Northern IL and Southern Wisconsin on 2 Harley rentals

[Dan K]

OK - my buddy and I have been trying to schedule a time to use 2 free 24 hr rentals from Woodstock Harley in northern IL that his wife won him at a fund raiser.  Unfortunately, the dealership is no longer open on Sundays, so given our busy schedules, that put the Kaibosh on the camping trip...so today, being the nicest day ever, we cashed them in.

No reservation, but we were able to score a Heritage Soft-Tail and an Ultra-Glide.

My regular ride, which fits me like a glove is an FZ1, so I instinctualy search for twisties...well, there aren't many.  But I've got to say there are some great roads to be found out there.

We decided to go to Lake Geneva for lunch, but it was October Fest, and the road on the way in was so slow, my nuts were roasting on the open air cooled fire under the ultra-glide. So we ditched Lake Geneva, figured we could rely on the Garmin and got lost on the country roads.  What a great call.  Now, the Garmin wasn't mounted, as the cheap easy mount didn't fit on the beefy handle bars...but with the cruise control I just reached into my jacket and pulled it out every once in a while...

SO - the roads around Devlan WI, Fontana, Elkhorn to name a few, were excellent roads!  Almost brand new asphalt with lots of (mild) elevation changes and a few nice curves.

Anyway, to make this thread to have at least some value, I learned a way to find good roads:  follow the Miatas.  There were a million bikes, everywhere, and whenever I saw a miata or Mini Cooper S coming out of an obscure farm road, we took it and EVERY time, the road was amazing.  County B, County F, Thayer stuck in my brain, but there were some others that were great as well. Thompson?  I think that one is in Illlinois - state line road was also great.

All in all, a great ride.  The bikes were pretty good as well.  Not a huge fan of the Ultra-Glide (that's a boat of a bike - great when on the road - goes where you tell it. kind of rough on the slow speed stuff, make sure you have are consistent on the throttle ), but the Stereo is awesome.  Great controls on the grips, sound is good...wow.  The soft-tail, I've ridden many, had some pretty high bars, but was much more enjoyable to ride than the glide.  Glide is good for cross-country stuff, but the soft-tail was more...visceral?

Anyway, good weather plus getting lost and relying on the garmin to get back is a great way to spend the day.  Thanks for listening.

- Dan

[XbbX]

wher are the pics dammit!!!

I grew up in Crystal Lake and used to ride all the roads you were on...

lots of good memories

[Dan K]

wher are the pics dammit!!!

I grew up in Crydtal lake and used to ride all the roads you were on...

lots of good memories

I'll try and get them up tonight.  Not many, a frew from the saddle.  Couldn't believe how well maintained those roads were - perfect blacktop even on roads in the niddle of nowhere...did I mention North Shore Road in Fontana?  Not very long, but fantastic.

- Dan

[XbbX]

Bull Valley has some really nice roads. Mason Hill, Flemming and Cherry Valley are a few. We used to go bar hopping in Lake Geneva and Fontana cuz the drinking age was 18 in Wisconsin. Then we would stop at Galt Airport on the way back(my buddies Grandfather owned it). Pats Place and the Edgewater in Twin Lakes were big hangouts for us. And of course Road America every year....

man I miss that

[bomber]

All true -- nothing Gap-like in the area, but fun roads, nonetheless

+1 on the Miatas and Mini-Coopers --

I was out a couple of weekends ago, and saw a pretty good sized group of Morgans (15-10) -- they were coming out of some good runnin near Volo, and all the drivers were grinning like loons! (most of the passengares were haning on to the Jesus bars with white knuckles)