In late October (2021) Lee and I rode this trail between St. Paul and South St. Paul (MN). The trail is 4 miles long and connects to several other trails at both ends. On the South St. Paul end it connects to the River to River Trail and the Mississippi River Greenway trail at Kaposia…
In early October Lee and I rode the Root River Trail out of Lanesboro, MN in the southeast corner of the state. This area is known as “Bluff Country” and fully lives up to the name. The hills, valleys, and bluffs make for a scenic ride, either by bike or car. The small towns in…
While you don’t get to ride over the bridge in the photo on the loop trail, you get some good views of it. The trailhead is in downtown Hastings in a large, covered parking lot on 2nd Street. I had printed a copy of the route before leaving and was glad I did as the…
The Sunrise Prairie Trail is a 16-mile trail running from Forest Lake to North Branch. It is built on an old rail bed so it is nice and flat. It goes through farmland, prairie, and woodlands and is a very pleasant, fairly easy ride. The day Lee and I rode it was fairly windy and…
Over the years I have accumulated many photos of my various rides. Photos always bring back the good memories of the rides so I take many and refer to them from time to time. I have, on my many trips, seen and photographed some funny signs and thought some of them might bring a laugh…
After several bike trips last year where Lee and I went to a local, longer (25-40 miles) trail of which we would have to ride half, then return along the same portion to get back to our car, we decided to try a different way. We both wanted to see the Mesabi Trail in northern…
As I have ridden around Wisconsin and Southeast Minnesota I have seen numerous unique pieces of art called “barn quilts.” These are painted on the side of a barn and made to look like a quilt (thus the name). Each is different and has its own unique look depending on the painter and owner of…
In 2016 my girlfriend, Lee, and I drove to Moab, Utah to take part in a Road Scholar bicycle tour. On the way out we got a chance to see my kids and grandkids in Colorado and on the way back we drove through the Four Corners area and stood on the spot where Utah,…
This is another good example of rides you can make in a day and close to your home. Now, I know the parks I have mentioned here, while being within easy driving distance of my home in the Twin Cities, are not within easy reach of those living outstate. My point in including these rides…
In early October my girlfriend, Lee, and I drove to Leroy, MN to meet friends, Eric and Kristen, who have a farm there as well as a house in the Twin Cities, and ride the Shooting Star State Trail. Eric has ridden many long rides with me and if you have read any of my…