2015 Summer Road Trip August 3 to August 8

August 30

Today we off to Deforest Wisconsin. As we took the exit for the KOA we had reservations with.

I looked around and it was a déjàvu. I said "Jim, we've been here before." Sure enough on our trip across the States we rode this way. The elephant, cow and the house climbing to the cheese is what 

I remembered. I even put them on my blog that years as well.

This time I took the time to pose with the elephant. Below is the story about the elephant.

The story above tells how it came to be. When we rode through before, I googled it and found the 

Story of the family who owned the gas station at the time. It tell the story that they call it Andy's 

Elephant gas station. In memory of an infant son they lost.

This is Sissy again she is the next on the road of attractions. Sat for a photo with her as well

Sissy stands in front of the Ehlinbach's Cheese Chalet. Could pose with the mouse.

I can't climb poles worth a flip, but I love climbing hills on my bike.

Beside the cheese chalet they have this sign posted. It has distance from this point to several

Places around the world.

July 4,5 and 6

We have been coming to Madison for many years and we have always passed by the

Octopus Car Wash. This car wash has been apart of their Madison landscape since the 1950's

Madison the capital of Wisconsin has a pretty expansive trail system. It's really neat how the 

bike paths have street signs as well.

You'll find Bager Buses all over town..

These next few days we spent at Trek World with the crew from RBM. Woody has assembled 

An extrodianry group of people to make RBM happen now. It's great to see the energy they have.

We got to visit lots of freinds and see what Trek has coming up for 2016. What a great time.

Tomorrow we are off towards Chicago. We plan to visit and ride with Jim's old boss and mentor

Patrick Murphy. He's 82 and we look forward to riding with him.

August 7

We got into camp and went to see Murph. We made plans to ride tomorrow and Mike Farrell 

Will join us.  Going home this incredible sunset was happening. You can tell we are in Chicagoland,

All the high tension lines.

August 7

Here they are all kitted up and ready to ride. Murphy was Jim's boss when he worked for Schwinn

Back in the '70's. He raced in the 1956 Olympics for Canada and raced pro for many years.

At 82 his love of cycling is ever present. He's fun to ride with and has wonderful stories to tell.

Mike Farrell Jim has known for many years. Back in the day of the Coors Classic, Tour of Texas and many of the other races that happened back in the late 80's and early 90's Mike managed the Schwin/Icy Hot Team.

 

Riding the neighborhood we eventually make our way to the Busse Forest Nature Preserve.

This trip we have ridden some great trails. This one wanders thru the Preserve under canopies of 

trees and out into open prairies. What a great place has to ride.

The advantage of knowing where you are going is you get to be at the front. Murphy enjoys

showing us the way.

This is such a great day to ride the temperature is perfect and the breeze is just right.  We had a 

Great 30 mile ride with 2 special great freinds.

Murphy and his wife Marlene. They've been together 60 plus years. Marlene tells stories about when

They traveled the race circuit she would tell them they had so much money left. They would go to a race and he would win enough to get them down the road.

We say our goodbyes to everyone and wish them well. We are headed back to Nappanee. Next 

Week will be Jim's 49 high school class reunion.

August 8

Transfer day! Only about 3 hours to get to Nappanee. We have reservations at the RV camp

We had stayed in previously. It was almost a swamp from all the rain they had so many weeks

Before and now the ponds were back to normal. After a trip to the grocery store and the hardware store we are ready to settle in for the evening. This is living area of our new fifth wheel. This is really nice.