The 2011 edition edition of the Trans Wisconsin turned out to be kind of a bust. Initially there were only about 10 on the start list and ya know some of them are going to be no shows. And than at the last minute the race director calls in sick, says he won't be there. Well I made some last mionute changes to. The race cource was 420 miles long and it was a point to point race with 150 miles between the start and finish. My initial plan was to start the race at the designated start point, ride the course and than continue the 150 miles back to the start line, which would have made for a total of 570 miles. Quite a haul and I was having my doubts about it. So at the last minute after taking the crappy weather forecast into account I decided to drive to Hayward (the designated finish point) and start my ride there heading south and east to pick the designated route south of highwat 8 near ladysmith WI. So thats how it started.
Day 1 Started in Hayward at 8AM and went south down thru the res. Missed a turn and stopped and talked to another biker and he suggested a different route than thru the res so I took his suggestion and went a little futher west. Had a good day picking my route as I went. Hit a long section of the Tuscobia trail which was pretty nice. Stopped for lunch at a bar in Coudrey. Made it all the way to Hawkins WI by 8PM and found a nice Lions park to camp in complete with a picnic shelter which I camped under with a convience store near by. 122 miles.
Day 2 It rained a lot during during the night and into the morning so I wasn't in a big hurry to get going. Left Hawkins at 9AM and only had a few miles to go to pick up the route. At the point I picked up the route I would have been about even on mileage as those who had started at the designated start point. The route was nice some slight changes from last year. I was a little leary about going up the dead end Skinner Creek Rd but went anyhow and it turned out ok. Turning into some nice double track. The next time it didn't go so well. Again I followed the route up the Up River Rd another dead end except this time I coulden't find the trail out of there ending up making a big circle following some old skidder trails, and came out back where I had started. Wasting about an hour. Found a detour around that mess. Continued up thru Clam Lake and had a meal there. And than Continued on to Grandview Wi. by 8PM found another park with a nice picnic shelter and stayed there for the night. 108 miles.
Day 3 It rained again during the night and was cold. I think I made a mistake sleeping on the concrete floor of the picnic shelter I should have slept on top of the picnic tables, would have been warmer. That cold concrete seemed to suck the warmth out of me all night. Light rain as I left Grandview and cool. Went up to Washburn WI by a little after noon. Weather wasn't getting any warmer or drier. At this point while sitting in a DQ eating lunch I decided to turn back and try to get back to Hayward before dark. I pretty much retraced my route back to Grandview and than pick my route as I went back to Hayward. Reached Hayward by 7PM. Saw lots of deer a bear crossed the road in front of me, lots of turtles. Everytime I crossed a creek you could see all kinds of places where turtles had dug holes to lay eggs and in some places where other animals had dug up the nest of eggs. At one point I startled a mother duck and her bunch of chicks alongside the road and some of the chicks took flight only they coulden't fly very fast and were flying right along side of me for a couple of seconds I remimded me of Harry Potter and the Quidch game I could have reached out and grabbed one of those chicks that looked kinda like a quidich. Well have to see what happens to next years edition of the Trans WI. It would be so much easier if It was a circle route. One of these years the weather has got to be nice.