A 474-mile 'vacation': Cyclists pedal across Wisconsin

Chris Woodyard | USA TODAY

BARABOO, Wis. — After 330 miles of pedaling, my legs declare mayday. Their distress call: "We're pooped."

And that isn't the only problem. Dark clouds that have periodically barreled across the skies for five days finally let loose with a wind-driven dousing. With no open barn doors in sight, we scramble behind a tree trunk for cover.

On the scale of vacation low points, my level of pain and discouragement on the 28th Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River, or GRABAAWR, ranks closer to annoyances than outright disasters such as stolen bikes, collisions and heat stroke.

Still, with two days and 144 miles to go, cowering behind a soggy tree trunk with aching thighs isn't how most people would want to spend their hard-earned vacation. Thankfully, the discomfort is short-lived.

The skies clear after 20 minutes. And better still, my rain-speckled route sheet reveals a hidden shortcut to our destination and that elixir of all muscular ills, a cold beer at a local bar, which encourages a second wind.

Soon, all is right with the world — sunshine, the whir of spinning wheels and rubber on pavement, the splendor of passing forest and rolling farmlands, chirping birds and the squeak of a bite into a cheese curd, unofficial must-try snack food of this ride across America's Dairyland.

The pleasures are all too familiar. GRABAAWR is just one of many cross-state, multi-day bike rides — from Bike Florida to Cycle North Carolina. They pale compared with the granddaddy of them all, the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, RAGBRAI, which starts Sunday in Council Bluffs.

What started 40 years ago as a Des Moines Register columnist's lark, a shout-out to readers who might like to ride across the state on farm roads, has mushroomed into a rolling party that attracts more than 10,000 riders. The Register, which still sponsors the ride, says even Lance Armstrong is expected to return this year.

Fitness and fun

All of these rides hold the same appeal: low cost and organized group fun that solves the hassles of long-distance bicycle travel by using trucks to carry suitcases from one nightly stop to the next. Route sheets and signs along the touring course point the way. And "sag wagons" rescue those too tired or overwhelmed by mechanical trouble to continue.

Instead of the torrent of riders who jostle for space on Iowa's farm roads like corpuscles through a vein, the Wisconsin ride is a mere trickle. With only 291 registered riders, down from 1,200 in its glory years, they often pedal by themselves with no others in sight.

For sheer enjoyment of the countryside, that's fine. As a three-time RAGBRAI vet, I appreciate the silence and chance to spend quality time with my 16-year-old nephew, Michael Garrison. The Wisconsin ride, which starts at the state's northern border with Michigan in Land O'Lakes and roughly parallels the Wisconsin River to Prairie du Chien in its southwest corner, proves the power of youth. At 57, I have trained rigorously for the 474-mile trek.

Michael has lightly tried out his borrowed Schwinn. I end up struggling. He barely breathes hard.

Most of the other riders handle the route with relative ease despite an average age of 53.8. But with the oldest rider being 81, some wiseacres say the "G" in GRABAAWR stands for "Geriatric."

Call them what you may, the veteran riders are a hardy lot. Some rise before dawn to hit the road at first light, finishing daunting courses around noon.

"Mainly, it's a personal fitness thing," says Art Hackett, 62, of Madison, Wis.

Hackett, a die-hard biker who has been riding GRABAAWR since 1995, says "it's nice to have a week where you are only focused on one thing."

Sure, the number of riders has shrunk over the years, but he says he appreciates not having to face "an absolute zoo" on the overnight stops.

Unable to keep up with riders like Hackett, Michael and I tend to start out late every day and are among the last to arrive. We aren't alone. We make friends in the back of the pack with a lot of family riders, who are more intent on admiring lakes or searching the trees for eagles' nests than racking up impressive finishing times.

It's hard to miss Matt and Renee Swanson piloting tandem bikes with their two kids, Adam, 9, and Clare, 8, the youngest registered rider. The Swansons, like us, make the most of sightseeing stops, whether to pick strawberries or tour a dairy.

Matt, 37, a painting contractor from St. Paul, says he and Renee, 36, a teacher, have learned how to keep the kids occupied during the long hours in the saddle. Sometimes they play word games or sing a song.

"There is plenty of stimulus," Matt explains. "It's an inexpensive way for a family to have a vacation."

All the add-ons — for a price

Prices for the week range from $299 for adults who book about seven months in advance to $449 for latecomers. Riders ages 8 to 17 pay $95 to $115. That covers the basics, such as sag support, a bike mechanic at the ready, a truck offering hot showers, and the chance to sleep at a school every night, usually in the gym or, for those like us who brought tents, outside on lawns.

The extras add up quickly, though. The meal plan, breakfast and dinner, is $154 for adults and $128.50 for kids. The meals are basic, filling fare such as lasagna or baked chicken.

For $175, the tour operators shuttle riders and their luggage to local motels. They also rent out towels, beach chairs or other essentials. Many bikers pay $110 to have themselves, bikes and gear carted by bus from the end of the ride to the start.

The couple who run the tour, Eric and Kathy Schramm, attend to every detail. There is a cellphone charging station, a special sleeping area for campers who hook themselves to sleep apnea devices, and even a traveling massage therapist.

Yet there's little enthusiasm for any of the organized activities beyond biking. Painfully few want to line dance, square dance, sport a loud shirt on Hawaiian Day or decorate their bike helmets for a contest.

Asked about the lack of participation in these events, Eric Schramm shrugs. He says the ride is designed to be the most adult-oriented of the long-distance Wisconsin rides that his company runs. "From the feedback we've had, people are enjoying themselves," he says.

Indeed they are — including us.

***

Multi-day bike rides are an annual event in a bunch of states. Some have more than one event a year. Here are a few:

Legacy Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Utah

Dates: Aug. 31-Sept. 7

Highlights: Billed as "the most scenic bike ride in the world," the course roams through southern Utah's parks and desert vistas. This year's route goes from Blanding to Springdale.

Cost: $900

Info: lagbrau.com

Cycle Oregon

Dates: Sept. 7-14

Highlights: This event is limited to 2,200 riders and often sells out. This year's route goes through the forests and fields of eastern Oregon, 380 to 505 miles depending on whether riders take optional side trips.

Cost: $895

Info: cycleoregon.com

24th Annual Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee

Dates: Sept. 14-21

Highlights: This year's route is a loop that starts and ends at Meaman State Park. Daily riding distances range from 60.9 miles to 75.5 miles.

Cost: $400

Info: thebrat.org

Cycle North Carolina's 15th Annual Mountains to Coast Ride

Dates: Sept. 28-Oct. 5

Highlights: This year's route runs from Spruce Pine to Atlantic Beach

Cost: $280

Info: cnc.ncsports.org

Bicycle Ride Across Georgia

Dates: June 8 and June 14, 2014

Highlights: Next year's route runs from Elberton to Darien

Cost: $300

Info: brag.org

Bike Florida's 2013 St. John's River to Sea Tour

Dates: Nov. 10-16

Highlights: Instead of camping or sleeping in gymnasiums, this ride offers nights at three-star, or better, hotels and restaurant meals.

Cost: $1,995

Info: bikeflorida.org