Category Archives: Destinations

Las Vegas Strip By Bike

What a way to see the Las Vegas strip, then on a bike!

Highly recommended in numbers for safety reasons, for the last ten years at Interbike (the largest bike show in North America) several hundred exhibitors and show participants have enjoyed the Bike Hugger Mobile Social. A bike ride that begins at the Mandalay Bay Convention Center parking lot and travels east for six miles with colorful, highly eclectic energy along the strip to downtown area for some eats, drinks and Vegas fanfare.

A couple riding down the Las Vegas Strip in the Bike Hugger Mobile Social Ride.

Presented by Mobile Social BH, New Belgium Brewing and Tern Folding Bicycles, the 10th annual Bike Hugger Ride was well attended with some participants using new bicycles off the tradeshow floor, along with many custom (some eclectic) built bikes.

A couple of us at HaveFunBiking.com were fortunate to ride some of Tern’s folding bikes designed for multi-modal touring. This gave me a chance to test ride their new folding bike, a multi-model touring model, The bike with racks (back and front) for panniers had a custom tire pump that was a part of the seat post and the bike fits into regulation check-in luggage, as well as my 6′ 2″ frame.

A spectacular show of lights as the group rides down Las Vegas Strip

As the Bike Hugger Social Ride moved down the strip, taking a lane or two as drove their bikes in a somewhat organized group, at stoplights they visited with motorists as pedestrians on the sidewalk photographed and cheered them on.

At one of the many stop lights a rider poses with a big HaveFun smile.

A few miles into the ride the group spread out over a couple blocks with the DEUCE (the local bus that runs from the Vegas strip to the downtown area) a part of the unofficial parade.

Looking back, riders were spread out several blocks in back and in front of the bus.

Arriving in Downtown Las Vegas the destination was the Gold Spike Casino where riders received a compliment New Belgium Beer, some appetizers while enjoying the many oversized lawn games and comradery.

HaveFunBiking editor Russ Lowthian stops in front of the Gold Spike Casino and Bar where the ride ended.

Bikes of all types and styles were ridden on this after dark social ride. They included many of the standard models manufactured and displayed at Interbike and then the custom bikes like the two shown below.

A couple of the two-wheeled customs steeds used to parade down the strip.

Oversized lawn games included Jenga, lawn chess and other yard games that were enjoyed in the open air court area, in the rear area of the Gold Spike Casino and Bar.

Enjoying food and refreshments after the ride participants tested their skills playing Jenga.

Enjoying food and refreshments after the ride participants tested their skills playing a lawn size version of Jenga.

If you are considering a trip to Las Vegas and would like to ride your bike or rent a bike while there we found several bike lanes and routes to get around town and shops to support your next bike adventure to Vegas. For more information, here is a good website [http://www.bikinglasvegas.com/cycling-blog/visiting-las-vegas/] to plan your journey.

Enjoy

Enjoy Minnesota’s “Taste of the Trail”

Each September the nine towns on the Root River Trail system host “Taste of the Trail” over three Saturdays and the area becomes a fall festival of local foods, artisan crafts, entertainment and fun. This annual experience is similar to many “Taste of …“events in many towns all over the Midwest. However, the communities along the Root River Trail, in Southeast Minnesota, focus their attention on all the delicious foods you will find while visiting the area throughout the year.

A stop in Lanesboro could prove to be tasty.

Choose a weekend or come back for all three, this multi-Saturday event along the trail is designed to show off the abundance of food and activities along the three sections of the trail system. This year, event kicks off in the towns of Lanesboro, Peterson and Whalen, on Saturday, September 12^th. Working together to showcase the many food, beverages and entertainment options at the center of the trail, each town will include its own growers, producers and restaurateurs, offering complimentary samples of their products. Plus, live entertainment will be offered in all three towns as follows: (click the following links for the latest information)

Lanesboro presents “Voices of Lanesboro,” a celebration of local music and rich history, theater and more.

Old time Norwegian cooking demonstrations in Whalan, MN.

The village of Whalan invites visitors to taste test many ethnic foods. With a strong Norwegian influence, it’s only natural to feature such foods as Lefse, Rommergrot, and Blood Klub. And don’t forget to visit Ernie’s Restored 1917 Gas Station and the Whalan Museum.

Some smokin’ good food offered in Peterson, MN

The town of Peterson presents “A Celebration of Farm Life, while the Riff Rangers will be playing oldies at the restored Peterson Bandstand and local businesses and service organizations will have plenty of tasty food and goodies available..

Then, the following Saturday!

September 19^th, the towns of Fountain, Harmony and Preston are working together to show you what the West end of the Trail system offers.

In Fountain, enjoy Tom Schramm’s Music in the Park, sampling foods and beverages from the local businesses and visiting the Fillmore County History Center & Museum.

At the far of the “Trail” in Harmony, enjoy the music of Dubious Cowgirls and display by Harmony Community Garden while savoring some of the food and beverage samples provided by the local businesses there.

“Hooked on Preston” enjoy the area’s Rutabaga Brothers, while enjoying some of the tasy sample offered by the local merchants here. And don’t forget to visit the National Trout Center with a fly fishing course.

A family of cyclists taking a break in Harmony enjoying the tasty samples.

And there is still more!

Houston, Rushford and Rushford Village cap off this year’s “Taste of the Trail” on Saturday, September 26^th. Working together these three communities will show you what the East end of the “Trail” system has to offer.

In Houston, fun continues at the Trailhead Park where you’ll find samples of local food, arts, and activities that you can enjoy and take home. Learn to make your own balloon animals and see the Parade of Owls. Don’t forget to pick up your “passport” with a list of participating businesses offering more samples and a chance to win a major prize!

Arriving in Rushford, make your first stop at the Historic Depot–the community’s trailhead on the Root River State Bike Trail. After sampling some of the garden treats of Rushford Village, pick up a map of the local businesses here offering samples, like lefse and local cheeses.

A fun photo opp. along the Root River Trail.

All Taste of the Trail activities are sponsored by Root River Trail Towns, founded in 1988, and now a 501(c)3 organization dedicated to the continued betterment and well-being of the Root River State Trail System.

See the HaveFunBiking At-A- Glance info for an area map and lodging information when planning a visit to the Root RiverTrail Towns.

Minnesota’s Newest Mountain Bike Trail is Ready to Rock

photos forwarded on from coach Spencer Salmon

In preparation for the 700 high school students coming to compete on mountain bikes and in dedicated to Dick Schindler, Austin, MN new trail is ready for the challenge. Each year the Minnesota High School Cycling League schedules several statewide NICA-sanctioned races to provide student athletes an arena in which to set and accomplish competitive goals while achieving their personal best. With a new team created last year in Austin, the community came through this summer building a trail system where local residents and visitors could enjoy the sport.

A volunteer putting the finishing touches on a bridge so riders can start breaking in the new trail system in Austin, MN.

Now that the trail is complete, a call out has been made to help “ride the trail in,” for the meet in Austin on September 20th. and the Austin Team will be able to practice on their “Home Trail” in preparation for the 2015 schedule listed below:

Race #1 – Sun. Sept. 13 Jail Trail, St. Cloud, MN

Race #2 – Sun. Sept. 20 Trail TBD, Austin, MN

Race #3 – Sun. Oct. 4 Game Haven, Rochester, MN

Race #4 – Sun. Oct. 11 Cuyuna Lakes Trail, Cuyuna Lakes, MN

Race #5 – Sun. Oct. 25 Mt. Kato, Mankato, MN

Mountain bikers checking out the new trail in Austin, MN.

“It was a great accomplishment,once the land was approved for development, to build such a trail in a little over one month”, according to Austin’s coach Spencer Salmon. “Volunteers and community response has been nothing short of amazing. It is indeed a tribute to our friend Dick Schindler”.

“Some of the residents wanted to build trails 10 years ago, ”but it never got the city’s support”, Salmon said. “This year, once it became known kids were going to be competing, a plan was quickly put together and four miles of new mountain bike track were built on land owned by Riverland Community College”.

Some of the other volunteers checking out the new trail in Austin, MN.

Dick Schindler, a retired Mayo Clinic Doctor and local resident was a big advocates for building the trail in Austin, however, he passed away earlier this year on one of the trail sections he wanted to see developed.

If you are interested in visiting Austin, MN, In addition to new mountain bike trail system, checkout their new artwork center, many wonderful restaurants, the Spam Museum soon to be open in the downtown area, or even the theater and the Rydor Bicycle Museum.

See their website here for more information on the new trail and visiting Austin, MN.

Fun Bike Pic – July 31, MRT

Rohanda and Jim Victorsen look on, with a grin, as Jen Pacyga waves (front right) as she prepares to dip her wheel into the Headwaters for the ride of her life (May of 2012), on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT).

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking, hope you enjoy the photo?

Now, rolling into our 10th 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 and post more fun photos worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted to help you find your next adventure. Then, if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute, or at an event you plan to attend with your bike, be prepared to smile. You never know where camera will be and what we will posted next!

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 620 pixels wide for us to post. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and an acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

As HaveFunBiking continues to encourage more people to ride, please reference our blog and the annual bike guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated, at-a-glance information, and maps we are known for in the Destination section of our website. 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 device. Plus, beginning September 2015, this year’s e-version of the Guide will move to quarterly editions where you may see some additional bike pics posted.

Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure – we may capture you in a pic to post!

Bike Getaway, Stillwater on the St. Croix

Above, riders enjoying the Browns Creek Trail as they roll into Stillwater, MN,

This week the HaveFunBiking Bike Getaway Contest spotlights Stillwater, the 1848 Birthplace of Minnesota, located on the scenic St. Croix River. A bike friendly destination where, when not pedaling, see paddleboats, riverboats and gondolas glide over the water while enjoying unique shopping, dining and entertainment experiences surrounding the new Brown’s Creek Trailhead. A great starting point for many bicycling opportunities, Stillwater is located on the eastside of the Twin City Metro Area and 30 minutes from Downtown St. Paul.

Biking in Stillwater, on the hill, at the corner of Fourth Street S. next to Chilkoot Cafe & Cyclery.

Biking in Stillwater, on the hill at the corner of Fourth Street S. and Churchill Street W. next to Chilkoot Cafe & Cyclery.

Along with the new Brown’s Creek trail that connect to the Gateway Trail, touring cyclists will find hundreds of miles of low traffic, scenic roads meandering in and out of the river valley here in Washington County and over the Lift Bridge into Wisconsin’s countryside. When not riding other fun activities include: birding, hiking, paddling or just hanging out in Stillwater, along the river.

This Bike Getaway highlights a prize package you can build on. It begins with a complimentary one-night stay for two, at Water Street Inn, located in the historic downtown Stillwater area on the river near the remarkable Lift Bridge and bike trail.

Also included in this package for two:

St. Croix River Cruise on the St. Croix Boat & Packet, lunch included
Dining at The Dock Cafe, recently voted the Twin Cities Best Restaurant on the Water
Stillwater was the site of Minnesota’s first prison. Enjoy a free tour, for two, of the original 1800s home of the Prison Warden, by the Washington County Historical Society, and Warden’s House Museum, right at the start of the bike trail
Then quench your thirst at the newest craft beer brewery in town, also near the bike trail, on Main Street. Here enjoy a Rock Star Flight (every beer on tap) and two Maple Island Brewing pint glasses to take home.

Map of the Browns Creek and Gateway Way Trails.

Other fun opportunities to check out while staying in Stillwater:

Take a walking tour along the communities hillside streets and view the many historic homes, churches and the Stillwater Library
Shop the many unique boutiques and antique shops in the downtown district
Checkout the wineries and other breweries in the area
And, stop into Chilkoot Cafe & Cyclery, on the hill at the corner of Fourth Street S. and Churchill Street W.

The winner of this Stillwater Getaway Package will be selected from our HaveFunBiking e-Database on Tuesday, August 18^th. If you haven’t subscribed, please register now for our weekly drawings and the HaveFunBiking e-Newsletter by clicking here.

About Stillwater and the St Croix Riveand Churchill Street W.r Valley

The City of Stillwater is a popular spot for active individual’s using the new Brown’s Creek paved trail system when visiting. A charming historic town built from its early lumber and river e-commerce days, this bike friendly community is a half hour drive from the St. Paul, located on the St Croix River, bordering Wisconsin. The bike trail here gradually follows the Brown’s Creek Valley out of town and intersect with the Gateway Trail that you can ride all the way into St Paul. Staying in Stillwater, enjoy the historic downtown area where it’s easy to find a delicious place to eat or stop after a ride to enjoy an ice cream treat. If water sports (fishing or paddling) are also your thing, extend your stay for more fun on the water. With more than 15 lodging properties (B & B’s, Historic Inn’s, Hotels and House/Lodge rentals it’s easy to make Stillwater your vacation headquarters and waking up to the relaxing sounds of an occasional riverboat whistle. For more information about Stillwater and its many options, see: DiscoverStillwater.com.

About the Bike Getaway Contest

If you like the bike map’s in the HaveFunBiking.com “Bike/Hike Guide” Minnesota edition, here is your chance to win a Getaway Package to one of the bike friendly areas we showcase. Each week, starting June 2^nd, we will draw an email address from our e-subscriber database. The selected winner will then be informed they have won a Bike Getaway Package to one of our bicycle friendly destinations highlighted the previous week. The last drawing will be held on September 28th, for a Fahrlander Fitwell Bike. Just registering here to win, it’s simple and no cost to you.

Congratulations to Hannah Berg, of North Carolina who won our HaveFunBiking Getaway Contest Package to Peterson, Minnesota on the Root River Trail.

* Please note all our e-database subscribers’ email addresses are used strictly for the HaveFunBiking.com’s e-Magazine and contests and will not be sold to any third party venders.

Pic of the Day – Little Falls, June 27th

Self contained touring cyclists on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) just north of Little Falls, MN near Camp Ripley.

Signs for the Mississippi River Trail route

Mississippi River Trail route sign through MN

From Itasca State Park to the Gulf of Mexico, see Minnesota’s section of the MRT as these bicyclists travel south. #OnlyinMN

Bike in Brainerd Area with Their New App

As the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) travels north, then south from Itasca State Park to the Gulf of Mexico, it passes through the Brainerd Lakes Area, on the Paul Bunyan Trail. Here in the Brainerd/Baxter Area bicyclist of every level will find plenty of fun opportunities. This family-friendly bike vacation destination includes over 50 miles of pave trails in the area, 100’s of miles of scenic lakeside road riding routes and some of the best mountain biking trails in the state.

A four-season vacation destination with many lodging choices, when not riding your bike explore the area’s premier golf courses, many water sports activities, the Brainerd International Raceway, the Crow Wing County Historical Museum and the Crow Wing State Park, which offers more history, swimming, camping, hiking, fishing and picnicking when visiting the area. All in their new and free mobile App in the Visit Brainerd Lakes Guide

Another option, when you are on the go and need information at your fingertips, check out the HaveFunBiking Destination section with articles like At-A-Glance Brainerd/Baxter.

New Bike Trail Links Stillwater to St. Paul

If you haven’t had a chance to ride your bike on the newest paved trail in the Twin Cities Metro Area, come out and enjoy this new multi-use paved trail connecting downtown historic Stillwater, to St. Paul. Completed this last fall the new Brown’s Creek Trail is six miles long and starts on the north end of Main Street, in Stillwater, Minn. by the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Then, connects to the existing Gateway State Trail for an addition 18 mile journey through the cities of Maplewood, North St. Paul and Oakdale, in Washington County, to St. Paul’s downtown area.

This cyclist is riding out of Stillwater on the new Browns Creek Bike Trail that connects to the Gateway Trail, into St. Paul.

This cyclist is riding out of Stillwater on theBrowns Creek Bike Trail that connects to the Gateway Trail, into St. Paul.

On this new trail, bicyclists and walkers alike can travel through beautiful rock gorges, parks, farmland, fields and wetlands on the east side of the Twin Cities, with connections to other local parks and trail systems. The Gateway-Brown’s Creek Trail is perfect for beginners yet long enough (48 miles round-trip) for avid cyclists looking for relaxing ways to commute in the eastern suburbs. Both trails are generally level and accessible to users of all abilities because they are constructed on old railroad beds.

While visiting Stillwater, stay overnight and enjoy the great culinary opportunities, breweries, wineries, boutiques river views and fun nightlife in this historic river town. For a complete list of things to do and places to stay when visiting by bike or car, see: www.DiscoverStillwater.com.

Stillwater is located on the Minnesota/Wisconsin border, just 30 minutes east of Minneapolis/St. Paul, on Highway 36.

Swiss Cheese & Spotted Cow Bicycle Tour

By Mary Derks

Due to some last minute cancellations, there are a few openings on this year’s Swiss Cheese & Spotted Cows bicycle tour, including a female looking to share a room with another female. This fun-filled tour, which runs from June 27-July 2, features the best of southern Wisconsin–renowned for its exceptional cycling—and northern Illinois.

Sampling the products after a beer tour.

The tour starts and ends in Mineral Point, Wisconsin and features four days of riding and one layover day (riding optional) in beautiful Galena, Illinois. Not only will you pedal along quiet pastoral lanes during the tour, you will also have the opportunity to explore the only primitive lead mine still open in the U.S. Then, yodel and suit up for: a tour of a cheese factory tour; a local brewery, sampling some of their brews; taste some of Wisconsin’s award-winning cheeses, enjoy beers in a badger hole; refuel on chin drippin’ peaches and melt in your mouth cinnamon rolls; and even milk a cow!

A happy Swiss Cheese & Spotted Cow rider looking forward to the local cheese and wine from the area.

Enjoy a day off in lovely Galena, IL where a plethora of options await you including historic trolley tours, shopping galore, canoeing, kayaking, scooter trips to a local vineyard, winery’s an optional bike ride!

After the cheese tour everyone still wearing their hair nets for a group shot.

At the end of each day relax in the comfort of your hotel room after exploring the local Scandinavian, Swiss and Cornish heritages of the quaint communities we visit, most of which are listed in Midwest Living’s ‘Best Small Town Getaways”.

She did it! Six days of treasured memories gained on the Swiss Cheese & Spotted Cow tour.

To guarantee your spot on this great tour, please contact Mary Derks at 651-335-6505 or [email protected]. For more information, please visit www.scscbiketour.com. We hope you can join us!

Indian River Co. is one of the newest B.F. Communities

Last week, the League of American Bicyclists announced the latest round of Bicycle Friendly Communities (BFC). Being one of the 42 new and renewing communities this round, Indian River County, FL., with the bronze-level BFC status, is aiming to be the best in the region with its ocean front shoreline along Florida’s Atlantic coast.

[photo above – Cyclists enjoying one of the designated bike lanes in Indian River County]

An area known for its tropical tranquility, its fame comes from citrus fruits and nesting turtles. Here you will find a center of regional ecology dependent on clean water that is perfect for active fishing, farming and the tourism industry there. And with the fabulous Florida climate, they boast that long bike rides are possible nearly every day of the year.

With 16 miles of soft sand ocean beaches in the area and rarely crowded, Indian River County may be worth checking out for a future trip?

About a 100 miles north of Miami or a 100 miles south of Orlando’s tourism attractions, here is some bicycling information to meet-up and ride when visiting the area.

Source: League of American Bicyclists