• Mileage today 53.3
• Mileage total 2407.1
• Elevation today 2799 ft
• Elevation total 102342 ft
• Weather – crossed the Mississippi and it’s fall; last night huge t-storm boomers and dumping rain; morning it’s a beauty but humid; start temp 63; finished at noon but temps in mid-80’s

After a night of crazy weather (thunder, lightning and dumping rain), it’s very nice but humid. After being inside all night, take bike out and the bars are wet. It’s def sticky.

Route is on a bunch of county roads. I could be riding anywhere there are dairy farms but no fir trees only deciduous with the leaves still green. We had 4 climbs and they all had average of about 4% grade but of course it’s Wisconsin so the real climbs are 10 to 12% – ya shorter but they still hurt!!!

I know nothing about Madison. But riding in, there are two lakes and the capital building sits on an isthmus between them. Rode thru a golf course country club with massive houses on the lake. I wanted to just park the bike in their yard and hangout – no one offered, so I rode to the picnic spot on Capital grounds…day over! Let the rest day begin!

Went to Trek Bike Factory HQ for tour and dinner at their Corp Lodge. The tour was dull, all about the sausage making for their bikes. Lots of hype about their facility and work force being happy (saw their gym). Blah – I wanted to know about knew stuff coming on bikes, got nada. Interesting comment by dude giving pitch – well two: first they get some sort of point to apply towards bike purchase, but the real thing was that the bike’s production cycle is 3 yrs and obsolete. Second, I asked about Trek acquisitions particularly Klein (from Chehalis) – they bought for the paint process and paint schemes, which they still use today!!! Still sad they closed facility in Chehalis🙃