J and I went for a jaunt to the south today, and embarked along the Badger State Trail. The Trail will eventually go from Madison to the Illinois Border, but right now, it starts on a quiet country road in Fitchburg.

Going from Verona to pick up the end, I chose an incredibly hilly road to get there. As we got closer, we saw a family of turkeys crossing the road.

We turned onto the path, which was less finished than the Military Ridge. There were stick and leaves scattered on the path, and it was definitely a big change from other state run paths. But then again, this path is technically still under construction. Signs reminding riders they needed a trail pass were outdated, with the wrong prices. I'm sure it will get better, the closer the path is to completion.

And there were very few other riders. In stark contrast to the traffic that I'm used to on other paths.

But it was nice. The path has few outlets, but is straight through heavily wooded areas, and along quiet fields. We hadn't been down this way before, and we kept trying to determine where the path was going. I knew that it headed down by Belleville, and farther south, but I wasn't sure. It was an adventure.

We saw more turkeys in the woods, and I got a stick stuck on my foot, which I kicked off. As we neared Belleville, we turned back and headed up to Paoli.

Paoli is a wonderful small town that caters to bikers and anyone looking to explore out into the country from Madison. They have ice cream, sandwiches, a gift shop, a cheese shop, a coffee shop, cafes, and a "localvore" grocery store that was sadly closed on Sundays.

All set on a delightful and picturesque river.

Paoli is one of my favorite places. It has an artsy vibe, and a cool little square in the middle of town, perfect for enjoying with a sandwich or an ice cream cone.

Plus, it's only a few miles from Verona along a quiet country road. I could tell that J was tired, and I was too, but it was so beautiful and clear out. It was an incredible day to get out on the bike.