Author Archives: Russ Lowthian

Bike pic Sept 12, fond summer memories as another storm passes through

In this bike pic, looking through the photo archives, we found this group of young riders ready to ride the Minneapolis Bike Tour this coming Sunday, September 15th.

Get into your bike ride planning mode to continue your summer fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and HaveFunBiking Destinations in both the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and the Iowa Bike Guide.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Thursday’ Bike Pic  

Now, rolling into our 14th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Submit your photos

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

See our blog

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media’s to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Bike pic Sept 11, fond Wheelie Wednesday memory on this rainy day

In this bike pic, looking through the archives we found this young lass showing his stuff on Wheelie Wednesday a few years ago.

Get into your bike ride planning mode to continue your summer fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and HaveFunBiking Destinations in both the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and the Iowa Bike Guide.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Wheelie Wednesday’ Bike Pic  

Now, rolling into our 14th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Submit your photos

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

See our blog

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media’s to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Bike pic Sept 05, picture-perfect skies makes for a great touring day

Today’s bike pic with picture-perfect skies, plus ideal air temp makes for a great day to tour the western suburbs of the Twin Cities with friends. In this photo, we captured this group of touring cyclist riding though Hopkins on a Hiawathatha Bicycle Club bike ride.

Get into your bike ride planning mode to continue your summer fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and HaveFunBiking Destinations in both the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and the Iowa Bike Guide.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Monday’ Bike Pic  

Now, rolling into our 14th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Submit your photos

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

See our blog

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media’s to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Come out for the Minneapolis Bike Tour and see why travel writers rave

Named a top bike city in recent years by many sources, Minneapolis Park and Recreation Board will host the 13th Annual Minneapolis Bike Tour. With write-ups in Bicycling Magazine, CNN, the Travel Channel, and other media’s. The city’s park and rec department invites you, your family and friends to come and discover what all these travel writers are experiencing.

The Minneapolis Bike Tour

The annual fall bike ride is a family-oriented, recreational-tour which takes place on Sunday, September 15th, starting at 8 a.m.  The ride is great for all ages and abilities and spans the  Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System.

Fun riding the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway System with no traffic. Photo MPLS Park & Rec Facebook

The bike event was created to bring cyclists together and support bike-related initiatives. Proceeds from the Minneapolis Bike Tour will benefit bike safety and education events for Minneapolis youth as well as bike trail improvement projects throughout the city-wide system.

This year’s route

From start to finish, three routes of scenic fun. Photo MPLS Park & Rec Facebook

The 2019 route features a picturesque start and finish line area at Boom Island Park (724 Sibley St. NE). There will be three routes to choose from; a 3.5-mile course, a 19-mile and a 32-mile. All routes are closed to motorized traffic and include stops with refreshments and bike mechanics.

A festival at the end

After your ride, meet new friends while enjoying refreshments and food. Photo MPLS Park & Rec Facebook

Stick around after the ride and enjoy live music, beer (courtesy of local Utepils Brewing) available to participants 21+ (must show ID),  food from local vendors, exhibitor booths and Bike Tour merchandise for sale!

Ride Registration

Pre-registration ends September 9th which includes the option to purchase an artist-designed bike tour t-shirt created by Brandon Gallagher Watson and a beer ticket provided by local Utepils Brewing to those 21 and older. Sign up today and help the City of Minneapolis celebrate their beautiful bike-friendly community. www.minneapolisbiketour.com

Also, please visit our Facebook page and check out our new promo video.

Bike pic Sept 02, riding into the Monday morning sun

Today’s Memorial Day bike pic, we look at the fun everyone is still having on this holiday weekend, on September 2nd. In this photo, we captured this group of touring cyclist riding though Hopkins on a Hiawathatha Bicycle Club bike ride.

Get into your bike ride planning mode to continue your summer fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and HaveFunBiking Destinations in both the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and the Iowa Bike Guide.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Monday’ Bike Pic  

Now, rolling into our 14th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Submit your photos

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

See our blog

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media’s to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

The MN HS League headed to Southern MN for Race 3# of the season. Battling high temps and dusty wind gusts, September 16, mountain bike racers from across the state arrived in Gamehaven to test their skills in the third race of a seven-race series.

First MN HS Cycling League race in Austin, and more to come

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Freshman Boys D1 | Wyatt Peterson, Burnsville | Mt. Kato 2018 | Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

Freshman Boys  Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

 

With the eighth season of the HS Cycling League race, the series started off at Schindler’s Way Trail, in Todd Park. The first race, of the series, had 798 racers from across Minnesota and Western WI. This is just a portion of the total number of racers from the MN League. With a 30% average growth each year in racers and families in the league, a bye-week schedule was added to manage field sizes. As a result, instead of all 63 teams competing, 45 teams from across the state of MN arrived in Austin to put their skills to the test in the first race of the season. View the Bye-Week Schedule for 2019.

Changes to the League Race schedule a success

The Minnesota League moved from holding all of their races in one day to a two-day race weekend. This additional day of racing allowed middle school racers to compete on Saturday and high school racers to have a full day of racing on Sunday. Racers, coaches, and spectators all shared their overwhelming positive reactions to the schedule change.

Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

 

6th-Graders added to Middle School Racing

The move to a two-day racing schedule also allowed the League to add in 6th graders to middle school racing. In the first race of the season, there were almost 300 middle school boys and girls who competed in their first race.

Race #1 results 

Individual and team results are now posted to the minnesotamtb.org site:

Race 1 – Austin Schindlers Trail Way – Aug 24-25, 2019

Race-1-Austin-MS-Individual-Results-2019

Race-1-Austin-HS-Individual-Results-2019

Race 1 Austin MS Team Results 2019

Race 1-Austin HS Team Results 2019

Austin Skills Challenge

Race #2 weekend  timeline at Rockford, MN

Racing action continues on Sat. Sept. 7 and Sun. Sept. 8 at Lake Rebecca in Rockford, MN. View Race Flyer

Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

The MN League is the sanctioned NICA organization of mountain bike racing for middle school and high school-aged student-athletes, since 2012. View the full schedule of racing for the 2019 season.

About the Minnesota High School Cycling League

The Minnesota High School Cycling League is a state-wide independent activity provider for student-athletes in 6th to 12th grade. Their mission is to build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling, regardless of ability level. Each MN League season includes summer programs, a seven-race series, wilderness first aid certification courses and a Spring Leaders’ Summit for training and certification of coaches. The MN League exists by virtue of a range of fundraising activities, as well as generous donors, and MN League sponsors. For more information on the MN League, visit minnesotamtb.org.

Bike Pic Aug 29, testing their skills on the North Shore

Here in this Thursday bike pic, a couple of young biker chicks test their skills on the trails in the Heart of the North Shore, near Silver Bay, MN.

What better way to start your Summer and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun 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.

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Mountain Bike Skills’ bike pic

We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight 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 that 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.

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 8th year of producing this hand 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 Pics of the Day.

Have a great day!

Bike pic Aug 28, riding along the Waspi Trail for scenic fun

Today’s bike pic, we look at the fun everyone is still having in the latter half of August. In this photo, we captured these touring cyclist riding the Waspi Great Western Line Trail.

Get into your bike ride planning mode to continue your summer fun and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun ideas and HaveFunBiking Destinations in both the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide and the Iowa Bike Guide.

Thanks for viewing our ‘Monday’ Bike Pic  

Now, rolling into our 14th year as a bicycle media, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As we search for more fun photos worth a grin, share your stories so more can find their next adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Submit your photos

Do you have a fun photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us publish? If so, please send it our way and we may use it. Send your picture(s) to [email protected] with a brief caption (of each), including who is in the photo (if you know?) and where it was taken. Photo(s) should be at least 900 pixels wide for us to use them. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

See our blog

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please see our media’s to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Bike/Hike Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of bicycle tourism information available for mobile devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself so.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in one of the next photos we post.

Have a great day!

Bike Pic Aug 21, testing their mountain bike skills for the race Sunday

Here in this bike pic, a couple of young biker dudes test their skills in an opening on the Jail Trail, near St Cloud, MN, to see who can take the lead in this Minnesota High School Cycling League practice run.

What better way to start your Summer and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the fun 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.

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Mountain Bike Skills’ bike pic

We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. As we pedal forward our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike and have fun while we highlight 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 that 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.

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 8th year of producing this hand 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 Pics of the Day.

Have a great day!

MN HS Cycling League begins its 2019 race season in Austin, MN

The MN High School Cycling League returns to Austin, MN this Saturday and Sunday (August 24-25) for an action-packed weekend of mountain bike racing. This will kick off the 2019 racing season for almost 2,000 middle school and high school students throughout Minnesota and Western Wisconsin.

Freshman Boys D1 | Wyatt Peterson, Burnsville | Mt. Kato 2018 | Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

Freshman Boys D1 | Wyatt Peterson, Burnsville | Mt. Kato 2018 | Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

Cycling League season highlights

Get ready Minnesota – a new race venue will be added for the Sept. 14-15 race. Each year, the MN League moves their race weekends to different venues across the state. This brings the sport to different locations around the region and to offer new and exciting race opportunities for the students. This year, the League is thrilled to be a part of the Chequamegon Festival the weekend of Sept. 14 and Sept. 15. Working with a variety of partners, including the Chequamegon Festival, a new trail has been built near Stone Lake, WI (Summit Lake Game Farm) that will become an exciting race venue for years to come – and a new mountain bike trail for people to ride and enjoy year-round. A special thanks to Tom Gujer and Chad McDonald for their help to make this trail happen!

Growing Interest and demand for younger mountain bike racers

They are all ready for challenge in Mankato at Mt. Kato.

They are all ready for a challenge. Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

As the interest in mountain bike racing has grown across the region there is also an increasing number of younger students interested in riding and racing with the MN League. To accommodate this demand, each MN League team has been given the option of adding in 6th-graders to their middle-school teams. They are thrilled to announce that there are over 160 sixth graders already signed up!

Schedule moves to two-day race weekends to accommodate growth

Due to a 30% growth in teams and racers, the MN League has adjusted their races from one day to a two-day racing schedule weekend for each scheduled race. Middle school racers will compete on Saturdays and high school racers will compete on Sundays.

“Last year, due to required race day schedule changes, we had to remove Sunday pre-ride time – this year, we were determined to find a way to bring back the ability for student-athletes to pre-ride and race on the same day,” said Josh Kleve, MN League Director, and Co-Founder. “By shifting the middle school to Saturday, this enabled us to add 6th grade, a long-requested addition, and spread the races out providing a more enjoyable experience for all of our middle school and high school student-athletes.”

Race Weekend Timeline at Austin, MN – Race #1

Photo Credit: tmbimages.com

For race #1 a full weekend is lined up at Schindler’s Way Trail near Todd Park, in Austin, MN. This Saturday, August 24th the middle school racers (6th, 7th, and 8th grade) will kick off the weekend schedule at 1 pm, with the last race of the day starting at 3:40 pm. Racing will resume on Sunday. August. 25th, with high-school racers starting at 9:30 am and wrapping up with the last race of the day starting at 3 pm.

With over 70 teams registered, the MN League has implemented a bye-week schedule to balance the riders across the venues. See the teams competing in Austin, MN.

For a full weekend #1 schedule of race start times, review the Austin Race Flyer.

The MN League is the sanctioned NICA organization of mountain bike racing for middle school and high school-aged student-athletes, since 2012. View the full schedule of racing for the 2019 season.

About the Minnesota High School Cycling League

The Minnesota High School Cycling League is a state-wide independent activity provider for student-athletes in 6th to 12th grade. Their mission is to build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling, regardless of ability level. Each MN League season includes summer programs, a seven-race series, wilderness first aid certification courses and a Spring Leaders’ Summit for training and certification of coaches. The MN League exists by virtue of a range of fundraising activities, as well as generous donors, and MN League sponsors. For more information on the MN League, visit minnesotamtb.org.