Author Archives: Russ Lowthian

Have fun, stay healthy with 30 Days of Biking in April

What started eleven years ago to help more people stay active, the “30 Days of Biking” campaign has grown in popularity. Now, as the drive moves forward with its heart-healthy values, it’s the right of passage to warmer weather riding ahead. Giving those who participate the right to brag or at least the stamina to stem-off most illnesses. As April leaves much to be desired most years. Enjoy fond memories with the current forecast predicting above-normal temps the first week in April.

First, you sign up for 30 Days of Biking with your own set of rules on how far and where you want to ride each day. It might be as little as a spin around the block, a few laps around the underground parking garage or spinning at the gym, all depending on the weather. Then as May approaches, you will not only have bragging rights, you will feel a lot better and be at your peak, ready for the summer bike season.

The only rule, dress to meet your own bodies comfort level no matter if its in April any any other time of the year.

The only rule is to dress to meet your own body’s comfort level no matter if it’s in April or any other time of the year.

Cycling can improve your health, keeping you on top of your game.

Did you know that just 20 minutes of cycling in a day can cut in half your risk of dying from a heart-related disease? According to a recent study conducted by Purdue University in Indiana, you will also feel better and may help improve your muscle for walking, general balance, and climbing stairs. The study concluded that regular cycling could cut your risk of heart disease by a whopping 50 percent. Let’s see now, besides bragging rights, if I turn my bikes crank each day in April; I will feel better – where do I sign up?

Signing up and pledging to ride 30 Days in April biking, it’s free!

The 30-day campaign is a pledge to ride your bike every day in April, any distance, any destination and share your adventures online at #30daysofbiking. Tell your friends, sign up and ride together and make sure your bike is ready to roll.

Join 30 Days of Biking through April, wearing this tee-shirt, and feeling good about yourself.

30 Days of Biking is a springtime tradition founded in 2010 by two avid cyclists in Minneapolis. Last year over 10,000 bicyclists from St. Paul, to San Diego, to Düsseldorf, Germany, join this “community of joyful cyclists.” Will you join them?

Very simply, it’s a pledge to ride your bike every day in April, no matter, what the weather or if it is one or thirty-miles each day, and trainer bike miles count too!

Join 30 Days of Biking biking, April 1 through 30 and be a winner.

Join 30 Days of Biking, April 1 through 30 and be a winner with better health and more friends.

Sometimes you have to bike in the rain as spring arrives, so make it fun!

Depending on the weather, you sign up and set your own rules as to how far you ride. It might be as little as a spin around the block.

Staying dry is the most important and difficult part of riding. The best way to keep dry is to wear waterproof clothing. While most synthetic fabrics still insulate when wet, being wet diminishes their ability to keep you warm. Therefore, a waterproof jacket and pants are a great way to start, but waterproof socks and gloves make the outfit complete. While a lot of materials are naturally waterproof, once perforated with stitching, zipped closed with generic zippers, and left to be loose at all the cuffs, their waterproofing goes out the window. Before you go out and buy anything labeled “waterproof,” read on to understand that all waterproofing is not the same.

Quick and easy bicycle maintenance tips for 30 Days of Biking

Like any other mechanical device, routine bicycle maintenance and cleaning will keep your bike in optimal condition when riding 30 Days in April. Additionally, routine bicycle maintenance will make your bike safe to ride whenever you need it. Where do you start? What do you use? Well, here are a few tips to put you on the right track!

After finishing your daily 30 Days challenge here are a few more tips to prepare your bike for the next day.

Get ready, make a pledge to 30 Days of Biking today!

It’s easy and no monetary costs to you. Then you share your adventures online with #30daysofbiking #nextbikeadventure and have fun while supporting a good cause, your health!

Bike Pic March 24, fond summer memories this Wheelie Wednesday

This Bike Pic Wheelie Wednesday, take a chance! If life were a mountain bike trail and a Wheelie helped smooth out your day-to-day ride or aided you in dropping into your sweet spot, why not review the following tips to make your week an adrenaline high?

Get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends in one of Minnesota’s HaveFunBiking Destinations. An now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Wednesday’ Bike Pic

Now rolling through our 16th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, our goal is to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the pic was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As we continue to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 13th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Remember, bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. We may be around the corner with one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

Bike Pic March 19, yeah it’s Friday with warm days of summer ahead!

This Bike Pic Friday, with spring officially here tomorrow, we captured this biker check riding the Minnesota section of the Mississippi River Trail (MRT). Now with summer officially here plan your #NextBikeAdventure.

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Bike Pic’

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

Have a great day!

Ride your bike around Lakeville and discover its cycling treasures

Your vacation time is precious, and that’s not something Lakeville takes lightly. Located on the southside of the Twin Cities, the bike-friendly small town is the perfect getaway for those wanting a break from the big city noise.

In Lakeville, you can breathe in all the fresh Minnesota air you want as you enjoy your favorite outdoor activities. Ride your bike along its many trails and loops, go for a nice hike, or just lay by the beach and soak in the rays (remember the sunscreen). And this is all within a bikeable distance.

More About Bike-Friendly Lakeville

One of the best parts about Lakeville is its location. It may feel as if you’re far away from the city, but you’re really only 30 minutes away from downtown Minneapolis. So even if its a last a minute getaway you need after a long week at work, Lakeville is ready to help you take your worries away.

You can also steer your bike into historic downtown Lakeville and discover its many locally-owned shops, restaurants, and more. And if you want to pair your tastebuds on this adventure, then check out the town’s local brewery and winery.

Riding options when visiting Lakeville

There are plenty of opportunities when pedaling around Lakeville. Its road and trail routes will help you get around town. And for off-road adventure checkout, the West Marion Lake Mountain Bike Trails with challenges for all skill levels. , and other easier trails taking you on a tour of the towns. No matter what kind of biker you are you’ll find a course path, full of nature and lakes, for your next adventure in Lakeville.

Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve

You don’t have to go far for some good mountain biking. Murphy-Hanrehan has a single-track section full of trails for all skill levels. The easy trail is just under one mile, the intermediate trail is just under 2.5 miles, and the advanced trail is nearly 7 miles. Also, the trails are connected so you can ride all three if you want to take on all levels.

Buck Hill Mountain Bike Skills Park

Buck Hill may be best known for its skiing, but the summer attracts the mountain bikers as well. It’s the perfect place for beginners, and there are even sections for those with more experience. Switching from trail to trail is easy as one connects to at least one of the others.

Lebanon Hills Regional Park

The largest park in the Dakota County park system also has plenty of mountain biking. Located at the park’s West Trailhead, there are different areas for all skill levels. Each course features different obstacles for its level of difficulty. Riders will have to face challenges such as riding over a pile of logs, rocks, sharp turns, and more. Maps are located throughout the courses to help navigation.

Road Biking

Getting around on your bike in Lakeville is relatively easy as well, especially in historic downtown Lakeville. Most of the roads have a trail running alongside them so you don’t have to worry about sharing the road with motorists.

Ritter Farm Park for hiking

If you’re looking to get some walking miles in, but also want to take it easy, give the trails at Ritter Farm Park a try. Along the way, you’ll see colorful flowers and the trail connects to another trail that takes you along Marion Lake.

An At-A-Glance Look at Lakeville

Be sure to check out our At-A-Glance Lakeville Article for more details on where to stay, play, and explore for your hand-held devices. As this story and the At-A-Glance Article are mobile-friendly for your convenience, have fun!

Bike Pic March 14, a daylight savings ice cream smiles Sunday

This bike pic Sunday, with things starting an hour with the clocks turned back, we caught this young biker chick taking a break, enjoying a tasty treat.

Thanks for viewing today’s cream smiles’ Sunday Bike Pic

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

Have a great day!

Bike Pic March 13, fond summer memories as spring approaches

Fond summer memories with spring weather only a week away. Here in this 2019 bike pic, a biker chick is having some fun on a trail in Lakeville, MN.

Thanks for viewing today’s fond summer memories’ Pic of the Day

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

Bike Pic March 9, with warmer weather spring is on its way

This bike pic Tuesday it’s time to think about planning some rides in the warmer months ahead, even if it means social distancing or riding alone.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Yeah Its Friday’ Bike Pic

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

Have a great day!

Bike Pic March 4, Take A Trip Back To The Big Wheel, Penny-Farthing

This Thursday we want to take a trip back in time to learn about the high-wheeler, the first machine called a bicycle. So in the bike pic featured today you can see one of the first designs called the Penny-farthing bicycle. Back then if were able to get on one, you actually had to mount it like a horse. The large wheel in the front had its advantages, especially with potholes or rocks, because it could roll right over themt.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

We are now rolling into our 16th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward, our goal is to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places for you to ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!

The Lino Lakes 10-mile bike loop is a true Minnesota experience

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking.com

Here it can feel like you are smack dab in the middle of northern Minnesota, especially while enjoying bike loops along the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes. A perfect place for your next bike vacation the Lino Lakes 10-bike loop and the many trail connections here are worth considering. One of nine Twin Cities Gateway communities, the Lino Lakes area supports a large Blue Heron rookery and hosts the annual Blue Heron Days Festival held in the middle of August. Regardless of when you visit, you are sure to see several species of wildlife to enhance your Minnesota experience while pedaling while biking here.

A true north experience!

The Lino Lakes bike loop is a true north experience

For the Lino Lakes 10-bike loop, the route travels clockwise and begins at the parking lot of the Hampton Inn. After pulling out from the hotel you will find a bike trail running parallel on the east side of Lake Drive. From there It’s a short distance before you are riding in the stunning Rice Creek Park Preserves. One of the largest preserves in the Twin Cities Area the Rice Creek Chain offers both paved and water trails. On the bike route, you are sure to see some of the most significant native wildlife habitat and water resources in the metro area.

The Lino Lakes Area is a family fun location.

Entering the trail system next to the Lino Lakes YMCA the trail circles the shoreline around Marshan Lake, before crossing over the Rice Creek, as it flows out of George Watch Lake. At the next trail T, the route takes a sharp left and runs parallel to the golf course road. After a sharp right curve and before the clubhouse a service road helps trail riders get over to the north shoreline of Reshanan Lake.

From a cottage community to the park it is an enjoyable ride

Passing the Reshanan Lake cottage community, soon Shadow Lake Drive disappears and trail riders are meandering past marshy areas with occasional patches of a forest while making their way to Centerville Lake. Now on E Street, at the boat landing, it’s a short distance along the service road here up to the beach area where you will find restrooms and a visitor center. Leaving the park take the trial to the entrance on Main Street. The Lino Lakes 10-bike loop heads north, but there is an option if you don’t mind adding a couple more miles. Consider taking the trails south along Main Street and visiting the charming little community of Centerville.

A few more options as the Lino Lakes 10-bike loop heads north

Wildlife viewing along the roads and trails here offers many opportunities.

Pedaling north on the trail parallel to Main Street you will cross Rice Creek again as it flows from Peltier Lake across the road to George Watch Lake. Here from the road look up to the northeast end of Lake Peltier and you can make out the Blue Heron Rookery. Soon you are passing the entrance to Wargo Nature Center. A place devoted to increasing the awareness and appreciation of natural and cultural resources. The center is located on a peninsula surrounded by George Watch Lake and offers activities, labs and equipment rental. For another outing, check out the available rental canoes and kayaks to experience the Rice Creek Chain of Lakes water trail.

Back in Lino Lakes for a cool beverage and fun

After a ride, many enjoy stopping in Lino Lakes for a cool beverage.

After crossing over 35W, on the wide shoulder, you are rolling back into Lino Lakes. As you turn onto Lake Drive consider stopping in at the Hammerhead Brewery before returning to the Hampton Inn. Back at the parking lot, check out the nearby eating establishments and plan another fun adventure in the Twin Cities Gateway Area.

Printable map and Q (cue)-sheet)

For a printable bike map of Lino Lakes click here

For a turn-by-turn, Q-sheet of Lino Lakes click here

Bike Pic Feb 26, yeah its Friday and time for that next bike adventure

It’s Friday and time to ride off for another weekend of fun that maybe includes planning some bike trips this coming summer. Here in this photo, last summer, we captured a couple of biker chicks on RAGBRAI 2017 having fun. Maybe it’s time to start planning your #NextBikeAdventure?

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Friday’ Bike Pic

Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Include a brief caption (for each) of who is in the photo (if you know) and where the picture was taken. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

Have a great day, with a safe, memorable 2021!