AMERICANRIDER. COM MARCH 2026 | 33
Story & photos by CHRISTIAN PIERCE
A wedding is a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family, but when that family resides in Wisconsin, it is also a great excuse for a motorcycle adventure. My cousin’ s wedding was during Labor Day weekend, and the trip would take me through Milwaukee, so I called some friends at Harley- Davidson to see if I could borrow a bike. They offered me a beautiful Blue Burst Low Rider ST. Arriving on the Friday before the wedding and planning to return the bike the Tuesday after Labor Day, my trip quickly turned into a multiday odyssey, giving me the opportunity to explore the wonders of Wisconsin on two wheels.
On Friday, I flew to Milwaukee. Since the Low Rider ST has small saddlebags with only 2 cubic feet( 28.3 liters) of storage, I knew I needed to pack light. Thankfully, the wedding would be informal, so I could forego a sports coat in favor of a simple shirt and tie that I could roll up with other essentials. Once on the ground, I met the representative from Harley- Davidson and transferred the contents of my duffel bag into the saddlebags. My destination was the Green Lake /
Ripon area, about two hours northwest of Milwaukee, which would serve as my home base for the weekend.
With the bike packed and ready, I set a course for Ripon, where the couple was hosting their rehearsal dinner that evening. Hoping to avoid interstates, I asked a friend who formerly worked at Harley- Davidson if she could recommend a route. She gave me detailed directions that I was able to enter into my REVER app( see map on page 34). What followed was the perfect welcome to Wisconsin.
My ride began in the suburb of Wauwatosa and ventured west until I turned north of Pewaukee Lake. This led me to State Route 83, which threads the needle between Pine Lake, Beaver Lake, and North Lake. Making good time, I stopped at Sweet Dreams in Hartford for a frozen custard. About midway through my chocolate cone, a bit of drizzle began to dampen my day. There was just enough precipitation to
While Wisconsin had farmland as far as the eye could see, the quaint town of Hartford presented me with frozen custard at Sweet Dreams.