Fresh Curds

Very jealous of Karen's sweet new ride

Picture in front of Paoli Cheese House

Fresh Curds!

And more curds across the street!

This past Tuesday afternoon marked my first ride of the season. Well, actually my first ride of the year. Make that my first ride since last September's Ironman race. I literally have not been on a bike since--not even on my trainer. But truthfully, that's the way I like it. I am very much a fair weather rider, which usually eliminates most of the year around here. But then I very much look forward to hopping back on my bike come May. Which is good, since Ironman training requires many summer weekends that are dominated by 4-7 hour bike rides. After three solid months of those distances, a girl needs a decent break from the saddle!

So the ride I do most often, and the route I did on Tuesday, is to Paoli, Wisconsin, which as you can see, offers many options in terms of fresh cheese curds. It's approximately a 30-mile loop, offering breathtaking scenery (if you like that whole dairy farm/corn fields feel), relatively little traffic, and great rollers. It's a quick ride and the perfect workout if you only have 2 hours to fit in a ride.

Paoli is pretty much the half-way point of the ride. I love Paoli. It's a small town gem that offers two extremes, which blend together nicely. On one hand, we've got the House of Cheese and the Paoli Pub (obviously very Wisconsin-esque). On the other hand, there are several art galleries and small boutiques. Something for everyone in Paoli!