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**The Tri-State Ride runs July 11-15 and averages nearly 60 miles a day through southwest Wisconsin and into Iowa (above) and Illinois. **May 20, 2011 | (4) Comments Unless you're racing, life tends to slow down on a bicycle. Which makes cycling a great way to see this state, says Kevin Hardman, executive director of the Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin. Especially if you have the time to do a multiday bike tour. "This is one of the great places in this country to ride," he said. "We've got not only a beautiful state with historic towns and lovely rural countryside, but plenty of varied terrain, from the flatter eastern sections around Lake Michigan to the Driftless Area in the west of the state that has some of the best hill riding in the country. "And then there's the Northwoods and the area up by Lake Superior," he said. "We have a great rural road system, thanks to the dairy industry, so WI is truly a wonderful place to pedal around on your bike."  Here's a rundown on some of the __Badger State's top multiday rides__, all of which are fully supported with outfitters hauling luggage from each overnight town to the next camping or lodging location. The tours also include sag wagon support to help with flats or pick up tired riders.   **WISPRIDE **stands for Wisconsin Parks Ride and runs June 5-10, rolling through state parks in southwest and south-central Wisconsin. It averages 60 miles a day over moderate to challenging terrain, some of which is in the Driftless Area. This is a camping tour limited to 40 riders. It starts and ends at Governor Dodge State Park near Dodgeville. See //bit.ly/jaNWNa// or call (800) 675-2295. **GRABAAWR **stands for the Great Annual Bicycle Adventure Along the Wisconsin River and runs June 18-25. The tour is 427 miles long with plenty of hills. It starts in Land O'Lakes at the headwaters of the Wisconsin River near the Michigan border. The route follows low-traffic roads along the river as it winds through the North Woods, central sand counties and the Driftless Area. Daily distances range from 55 to 85 miles. A 100-mile option is available. See //bit.ly/jGGhRJ// or call (608) 843-8412. **The Tri-State Ride **goes from July 11-15 and averages nearly 60 miles a day. This tour leads riders through majestic bluffs along the Mississippi where southwest Wisconsin, northwest Illinois and northeast Iowa meet. The terrain is challenging and features a layover day in Galena, Ill. A shorter, two-day version of this tour is offered in October. See //bit.ly/mSwV6X// or call (800) 675-2295. **The Fox Valley Tour **runs for six days from June 12-17 and averages 58 miles a day in southeastern Wisconsin. It's a loop ride and includes comfortable accommodations in college dorm rooms. Call (414) 418-4220 or see //bit.ly/jXAPj7//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Bike Northwoods **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">is the smallest tour offered by Bike Wisconsin and is limited to 400 riders. It runs July 9-15 and is a loop tour of intermediate difficulty that begins and ends in Iron River. Cyclists will cover 45 to 60 miles a day and have several layover days, including one that offers the option of cycling on Lake Superior's Madeline Island off Bayfield. See //bit.ly/lS0KAh//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;"> or call (608) 843-8412. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">SAGBRAW **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">, which once stood for the Sentinel's Active Americans Great Bike Ride Across Wisconsin, is the state's oldest tour. (The S now stands for Schramm's.) It runs from July 30 to Aug. 5, starting in Marinette and finishing in Kewaskum, averaging 45 to 60 miles a day over intermediate terrain. See //bit.ly/kn3qPL//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;"> or call (608) 843-8412. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">The Coulee Region Tour **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">, Aug. 7-12, is based in Sparta and features custom-planned loops that average 56 miles per day. Shorter options are also available. See //bit.ly/mxDxGA//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;"> or call (414) 418-4220. <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">With an acronym like **BREW** in its title (which stands for Bike Ride Exploring Wisconsin), there has to be beer involved. This moderately difficult tour, which runs from Aug. 7-12, includes stops at craft breweries (for small samples, of course) such as the New Glarus Brewing Co. And if you don't like beer, there are cheese factories and small towns to enjoy. See //bit.ly/jRQlRo//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;"> or call (800) 675-2295. <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Another suds-oriented tour is the **Flavors of Wisconsin Ride** from July 11-16. It starts and finishes in Mount Horeb and, like the BREW tour, visits cheese factories and small breweries in southwest Wisconsin. Daily mileage is 40-65 miles and overnights are in hotels. Call (920) 427-6086 or see //bit.ly/lnYZ6q//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">. **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">Culture Ventures **<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;">will offer a multiday cycling, hiking and kayaking adventure from Devil's Lake to the Wisconsin Dells from Sept. 25-30 that will include an emphasis on the legacy of environmentalist Aldo Leopold and a private visit to his home. See //bit.ly/mytTt5//<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px;"> or call (608) 244-2432. //<span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 16px; line-height: 115%;">When not on his bike, Brian E. Clark is a Madison writer and photographer. //
 * <span style="font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; font-size: 32px;">Multiday rides explore Badger State - ****Brian E. Clark**