Discovering a local hidden gem

A couple from Wisconsin discovered they didn’t need to ride far to enjoy the curves of their very own Tail of the Dragon.

Words by Jeremy Pick

Ron Paulick Jr. and his wife, Trish, from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin, were delighted to discover a fantastic ride in their backyard. The scenic route called Wisconsin’s Dragon takes its name from the famous Tail of the Dragon on the Tennessee/North Carolina border, which boasts 318 curves over 11 miles.

“We’d heard about this route from the sportbike crowd,” says Ron. “We have ridden the Tail of the Dragon itself and love it so much, so we wanted to try this local version. It has everything you’d want—great views, lots of things to see, and plenty of excellent places to stop for a rest or a meal along the whole length.”

The Paulicks’ route starts in Columbus on WI-60 west toward Prairie du Sac and Sauk City, taking Highway 14 toward Gotham, riding through the center of Richland to Boaz, then veering left on U.S. WI-171 to the Mississippi River—a route with many twisty roads and a scenic overlook at Gays Mills apple orchards.

After Gays Mills, the route offers two options—you can keep going south on WI-131 to WI-60 for a very technical ride with many twisty roads. Alternatively, ride all the way to Mississippi River via WI-35, then south to WI-60 (the Lower Wisconsin River Road), following it back to Gotham, then to WI-58 and WI-136 to Baraboo and back to the start along WI-33.

“The total ride from start to finish took us around 14 hours. WI-60 to the end takes around 12 hours if you take your time. The best views are at Gays Mills and along WI-60,” says Ron.

“Our advice for planning a great ride is to find your destination on a map or online, then pick the best two-lane roads you can find that aren’t a direct route—the more twists and turns on the map, the more scenic it will be,” he says. “As you ride, watch out for roadside attractions that have small signs or markers, and stop to check them out—this is especially worthwhile in the Driftless Area of Wisconsin. We write basic directions on a sticky note and tape it to the tank, and just follow that. That way you can really enjoy the ride.”

Ron has been riding since he was a kid, first on off-road bikes at age 5, racing motocross for a while and then moving to road bikes in his 20s.

“I had an old Honda 400cc street bike that I restored, then moved on to a 2001 Harley-Davidson 883 Sportster^® I got from my uncle. I rode that bike for around six years, and met my wife Trish during that time. We rode all over on it, even multiple states away when we were younger and lighter!

“That bike was sold when we bought our house, but we were soon back on a 1984 FXRS Low Rider^® I bought from a friend, before our backs persuaded us to change to an Electra Glide^®.”

It wasn’t long before Trish wanted her own bike, starting with a Honda 400cc and graduating to a 2012 Sportster, racking up more than 12,000 miles on that bike in two seasons. The current Paulick rides are a 2004 Electra Glide for Ron and a lowered Sportster XL 1200C for Trish.

“This route is special to us because it’s the first long ride Trish has done since getting her own bike,” says Ron.

“We’ve been H.O.G.^® members for many years now, and we love Harley-Davidson^® motorcycles because of the culture, the sound, the classic looks. There are also H-D dealerships everywhere, which is convenient for parts, accessories, and anything else you need. The support is top-notch, and that gives you the confidence you need when you’re out on the road. We hope others try this ride and enjoy it as much as we do.”

The Wisconsin Dragon is part of the 15 Rides for ’26 challenge. Check out the route here.

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