways since I was by myself (Hwy 23, 82, 16, I-90, 61). I decided not to track my route because it wasn’t very adventurous. I made a stop on the bridge over the Wisconsin River for a photo, just as I had on our trip to see Dad the day he passed away. I also planned Hwy 16 so that I could make a stop for lunch at Big Boar BBQ in West Salem, and as usual, they never disappoint!
I arrived in Winona around 12:30 and went for a ride by their memorial tree at the park near the home where Dad was for so many years. As usual, there were a couple of maples already in their full fall foliage. After that I stopped at the house and ran an errand for Candy and then took a ride on the bike down by Prairie Island.
The next day I went to the park for a walk and to clear the plaque by their memorial tree, hence it always gets overgrown every year. Then I spent a little time there thinking of Dad. Later I took Candy for a ride (in her car) down the south side of the Ole Miss to La Crescent and over to the Wisconsin side taking Hwy 35 and then a bunch of back roads below the bluffs north of Holmen. Eventually taking Hwy 35 back to Winona.
The next day I was up early so I went for another walk at the park. Kevin was camping in Lanesboro, so he met me at the house around 8:30 for a visit with Candy before heading back home with me.
We took a more scenic route with some back roads and southeast of La Crosse, along with an ever-present chance of rain or storms. We arrived in Richland Center around 11 and stopped for breakfast at the Center Cafe, where we ate when we stayed there several years ago. From there we pushed onto Baraboo and took the Merrimac Ferry. As we were in line for the Ferry it got really dark to the west, so we quickly put on our rain gear. By the time we were getting on the Ferry, it somewhat cleared up. However, it did rain a bit after that. When we made a stop along the east side of Lake Wisconsin for some photos Kevin said the storms heading our direction were getting pretty close. So, then we high-tailed it out of there and kept in front of it. I wanted ice-cream so bad when we got to Fox Lake and we stopped at Karen’s Hip Hop Diner, but by the time we took off our rain gear (cause it was really friggin hot with it on), we noticed when checking the radar that we wouldn’t have enough time if we wanted to keep staying ahead of the storm.
We got back to town around 4:30ish and with a little time to spare before the storm arrived. It felt really good to get some extra miles on the bike and especially in southwest Wisconsin’s drift less region!
It also felt really good to spend some time with Candy and Lucky, and I hope to get back there soon!
