Mad City Bike Loops

Prairie du Sac is French for something. It’s got a mud lake and a vineyard, is kinda bumpy, might be wet, and you could dump or puncture anywhere. 23.5 miles, moderate. Follow your finish with fries and mayonnaise at the Blue Spoon (which I will pay for if you take a lap in Eagles’ stadium [...]

The annual Vermont Church dinner is the real deal. Thing is, hardly anyone likes lutefisk – they’re there for the meatballs, which are swedish. At least the lefse is norwegian and everyone likes lefse. 30.8 miles, moderate. Just like a lutefisk dinner this ride is hard to stomach at first, but hang on, plenty of [...]

How great is New Glarus? Spitze. 31.5 miles, moderate. Some of us love him and some of us hate him, but didn’t Greg say something like: ‘It never gets any easier…you just get faster’. That’s comforting, and so is beer. URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1744349 Here is the compressed GPX file for the ride:paoli-new-glarusgpx

A quick roll pre/post Parfrey’s Glen or an east bluff 5.10.  Climb onto the Bombadil Springfield for a strong Saturday. 19 miles, easy. Either way the ferry’s fun. URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1743970

The Springfield Corners dance hall is long gone and 12′s a 4 now, but this spot still swings. 22.4 miles, moderate. Step over from Lodi Springfield or pull a park-n-ride in Cross Plains. URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1743628

Fixies need fresh air too, so slip on some knickers and forty three sixteen your townie butt to the boonies and back. 19 miles, easy. Props for spinning out on roadie pursuits at Pheasant Branch. URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1742741

Hard to go wrong on this rendezvous with Susie. 37 miles, easy. Puller’s pick: there and back again or not-all-who-wander-are-lost. Just stay off the highways and you’ll be okay. (If your legs are fresh throw it into Gibraltar). The map with mileposts: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1742594

Welcome to the driftless. 29.3 miles, moderate. Bring your polka dots and watch for cars on this character builder. URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1742472

Meet at the bridge for the original after-work quickie. 27.7 miles, easy. Remember when there weren’t any SUVs?   Map with Mileposts: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1742236

The map is here: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1740845 An easy 14 mile doodle around town.  Meet-up at the South West Bike Path and Glenway.  Head North on the Southwest bike path, loop through on the Capital City trail and back around to Vilas Park.  Ride into the Arboretum and back out.   Fun and easy.  Nice scenery along John [...]

Welcome to the Mad City Bike Loops blog.  This blog is to capture maps and route descriptions for bike rides in and around madison.  You can contribute the to route listings, but first you need to get authorization to contribute.  Use the contact us form to and we’ll go from there.