Planing a Big Trip! 

"HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles" (hondasfordsvolvo) 10/10/2017 at 23:42 • Filed to: None

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So back in April I visited my Cousin down in Iowa, and he told me about a route that runs basically from his back yard to mine call the Trans Wisconsin Adventure Trail. A 600 mile route of fire roads, back roads, and anything but a main highway. To give you an idea othis is normally a 260 mile trip.

The roads themselves aren’t that challenging, after all they are roads, probably. Reading on a Jeep forum one member asked if he would need a support vehicle or if one Jeep could do it alone. And another member said “honestly you could do it in a Subaru”. Well we won’t have a Subaru. We will have my Galant VR-4 and my cousin’s modified CRV. We shouldn’t have any problems.

His car is a bit more offroad capable than mine.

I’m looking forward to getting my car all geared up, with a roof rack basket loaded with a full size spare, gas tank, a shovel, an axe, and camping gear. I think our cars should be perfect, if they were any more capable it would be boring. Plus this is less about conquering a trail and more like automotive geared camping.

My brother in law, my 8 year old son, and myself will drive down to Iowa in a day, meet my cousin and his buddy and head back up north on the trail. It’s gonna be a 3 day trip, back up. Camping two nights, and taking out time. We’re currently thinking late April. It’s gonna be a blast. We’re basically doing a Gambler 500, without the crowd. Although I do still want to run a Gambler some time.

Here’s my to does:

New radiator, shock and springs, or coil-overs, subframe bushings, front skid plate(half done), easily accessible tow hooks. And new subframe bushings.

tromoly > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/10/2017 at 23:51

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End point in Galena?

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > tromoly 10/11/2017 at 00:03

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Well that’s where we’ll start, but yes. Here’s the actual map. https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1KUgxaPCtRqWSY3ORd-EwEI4x2gA&hl=en_US&ll=45.24365417025214%2C-90.55204402901313&z=9

RacinBob > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/11/2017 at 00:46

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I have done variations of this trip 100 times in a 66 Mustang 6, a Maverick V8, a ITB class Rabbit, a GLH, an X-11, a Transport, a Uplander and multiple Si’s.

I don’t know why they didn’t send you down the river road at Lansing.

or down C, CX and A south of Prairie

or Stop at the Beer Hall of Fame at Potosi which is 4 miles off the route

I would then take the backroads and cross the old bridge at East Dubuque which served hard alcohol back when I last visited in 1975... 

You can crawl down the county roads on the East Coast of Iowa from there. Plenty of interesting country . If you stop at St Donatus which is a Luxemburger Heritage site make sure to visit Kalmes Market and get some smoked Ribeye or Sausages. You will not find better.

RacinBob > RacinBob 10/11/2017 at 00:51

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PS There are campsites around La Crosse. The return trip takes you up Hwy 35 which has spectacular views and is a a fun layover town.

tromoly > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/11/2017 at 01:15

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Tempting, Galena’s only a couple hours from me, this will be a future trip for sure.

shop-teacher > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/11/2017 at 07:00

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That sounds like an obscene amount of fun!

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RacinBob 10/11/2017 at 08:23

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Hmm I might need to do some modifications. I’m laying out the hole Trip in a big atlas so we don’t have to rely on a tablet, or cellphone. So I’ll just add these variations into my notes.

Mercedes Streeter > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/11/2017 at 08:30

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Holy crap, I’m only two hours from the Dubuque portion of that trail. Oh heck yeah I’ll be doing that once I get the lift squared away!

Hammerdown > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/11/2017 at 10:11

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It’s a very popular route for ADV motorcycle riders, so be on the lookout for them as you go. Here’s a link to one guy’s ride report that might give you an idea what the roads look like.

http://advrider.com/index.php?threads/exploring-the-trans-wisconsin-trail.343821/

Have fun!

RacinBob > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 10/12/2017 at 19:24

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LaCrosse Stuff - There are several campgrounds all the way up the river. Reserve early. Here are some things along the way.

Villa St Louis in Prairie Duchein. Also you will be passing one of the largest Cabelas there too on Hwy 35.

Also there is a combination Liquor and Gun store there too. http://www.starkssportshop.com/

https://villalouis.wisconsinhistory.org/

LaCrosse Stuff

Julia Bell Swain - Authentic real steam boat tours. Currently being rebuilt but might be running next spring. https://www.facebook.com/juliabelleswain/

There are other river tours to see also if they are not running

Check the view from grandad’s bluff in LaCrosse.

Hixon house tour is worth it. http://www.lchshistory.org/hixon-house/

Dahl Museum https://www.dahlautomuseum.com/

Elmers Car Museum http://www.elmersautoandtoymuseum.com/

I also would suggest you run up the Eastern Wisconsin Mississippi coast for the return for as far as makes sense

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > RacinBob 10/12/2017 at 19:28

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Thanks!