Buffalo Grove to Sheboygan Bike Trip

In July, 2025 I took a 3 day bike trip from Buffalo Grove, Il to Sheboygan, WI.  Below are some maps and pictures:

Day 1: Buffalo Grove, IL to Milwaukee, WI.  75 miles. Heat Index 100 degrees. 

First rest stop was outside Great Lakes Naval Base. 

Breakfast at K-town cafe in Kenosha. 

Views of the lakes and beaches south of Milwaukee. 

Accommodations for night 1, RV camper in Milwaukee from a site called HipCamp.

Day 2: Milwaukee WI to Random Lake, WI. 45 miles.  Heat Index 95 degrees. 

Mural leaving Milwaukee. 

The St. Mary's Challenger, seen leaving Milwaukee. This boat was built in 1906 to haul ore and is still in use today, hauling cement. 

Sunrise over Lake Michigan leaving Milwaukee. 

Day 3: Random Lake, WI to Sheboygan, WI 40 miles.  Rain and wind. 

Leaving Random Lake in the morning

Cool barns between Random Lake, WI and Plymouth, WI. 

The end: panoramic shot of Sheboygan lake front. 

Bike trip preparation: Hungary, Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia

Packing up for the Balkan bike trip.

Camping Stuff: 

2 towels

2 Helonix Camp Chairs

Windburner stove and pan

2 Sea to Summit Aero pillows

REI Half Dome Tent

2 sleeping bags

2 sleeping pads

2 mosquito head nets

2 bowls

2 sporks

Coffee filter/maker

Steripen water purifier

4 bungee chords

Rope

Julie's bike beginning to come apart: 

Julie's bike in the box:

My bike before disassembly (Go Dons in the background):

Shop dog = no help:

My bike in its box...stuffed with all the other camping crap. 

Boxed up and ready to go.

Tools:

Duct tape
6 "o-rings" - my cure all tool
Adjustable crescent wrench
Chain whip - needed to remove rear cassette for a spoke replacement
Multi tool
8 extra spokes
Chain replacement link and tool
Extra bolts for racks and stuff
Swiss Army knife
Hand tire pump
2 spare tubes
Plenty of patches
Zip ties
Seat cover for rainy days
Lock
Spoke Wrench

Medicine Cabinet

Immodium
Medical tape
Bug spray
Nuun - hydration tablets
Advil
Antibiotic ointment
Bandaids

All my stuff is in 4 panniers and a handlebar bag.  

Our planned route (subject to change, probably will change):

Stay tuned for an update from Budapest...

Morocco - Spain - France - Ireland bike trip preparation

In anticipation of my bicycle trip from Marrakech, Morocco to Dublin, Ireland, I have been doing some packing.  Julie is joining me in Spain for the last 3/4 of the trip. Here is a mostly complete packing list:

MEDICAL:

Bug spray

Sun screen

Medical tape

Medical Wrap

Antibiotic Ointment

Nuun hydration tablets

Band aids

Ibuprofen

Immodium

Razors (not really medical, but they snuck in the shot)

BIKE SUPPLIES: 

6 extra spokes for each bike

pliers

11-in-one screw driver

Chain Whip (needed to remove rear cassette)

Adjustable crescent wrench x 2

2 spare tubes for each bikes

Reflective anklets

Thin rope

Clamp (helps me change my tires

11mm crescent wrench (needed to adjus/fit the racks on Julie's bike

Bike multi-tool (Allen wrenches, screw drivers, chain tool, etc...

3 different size hose clamps (2 of each size, 6 total).  These are the best "MacGyver" bike repair thing I carry. 

Spoke wrench

Chain repair tool and one extra chain link

Tire patches

Presto to normal valve converter

2 different lubes (one for putting pedals on and one general)

Pad lock and cable

Duct Tape

Cloth Tape

Phil's Wood Oil

Bungee Chord x 4 

Shimano bike shoes

Hand bike pump

CAMPING 

Sleeping pad 

Sleep bag

Half Dome Tent & ground cover

Camp pillow

2 camp towels

2 sporks 

MSR Windburner camp stove

2 pocket knives

Head lamp

flash light

Steri-pen water purifier

Note book

Julie's bike with empty panniers (plus shop dog).  I got Julie some great racks from Old Man Mountain bike racks.  They customize racks to fit any bike (not just touring bikes). These particular racks mount to the brake "bosses" and through the axel.  Check out their website: http://www.oldmanmountain.com  

My Surly Disc Trucker with empty panniers.

My Surly Disc Trucker in pieces ready to be boxed for the airport. 

After bike is boxed up, time to pack up my life into 4 panniers. 

In addition to the tools, camping gear and first aid supplies listed above, I packed:

7 t-shirts (mostly bright colors, plan to throw them out as I go).

3 pairs of athletic shorts

2 pairs padded biking shorts

2 pair of Light weight pants (more acceptable in Morocco)

2 short sleeve collared shirts (for fancy events I might get invited to)

1 light weight long sleeve t-shirt

1 hooded sweatshirt (takes up a lot of space but could be needed in mountains of Morocco or in Ireland)

1 rain coat

cycling shoes

gym shoes

flip flops

5 pairs boxers

5 pairs socks

toilet paper

iPad

iPad charger

iPad keyboard charger

iPod

iPod charger

2 European outlet adapters

Irish passport

U.S. passport

Passport/money belt

toilet paper (? just seemed like a good idea)

book/crossword puzzles/ pens/pencils

notebook

3 water bottles (2 in bike box, one as carry-on)

Here is my life in 4 panniers.  The open one on the right will serve as my carry-on bag.

The other 3 are wrapped up in this laundry bag as one piece of luggage.