Before I left work I used to ride my bicycle back and forth to work. I enjoyed the quiet time before and after work as well as the exerciseI received. Bike riding is one of the things I missed most when boating, sure we had the small folding bikes but it’s not the same. Since coming back to Illinois we purchased Salsa Fargo’s from North Central Cycles in Dekalb. Karen and I have really been putting on the miles since, about 500 so far. Typically we will put on about 20 miles a day, again it’s nice to get away from the house for a bit and the weather has been beautiful for riding.
Last week Karen said she wanted to ride up to Monroe, Wisconsin from Freeport, Illinois. We’d be riding the Jane Adams bicycle trail which is fairly new coming out of Freeport. We selected Wednesday the 12th and again the weather was perfect. She had alternate reasons for wanting to ride up to Monroe other than exercise, she was out of Boxer Apple Ale by Minhas Brewery. She really likes her Boxer Apple Ale. Our family thinks the Minhas product is much better than Redds. I also wanted a growler of Lazy Mutt from Minhas. So we set off Wednesday morning for 2 growlers of beer and some lovely Wisconsin cheese. The temperature was still cooled by morning air as we passed Union Dairy in Freeport but the weatherman promised mid 80’s by noon and a north wind at 10 mph to slow our progress. Karen was soon peeling off her long sleeve jersey as we trekked the Jane Adams north through Illinois. The heat of the day started settling in but we were unfazed, the trail is mostly shaded and much of the trail is below grade which keeps everything on it cooler, including us.
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| The trail is nice but not as well kept as Illinois. |
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| Very nice trail on a beautiful day. |
The time moved quickly as we passed the occasional bicyclers, watched the scenery and wildlife, talked about my parents and our plans to get back on Last Mango. I think we talked the whole way to Monroe, I had a little setback as my hear aid battery went dead and I didn’t want to stop to change it. It didn’t matter as Karen just rode on my left side (my good ear). Before we knew it we crossed into Wisconsin and into the town of Monroe.
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| Sandhill Cranes enjoying the day with Karen and I. |
Monroe has a cool town square that probably hasn't changed much since 1900 and Baumgartner’s restaurant is part of it. One of their claim to fames is their Swedish Apple. The Swedish Apple is a Limburger cheese sandwich with onion. I can tell you from experience that I’m not a fan. Limburger is not terrible in small quantities but they put a 3/4 inch slice on the sandwich along with a liberal chuck of onion. Too powerful for me! Karen and I both had their chili and a half a sandwich. I can give the chili thumbs up.
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| Town Center and Court House of Monroe Wisconsin. Music plays throughout the square. |
After lunch we took a stroll around the town square and did some shopping. Then a nice coast downhill to the Minhas Brewery. We were greeted and asked if we were here for the tour but declined as we enjoyed that last month. We did persuade others to take the tour as they were on the fence because of the $10 fee. We told them if they liked beer that they will drink over $10 worth, that’s a fact.
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| The temperature is about 10 degrees cooler down here below grade. |
Much to our dismay they were out of the Boxer Apple Ale and we had to settle on taking back only one growler of Lazy Mutt, Karen won’t really suffer as she likes the Mutt beer also. I guess it’ll be a lighter ride home than we thought. It just gives us another reason to make this ride up here again.
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| Karen's precious cargo. Only $2.00 per growler. |
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| Jane Adams Trail bridge in Freeport Illinois only a few years old. |
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| Our re-entry into Illinois. |
The ride home went well with the wind at our back as we rode quietly along possibly all talked out from our earlier conversations. We stopped in Orangeville to fill up with water and vowed to stop back another time to see what there is of the town, it looks quaint from the distance and hope to find a bar or restaurant to stop at in the future. We made a couple of rest stops on the way but our minds were both thinking as one. That one thing was ice cream at Union Dairy. We’ve have never been there but they have a great reputation and what could be better after 55 miles of bicycling than ice cream. Union Dairy didn’t disappoint as the young girl made the best looking root beer float I’ve every seen, on top of that she let me put our growler of beer in their freezer while we savored our floats. I have to tell you that Karen finished hers before me. Now that doesn’t happen too often.
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| This is picture perfect, especially after 55 miles of riding. |
By the way the growler is insulated so our beer did not spoil.
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