There was nothing unusual about Kim Royston’s journey across the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River on the evening of Aug. 1.
It was a slow ride, but that wasn’t shocking considering the brutal combination of rush-hour traffic and closed lanes on the bridge due to construction. At least Royston had company; three of his buddies were along for the ride, helping him enjoy his final few days of freedom in his hometown of Minneapolis before he reported back to Madison for the start of the University of Wisconsin football team’s fall training camp.