When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Took the Sportster on a little weekender by myself. Headed up from the far SW suburbs of Chicago to Richland Center, WI. Took all two lane and back roads to get there. About 240 miles for Day 1. Headed West across the SW Wisconsin region known as The Driftless Area toward the Mississippi River. Crossed the Wisconsin River a couple of times in there too. After following the Mississippi down a bit, I lined up at the ferry crossing in Cassville. Had a big group of bikes pull in behind me shortly after. Chatted with several of them before we got on and the ride leader invited me to join them for lunch. Followed them down to Balltown, IA and had pie at Breitbach's. Split ways with them and headed South along the Mississippi on the Iowa side. Crossed over at Sabula into Savanna, eventually stopping in Fulton, IL for a night to visit with my parents. Total of about 220 miles on the day. High tailed it home from there for another 120 miles or so before the heat got any worse. As it was it was 90° by 11am, felt like 99°. Such a good ride and good to get some helmet time to think. Sportster did great and got around 45mpg for the trip.
Purple Heart Memorial in Richland Center, WI
Overlooking the Wisconsin River as the weather starts to turn a bit.
The group I tagged along with from the ferry to lunch (pie). What a great group!
Lock and Dam #13 on the Mississippi River
De Immigrant celebrating the 25th anniversary in Fulton, IL
Last edited by kvanderploeg; Jun 29, 2025 at 02:53 PM.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Driftless Weekend
