Yesterday we drove about 15 miles west to explore the 400 Trail. The 400 is an old train track that had been converted to a bike trail some years back. You can’t say the trail is marketed very well. The website is devoid of the facts I wanted to know more about. The woman at the chamber of commerce and trail head office seemed surprised I’d wanted to purchase passes at all. I found myself clarifying repeatedly that there was a fee and I needed to pay it. I doubt many do.  There were only about 4 cars in the lot on this particular  sunny Sunday. Which I guess was just fine. We had it mostly to ourselves.

The Wisconsin 400 State Trail runs from Reedsburg, WI to Elroy in the north following the course of the Baraboo River. Along the way you pass through a few small towns spaced out just enough to provide a restroom or snack when you need one. The trail is 22 miles long one way and being an old railway bed, is amazingly straight and flat. It’s perfect for folks who rarely bike or for taking your younger children.  I could’nt help notice that other than Gryphon & Mary I, being in my mid 40s, was still one of the youngest people on the trail.. (Just like sea kayaking!!)

Yesterday since we had an 8 year old along we just did the first leg from Reedsburg to La Valle and back which is about 10 miles round trip.  That was the perfect distance to keep him happy and interested for the most part, while causing him to pass out almost instantly when we returned to the car. Along  the  crushed limestone trail we passed picturesque farmlands with classic red Wisconsin Barns, sandstone outcrops, & cool, wet forests. There were lots of bridges to cross the many hooks and bows of the Baraboo river and lots of wild life to keep us company. The deer were amazingly friendly and the bears are wooden…

In the next few days I’ll be putting together a more detailed description along with a gallery for my local travel websites. So if you are local, keep an eye out for that.

Today I’m supposed to get out and enjoy myself. Odd. At the moment I just don’t feel much like playing… Maybe I need more coffee.  Gryphon just came in to wish me a happy birthday… I keep hearing that old bit from the Door’s song, “Touch Me”.. only that last unsung line keeps changing in my head to, “Older Than Dirt!”..

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