Elroy

Okay, this might be a slightly obscure request, but I'll be biking the Elroy-Sparta (Wisconsin) Trail over Memorial Day. The car will be in Sparta, we're staying overnight in Elroy (actually, halfway between Elroy and Kendall). Any recommendations for chow a walkable distance from Elroy/Kendall?

There is a very helpful book called Cafe Wisconsin: A Guide to Wisconsin's Down-Home Cafes by Joanne Stuttgen (Second Edition, 2004, U. Wisconsin Press). Near Elroy are: 1) In New Lisbon, the Corner Cafe (101 E. Bridge St., 608-562-5445, Mon-Sat 5:30 am-3:00 pm, closed Sunday) and in Wonewoc, the Country Gals Cafe (215 Center Street, 608-464-7277; Friday 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m., Sat. 6:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m., Sunday 6:30 a.m.-1:00 p.m.).

I have not eaten at either. At the Corner Cafe, try (perhaps) Bob's Triple By-pass - hash browns topped wih sausage, onion, green peppers, and two eggs, smothered in sausage gravy topped with shredded cheddar cheese. Yum.

The Friday dinner at Country Gals Cafe is a Wisconsin fish fry.

Forget the ride and chow down.

nr706,
Our family is thinking about renting a vacation home on Lake Tomah (50 miles from the Dells) in Sept, which is next to Sparta WI. We were also thinking about doing the Elroy - Sparta bike trail, a 32 mile trail. First of all, what did you think about this area and how was the bike ride? I really can't find any recommendations for dining in that area. We will do most of the cooking in the home, but I'm always up for a good fish fry or something special from that area. We usually rent a home near the Dells , but the home rentals are now so expensive . Any advice from you will help us out very much. Thank You Kim

Unfortunately, i came down with something and wasn't able to go this time. But I highly recommend the trail. When I've been in the past, I've started from Elroy, biked to Sparta (about 32 miles, plus a few more miles to downtown Sparta), stayed in a B&B in Sparta, then biked back to the car in Elroy the next day. This time I had planned to go the reverse route, starting in Sparta and staying overnight in Elroy. In retrospect, that plan was a mistake, both because Sparta is farther, and because Sparta is a more interesting town to explore than Elroy. As I recall (and forgive me for being vague), there was a reasonably good steakhouse in Sparta, not too far on the road out of town, past the high school, and a nice sports bar a little further down the road and across the street. There are several places to eat in downtown Sparta, too, but they didn't seem as appealing at the time. Of course, we had no car, so in Sparta we were pretty much llimited to what we could walk or bike to; if your car is there, LaCrosse isn't far and I'm sure has many more offerings.

But definitely do the trail if your family likes biking. If the full 64 mile round trip from the Sparta trail is a bit much for your family, the section between Kendall (where the museum/gift shop is) and Elroy is emminently skippable, and for a shorter ride still, just be sure to go far enough to the experience the Norwalk tunnel (approx. 26 miles round-trip from Sparta, or enter the trail from Norwalk and it's just a few miles - you'll never get a better understanding of the phrase "the light at the end of the tunnel). Bring a flashlight!