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Upon
entering Wisconsin
at the beginning of week 6, we gladly left behind the fierce and atypical
headwind that we encountered so frequently throughout the west.
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The bike
path from Sparta to Reedsburg, WI
was full of informative signs about its prior construction and service as a
railway in the 1870s. This tunnel, about 3/4 of a mile long, was pitch black
inside, which required walking the bike by flashlight.
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Water
seeping thru walls and ceilings made the tunnels prone to seasonal freezing
and thawing, causing chunks of rock to break off. To prevent this, double
doors were built at each end of the tunnels to seal in warmer temps during
the cold winter months.
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After 4
days of biking across Wisconsin, I finally found a scoop shop in the town of
Beaver Dam to determine whether or not the "dairy state" is worthy
of its name.
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We arrived
in Ludington, MI at the end of week 6 after a four hour ferry ride across
Lake Michigan which departed from Manitowoc, WI.
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Picnic
stops, usually at about the halfway point along each day's ride, provided an
opportunity for riders to mingle, relax, and refuel.
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The
typical food at our picnic stops usually included a pasta salad, make your
own sandwich (deli meat and cheese or PB&J), a variety of fresh and dried
fruits, yogurt, granola bars, cookies, nuts, and candy.
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In the
middle of the seventh week, our route took us into Ontario, Canada.
Despite having crossed an international border, the scenery didn't change
much - still lots of corn fields.
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Every
Friday night we presented awards relating to a noteworthy event that occurred
during the week. For example, I gave an inflatable flotation ring to the
group for the countless times that someone rescued me from the cold when I
was near hypothermia.
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