Trail Happy Cycling

Even though I have lived only a short car ride away from the Madison County Transit (MCT) Trail System for years, this August was my first time ever riding the trails. And I'm pretty mad at myself I waited so long! This trail system is gigantic - at least to me! Over 20 years ago, Madison County, IL started acquiring rail rights-of-way, which they have now transformed into around 130 miles of trails, a lot of them paved! There are a total of nine different trails, yet many of them intersect and create a number of loops of varying lengths. MCT Trails highlights 7 of the loops on their website and printed maps. Speaking of maps, MCT will mail you a paper map if you request one online. I ordered mine a few days before my ride and it came in time for me to bring along. I think the design is super clever - the covers are glossy, which keeps moisture out when packed into a bag, and the heft of the covers also makes folding and unfolding super easy. I'm a nerd for maps! So cute fold

First Multi-Day Bike Tour! - Katy Trail - September 2020

I don't know how the seed got planted, but I've wanted to try bike touring for years. The idea of riding my bike all day, sleeping, then doing it again the next day, while seeing new places and meeting interesting people, sounded like a dream. With COVID-19 disrupting my 2020 travel plans, this year seemed like the perfect opportunity to dip my toes into multi-day bike travel. In July 2020, I started seriously planning my trip and settled on a basic itinerary - 3 days and 2 nights along the Katy Trail in Missouri . For those not familiar, the Katy Trail is one of the longest rail-trails in the country. The whole thing - 240 miles - is a state park and there are no entrance/trail fees associated with using it. I chose the Katy Trail as the location for my first trip for several reasons. Obviously, Katy (Katie) is a great name. It's close to my home in St. Louis. And lastly, a lot of people tour on the Katy, so there is good bike travel infrastructure and a lot of planning re

Manitowish Waters Bike Trail - July 2020

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, my family convened at my parents' house in northern Wisconsin for our first Christmas in July! My bucket list activity for the vacation was a bike ride on the Manitowish Waters Bike Trail, a section of the Heart of Vilas County Trail System. This trail system is amazing! There are over 50 miles of paved trails that connect five different communities. The towns have small populations year-round, but numbers balloon in the summer from all the tourists. The bike trails are really a great amenity for connecting the towns and offering active travel opportunities for locals and visitors. For this trip, my sister, brother-in-law and I started out at River's Edge Outfitters between Manitowish Waters and Mercer WI. River's Edge was great. We were able to rent bikes and helmets and connect to the trail (an on-road section) right behind the lodge. We got some route planning advice, a couple maps, and water. They also have a great selection of wine and