Fight on, spandex warrior: The A.V. Club's guide to Madison's recreational clubs
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Better known for its beer, cheese, and brats than its spandex shorts, crampons, and bike paths, Wisconsin actually offers a wealth of recreational opportunities, including some of the best biking in the country and the nation’s largest cross-country skiing race. If you’re looking to try something new or just find a new friend to sweat with, recreational clubs provide a generally painless introduction. To help you sort it out, The A.V. Club surveys Madison’s recreational-club scene.
Wisconsin Hoofers
Despite the name, the Hoofers have nothing to do with dancing. Instead, the Hoofers, a UW-affiliated program, are six separate clubs with fairly self-explanatory names that cover just about any outdoor activity you can think of, save for dancing: Hoofer Mountaineer, Hoofer Outing (backpacking, paddling, skiing, biking, caving, and climbing), Hoofer Riding, Hoofer Sailing, Hoofer SCUBA, and Hoofer Ski and Snowboard. Members plan and lead trips in Wisconsin and around the country, offer lessons, and oversee equipment, most of which is included in the membership fee. Membership is open to all UW-Madison students and staff and members of the Wisconsin Union (which is open to the general public).
Madison Hash House Harriers
Want to combine your drinking habit with something more healthful? The Hash House Harriers are “the drinking club with a running problem.” On Saturdays year round, the Hash House Harriers set a trail of three to five miles with at least one beer stop during the run and food served afterwards. You probably won’t lose any weight with this group. Runners of all abilities are welcome—the only requirement is that you are 21 years of age or older. Once a year, the hashers host a Red Dress Run where everyone, men and women, run through Madison dressed in their finest red gowns.
Bombay Bicycle Club
Looking for other spandex warriors? The Bombay Bicycle Club sponsors rides of varying lengths on all Sundays and many Saturdays from April through November. In the summer, there’s also a 25-mile Thursday night social ride and introductory 10-mile rides on Tuesday nights. Rides are rated according to hilliness, although the rating is somewhat subjective, since what seems nearly vertical to some will barely register for other riders. There’s also a training club for those interested in riding the infamous Horribly Hilly Hundred. The club sponsors its own horribly hilly ride over Labor Day called the Wright Stuff Century.
Dairyland Walkers
Barely breaking a sweat while striding purposefully and noncompetitively through town, the Dairyland Walkers sponsor weekly walking events, usually with 10K and 5K options. There’s also a series of routes that can be done at any time, including walks through the Arboretum, Picnic Point, Willy Street, and around the Capitol. Record your walks to earn certificates, pins, patches, and a mention in the national walking publication, The American Wanderer. Up the sports’ sexiness factor by using its European name, volkssporting, German for “the sport of the people.”
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