Days 30 and 31

Sep 20

Day 30 - Spring Green, WI to Madison, WI

Miles: 54 mi
Elevation Gain: 2,476 ft

Day 30 was a shorter but beautiful ride into Madison — 54 miles with 2,476 feet of climbing through rolling hills, dairy farms, and yes, more cornfields. We rolled straight into Madison’s Capitol Building, where the Trek Travel team greeted us with a gorgeous picnic on the Capitol lawn. To make the moment even sweeter, my friend Dan (a P2P alum from 2024) was there to cheer me on.

One of the highlights of the day came courtesy of my fellow rider Tony’s girlfriend, Jana. Jana has been such a big supporter of this journey, and for Day 30 she brought along her mom’s famous homemade cinnamon rolls all the way from Nashville. They were absolutely delicious — and made for a fun start to the day!

Arriving a bit earlier in the day meant I could sneak in a nap at the hotel before we headed out to Trek HQ in Waterloo, WI for a quick tour. Afterward, we were treated to a delicious dinner at Trek’s Lodge. By the time we returned to Madison, I had the best welcome of all — Steve was waiting for me at the hotel! 💗

Day 31 – Rest Day in Madison, WI

Rest days are always a treat, and today was no exception. I started the morning with an impromptu breakfast with some of my favorite riders, followed by a massage (while Steve heroically did my laundry 🙌). We wandered around Madison’s Farmers’ Market, which circles the Capitol building — beautiful sights, sounds, and smells everywhere.

Of course, rest days also mean repacking and reorganizing, the only way to keep some order in this traveling circus. But the best part of the day was spending time with some of my favorite people - my brother Wade, his wife Nicole, and my niece and nephew Addison and Henry came from Cedar Rapids, IA for a quick visit! We wandered down to the Willy Street Fair - a fun way to spend the afternoon! Later, we had dinner with my biking coach Tom Murray (and other fellow riders he coaches).

These rest days not only give my body a chance to recover but also give me time to reflect on just how much support I’ve had along the way. The texts, blog comments, and encouraging messages mean the world to me. Special thanks to my friends Brad and Cari for sending me a “Tough Players Win” shirt — such a thoughtful and motivating surprise.

I am deeply grateful for all of you who are cheering me on. Your love, encouragement, and positivity carry me through every mile. 💗