Beyond Black River Falls: Part 2

"If you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, you are looking the wrong way." ~ Barry Commoner

The Chippewa River State Trail.

We spent Labor Day in Wisconsin, primarily on four wheels but many hours on two. First, we drove the distance, all around town and country, ending up in Black River Falls, Wisconsin. Over the weekend, we completed three favorite bike trails on two wheels, our favorite mode of transportation—thanks to the many wheeled former trains and their rail-to-trail tracks! Follow our wheels…

Click for Mosaic Monday.

Oh, no! The lion is eating a tent!

The epic Elroy Sparta Bike Trail is 32 miles long and connects Elroy, Kendall, Wilton, Norwalk, and Sparta. Tunnel 2 is 1,694 feet long and cost $75,557 to build. Tunnel 1 is a whopping 3,833 feet long. The trail is the first rail to trail conversion in the United States. Rail service began in 1873 and ended in 1964. This is a must-bike trail.

The tunnels are so spooky! You need to walk your bike through them, and unless you have a flashlight, you’ll enter complete darkness.

“A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robins in her hair.” Joyce Kilmer

This old grainery still stands behind my childhood farm. I love weathered barn boards!

The Old Abe State Trail near Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin.

It’s a seasonal wrap for the popular and nostalgic Dairy Way in Black River Falls, Wisconsin.

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sharonwagnerstudios
sharonwagnerstudios

Sharon Wagner is a supernatural writer, inexhaustible travel blogger, and illustrator of children’s books, including Maya Monkey. A creative from birth, she never stops dreaming of magical worlds to unravel with words. Her debut novel, The Levitation Game, launches this summer. When she’s not traveling the jungles of Central America, Sharon lives in Minneapolis with her husband and two cats.

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13 Comments

  1. Great collection of photos. The rail to trails are great we have a few in Maryland.
    Love the sweet deer photo. The Dairy Way looks very popular!
    Thank you for linking up and sharing your post.
    Take care, have a wonderful week!

  2. Nice pics. Love the Commoner quote! The tunnels do look spooky but interesting. The bike ride could be quite an adventure but fun! Such interesting photos.

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