Heading to SW Wisconsin-suggestions??

[krispy]

In a few days we, and 4 other couples, will be heading to SW WI for a week of crucid, up-and-down roads. One RSV, 3 wings, and a Buell of some kind. Can't wait to get going. We will be staying near Victory, WI, and riding both sides of the Mississippi in the area. Just wondering if any of you have any "don't miss" roads, parks, eat spots, or anything else that you would like to recommend for us. We have some tentative routes planned out, but they are subject to change or being completely thrown out for other ideas. Thanks in advance. Larry

[Bubber]

In a few days we, and 4 other couples, will be heading to SW WI for a week of crucid, up-and-down roads. One RSV, 3 wings, and a Buell of some kind. Can't wait to get going. We will be staying near Victory, WI, and riding both sides of the Mississippi in the area. Just wondering if any of you have any "don't miss" roads, parks, eat spots, or anything else that you would like to recommend for us. We have some tentative routes planned out, but they are subject to change or being completely thrown out for other ideas. Thanks in advance. Larry

 

 

Don't miss the eagle center

http://mt0.google.com/vt/data=V7Ljje54Zrq_I2Nlkj6mWw2BvSk5KP9eEyfFTtRRIg77FEKoTpzPa2dZbusUdY1qLQDblOaIdqhpTHS4S1WnZPUA5E_ShL6k0l5bCI6dmQRelQhttp://www.google.com/mapfiles/marker.pngNational Eagle Center

 

Place page

50 Pembroke Avenue

Wabasha, MN 55981-1241

(651) 565-4989

Get directions - Is this accurate?

 

 

Bubber

[Brenda H]

The hubby is from that part of the state. Hometown is Prairie du Chien, Wis. Lovely roads, BIG apple orchard, Shihata's, on the south side of town [try the red apple syrup!]. PdC is on the joining of the Mississippi and Wisconsin rivers, old fur trading town going WAY back. Neat state parks with fantastic lookout points on both sides of the Mississippi. There was a casino paddlewheeler on the Iowa side with a nice buffet restaurant built into it's hotel base.

 

Other things to see.

 

House on the Rock just outside Spring Green, Wis., built by one VERY eccentric collector who collected EVERYTHING! You will have no idea just how much there is until you are in it. Among other things, the world's largest carousel. It's huge! The "House" part is something else. I want to steal some of the lamps, the doll houses, the "jewelry" etc.!

 

Dodgeville is the home base of Land's End Clothing Co. Their outlet store in town had some great buys.

 

Shullsburg, Wis. has it's own dairy/creamery co-op. When the parents in law were still with us, we would get a 30# care package from there every XMas. The cheese is great and the aged cheddar can and will be older than just about anything you can normally find in a store. Hubby literally raids the place every time we go there.

 

One thing I'll say for the state of Wisconsin. I have never ridden a bike up there but the roads were always in good shape. Ray says they restrict construction to certain times of the year when the winter/cold weather won't mess up what they are trying to build. One of the reasons why I keep after him to get his mc license is so we can go up there on bikes and really enjoy the countryside. I keep getting told what the fall colors up there are like but we haven't made it up there at that time of the year yet, darn it!

 

HAVE FUN!!

[RoadKill]

We have stayed in Ferryville in a cabin up on a bluff for 2 years and love the area. On the main drag in Ferryville a good value spot to eat is the Swing Inn. We eat breakfast there every morning. Also had great burgers.

[RedRider]

This is a beautiful area to ride in. Some of my favorites:

 

1) One day, take the ferry across the Mississippi out of Cassville, WI

2) Pikes Peak State Park in Iowa (just across from Prairie du Chien) Unbelieveable view.

3) Effigy Mounds National Monument - Iowa. Just north of Pikes Peak SP.

4) Dubuque Arboretum. FREE!! Staffed by volunteers.

5) Galena, IL. Quaint little town with really good restaurants, shops, etc. Kind of a touristy town now. Lots of blue hairs out of Chicago. But very nice.

6) If you want to run a day away from the Big Muddy, head NE from Prairie du Chein on Hwy 60. This follows the Wisconsin River and is a great road. Also takes you to Spring Green (as mentioned earlier).

 

Enjoy the best riding in our state. If you were from Illinois, I would say 'leave your money and then go home'. However, since you are from Minnesota, I will say 'Welcome, enjoy'. (just kidding of course, we love Minnesotans to leave their money and go home too). Can you tell it's getting to the start of the NFL season?

 

RR

[CrazyHorse]

This is a beautiful area to ride in.

 

Enjoy the best riding in our state. If you were from Illinois, I would say 'leave your money and then go home'. However, since you are from Minnesota, I will say 'Welcome, enjoy'. (just kidding of course, we love Minnesotans to leave their money and go home too). Can you tell it's getting to the start of the NFL season?

 

RR

I understand your animosity, but where would Wisconsin be without Illinois? Probably a third world country.

[Iowawegian]

The hubby and I just spent Fri-Sun there and your going to love the area. We go over to that area several times during the summer....

If your crossing over at Wabasha and going down 35 (The great river road)....you'll come into Nelson. There is the Nelson Cheese Factory and you have to stop.....cheesecurds, wine, bread, sandwiches....It's the brick building on the right hand side with ivy growing all over it. www.nelsoncheese.com

You also need to get off of 35 and hit the alphabet roads and the small county roads. The ones with the green road signs. Any road that says "xxxxx Hollow" on it is great. Lots of hills, twisties, beautiful farms. Nelson is in Buffalo County, and I swear every back road is black top even though hardly anyone lives on them.

Once you get down to Victory...you have to spend a day in over at the Kickapoo Reserve area riding backroads. Wild Cat Mountain State Park has some beautiful roads surrounding the Park. If you go east of Wild Cat...on highway 33 there is a barn that's been made into a bar. It's called the "Bull Pen Bar & Grill) It's really funky. Anywhere in Vernon County is a nice ride! they also have alphabet roads.

Also, you have to go on Sunday to Rockton for their Barbequed Chicken. Hundreds if not thousands of bikes show up there on Sunday's at noon. It's really fun!www.rocktonbar.com

At Soldiers Grove, we always stay at the Country Garden's because the food is terrific, rooms are cheap and the manager Marcie is great! It's a bar and grill with motel on top. If you stop there...you have to order the Bourbon Pork Tenderloins. It's an appetizer that will feed a lot and it's scrumptious. They also have homeade pizza and it's great. They don't have a website but jusk ask anyone in town where it's at.

We found a new place out in the middle of nowhere this time close to Viroqua. It's on Norwegian Hollow Road and it's a bar/rest named Norwegian Hollow. The riding is really pretty and the bar is really nice. All the "xxxx Hollow" roads are really pretty riding in this area too!www.norwegianhollow.com

There is also Vernon Vineyards which is out in the country near Viroqua, which is one of the prettiest vineyards we've been to! Free tastings.www.vernonvineyards.com

I could go on and on....we love it over in that area....

If you go farther south....you have to hit New Diggings.www.newdiggs.com

It's also out in the middle of nowwhere.

If you go to Dubuque you have to ride this...

http://www.google.com/images?q=tbn:BaI1U_yLnfNQiM::graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2005/08/19/travel/18road2_lg.jpg&h=78&w=112&usg=__wIvk7Enn-fBFEsx7mitHeiJTlcc=It's the Fenelon Place Elevator....it costs $1.00 per person and it's a howl!

Coming from Iowa, I can say this......there are a lot of gravel roads and not much blacktop in Iowa. That's why we always head to Wisconsin.....

 

If you like being in bigger towns and large crowds...ignore this whole post because these places are where the hubby and I like to ride. Away from large city's, ton's of people and lot's of vehicles.

I could go on and on, but your going to have fun no matter where you ride!

[mikensue3]

If you haven't been to "The High Ground" in Neillsville Wisc. I highly recommend it. Its a Veterans Memorial park that in my opinion is better than many of the monuments in D.C. Has the only Native American Viet Nam Veterans memorial and an exact replica of the Liberty Bell and so much more. Mike

[krispy]

Some excellent ideas already. Thanks to all of you!! Did I say that I can't wait?? Larry Edited July 19, 2010 by krispy