We had the brilliant sun, the low humidity, and the moderate temps in the mid-seventies, but sadly, the navigational savvy was in short supply, frustrating us at literally every turn as we tried in vain to reach the highly recommended destination of historic Paoli, south of Madison, some ten miles distant. Given the absurd difficulty in finding one’s way, in this otherwise beautifully laid out metropolitan area, I could not recommend Dane County as a cycling destination. Yes, there are myriad cycling paths and intelligently configured, protected bike lanes. Yes, Mechanic’s Row Cycles is one of the most unique and competently staffed bicycle shops I’ve ever encountered. Yes, the people are, without exception, friendly and helpful. In the end, however, if one cannot reach the desired destinations, and ends up literally riding in circles as we did for most of the day, then what’s the point of flying halfway across the country, dumping $100/day per bike when the featured attractions are unreachable? Ultimately, I’m grateful that Gina and I had the opportunity to see this jewel of the Midwest, Madison, and to get some solid if disorganized cycling in for three straight days. It was a privilege indeed to have been given the opportunity to do this.