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| Eleva Wander |
With summer winding down and the number of good riding days dwindling, a large group of Overdrivers met in Eleva for a wander through Trempealeau and Buffalo counties. The morning was cool but it didn't take long for the sun and the rollers to warm everyone up. There are two nice ridges between Eleva and Independence that add nice views and fun descents, especially Witt Hill Road. At Independence, we stopped at a gas station to refuel. Everyone was looking forward to having the freshening south east breeze at our backs. We took County Q west out of Independence and climbed mid-way up the Montana ridge stopping for pictures at the world famous Welek Knob overlook. From there Q follows the contours of the ridge wall, creating spectacular views, before crossing into Wulff Valley at the Quarry. The descent in Wulff Valley is truly exhilarating. At Lookout, the Adams sprinted for the sign, while the rest of us saved our energy for the two ridges between us and Cheryl’s hot beefs. On the way to the next climb, Adam and Adam spotted the gravel on Julson Ridge Road and had try it. After getting directions on how to meet up with us on the other side, they took off on their own. The rest of stayed on the pavement, heading for the Bennett Valley. Rick was the next one to leave the pavement. Unfortunately, it was an unplanned detour at the bottom of the ridge. Luckily, a cracked helmet, a beat up bike, and a stiff neck and shoulder was the extent of the damage. The Weirliens, who live in the valley, gave Cheryl a ride home, where she grabbed her bike-enabled bug and came back for Rick. The rest of us, with a new sense of caution took a shorter way back than originally planned and picked up the cars at Eleva. Bob took Rick to urgent care and the rest of us headed backed to Cheryl’s, because we had promised to eat her leftover barbeque. The hot meal and the excellent meal hit the spot. Of course, Jerry and Dave still had to ride home.
