Monthly Archive for June, 2007

Destination: Wisconsin Rustic Roads

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on June 29, 2007
in Destinations
. 1 Comment

by D. Brent Miller

Wisconsin Rustic Roads--details of routes. Those little jewels of destination roads can be elusive. But with a little digging you can find some real wonders and be rewarded to boot. That’s just what the State of Wisconsin had in mind when they legislated the Rustic Road Program more than 30 years ago.

Sharon Hicks-Bartlett, publisher of Sojourner’s Moto Tales, discovered the program and set out to ride at least 10 Rustic Roads in order to earn an RR Motorcycle Patch. Living near Chicago, the Wisconsin state line and some of those two-laners are easily a one-day outing. Her May 2007 ride report gives a pretty good description of the excellent riding available. Hicks says she has ridden 13 Rustic Roads in all, and all of them a fantastic ride. “If it hadn’t been for the Rustic Roads program, I wouldn’t have found these great roads.”

Rustic Roads map of routes. The concept behind Rustic Roads is to generate tourism traffic in some of Wisconsin’s smallest communities via the roads that surround them. The road system was created by the 1973 State Legislature to preserve Wisconsin’s scenic, lightly traveled country roads for the leisurely enjoyment of bikers, hikers and motorists. Roads must be nominated by local communities and there are qualifications.

“To qualify for the Rustic Roads Program, a roadway must have outstanding natural features along its borders. These might include rugged terrain, native vegetation and wildlife, or open areas with agricultural vistas that make the road unique. The road should be a lightly traveled, local access road. It should not be scheduled for major improvements which would change its rustic characteristics. A Rustic Road may be dirt, gravel, or paved road. It should be at least two miles long with a maximum speed of 45 mph.”

 According to Jane Carrola, Wisconsin Rustic Roads Coordinator, the Rustic Roads program is a combination of efforts to promote economic development of Wisconsin’s rural areas through tourism, and to preserve the rustic nature of rural Wisconsin. There are 103 designated routes in the state providing more than 570 miles of scenic roads.

rustic-patch Unique for motorcyclists, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation will issue a patch to riders who complete ten Rustic Road routes. A certificate is available for riding 25 or more. Visit the RR Motorcycle Patch page for more details.

A copy of the Rustic Roads Program book is available for download along with other materials from the Wisconsin Dept. of Tourism. You can also order a hard copy. Descriptions of the routes offer good traveler info. Here’s a sampling:

R-78, Lincoln County. “The traveler will see Copper School, an historic one-room schoolhouse, at the southern end of the road.”

R-97, Marinette County. “A curvy, hilly route passing through many wooded areas that often form a scenic canopy over the road….”

R-64, La Crosse County. “McGilvray Road is on the National Register of Historic Places because of its seven rare bowstring-arch bridges.”

If you are going to the 2007 BMW International Rally, July 12-15, in West Bend, Wisconsin, you’ll have the opportunity to ride a few of these roads. The BMW rally event organizers are promoting Rustic Roads in their event information.

Enjoy the ride! See you on the highway.–DBrent

Rustic Road booklet sample pages.

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News Stand News

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on June 20, 2007
in Notes to Readers
. 5 Comments

by D. Brent Miller

Hey all you Road Runner Motorcycle Touring & Travel magazine readers and subscribers. The August 2007 issue is hitting the news stands and your mailboxes.

My feature story, “Beside the Big Muddy” is published on page 76. Enjoy the article. This is my third published article in Road Runner.

What! You don’t subscribe to Road Runner? The folks at the magazine can take care of that for you here.–DBrent

 

Meaningful Travel

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on June 20, 2007
in Scribblings and Trip Planning
. 0 Comments

by D. Brent Miller

When I travel, I like to make it meaningful, perhaps even spiritual. How? By studying the history of the places I visit, whether it be a museum or a roadside historical marker. I am always looking to learn something about a place. I am always looking to find something that puts things in perspective and harmony. And most importantly, sharing my findings and observations with others through writing and photography.

I am always looking to learn something about human nature and myself in my travels. You know those four little questions we all ask of ourselves, “Who am I?” “Where did I come from?” “Why am I here?” “Where am I going?” For me, all travel asks these questions as a foundation for hitting the road.

“Who am I” is always a journey of self discovery, whether on the motorcycle, in a car, traveling by rail or airplane. Who am I to take this journey? Why me? What’s my motivation? Or should I say moto-vation. The best journey is one that is meaningful, that aids in self-discovery no matter how great or small the moment. It doesn’t hurt to have a little fun in your travels, either.

The simple and sarcastic answer to “Where did I come from” is: Well … this morning I left the house for the studio. But where I came from is a lineage of parents, grand parents, great grand parents, and their ancestors–each individual contributing to my DNA and very essence. I can see my features in both my parents, and I look remarkably like my great grand father whom I never met. On top of that DNA are all the experiences, the journeys and people I have met. Each one has provided a certain amount of influence, including the bad ones, for it is through all life experiences that our own is shaped.

“Where am I going?” Today, nowhere in particular. But tomorrow, I am getting a new front tire for the motorcycle. Friday, I will meet my brother about half way to Indianapolis for lunch–I plan to test that new tire. The bigger picture of where I am going is part of that self discovery. Along the way, I will learn something about myself, and it will make me a better person, spouse, friend.

The hardest question to answer is, “Why am I here.” For many, it is just one day at a time, plodding along. Some are meant to lead. Others follow. A few rebel. Plenty non-conform. We have this whole life to figure it out … and then we account for it.

For me, meaningful travel, meaningful life, is like a highway. It goes up and down, curves, and sometimes extends out of sight. It traverses through beautiful countryside or through desolate areas. But, it is the joy of travel and the affirmation of self-discovery on that highway that makes it meaningful.–DBrent

Country road, looking south on SR 203, south of Lexington, Indiana.

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Father’s Day on the Little Miami Scenic Trail

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on June 18, 2007
in Scribblings
. 0 Comments

by D. Brent Miller

A lot of families must have had the same idea for Father’s Day. The temperatures were in the upper 70s and rose to the 90s by mid-afternoon. The weather was perfect for a little mid-morning bicycling on the Little Miami Scenic Trail in southwestern Ohio.

Tandem ready for a ride. Although there are plenty of trail heads to access this 70-mile rails-to-trails path, Loveland is one of the most popular. The historic town, on the northeast side of Cincinnati, straddles the Little Miami River. The historic business district features specialty shops, several restaurants and ice cream shops, all of which seem to cater to the trail.

The trail follows the Little Miami River, Ohio’s oldest designated scenic river. As a converted railroad bed, the pavement is a very gradual grade, so gradual, it’s hard to tell if you’re going up or down hill. And, the trail is smooth and a joy to ride. Several communities along the trail have built connecting trails to give residents a connection.

Several outfitters rent canoes and kayaks on the river.

The trail provides frequent glimpses of the river. The surrounding vegetation and woods creates a peaceful setting for hiking or biking.

It’s not unusual to see a little wildlife along the trail. We almost hit a deer! A young buck was grazing in a field along the Lebanon spur when we first spotted him. We proceeded up the trail. In the meantime, he decided to run in the same direction behind the trees along the path, and then jumped in front of us to cross over to a cornfield on the other side. We stopped, but I couldn’t get the camera out fast enough. He was just doing his thing, avoiding people.

The ride was casual, averaging about 14-15 mph. With several stops, we rode 21.5 miles in about two hours. Our fastest speed was 37.0! We took a small detour off the trail to ride to our new home under construction. The road is a long, and some would say steep grade. Going up, we were in the lowest gear possible–huffing and puffing, because “in bicycling, there is no walking up the hill pushing the bike. No crying either.” Coming back, we coasted to the bottom for that top speed of 37. We had a great time!

Eventually, we hope to ride every mile of the trail, launching from the various trail heads.–DBrent

Father's Day ride on the Little Miami Scenic Trail

Merging web sites, Rural Chronicles moves here

Published
by
Sojourn Chronicles
on June 16, 2007
in Notes to Readers and Rural Chronicles
. 0 Comments

by D. Brent Miller

In my travels of rural America in the summer of 1990, I conceptualized a journalistic effort and product, Rural Chronicles. During my efforts to make it real, I focused on small towns and rural life issues. I tried to syndicate a column, but the small town newspapers couldn’t afford it. Then, I provided communication consulting and editorial services to the USDA, National Rural Development Partnership, American Farmland Trust, and worked with several state agencies. I spent three years as a governing board member of the Indiana Rural Development Council, and nearly four years as a part-time executive director of a small town chamber of commerce, in order to better learn the dynamics of small-community development. (Did I ever!)

In 2003 and 2004, I helped publish a book on innovative rural health care strategies. Tom Rowley wrote the book and I not only produced the photography, but also the layout and design. It is available from the National Rural Health Association. Tom and I had known each other professionally for several years, but became good friends during the book project. We talk frequently, as I do with friends made during all those years of efforts. Likewise, Michael Sowell, who was my liaison at the NRDP, is like a brother. He’s now at HUD. Both Tom and Michael have been mentors, friends and spiritual counselors. So, I hope these changes do not disappoint them.

Recognition must also be given to two other important people. Bob Dunbar back in South Bend listened to my hopes and dreams over the years over coffee. Good friends are like that. He said, “I’ll give you one thing, Brent. You are persistent, sticking with your dreams.” The most accolades go to my best friend, my wife Lin, who has been my steadfast encouragement in all things.

I have had the opportunity to work with some amazing dedicated individuals trying to make a difference in rural America, and even some of those have moved on to other things. However, 17 years of struggling to make Rural Chronicles into something is enough. The evidence lies here at Sojourn Chronicles, and the number of visitors that come to read, view and hear the stories I have to tell. It’s possible to continue something that reflects the Rural Chronicles mission here. So when I am traveling through a small town that warrants some attention, I’ll let you know.

Thanks for listening, and welcome to the few readers that found Rural Chronicles. I think you will find these journalistic efforts just as informative and more entertaining.–DBrent