Don't Miss These Wisconsin Biking Trails

There is such a variety of Wisconsin Biking Trails to explore and enjoy. With Wisconsin's diverse seasons, you can ride all year long. Yes, even winter, as fat tire biking is now all the rage. However, since it is spring, we will save the winter sporting for another blog post!

Now, you may have your favorite trails, but discovering new ones is so much fun. No matter what part of the state you may want to visit, there is sure to be a trail that will match your adventure level. Therefore, we have put together some of our favorite finds that span much of the state. Nothing beats biking that combines beautiful scenery, exercise, touring, and exploring. 

Wisconsin Biking Trails and B&B's Just Seem To Go Together

Some things just seem to go together and biking and B&B's is one of those must-do's. Why? To start with, Innkeepers make it their job to know their area. They have all the innsider tips of favorite biking trails, scenic outlooks, and off-the-beaten path recommendations they love to share. Many of them are outdoor enthusiasts too, making them the expert. As a result, they will also know where to go for grabbing a cool beverage, lunch, or a special shop, close to the trails.  

Besides that, nothing beats returning to the B&B after your afternoon of touring these Wisconsin biking trails. Innkeepers often provide beverages, snacks, and a comfortable place to enjoy them. You can enjoy sun tea on the patio or a glass of wine on the covered porch before dinner. A restful night sleep, followed by a gourmet breakfast, is just what a B&B offers before starting your next day's adventures. Tip: ask if there is bike parking; many times B&B's have a space for you and your bike!

Where Some Of Our Favorite Wisconsin Biking Trails Are

Pedal'rs Inn

Pedal’rs Inn - Wales: The Glacial Drumlin State Trail is right at their front door. For the more adventurous biking, the beautiful roads of the Southern Kettle Moraine provide wonderful routes and scenic views. Surrounded by beautiful Waukesha County, the state and local county parks have beautiful trails for mountain biking, hiking, and cross country skiing.

Rochester Inn

Rochester Inn - Sheboygan Falls: The Rochester Inn is located near the Kettle Moraine State Forest. This is home to fantastic hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing. For avid cyclers, the Old Plank Road Trail is just minutes from the Inn. This makes The Rochester Inn your ideal getaway location to enjoy all of the recreational opportunities that Sheboygan County has to offer.

Inn at Wawanissee Point

Inn at Wawanissee Point - Baraboo: The topography surrounding the Inn at Wawanissee Point attracts road and mountain bicyclists of all skill levels for training, races, and pleasure. Right next door to the Inn, you can experience challenging mountain biking and racing at Devil's Head Resort. At Devil's Lake State Park, there are 29 miles of hiking and biking trails including 8 miles of off-road bike trails. Similarly, the scenic, rolling hills of the Baraboo Bluffs will offer endless winding paths through vistas and shady glades with some challenging hills.

Fountain Chateau B&B

Fountain Chateau - Hustler: The Omaha Bike Trail - This beautiful trail was originally the Omaha Railroad. The bike trail connects right next door to the Fountain Chateau B&B. Here, you can take a walk or a bike ride all the way to Elroy and the world-famous Elroy-Sparta State Trail, as well as the 400 State Trail. Whether you are a serious cyclist or someone who enjoys a leisurely pace, you will love this 12 mile, seal-coated bike trail that features an 875′ tunnel.

Seek the Unique With More Than Just Wisconsin Biking Trails

Finally, when you take the time for a getaway, you want to maximize your experiences. Therefore, the WBBA has put together 7 categories of experiences. Make sure you check out the Area Experiences page of our new website. From "Hiking, Biking, Running" and "Water Sports", to "Birding, Wildlife, Nature", you will be sure to find reason to getaway to a WBBA member Inn.

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

    We really can’t help ourselves when it comes to fall and food. After all, Wisconsin is tops in cranberry production and cheesemaking, to say nothing of potatoes, corn, apples, beer, and more. So it seemed only right to dedicate a story to the cornucopia of innkeepers whose cooking talents are top-notch. While mere mortals may dabble in cooking and baking, our innkeepers are gods and goddesses of the kitchen. Which, of course, means an incredible food experience when you stay at a Wisconsin B&B. Here are some of our picks for “top chef.” [caption id="attachment_2676" align="aligncenter" width="384"] Bowman's Oak Hill Wild Rice Cranapple Bake[/caption] When innkeepers get together for a cook-off, you can be certain they will put their best foot forward. At Bowman's Oak Hill B&B in Wisconsin Dells, innkeeper Nancy Bowman was a grand prize winner for her Wild Rice Cranapple Bake. Here's what you need to do for this delicious breakfast treat: Number of Servings: 4 generous or 8 side dish sized portions Baking Time: 30 minutes Baking Temperature: 350°F Ingredient List: 1 ½ c. cooked Wild Rice ¾ c. raw oatmeal 2 large red apples ¾ c. dried Cranberries ½ c. raisins ½ T. cinnamon ½ c. chopped nuts (you can use either walnuts, pecans or a mixture of the two) 2 c. milk ¼ c. brown sugar ¼ tsp salt 2 T of butter Preparation: In large bowl Mix: rice, oatmeal, thinly sliced apples (Not peeled), cranberries, raisins, cinnamon and nuts. Heat in microwave oven until hot: Milk, brown sugar, salt and butter Mix into rice and fruit mixture. Put into buttered 2 qt. casserole. Cover and Bake @ 350°F for 30 minutes How served / presentation: Garnish with: A dollop of low fat vanilla yogurt and drizzle of pure Wisconsin Maple Syrup. For my meat lovers I add a side of sausage with whole grain English muffin. This recipe makes 4 generous servings or 8 side dishes to be served with an egg dish and sausage. [caption id="attachment_2709" align="aligncenter" width="399"] Dinning Area of Fountain Chateau B&B - Hustler[/caption] Suzanne Soltvedt of Fountain Chateau B&B in Hustler was also a winner in a cook-off for her Wild Rice Pancake, Cranberry Delight. This recipe may look long, but with homemade chutney, cran-raspberry syrup, and browned sage butter, it is well worth the time and care for this delicious delight: Number of Servings: 8 Necessary Utensils: 1 large sauce pan, 2 small saucepans, mixing bowl, measuring cups and spoons, strainer, grater, paring knife, griddle and small fry pan Ingredient List: Whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, eggs, honey, buttermilk, olive oil, orange zest and orange half. Water, sugar, cranberries, apples, vinegar, raisins, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves. Cran-raspberry juice, sugar, light Karo syrup. Unsalted butter, sage leaves, chicken broth Preparation: Pancakes: 1. In a large sauce pan place ½ cup wild rice in 2 cups boiling water and cover; cooks in about 45-55 minutes but check the water doesn’t cook dry. 2. To make the pancakes, place 2 cups whole wheat flour, 2 tsps. baking soda, ½  tsp baking powder, in mixing bowl.  Add 2 eggs, 2 tbls. Honey, 2 ½ cups buttermilk, 2 tbsp. Olive oil and mix 3. Add 1 ¼ cup cooled wild rice 4. Add the zest of one orange grated 5. Add 1 cup minced craisins or raisins or dried cherries Mix until moistened; place about ¼ cup of batter on hot griddle; turn when top bubbles. Continue until all the batter has been used. Chutney: 1 cup water ¾ cup sugar ½ tsp. Cinnamon ¼ tsp. Ginger ¼ tsp. Allspice 1/8 tsp. Cloves 1/2 cup vinegar ½ cup craisins or raisins 1-16 oz. Package of cranberries or 2 cups 1 cup apples, peeled, cored and diced Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes Cran-raspberry Syrup 1 ½ cup cran-raspberry juice 1 ½ sugar ¾  cup Karo syrup Bring to a boil for about 10 minutes Browned Sage Butter 5 T. Unsalted butter 15-18 sage leaves broken into small pieces ¼ c. low sodium chicken broth Heat the butter on high heat in a frying pan.  As soon as it gets hot, add the sage leaves and swirl to coat. Keep cooking until the butter turns brown and the sage leaves begin to turn brown. Immediately remove from the heat. Hollow out an orange half How served / presentation: Place two pancakes on plate Fill the hollowed out orange with chutney Fill a small pitcher with cran-raspberry syrup – serve on the plate Drizzle browned sage butter over pancake   [caption id="attachment_848" align="aligncenter" width="357"] Lindsay House B&B - Manawa[/caption] Owner of the Lindsay House B&B in Manawa, Judy Trull, was recently featured on Living With Amy with Fox 11 - she whipped up her recipes for Panetonne French Toast & Dreamscicle Scones. Take a peek at the recipes and the segments of the show below: Panetonne French Toast with Cinnamon Cream Syrup Dreamscicle Scones   Innkeepers at Jay Lee Inn in Elkhart Lake, Garden Gate B&B in Sturgeon Bay, and Hamilton House B&B in Whitewater have all had recipes published in the Wisconsin Bed & Breakfast cookbook, as well as many other innkeepers across the state! Here's a sample of what they offer: [caption id="attachment_2695" align="aligncenter" width="366"] Jay Lee Inn - Elkhart Lake[/caption] Jay Lee Inn: Swedish Flop 1 cup butter, divided 2 cups flour, divided 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp water 1 tsp vanilla 1 cup flour - shouldn’t this be deleted? 3 eggs Chopped nuts and/or shredded coconut Confectioners’ Sugar Frosting: ¾ cup powdered sugar 1 heaping Tbsp butter 1 heaping Tbsp Crisco ½ tsp vanilla extract 2 Tbsp milk Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut ½ cup of the butter into 1 cup of flour and mix to make coarse crumbs. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons water over the flour mixture and blend quickly with a fork. Roll or pat out dough into two long strips (about 10–12 inches) on an ungreased cookie sheet. Combine 1 cup water and the remaining ½ cup butter in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the vanilla. Remove from heat and beat in the remaining 1 cup flour, stirring by hand with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Spread the dough over the pastry strips and bake 55–60 minutes, or until lightly browned. (It will flop at this point.) Allow to cool slightly before drizzling with frosting. Sprinkle with your choice of nuts, coconut, or sprinkles. For the frosting: Mix together all ingredients, adding just 1 tablespoon of milk at first. Add additional milk to make frosting of desired consistency. [caption id="attachment_2696" align="aligncenter" width="377"] Garden Gate B&B - Sturgeon Bay[/caption] Garden Gate B&B: Brunch Strata 3 cups sliced mushrooms 3 cups chopped zucchini 2 cups fully cooked ham, cubed 1½ cups chopped onions 1½ cups chopped green peppers 2 garlic cloves, minced ¹/³ cup vegetable oil 3 8 oz. pkgs cream cheese, softened ½ cup half & half cream 12 eggs 4 cups day old bread, cubed 3 cups (12 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese 1 tsp salt ½ tsp pepper Sauté mushrooms, zucchini, ham, onions, green peppers and garlic in oil until vegetables are tender. Drain, pat dry and set aside. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Beat in eggs and stir in the bread, cheese, salt, pepper and vegetable mixture. Pour into 8 individual ramkin dishes. Bake uncovered at 350°F for 35–40 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving. [caption id="attachment_2697" align="aligncenter" width="402"] Hamilton House B&B - Whitewater[/caption] Hamilton House B&B: Breakfast Meatloaf 1 lb. ground chicken 1 medium Granny Smith apple, grated 1 medium onion, grated 2 cups plain stuffing croutons (I like Pepperidge Farm) 2 large eggs Parsley, thyme, and rosemary Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pie pan or loaf pan with cooking oil. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Press evenly into pan. Sprinkle top with parsley, thyme, and rosemary. Bake for 50–60 minutes until browned. Cut into wedges and serve— good warm or cold. Variation: Can be made with any combination of ground chicken, pork, or veal.   [caption id="attachment_2701" align="alignleft" width="283"] Old Rittenhouse Inn - Bayfield[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1920" align="alignright" width="178"] White Gull Inn - Fish Creek[/caption]               Did you know that many Wisconsin B&B have chefs on staff? Inns such as Old Rittenhouse Inn in Bayfield, where they showcase the regional harvest of the Bayfield Peninsula and offer cuisines that are organically grown and locally raised, or White Gull Inn in Fish Creek, where they use only the freshest of produce and other ingredients, preparing each meal carefully to order, are just a couple of examples of inns that showcase their top-notch culinary skills. Now, if all that has made you hungry, jump to our expanded recipe section in this enewsletter and get cookin’ yourself!  

Are you ready to Seek the Unique?

[caption id="attachment_1831" align="aligncenter" width="300"] The photo of The Red Chair that started a phenomenon in 2011[/caption] The Red Chair Travels is coming to Wisconsin!  The WBBA is so excited to part of this phenomenon that started 5 years ago in Cape Cod, MA. Beth Colt is the innkeeper of the Woods Hole Inn on Cape Cod.   She took a picture of this red chair perched out on a frozen pond in Woods Hole in the winter of 2011.  When she posted the photo on Facebook her computer lit up with "likes" and this simple image journeyed all over cyberspace, and landed in the in-box of a California-based photographer, who was inspired to come visit the Woods Hole Inn in the off season.  When she asked to borrow the chair she was surprised; when the fruits of her labor arrived in the mail Beth was in awe. [caption id="attachment_1832" align="alignright" width="300"] Captain Freeman Inn Cape Cod, MA[/caption] The red chair became a symbol, a metaphor for connections made across invisible boundaries. In 2012 Beth contacted other Inns in Cape Cod to see if they would like to "host" the Red Chair for a few days and photograph the chair's visit.  Since then the Red Chair has visited more than 20 states in the U.S., and parts of Canada. For Beth Colt, "the red chair is an invitation to come explore yourself in a quiet and beautiful place.  It is an open seat at the table of relaxation.  It is the beckoning hand of civilization, marking the edge of the wildness of nature.  It is the dialogue between artists and innkeepers, dreamers and shop-girls, lost travelers and those that welcome them into warm beds." We know the Red Chair will feel right at home in Wisconsin and we are excited to see all the different adventures it has along the way.  Listed below is the schedule for the Red Chair Travels in Wisconsin.  Are you ready to Seek the Unique?  Book your stay at one of the participating WBBA B&B's today so you can take part in the Red Chair Travels!