After lunch we took our bikes on a ferry ride 2.5 miles from Bayfield, WI to Madelaine Island, one of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior. The largest of the Apostle Islands, it has 200 permanent residents. The car ferry provides access from Mar or Apr until the lake is frozen. Once the lake is frozen hard enough, there is an "ice highway" that can be driven. When the ice is either breaking up or settling into its winter thickness, folks can get across only by the wind sled - an enclosed boat-hulled craft with huge fans on the back that push the vehicle across the shifting ice.
Bayfield, Wisconsin
The biking on Madelaine Island was not the same as that on Mackinac Island. There was a portion of the roadways that had a designated bike path on the shoulders, but most of the time the bikers share the roads with cars. We biked about 10 -18 miles on the southern end of the island. I headed back to town sooner than John being unsure of the terrain and wanting to be sure I could get back. As it turned out, the hilly part of the ride was done early to get out of town. Another difference was the lack of lake views. Only a small part of the ride was close enough to the lake without trees blocking the view. Nonetheless, it was great to get the exercise after the time spent riding in the car.
Sharing the road!
We are spending the next three nights in Washburn, WI. This harbor is in front of our motel.
These pictures by Mark Hoffman show a wind sled. They also act as school buses to transport students from the island to Bayfield.
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