Biking

For more than 130 years, the Schwinn name has been synonymous with bicycles. This is still true almost 30 years after bankruptcy ended the Schwinn family’s ownership of the brand. The original factory in Chicago that once employed as many as 2,000 people is long gone. The Schwinn brand is now owned by a Dutch…

When COVID-19 brought lockdowns and gathering restrictions, people flocked to Wisconsin’s outdoors to escape crowds and catch a break from being confined to their homes. But while users crowded parks and trails, the state’s financial support has been on a long decline. Outdoor recreation contributed $7.8 billion to Wisconsin’s gross domestic product in 2020. The…

The spray of dirty slush, fall-inducing ice and bone-chilling temperatures can make venturing outside treacherous in Wisconsin this time of year — especially on a bicycle. Yet some hearty folks bike throughout winter and feel rewarded. They save money on parking and bus fare, or get exercise and fresh air. “I bike because it’s easier…

Wisconsin’s largest ski resort will launch a significant expansion after the state approved a new master plan for Rib Mountain. The plan also calls for the creation of new hiking, climbing and mountain biking trails at the central Wisconsin state park. The ancient quartzite hill outside of Wausau is already a site for skiing and…

On day one of Alexandera Houchin’s ultracyclist races, she questions why even show up. “I’m not as strong as these people,” she thinks to herself. But as time passes and she enters the third or fourth day of the competition, the race thins out. She forgets about comparing herself to others. She becomes deeply embedded…

Over the last three years, more than $8.5 million from Wisconsin taxpayers has been spent on attorneys hired by Republican lawmakers, reports the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Such cases include opposing Gov. Tony Evers’ responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and election laws. The Legislative Fiscal Bureau calculated the litigation to taxpayers at the request of Rep.…

Public input is divided over whether to allow motorized vehicles on two trails in southwestern Wisconsin, with supporters wanting fair access to public trails and non-motorized users worried about trail damage and safety. All-terrain and utility-terrain vehicle enthusiasts in Wisconsin counties on the Illinois border are asking the state Department of Natural Resources to consider…

A proposal to expand a central Wisconsin ski hill will now be considered alongside plans to bring mountain biking to Rib Mountain State Park. The state Natural Resources Board on Wednesday voted to create a new master plan for the park. The state Department of Natural Resources has been considering a proposal by Granite Peak…

A bike share program in Wisconsin Rapids is showing that, with grant support and work to promote it, small cities can make the program work. The River Riders Bike Share program is in its second year, and residents and visitors to the central Wisconsin city of about 18,000 people have logged more than 1,000 rides…