Tag Archives: AAA Roadside Service

Using the west or north bike corral can relieve the hassle-factor biking to the fair

Your bike can be a hassle -free way to get to the Minnesota State Fair

It is probably the fastest and most inexpensive way to get to the fair, riding your bike. If you don’t live near the fair, a multi modal commute is another fun option. Drive your car, with your bike(s) along and park it in one of the St Paul neighborhoods, close by. Then bike in on one of the city’s designated bike routes. Use this St Paul map along with Google Maps, to plan your route to get to the fair.

Riding your bike is probably the fastest way to get to the fair.

Planning on riding your bike to the fair? From On August 23rd, through Labor Day, August 3rd, cyclists who commute by a pedal bike to the fair, from 6 a.m. to midnight, each day will find three secure bike locations. They are located at:

West Bike Lot: Randall Ave-Buford Gate (#16). For cyclist coming from Minneapolis and the western suburbs, this is a handy location and in the past has the most options for parking and convenience.

North Bike Lot: Hoyt-Snelling Gate (#2) For cyclist coming from north Metro, this is a handy location and in the past has had more options for parking and convenience than the South Bike lot.

South Bike Lot: Como-Snelling Gate (#6) the most popular location, this bike corral fille fast especially on weekends.

See more info here.

Another option are the free shuttle buses to et to the fair.

Another option is to take one of the free shuttle buses from a satellite parking lot. Allow one to two hours each way for this option.

Bike related things to do and see at the Minnesota State Fair

The lighted spurs clip to your shoes so you are more visible when riding your bike.

Now that you are in the fair grounds and walking around here are some bike related ideas you might like to see. Need some lights to lite up your bike shoes for more visibility at night; Maybe a new Minnesota Bike Map from MnDOT; or the latest on e-Fat Bikes? It all at the Minnesota State Fair.

Pick up one of the last few 2017 guides at the DNR Info Center.

Pick up one of the last few remaining 2018 MN Bike/Hike Guides at the DNR Info Center.

For the newest gizmo in bike safety and awareness, check out the clip on safety lights for your shoes while biking, See them in a booth under the Grand Stand. Need the newest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide, in hard copy paper format? Head on over to the DNR Info Center. For the Minnesota Bike Map? You will find a paper copy, free of charge, right below the big bike hanging from the ceiling in the Eco Building.

In the Creative Activities Building we found this clock. Congratulation Brad Kacter, from Shoreview, MN.

In the Ag-Horticulture Building we found this grain art piece. Congratulation Darlene Thorud, of Bloomington, MN.

In the Ag-Horticulture Building last year we found this grain art piece. Congratulation Darlene Thorud, of Bloomington, MN. I wonder what bike art will be present this year?

Like parades?

Each day at 2 p.m. on Cosgrove Street you can watch the Minnesota State Fair Parade. If you are lucky you might see the Twin Cities Unicyclists Club preforming. These single wheeled bicyclists always do some fun tricks as they pedal along the parade route. Besides the cyclists, you will see many different floats and marching bands. As the parade ends near the Eco Progress Center you can check out the “Life on a Bike Simulator” that’s right inside.

World’s biggest bike and activities within the Eco Progress Center

CHECK THE LATEST IN ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY EXHIBITS IN THE ECO PROGRESS CENTER.

Also, within the Eco Building check out the coalition of state agencies and private organizations whose goal is to get more people on bikes more often in Minnesota. Also check out the new Kick Gas exhibit with the “World’s Biggest Bike” hanging from the ceiling. You can hop onto a regular bike on the ground below, pedal and watch the gigantic 8-foot bike wheels turn above you. Also learn what you can do with all the extra t-shirts you have been accumulating and make grocery bags out of them. See more on the Eco buildings schedule and opportunities here. While there enjoy a sample of the latest coffee or tea at the Peace Coffee station.

Like fun action biking stunts?

Up in the X-Zone, on Machinery Hill in their new location (Murphy Ave and CosGrove St); watch some The Ride Factory preform some high-rising stunts, right in front of you, on the amazing exhibition course there.

Watch the Ride Factory preform some high-rising stunts right in front of you.

Fun foods at the Minnesota State Fair to try

A favorite MN Fair food, the Tipsy Pie made with caramelized onions, gouda cheese and infused with brown ale was a hit last year.

Every year there are many fun and wacky foods entrees to try at the fair. This year is no exception looking at this list. Item that caught my attention that I might have to taste included:

the Ahi Tuna Poke Bowl, Firecracker Shrimp Stuffed Avocado, Irish Tater Kegs just to name a few. Hope I can still get a cup of the maple cream nitro cold press coffee, leike last year?

The Minnesota State Fair App

Download the Minnesota State Fair App. It’s absolutely free and features their famous Food Finder, Fun Finder and Merch Search tools to help you find your favorites at The Great Minnesota Get-Together. Available now absolutely free at the Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Hope this helps you for your 2018 visit to the Minnesota State Fair. Please let us know, if we missed something you think we should add it to this preview article. Please leave a comment below.

Thanks and Have Fun!

New AAA Roadside Service adds peace of mind for your next bike ride

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by, Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking.com

As more people take to bicycling for recreation and transportation it is nice to know there is someone to come to rescue if a bike breaks down. In a move to support bicyclists, AAA is now offering support. Recently, the company announced that it was extending its popular automotive AAA Roadside Service to include bikes. Here at HaveFunBiking.com, hearing the news is exciting. This is a perfect service that will assure cyclist, someone will be there if they breakdown.

Any bike you are riding is covered by AAA Roadside Service

With wheel bearing going out this cyclist wouldn't be carrying his bike hope if he had a AAA Roadside Service membership?

If this rider had AAA Roadside Service, he wouldn’t be carrying his bike home because of a mechanical issue.

How the program works? For as little as $49 a year you can purchase a AAA membership that offers Roadside Service for both your car and bike. If you are already a member you are now covered when bicycling. Just call your roadside assistance number on the back of your membership card.

Like the automotive Roadside Assistance Program any bike you are riding (road, mountain, recumbent, e-bike, tandem bikes, bike rentals and bicycle trailers) is eligible. Coverage applies to any qualified bike a member is riding at the time the bicycle becomes disabled. A member should be with the bicycle and have their AAA Membership Card in hand at the time of service. Keep in mind, the Roadside Service is provided only for the rider whose bicycle has become disabled or inoperable. However, any accompanying minors of a member is covered.

When a quick fix isn’t an option, AAA Roadside Service is there

The second most common mechanical problem to a flat tire is a broken chain.

If a quick fix isn’t an option, (examples: you blew a tire; some spokes broke; or the chain busted) first call a family member or friend. Then, if no one is available to assist, AAA Roadside Service may be your best option.

It’s like “Having a SAG Wagon in your back pocket,” especially when you are touring away from home, on vacation, etc. This roadside service is something that will give a cyclist peace of mind.

**Three levels of SAG (service and gear) support for you and your bike**

Under the new terms of the roadside pickup service. AAA will transport you and your disabled bike to any point of safety within the limits of your coverage. This is based on three available levels of membership below:

The Classic: Gives you up to four transports of your bike or car, within a 5-mile radius of the breakdown per year
The Plus: Gives you up to four transports of your bike or car, within a 100-mile radius of the bicycle breakdown
The Premier: Gives you one transport of your bike or car, up to a 200-mile radius of the breakdown; remaining transports are 100 miles.

This is exciting news if you are a casual, touring cyclist or a bike commuter! Mary Miller, from South St. Paul was ecstatic to hear the news. She stated, ” now I feel comfortable riding my bike more often knowing that I can call AAA to come and get me if I breakdown.”

What You Don’t Get

The service is strictly a pickup and delivery service and does not offer any repair amenities or supplies. If you are capable of fixing a flat, repairing a broken chain or spoke and continuing your ride, please do so. The service is designed when you have run out of quick repair options. In fact, there is a laundry list of “services not included:

Airing or changing a flat tire
Pickup from anywhere not reachable from a paved, “regularly traveled” road
Parts, including tires
Pickup of bicyclists who are physical unable to continue with the ride
Locksmith services, in case you accidentally lock up your bike and lose the key or combination.

AAA Roadside Service is available in many states across the U.S.

“We are tremendously excited about this great new bike benefit program available to AAA members across most of the upper Midwest, Southeast and much of our country,” stated Gail Weinholzer, Director of Public Affairs, AAA – The Auto Club Group.

The new bicycle service is available throughout the entire territory served by AAA. The Auto Club Group which includes all of: Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Michigan, Nebraska, North Dakota, Tennessee and Wisconsin; most of Illinois and Minnesota; and a portion of Indiana.

For bicycle coverage outside the above states and for full details on AAA Roadside Membership visit AAA.com/Bicycle.

Bike Pic Aug 6, Ice Cream Smile Sunday celebrates AAA’s Roadside Service

Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Ice Cream Smiles Sunday’ 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: editor@HaveFunBiking.com. 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 apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.

Have a great day!