
A Week on the road: 1560 miles, 35 hours in the saddle, two Great Lakes, many adventurous memories. And I’m tired!
A Week on the road: 1560 miles, 35 hours in the saddle, two Great Lakes, many adventurous memories. And I’m tired!
We’re on a multi-day trip through the Dairlyland of America. From the historic lead mining center of Galena IL we headed north along the Mississippi through wooded dales and along barn scattered ridges. Back roads, gravel trails, reedbed carpeted bottomlands, and sprouting cornfield amidst oak woodland. A splendid part of the State.
A great day up to Lake Geneva through McHenry County on roads bordered by spring blooming trees and emerging leaves. We stopped in at Morries Place where we spied another workshop filled with project bikes. An interesting cove called Jim was working on a 1929 Henderson X. A splendid Triton parked outside near to where Ed Zender was working on a BSA.
Gorgeous spring weather and a loop around Lake Geneva just across the state line into Wisconsin. I stopped in at Yerkes Observatory with its beautiful architecture. It’s open for tours now (though not today on the Easter weekend. Splendid day out.
Rail crossing on a back road leading to Lake Michigan. Very pleasant riding conditions that I would hope to continue well into Fall.
– glorious weather for a decent jaunt around Lake Geneva WI. Stopped in at the big telescope in Williams Bay. Beautiful building that houses historical world class astronomical equipment. The dome behind the bikes has the 41” reflector.
Like some desolate sun bleached scene from a Sam Peckinpah film.
– splendid ride into Wisconsin for a lap around this resort ringed weekend destination. A delicious cup o’joe was enjoyed at Steamers in Williams Bay. Lots of boats on the water and hoards of ice cream licking visitors in Geneva town. A few leaves on the odd maple we’re turning.
Local bar in Wisconsin with a Yamaha parked under the bright streetlight. The beef patty Lady Dawn burger was delicious.
– a quick weekend away to rural Wisconsin. A farm tractor gathering piqued my interest as we drove through the Driftless. John Deere, Farmall, Massey. Some freshly restored, others under cool oily patina.
– at a fill-up just north of Milwaukee I spotted a pup wandering around the gas station. Looking for the owner I spied a sign on Mart’s window. “I live here. My name is Diesel” when getting a quick coffee I asked the attendant how old the old boy was. “Quite old” came the reply. “And he’s the second Diesel!”
WI Route 42
– quality light from the west as the sun sank over the Dairyland. The road ahead always beckons.
– an overnight trip to the northern parts of Door County was undertaken. Cool but nice clear light on the way up last evening with a deep blue lake on the right and the occasional sunset illuminated barn. Camped on the beach and returned back along the Green Bay side of the peninsula. A nice 560 mile leg stretch.
Nice summer ride up along the Lake into Wisconsin and a stop off at Kenosha Harbor. A still water stirred by the occasional fishing boat or pleasure craft. New (to me) Aerostich jacket worked admirably in the upper 70’s temperatures.
Old Roadhouse at the intersection
– one of our stops for a leg stretch was at this abandoned crossroads building. You can imagine hoarded of Harley Davidson bickered swarming around at this corner on a Sunday morning before roaring around the backroads then heading back to Milwaukee after a spin around the Moraine’s.