BONZAI - MAY 28 2006 - MONROE, WI
Mapping the 125 bonus locations revealed 3 options - big points in Hayward, big points in Three Lakes, or a bunch of smaller points in SW Wisconsin. I decided on the Monroe area bonuses because of the great alphabet road scenery and multiple bailout options at the end. The scenery, after all, was why I was there. Attempting to be efficient on 30-40 bonus stops on a 90F day doesn't sound like a great plan but it was my plan.
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| Ludlow and the Flying Bread pan | Riders gathering | My Route |
Sunday morning I did my odo check-in around 5:45am. With my route defined, I knew I was still short of film for this Polaroid Fest '06 so I took a walk to the Pick 'N' Save. I arrived right at their scheduled opening time of 6am but the doors were still locked. After catching the attention of the cashier, I was let inside and bought their last pack of film. I was set for taking 40 Polaroid's without having to shop for more during the rally, cool!!
Rally Start
I headed north on County N to pick up cheese, wine, and pie bonuses on the way to Black Earth. I had my first two Coons sightings of the day and wondered how similar his route was. I picked up the TinMan mailbox bonus south of Black Earth and saw the metal sculptures in the ditch and thought they would make a good bonus also but I had only the TinMan on my route sheet so I headed to the Shoe Box.
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| 01. Chalet Cheese Coop | 05. Prima Kase?? the sign less Cheese Factory | 19. New Glarus Winery | 33. Blue Sky Cafe in Mt Horeb | 81. TinMan Mailbox | 83. Shoe Box in Black Earth |
Lunatic pulled up along side me on Bill's R100 as I was leaving Black Earth and said he had just picked up some veterans memorial and military equipment bonuses right behind me. I figured I'd pick them up after Rookies because it was right around the corner. Turns out Rookies was outside of town and at this time I also realized that my TinMan waypoint had covered up the additional metal sculpture waypoint. It was too far to backtrack now so I walked away from 600+ easy points and headed toward the Ferry Bluff Crossing bonus.
The bonus sheet said the ferry crossing was a hike XXX feet up a X% grade from the parking area at the end of a gravel road. I figured it didn't sound that bad so I start hiking without taking off my helmet or riding jacket. It was one steep climb and half way up I'm ready to die. What a perfect time for heat stroke as I didn't bring my water with me and no one is around to help. I leave my gear on the side of the trail and press on to the top. The view was great and I actually started cooling off on the trek down hill. I kept thinking this bonus should have been worth waaaaay more points.
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| 84. Rookies Bar | 97. Ferry Crossing | Veterans Memorial near Sauk City | Historical Marker near Sauk City | 15. Wollersheim Winery | Historical Marker near Baraboo |
I picked up the Wollersheim Winery bonus on the way to the Foverton next to Delany's surplus. The gate was closed so I walked in and took a pic over the fence as another rider had done. I then hit towns for spelling the "Rally" combo and also the "Businesses with Guns and Ammo" combo.
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| 80. Foverton scrap metal sculpture | Historical Marker near Baraboo | 45C. La Rue for "Rally" Combo bonus | 59. Sprecher's Bar in Leland | 45B. Rockbridge for "Rally" Combo bonus | Historical Marker Rockbridge |
I was thinking I hadn't seen another rider for a while but then Bart Bakker was at Crazy Frank's on this beautiful 90F day. After my purchase and some water, I headed toward Lansing Iowa. I picked up my state of IA gas receipt in Marquette before stopping at the Isle of Capri for my casino token. The casino security guard asked for my ID which just happened to be sealed up in an envelope back on the bike. He asked if I was old enough to gamble. I told him I was 35 and pointed to my follicles challenged head and he let me pass. Off to Starks in Prairie Du Chien and yet another Coons sighting. This guy is always ahead of me.....
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45A. Yuba for "Rally" Combo bonus |
74. Crazy Franks in Readstown |
Back to Back Desoto Historical Markers | 45D. Lansing, IA for the "Rally" Combo bonus | 47. Isle of Capri Casino Bonus |
58. Starks Boat Shop and ammo |
I go back into IA after Starks for the bonuses north of Dubuque. I just love this area and it was worth points too!! I cross over into E.Dubuque for my IL gas receipt and there is Coon's bike sitting at the pump with its pilot no where to be seen.. I take off and finally get ahead of this guy! I collected the dinosaur sculpture bonus near Sinsinawa on my way to Benton. I complete the firearm combo then the Rally combo in Arthur.
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72. Grotto in North Buena Vista, IA |
34. Breitbach's in Balltown, Iowa's oldest Bar |
Historical Marker Benton | 60. Ye Olde Rock Inn and Firearms, Benton | Cuba City Caboose |
45E. Arthur for "Rally"Combo bonus |
The Finish
Crazy Franks in Mineral Point was my last mandatory for combo points so I revised my plan for what I could finish by 7:30pm. I came up with the Don Q bonus in Dodgeville and the Barneveld winery with my GPS saying 15 minutes to spare. I may have time for the Waelti bird sculpture trifecta in Monroe and maybe put on the extra 5-10 miles I needed to get the 1600 point mileage bonus for being over 500 miles for the day. I was having a great ride after missing those few easy points early but things were going to change. The Don Q bonus was north of town vs. my waypoint being in the center of town. I burned precious time getting through town and then my GPS misdirected me back onto US-151S instead of North.
Back on track, I still have time to get the winery bonus in Barneveld. A bit of mental fatigue must have been setting in as I ride to the middle of Barneveld and then decide to read my bonus sheet that says its south of town on CR-K. I collect my bonus and again my GPS barfs on directing me back to US-151 (WTF). Finally heading toward Monroe, my arrival time looked OK until avoiding road construction delayed me enough to be in the 2-4 minute late range and a 2K point penalty. I came in 7 miles short of the 500+ mileage bonus and missed out on the another 1K points. Just what you'd expect from an "known high miler".
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73. Crazy Franks in Mineral Point |
62. Airplane at Don Q Inn Dodgeville |
14. Winery near Barneveld |
My total points was just over 15K before the time penalty. I really had a great ride all day so the extra 4 minutes and missing 7 miles didn't spoil it. Congrats to riders with the huge point totals of 16-18K, that's amazing riding. Thanks to Bill and GLMC for doing all the work to let us have fun.
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