Welcome. We're your premier source for fun places to explore by bicycle or on foot. Offering guides, maps and articles on road and trail riding for the novice to seasoned cyclist - helping you find your #NextBikeAdventure
In this bike pic, ice cream smiles were prevalent as this biker chick displayed while enjoying a cool treat at a rest stop in Anoka.
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. And now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 18th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can 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]. Please Include a brief caption to the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide or larger to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging 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 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 and memorable year ahead!
With miles of connecting bike trails around the city of Blaine, sports fans and visitors alike will find many phenomenal sights while bicycling here. One of the nine communities of the Twin Cities Gateway this city is a perfect destination for a bike vacation tied to a sporting event. The city offers many trail opportunities surrounding the sports facilities here. So, whether you are an athlete looking for a fun way to get a pre-game workout. Or, a visiting sports fan looking for some added memories we have some ideas starting with the Blaine 10-mile bike loop.
The Blaine 10-mile bike loop can add more fun to your game visit.
The Blaine 10-mile bike loop
A perfect bicycle tour before or after a game this bike loop begins in the parking lot of the National Sports Center(NSC). The route heads south using the service road between NSC and Schwan Super Rink and passes through several parking lots south to 101st Avenue. Traveling in a clockwise direction drive your bike south on Davenport to the stoplight at 99th Avenue and cross Highway 65. If you are staying at the Asteria Inn & Suites, on 93rd Ave, this is a great place to meet up with the 10-mile loop. it is a short 1/4-mile ride, north on Baltimore Street, from the hotel to 99th Avenue.
The Blaine 10-mile bike loo is fun for all ages.
Crossing the highway and enjoying the trails in Blaine
If you prefer staying off the streets after crossing the highway the trail that runs parallel on 99th Avenue, on the south side, for your added comfort. On Clover Leaf Parkway, take a right and you are soon on a sequence of city trails up through several neighborhoods. For the next couple miles the route meanderers to the north. As you pedal along the trail you will pass several small neighborhood ponds where it is common to view wildlife.
Many roads here offer trails that parallel for added comfort.
At 113th Ave. the route relies on a combination of roads (with parallel trails). These quiet, low traffic city streets connect you to more neighborhood trails on the route up to Paul Parkway. The last stretch on this section takes riders through the Blaine Baseball Complex with several trail options circling the ball fields. One option, if you don’t mind adding more mileage to your ride is taking a left at the trail T to Bunker Hills Regional Park. On the 10-mile loop turn to the east on Paul Parkway where you will find a trail running parallel with the street.
A sweet tooth option at the 6-mile mark
It’s always fun when riding in the Twin Cities Gateway to stop for ice cream.
If you don’t mind adding a couple of extra miles, take a left on Ulysses Street for ice cream. It is approximately a mile, each way, that you will have to add to your total mileage, But the Big Dipper Creamery is worth the extra miles with 52 flavors to choose. For any bike service needs, while touring here, Pioneer Cycle is across Highway 65, north of Main Street.
Enjoying nature along the trail.
Continuing east on Paul Parkway the route crosses over Highway 65 and turns south on Aberdeen St, again with a trail running parallel on the west side. If you have worked up an appetite for breakfast, lunch or some pie, Carol’s Restaurant is an option. Her homemade cooking is always a treat when I stop there!. Further south, the 10-mile loop jogs to the east and meanders past some more picturesque trail setting that takes you over a wooden bridge.
Returning back to the NSC or your hotel
After the round-a-bout at 113th, the route continues south on Club W. Parkway. For those staying at the Best Western Plus or Fairfield Inn & Suites in Blaine, take a right on 108th Ave. The Hotel is south of Target, on the east side to Baltimore Street. If you missed the Big Dipper Creamery option, above you will find ice cream next door to the hotel. For bike touring visitors staying at Asteria Inn & Suites, on 93rd Avenue, continue south using the cue sheet link below.
The 10-mile Blaine loop continues south on Davenport, below 105th Avenue and into the National Sports Center parking lot. Back at the NSC or your hotel checkout a nearby eating establishment and plan another bike adventure in the Twin Cities Gateway Area.
If Halloween is one of your favorite times of the year, get ready for the premier and unveiling of the new Forever Halloween Postage Stamp! This Forever Halloween event, in Anoka, MN, kicks off a fun season of pumpkins and trick or treaters in the Halloween Capital of the World. Then, this is followed by several weeks of ghosts and goblin fun. All of this is the lead up to the great hallowed event on October 31st. With hotel accommodations easily available around the nine Twin Cities Gateway communities, it’s a quick drive by car or bike ride to all the 2016 Spooktakular Events.
This year’s events begin September 29th with the unveiling of the new official ‘Forever Halloween’ postage stamp. Then, the fun really heats up on the weekend of October 14th because of the Pumpkin Bowl, the famous Orange Tie Ball, and a medallion hunt. The following week take a tour of the decorated spooky homes, participate in the Annual Gray Ghost 5K, and enjoy the Grand Day Parade celebrating all things Halloween. Located in the northern Twin Cities Metro community of Anoka, it’s the 96th year the town has hosted this event.
Through the years Anoka’s Halloween celebration prides itself in offering world class fun. Afterwards, in the last weekend in October, participation in the night parade and Grand Day parade has grown to include floats and marching bands from all over the Midwest. In addition, the original concept of having costumed local student’s parade down Main Street, hasn’t changed a bit.
Forever Halloween Unveiling to Kick Off the Spooky Season
Here is the new Forever Halloween stamp that kicks off the Anoka, MN – Halloween Capitol of the World celebrations.
Join the fun as the Unites States Postal Service proudly unveils the first day issue of the first official 2016 Forever Halloween stamp. This takes place in the city of Anoka. The event, on September 29th, will take place at River Plaza (the Old City Hall) on 1st Ave N. The event starts at 10:30 a.m. for a Plaza Gathering. Then, at 11 a.m. the Ceremony and Stamp Unveiling will take place. Afterwards, since you’re in the area anyway for the event, you might want to pick up some Halloween themed post cards. The fun post cards available feature the upcoming events that you can mail to your friends. Also, don’t forget the new stamps!
Ramp Up Halloween with the Pumpkin Bowl and Orange Tie Ball
Are you ready for some Halloween themed football? Friday evening, October 14th, the Anoka High School football team plays their rival Chanplin, located on the other side of the Mississippi River Trail. Then, on Saturday, tour the decorated homes around Anoka before the annual Orange Tie Ball begins! The fun evening will include dinner, dance, raffles & silent auctions, and more. All proceeds go to the Anoka area students scholarship fund. If you have any questions, contact: [email protected].
The Grand Finale of Anoka’s 2016 Forever Halloween
Then, with a wine tasting event and more decorated homes to see, all of it leads to the grand finale. The grand finale of Anoka’s 2016 Forever Halloween season begins the last Friday in October with a Big Parade of Little People. This parade showcases the local school children dressed in their best costumes. Join the fun by watching the parade that started this event ninety-six years ago.
The finale of the Halloween Capitol of the World is the Grand Day Parade – the largest in the state.
Then, on Saturday, enter the Halloween Gray Ghost 5K Run & 1 Mile Walk. See the flyer for more details. Later in the afternoon, celebrate the Halloween Capital of the World’s™ parade – the largest in the state. During the parade, the T-6 Thunder will showcase a special flyover as the parade begins. Sponsored by Federal Premium, all this and more happens on Main Street and Fifth Avenue, in Anoka, MN at 1 p.m. And there is still more to see and do throughout October if you have the 2016 Anoka, MN Halloween Capital of the World button .
Getting to the 2016 Forever Halloween by Bicycle is Easy and Safe
No matter where you are staying in the Twin Cities Greenway, it’s easy and safe to get to the Downtown Anoka events by bike. From Blaine, Coon Rapids, Fridley, Ham Lake, Lino Lakes, Moundsview, New Brighton, and Shoreview, you will find bike friendly routes to easily get there. See all nine Minnesota community maps showing you the trails and bike friendly roads there for a ghoulish time or for exploring anytime throughout the year.
An exciting and fun sport, this may be the last year for a while to try or watch track cycle racing in Minnesota. Track or velodrome racing at the National Sports Center (NSC) has been called “NASCAR on Two Wheels.” At blazing speeds, gravity-defying turns and spectacular crashes make Velodrome racing one of the most awe-inspiring spectator sports around. One of the few wooden tracks still left in the U.S. the track at NSC has now been repaired for its last season of hair raising fun.
At first glance, track cycle racing is a chaotic, confusing sport. After you have seen a race, the sport leaves a memorable impression that is amplified by its simplicity. With only one gear and no brakes, the track bikes used are the epitome of simplicity.
The track in Blaine is near its end
Built to host the 1990 Olympic Festival track racing events and National Championships, the NSC Velodrome is one of the most unique tracks in the world. It is the only outdoor wood-plank velodrome in the Western Hemisphere and is slated for demolition in 2019. So, this may be your last chance to experience the excitement of the track at the National Sports Center. Through the 2018 season (May to September) you can still come out and test out your skills and speed at the velodrome. Like many of the Twin Cities Gateway attractions in the area, each Thursday evening, ladies can come out and have some fun in between several men’s races. Take a look at the schedule here for several open sessions to try bicycle racing, even for kids.
Test your Olympian skills in Blaine on Minnesota’s only Velodrome track.
Learn to ride program
Check out their Learn to Ride Program offering riders as young as 12 years of age the opportunity to ride one of the finest velodromes in the country.
The schedule has several open sessions to try bicycle racing, even for kids.
Ride or watch, here is the skinny on velodrome racing
Learn all about track cycle racing. Find the specifics about velodromes, the details about track bicycles. This is the place to learn about the fastest sport on two wheels and to the different type of races held on the track.
Track cycle racing will come to an end in 2019
Without the support of the cycling community, the existing velodrome track could come to an end in 2019. The NSC Velodrome in Blaine is one of only 26 cycle tracks in the United States. Plans are now to demolish the NSC track after the 2019 racing season. That will end one of the most storied eras in Minnesota cycling history. However, the Minnesota cycling community is working on a replacement when the Blaine velodrome is demolished.
The next generation of Minnesota’s sports leadership has developed a vision for a multi-purpose community bicycle facility. A non-profit organization the MN Cycling Center is working to build this important cycling venue. A place where training and racing can be provided year round. One thing that all cyclists can help with immediately, is writing their legislators and asking for their support in this upcoming legislative session.
30 years of Minnesota track cycling history
Since the 1990’s the NSC Velodrome has hosted hundreds of events. Attracting thousands of racers from around the world and teaching them to ride a track bike. It has produced Olympic medalists and dozens of elite national and world champions. Some like multiple Olympic Silver Medalist Kelly Catlin, of Arden Hills, who learned to ride the track here. She notes, “It is an incredibly rare asset to have a velodrome, much less an international-standard track. It makes Minneapolis one of only a handful of cities in North America that can host international-caliber events, it would be a despicable waste to lose such a treasure.”
More to see in the Twin Cities Gateway when visiting the track
When in the area you will find many more activities to enjoy. From curling, disc golf, to miles of bike trails and road routes, you will find many opportunities for fun in the Twin Cities Gateway.
If you are in the Twin Cities Gateway Area this summer, the Blaine Festival, north of Minneapolis, is only a week away. From June 27th to the 30th you will find several fun events over the weekend. While there you may want to consider jumping on a bike and riding the velodrome track at the National Sports Center.
The Blaine Festival is family fun!
You will find the parade and a whole lot more to bike too.
un for the whole family, the 2019 Blaine Festival (June 27 – 30) is a community event now celebrating its 50th year. The fun kicks off on Friday at Noon, with a medallion hunt and festivities that runs through Sunday, at 6 p.m. for a weekend of fun.
Stacks of Oreo cookies always get grins from both young and old.
Pig races and a “Not So” ugly contest are just a few of the fun events
Events throughout the three-days include carnival rides, crafter/business fair, civic tent, petting zoo, magician, recreational activities, food, and live bands. Along with the traditional parade scheduled at Noon on Saturday event, other highlights include: pig races, a pedal tractor pull, an Oreo stacking contest and the “Not So” Ugly do contest!
Join the fun, the festival is located in Blaine at Aquatore Park (northwest of Highway 65 & 10). With free admission and parking, there is a wide variety of entertainment with something for everyone.
The Blaine Farmers Market
The Blaine Farmers Market is easy to get to by bike.
One of the many joys of summer is to savor the fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden. However, not all of us have the time and space to raise our favorite produce. That’s where farmers’ markets come into play and the Twin Cities Gateway (TCG)has you covered. Along with the Blaine Market, TCG offers six other farmers’ markets, on different days and locations to choose from. A great place to pick up a couple of things you want for a healthy snack on that next bike outing.
In Blaine, each Wednesday in the city hall parking lot stop in at the farmers’ market, throughout the summer.
Don’t forget two-wheel racing at the velodrome in Blaine
Every Thursday and some weekend offers you the option to participate or watch the racing at the National Sports Center Velodrome in Blaine – see more here!
Need lodging for your visit to Blaine?
You can find a complete listing of lodging opportunities in Blaine and neighboring communities Twin Cities Gateway communities here.
Track cycling in Minnesota could come to an end in 2019 without the support of the cycling community. The National Sport Center (NSC) Velodrome in Blaine, is one of only 26 cycle tracks in the United States. It will be demolished after the 2019 racing season. That will end one of the most storied eras in Minnesota cycling history. The MN Cycling Center is working to a new indoor cycling complex to replace this important cycling venue. Can you please help by contacting your legislature?
The future track cycling complex in Minnesota
The proposed site plan for a new MN Cycling Center in Northeast Minneapolis. See larger version in link below.
The next generation of Minnesota’s sports leadership has developed a vision for a multi-purpose community bicycle facility. A non-profit organization the MN Cycling Center is working to build this important cycling venue. A place where training and racing can be provided year round. One thing that that all cyclists can help with immediately, is writing their legislators and asking for their support in this upcoming legislative session.
30 years of Minnesota track cycling history
Track cycling in MN could come to an end without you contacting your legislature.
The NSC Velodrome has hosted hundreds of events. Attracting thousands of racers from around the world and teaching them to ride a track bike. It has produced Olympic medalists and dozens of elite national and world champions. Some like multiple Olympic Silver Medalist Kelly Catlin, of Arden Hills, who learned to ride the track here. She notes, “It is an incredibly rare asset to have a velodrome, much less a international-standard track. It makes Minneapolis one of only a handful of cities in North America that can host international caliber events, it would be a despicable waste to lose such a treasure.”
The Future needs the MN Cycling Center
The new center will provide a home for cycling-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) in MN
With several Minnesota sports leaders working together the center shows promise. This cycling complex will be a place that can provide off-season training and racing opportunities for cyclists of all ages and ability levels. It can also host concerts and other community events, along with retail in Northeast Minneapolis. But most importantly the cycling facility will provide a home for cycling-based STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) education for youth from around the region.
The MN Cycling Center also creates an education center for youth around the region.
The group is currently providing this STEM programming at individual Minneapolis Public School locations.
City, state and cycling community support is needed
The MN Cycling Center plans to build a $30-40 million facility. The group has secured needed support from the City of Minneapolis and Mayor Frey’s office. They have introduced two bills at the Minnesota State Legislature – HF 2700 and SF 2980 – requesting state funding to continue the state’s long history of track cycling.
BMX facilities could be another feature of the new MN Cycling Center.
Cyclists can help by writing their legislators and asking for their support for the needed legislation. Please use the MN Cycling Center automated form here to contact your legislator(s).
With a track racing event tonight, at the National Sports Center Velodrome, in Blaine, MN, you will want to come out before the last race on the schedule, September 14th. Blaine is a Twin Cities Gateway community, in the north suburbs of the Twin Cities.
Get into the zone and plan your next bike outing with family and friends at one of the many HaveFunBiking Destinations. View all the fun ideas and bike destinations in the latest Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.
Thanks for Viewing Our ‘Track Racing’ Pic of the Day!
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 apperance while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic’s of the Day.
One of the many joys of summer is to enjoy your favorite fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden. However, not all of us have the time and space to raise these foods ourselves. That’s where farmers’ markets come into play and the Twin Cities Gateway (TCG) has you covered when you are in the area. Between the nine communities that make up the Gateway, there are six farmers’ markets for you to choose from. Great places to pick up the couple things you want for a healthy snack or a fun destination for a bike outing.
A perfect time to bike to the farmers’ market in the Twin Cities Gateway for some healthy treats.
All of these farmers’ markets are up and running, just waiting for you come and take a look around. The majority of the farmers’ markets in the TCG end in October, making them the perfect place to grab all your favorite produce during the changing seasons. Break out your bikes and take a ride to deliciousness.
From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesdays, the New Brighton Farmers’ Market is open. A great place to get your produce for the week and more. Need to find a last minute gift for someone? Check out Mousework Glass’ stand and peruse their new pieces. Refill on some cleaning supplies with limited chemicals at the Norwex stand. If you are starting to feel the summer heat while looking at the stands upon stands of produce, grab an ice cream cone from Grandpa’s Ice Cream. Before you leave with your new treasures, grab some homemade pretzels for the road from Tübinger Bakery.
Anoka
420 E. Main Street Anoka, MN 55303
Keep away the Monday blues by paying a visit to Anoka’s Farmers’ Market on Monday afternoons from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Right in the parking lot of Lyric Arts you can get what you need for the week.
4580 Victoria Street North Shoreview, MN 44126
Shoreview is open Tuesdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. but have slightly different hours from the end of September to October.
Tuesdays from September 27 to October 18, the hours change to 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. so make sure to make note and not be late.
A Bike Ride that Will Tease the Inner Psyche of Any Sports Fan
Devin Ulman, HaveFunBiking.com
With miles of bike routes and trails in the Twin Cities Gateway, the area offers sports fans many phenomenal sights and sports facilities to venture to while biking here. Many will find one complex a place worth visiting. The National Sports Center (NSC) is located in Blaine, MN and is the world’s largest amateur sport facility. Home to numerous national and international teams, the center welcomes all varieties of sports and spectators. Containing more than fifty athletic fields and a super ice rink, this sports center is a must see. Additionally, it is also home to the NSC Velodrome – for bicycle track racing. So, if you are a sports fan and biking down the Mississippi River Trail, this is one destination you won’t want to bypass.
The soccer stadium here is a sports fan haven
For any sports fan the 50-plus athletic fields and soccer stadium sets the stage for world-class tournaments.
The NSC Soccer Stadium is the most intimate sporting site in the state with each seat offering a spectacular view and excitement as the game goes on. Home to the Minnesota United FC, soccer games include U.S. Women’s National Team matches and tournaments with the English Premier League. The stadium also hosts adult and youth matches that are fun to watch.
Catch a game and cool off
For any sports fan, the Schwan Super Rink is the largest ice arena of its kind in the world.
On a hot summer day, when looking for a fun location to cool off, bike on over to the Schwan Super Rink. As the largest ice arena of its kind in the world, the super rink contains eight sheets of ice under the same roof. Four are capable of hosting NHL games and four are Olympic-sized sheets that host the USA International Hockey Cup. Perfect for fans of hockey, speed skating, figure skating, or broom ball. Numerous major events can be viewed in this unique facility.
Velodrome racing has been called the “NASCAR on Two Wheels”
NSC Velodrome racing is a perfect place for cyclists to gain an amazing experience or enjoy viewing the action during their own bicycling expedition. The only outdoor wood-plank velodrome in the United States, this exclusive track hosts numerous events for professionals and amateurs. Including Olympic and International Grand Prix events, there are also community rides and training lessons. So, for those who want to develop their biking skill and get a unique experience, check it out. If you are passionate about cycling, or just bike for recreation, then the Velodrome is a premier destination for entertainment.
