How two Madison hippies helped build a culture of Wisconsin bicycling

WAUSAU - In the early 1970s, they were two long-haired guys with hippie tendencies and a shared craze for bikes.

Schofield native Doug Shidell was a student at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and had recently discovered the joy of riding a bike for transportation and fun. Philip Van Valkenberg had already been there, and he was honing his advocacy skills as the founder of Madison's Yellow Jersey Bicycle Co-op.

As Shidell described it, an overnight group bike trip to Devils Lake helped strengthen their bond: "Van 'led' the tour by fixing flats, gears and broken brake cables, and by riding with the slowest members of the group, keeping up their morale, pointing out geographic features, and discussing old Bogart and Marx brothers movies."

I first learned of Shidell and Van Valkenberg when I was 12 or 13, when I picked up the book they wrote together, "Bicycle Escape Routes: A Touring Guide to Wisconsin." The two bikers didn't have a clue I existed, wandering in central Wisconsin fields and woods east of Colby, but they might as well have written the book just for me.

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Even so, I had this yearning to go farther. And I loved bikes because they allowed me to do that. When I saw the book's bright yellow cover with a smiling cartoon cyclist — as I remember it, it was at a bookstore in the Wausau Center mall — the word escape popped out at me. I gave a quick glance through the book, stopping to read at random places, and the book's jokey, earnest tone appealed to me. 

And there were maps. Bike-friendly routes were color-coded based on the volume of motorized traffic they had. Oh my gosh, I loved maps then and I still do. I was hooked. I happily plunked down $4.50, representing maybe three hours of mowing lawn, and went home to read.

Shidell and Van Valkenberg gave me tips about how to handle snarly dogs, beckoned me down the quiet country roads and in general provided a template for travel, both near and far. 

Like the authors, I wanted to explore aimlessly, stop at bars and diners, and meet people like Joe Huber, then the owner of the Joseph Huber Brewing Co. in Monroe. Here's how they described that encounter: "He came here from Germany in 1924 and still speaks with a heavy accent. ... Joe attributed his success to quality ('I am not believing in making a poor product')." 

They joked about the squeaky bearings on Shidell's bike: "We were serenaded by his bicycle's version of the 'Song of the Volga Boatman' on every upgrade. Respite of sorts came later when a spot weld let go on one of Doug's racks, creating a squeak that completely drowned out the original noise."

They gave counsel about the joys of being in the moment and taking things slow. "Marsh hawks spend much of their time sitting on fence posts in the fields. ... If you see a bird sitting or flying low over the fields, stop near a tree or bush to remain inconspicuous and watch him for a while."

The two cyclists loved Wisconsin. They found here accessible adventure, the comfort and challenges of country back roads and a healthy appreciation of the little victories in life. 

I'm 52 years old now, and have crisscrossed (in stages) the state a few times on a bicycle, from north to south and east to west. I have run, paddled or biked in each of the state's 72 counties. But the urge to escape into the landscape hasn't left me. Maybe it's more strident than ever.

Through various life changes and moves, I have kept "Bicycle Escape Routes" and its maps. Every once in a while, I'd wonder what happened to Shidell and Van Valkenberg.

Recently, while working on another story, I interviewed Jerry Shidell, a former mayor of Rhinelander. Hey, I asked him at the end of our discussion, do you know a guy named Doug Shidell? 

Yeah, he said, he's my brother, and gave me contact information. I found my copy of "Bicycle Escape Routes" and called Doug Shidell a few days later.

Doug Shidell is 67 and lives in Minneapolis. After co-authoring the tour book with Van Valkenberg, he became the first employee of Quality Bicycle Products, a Bloomington, Minnesota-based company known for a variety of kicky and cool bike brands, including Surly, 45NRTH and All-City. 

Shidell also wrote about bicycling and bike advocacy for the Minneapolis-based Star Tribune and started a cycling website and map-publishing effort called Bikeeverywhere. He's retired from QBP, and is fit and trim because he cycles a lot as he continues his work with Bikeeverywhere.

Shidell's concern for the environment helped spur his cycling and his advocacy. "I first heard about global warming in the 1970s," he said. "And the dangers of it made a lot of sense to me. I thought, 'Wow, I'll just start riding a bike instead of driving around."'

Van Valkenberg, 73, grew up in Cambridge, east of Madison. He turned to cycling when his motorcycle broke down in 1968. He became passionate about pedaling, and started helping others get into the activity.

He would become a leader in Wisconsin's cycling culture, and his list of accomplishments is long. He's written seven more books about cycling in the state, helped bring about the Elroy-Sparta State Trail and organized a number of races and rides that are touchstones for thousands of cyclists. He helped create the first Cheguamegon Fat Tire Festival in 1983, and in 1985, he started the Fat Tire Tour and the Steel is Real Ride, both in Milwaukee.

In 2017, Van Valkenberg was inducted into the Wisconsin Bicycling Hall of Fame, organized through the advocacy group Wisconsin Bike Fed.

Lately he's contended with a bout of cancer and a couple of strokes. "It's always a struggle," Van Valkenberg said in a phone interview. But he still cycles. "My partner, Georgia, is a very enthusiastic tandem recumbent tricycle partner," he said.

Georgia Kaftan and Van Valkenberg have been together since 2012, and she has "Bicycle Escape Routes," too. 

There isn't a riding season that goes by without someone, just like me, approaching Van Valkenberg to tell him that their lives were changed by his writing or his work.

That feels just "wonderful," Van Valkenberg said. "Life is good."

Cycling tips, circa 1975

As provided by Doug Shidell and Philip Van Valkenberg in "Bicycle Escape Routes:"

• "The first rule of thumb for cycle touring is: Feel guilty about carrying anything more than your maps and water bottle."
• "Don't ride on the wrong side of the road or the wrong way on a one-way street."
• "In the country, motorists often zip through stop signs if they don't see any cars coming. They may not see bicyclists at all. So wear bright clothing to attract attention from all angles."
• "If you are fatigued, don't become discouraged or frightened. Instead, take a positive attitude, use caution, and concentrate on your riding."
• "You can't afford to be fatalistic if you ride a bike. If you can't develop safe riding habits and keep your equipment in good shape, then do yourself a favor and give up the sport."
• "Trying to outrun a dog is only advised if you are a Class A sprinter and no other riders are following."