Wisconsin Cycling Camp

Lon Haldeman's Midwest History

It was the summer of 1973. A fifteen year old boy is oiling the well worn chain of his bicycle. This bike had been scavenged from a dumpster before the trash man could take it away. The gold paint was chipped and the bike was missing the front derailleur and both shift cables. The worn out brake shoes were replaced by blocks of wood bolted in their place.

When this bike was new it was a Raleigh Hercules English Racer. Now it was Lon Haldeman's first real bike. This was the bike and the countryside that got Lon interested in long distance cycling. That summer he rode it to the Walworth ice cream shop that was ten miles away. Then he rode it on 50 mile jaunt around Lake Geneva. He rode it on his first 100 mile day trip to the town of Whitewater. Now thirty years later, after fifty cycling races and tours across America, Lon is still riding these same roads in southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois.

Lon would typically ride 400 miles per week as a teenager and never duplicate a route within 30 miles of home. The gridwork of farm roads allowed for a variety of terrain and scenery. Lon wasn't training, he was just exploring and riding. Gradually after five years and 50,000 miles of local cycling, Lon was in good enough shape to pursue his cross country racing ambitions.

The Idea for Wisconsin Cycling Camp

As Lon criss crossed America by bicycle he saw a tremendous variety of scenery and spectacular cycling roads. Still when Lon returned home he appreciated his local roads that offered quiet and safe cycling routes. That is why the idea to offer a summer cycling camp on these roads was a logically choice.

Lon wanted to provide a midwest camp that was educational, but also fun. Lon thought if you enjoyed cycling, it was a natural progression to want to learn more about it. The first step was always to enjoy cycling and keep the goals of training and competition in perspective as part of a lifetime sport.

Matheny’s Musings

by Fred Matheny of www.roadbikerider.com

I’ve found cycling paradise.

I don’t know your definition of velo Valhalla but I found a reasonable facsimile in south-central Wisconsin when I coached at PAC Tour’s Wisconsin Cycling Camp (www.pactour.com).

Nearly every road in Wisconsin is paved, thanks to the dairy industry. Farmers had to get the milk to market each day so the dairy lobby pushed for pavement. Tiny roads that would be dirt or gravel anywhere else are glorious blacktop in the cheesehead state.

These black ribbons thread their way among steep hills and traverse pastures via winding curves. Most are bordered with grass manicured by local residents. (Lawn mowing seems to be required for residence). Drivers were courteous but there weren’t many cars. We rode for miles in echelons, taking the whole lane (or the whole road).

I didn’t see one patch of glass in 600 miles. There’s virtually no roadside junk either. It made me wonder why Wisconsinites are so much prouder of their landscape than people in other states where chucking beer bottles and fast food wrappers out of car windows seems to be the official state sport.

Although Wisconsin roads are bliss, they aren’t eternal bliss, at least for me. They’re great for a week but for daily training I like my home roads in western Colorado--the altitude, big climbs and wild feel of riding in the mountains.

I like to see the occasional elk and there’s a definite shortage of the horny fellas in Wisconsin. And jeep road adventure rides up in the hills, done on a modified road bike, remain a standard in my training arsenal.

So I won’t be moving to Wisconsin any time soon. But would I do another tour in the Badger State? You wouldn’t have to ask me twice. With apologies to West Virginia and John Denver, Wisconsin is almost Heaven.

Roads and Routes

Wisconsin Camp is fortunate to have one of the best rural road networks of anywhere in the United States. Lon has chosen his favorite routes he has ridden over the past 30 years. Each day is planned to offer a 100 mile route with a shorter option. The terrain will range from flat prairies to medium length hills climbing several hundred feet. Lon trains on these route with a single speed bike, so they are not that long and steep, but many riders might like a low gear of 39 x 25. All the roads are paved and are in good to excellent condition. However, midsummer is construction season here, so be ready for short sections of fresh chip seal roads. Continental tires of 700 x 23mm are a suitable tire size.

Wisconsin Camp Featured Coach:

John Hughes

John Hughes has been riding PAC Tour events since 1988, and started coaching at our first Desert Camp in 1996. Since 1998 John has been director of the UltraMarathon Cycling Association and editor of UltraCycling magazine.

John has coached at the last two Midwest camps - he loves riding through the green rolling farm country, so different from the plains east of his home in Boulder, CO. John is looking forward to reconnecting with old friends and making new ones at camp - on the road and in the ice cream shops!

John enjoys working with cyclists who are trying to take the next step: whether that is riding a first century, or a double century, or a century a month in the UMCA's Year-Rounder, or racing in RAAM.

John is certified by USA Cycling and the National Strength & Conditioning Association.

John will be speaking on these topics:

1) Surviving Camp - Surviving Life

Weekend riders have a tougher time training than Tour de France pros. All they do is ride . . . and we have jobs and spouses and kids and . . . How to fit it all in and be ready to ride again tomorrow.

2) Every Day Nutrition for Good Cycling

There are no power foods or special pills - what should you eat on a regular basis to perform at your best.

3) Getting to the End of the Ride

Defensive cycling and avoiding accidents

4) Intensity

Riding hard(er) is one of the keys to better cycling. How much? How hard? How to measure it?

5) Growing Older

What I've learned from riding with athletes in their 60s and 70s - and we're all heading there!

Coach Kellie Moylan will not be able to attend this year.

Books for Camp

Each rider at Wisconsin Cycling Camp will receive RoadBikeRider.com's big new paperback, "Fred Matheny's Complete Book of Road Bike Training." This extensive book will be our training manual at Camp and be a helpful learning tool for everyone throughout the year. Riders will also have their choice of several other books covering medical and mechanical topics.

Nightly Entertainment

After dinner will be story telling hour. There will be several special guests coming by to share their perspective of 30 years of long distance cycling. Lon's mom and dad will tell about crewing on the first transcontinental records. Susan Notorangelo will add her adventures as the women's pioneer in long distance cycling. Lon's friend and frame builder, Ron Boi will tell about the evolution of cycling equipment over the years. This story hour will be a fun and educational look at how cross country cycling has progressed.

Lodging and Local Services

Wisconsin Cycling Camp will be based from the Econo Lodge Motel near the junction of I-90 and I-43 in Beloit, Wisconsin. It is a nice motel with all ground floor rooms and outside entrances. There are ten restaurants within walking distance including Applebee's, Perkins, Kountry Kitchen, and many fast locations. A Super Walmart is across the street that has a one-hour photo, grocery store and a great produce selection.

The camp price is based on double occupancy hotels each night. Pay an additional $250 if a single room is desired or required. Pac Tour can not guarantee finding everyone roommates. Should you be the final person to register for the camp and wish double occupancy, Pac Tour may not have that room available and you may be required to pay the single supplement if you wish to register. If a roommate becomes available, you will be refunded the unused portion of the single supplement.

Sag Stops and Meal Schedule

Breakfast, Lunch and Sag Stops are provided as part of Wisconsin Cycling Camp. Each morning between 6:00 - 7:00 AM an all you can eat breakfast will be served at the Kountry Kitchen Restaurant next to our motel. Our rides will depart at 7:30 AM. A sag stop with food and drinks will be provided near the 30 mile mark. A full lunch is planned at Lon's favorite local diners or cafes near the 60 mile point. In the hot afternoon, an ice cream stop will give us the chance for refreshments before we return to our motel. Evening dinners are on your own at many restaurants near the modern shopping district.

Commemoratives and Payments

Everyone attending Wisconsin Cycling Camp will receive and assortment of collectable merchandise including; an embroidered travel shirt, personalized gearbag tag, training books, and nostalgic Lon and Susan Posters. Riders signing up with a $300 deposit before June 15th will receive a special Wisconsin Cycling Camp Jersey. Final payments of $825 (less deposit) are due July 15th. Single rooms are available for an additional $250.

Travel Plans

Wisconsin Cycling Camp is based in Beloit, Wisconsin just north of the Illinois border. We are near the crossroads of I-90 going between Chicago and Madison and I-43 coming from Milwaukee. If you are flying to Camp the Milwaukee Mitchell Airport is an hour drive by car. We recommend the Milwaukee Mitchell Airport as the closest and most convenient by rental car. The Chicago O'Hare Airport is two hours away. There is the Van Galder Bus Service every hour for $14 from Chicago to Beloit. This bus does not take bike boxes at peak times if the luggage area is full. If you do not want to travel with your bike, you can ship it Federal Express or UPS to the PAC Tour office an we will bring it to the start.