Tag Archives: #FindYourNextAdventure

MnDOT makes 125 county level bicycle maps available

County level bicycle maps are now available in Minnesota. As the second most bicycle friendly state in the United States, according to the League of America Bicyclists, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) has recently announced the first of a series of bicycle maps. These are county by county level bicycle maps for the state. In the link below, you’ll find 125 maps with some counties split into more than one sheet. All at this one link location, click on any County Bicycle Map and see trails, road conditions, and more.

Selecting One of the County Level Bicycle Maps

Once you have selected a map, you can print out any of the maps by county (on 8.5×11 or 11×17 paper) to take along to help navigate your bike adventure. Please note, there are no printed versions of these county bike maps available, so you will need to print you own.

Additional Minnesota Maps to Cross Reference

For major metro areas in Minnesota you should also consider referencing local bicycle maps. Local bike maps may have more current local roadway data and trails. Click the following links for these Minnesota cities with bike maps: Albert Lea, Anoka County (TwinCities Gateway) Brainerd, Bemidji, Cuyuna Area, Duluth, Grand Rapids, Hastings, Hibbing/Virginia, Hutchinson, Lakeville, Little Falls, Mankato, Minneapolis Northwest, Minneapolis (Hennepin Co.) Park Rapids, Prairie Waters Area (Western MN), Rochester, Root River Trail Towns, Stillwater, St. Cloud, St. Paul, Walker, Willmar and Winona.

According to MnDOT, “because this is the first effort to show data at the county scale there are some gaps and we will continue to work with the counties to improve the data and layout of these maps with future versions.” They also welcome your comments on how to improve the maps. Submit feedback or changes by emailing [email protected].

A real summer treat for bicyclists, Tour De Pines Ride

In Northern Minnesota, the Tour De Pines Bike Ride is a real summer treat. Sponsored by Hostelling International (HI) USA, this is the 8th annual Tour. Scheduled for Saturday, August 20^th, it originates and ends in Itasca State Park to provide all levels of bicycling fun and challenges. From a family friendly 25 mile course, to a 50 or 75 mile option, all routes are fully supported.

In Northern Minnesota, the Tour De Pines Bike Ride is a real summer treat, scheduled for Saturday, August 20th.

Ride with old and new friends in Northern Minnesota, on the Tour De Pines Bike Ride Saturday, August 20th.

Tour DE Pines support the Mississippi Headwaters Hostel

The proceeds from this bike ride help to support the Mississippi Headwaters Hostel. The Hostel is located in Itasca State Park, north of Park Rapids MN. This lovely 31-bed hostel is open year round for guests who seek a north woods adventure, enjoying the full Itasca Park experience.

The first state park in Minnesota, Itasca State Park, is celebrating its 125th anniversary this summer. It is the Mississippi Headwaters that brings in the biggest draw for the park. This attracts about 500,000 visitors annually.

According to Jon Ridge, Hostelling International Regional Director, “Bicycling in the Park on the quiet country roads in and around Itasca is why we started the Tour De Pines eight years ago. At this time of the year, summer weather seems to be grand and the riders appreciate all the Tour has to offer. So make a weekend out of the ride. There are things to do for the whole family regardless if you bike or not: Explore the park, Climb the viewing tower, Visit Historic Douglas Lodge, or take a family photo at the Headwaters. Summertime in Itasca State Park is incredible!”

Registration is now open: $40 for Adults, $20 for Youth. Registration and ride details can be found at www.TourDePines.org.

HI Mississippi Headwaters hostel is a beautifully restored log building. Constructed in 1923 as the park headquarters, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Itasca State Park was recently rated as one of the nation’s top 50 state parks by National Geographic.

Something for the whole family, LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival

Register early and enjoy four days of V.I.P treatment at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival, September 2nd through the 5th. This Labor Day weekend in LaCrosse, events includes mountain biking, architectural tours, coffee and muffin rides, ice cream rides, 30-100 mile road rides, live music, and entertainment. All rides leave from Cameron Park (unless noted).

Win this Wyatt fat bike at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival.

Win a Wyatt’s fat bike at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival by registering before August 1st..

Free to the public, unless you want V.I.P. treatment. Register early to take advantage of all the festival has to offer. Register here for a fun Labor Day Weekend bike adventure.

The Family Friendly LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival Social Rides

Each morning of the LaCrosse Bicycle Festival starts with a leisurely morning coffee ride with stops to taste the special roasts at several shops. Along the way the tour will explore picturesque neighborhoods and city trails through the wildlife areas. Additionally, you can Pedal/Paddle the back waters of the Mississippi if you prefer.

Register early and pedal your bike out to French Park. There, select a paddle board, kayak, or canoe for a family-friendly exploration of the backwaters of the Mississippi. Limited to the first 20, so register before August 1st .

Pump track fun at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival is easy and will help you improve your mountain bike skills.

Throughout the afternoon, there are several bike tours around town that are family friendly. From ice cream and play ground rides, kid-friendly mountain bike rides, historic neighborhood tours, plus a beer/bike tour to add to the fun while in LaCrosse.

Time To Get Serious At The LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival

This years Festival will also feature several scenic routes in both Wisconsin and across the river into Minnesota. On Saturday, plan to take the 56-mile version of the Coon Valley Coulee Express, east of LaCrosse. On this route enjoy the narrow and twisty ravines and valleys that make for great bicycling in the coulees. The Grandad Bluff Loop is a shorter option with a stop at a much-loved overlook.

Tour both Wisconsin coulee's and Minnesota's Driftless at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival.

Tour both the Wisconsin coulee’s and some of Minnesota’s Driftless Area at the LaCrosse Area Bicycle Festival.

To the west of LaCrosse on Sunday, cross the Mississippi and explore Minnesota’s bluffs and farmland. Yo will be visiting the communities of La Crescent, Houston, Brownsville, and Hokah. This featured ride is known as the Driftless Region’s Most Scenic Ride (DRMSR). DRMSR features wide-open landscapes and several challenging climbs on this 82-mile loop. The optional Apple Blossom ride leaves LaCrosse by the same route and explores the same region as the DRMSR, but is done in just 35 miles, at your own speed.

Also consider the annual LaCrosse Gravel Classic. This being its seventh year, you can treat this 56-mile course as a road race or a bike tour enjoying the scenery along the way.

Meanwhile, back in LaCrosse, the ever-popular Ice Cream Rides visits different shops that make their own ice cream. Sign up today for a fun weekend!

Hayward waits for bridge to complete Blazing Star Trail

The Hayward, MN trail’s new east end trail head dedication was held Sunday, July 17th with country fan-fare. At the celebration of the Blazing Star Trail was Joel Wagar (from MN DNR) and Peggy Bennett (MN Representative). Hayward Mayor, Mike Hansen, was also present to cut the ribbon. Now the communities of Albert Lea and Hayward wait patiently for the bridge over Albert Lea Lake to connect the two section of the trail. Everyone was optimistic that funding for the bridge will come in the next legislative session, so the trail could be completed by 2018.

The Hayward/Blazing Star Trail Head Celebration

The east end of the Blazing Star Trail has about a mile and a half of pavement.

The dedication and fun was held at the Hayward City Park, located about four miles east of Albert Lea. After the ribbon cutting, kid’s from four to ninety enjoyed the events planned. Throughout the afternoon, people enjoyed games, bike/walk events, lemonade (at the west end of the trail), root beer floats, and prizes.

Blazing Star to the Mississippi River

Resident and visitors rode their bikes on the new section of the Blazing Star Trail, enjoying lemonade and cookies at the end before returning back to Hayward.

While waiting for the bridge over Albert Lea Lake, the DNR is planning on scheduled meetings. The meetings will discuss possible options to eventually extend the trail. This would be from Hayward to Austin. Once the bridge over Albert Lea Lake is completed, adjacent to a Canadian Pacific Railroad bridge, the they hope to connect it to the Shooting Star Trail in Austin.

The Blazing Star trail head, in Hayward, has a new rest room facilitates, bike racks and a fix-it-station in the park there.

Once the trail reaches Austin, it would be about 20 miles long. With long term goals set, someday bicyclists will have the ability to ride from Albert Lea to Austin.

Biking around Albert Lea

Known as the “Land Between the Lakes,” Albert Lea is nestled between Albert Lea Lake and Fountain Lake. Geographically located at the crossroads of Interstate I-90 and Interstate 35W, in southern Minnesota, this charming community offers many bike touring options. Today you will find a relaxing setting to bike with family and friends. You can do this while enjoying some of southern Minnesota’s hospitality. Along with the blazing Star Trail, we found that the roads around Fountain Lake are reminiscent of Lake of the Isles, in Minneapolis.

For more information contact the Albert Lea Tourism Center.

Bike Pic July 22, ice cream smiles Friday!

Ice Cream Smiles Friday on the Root River Trail. Here in this photo a couple of bike riders on the Root River Bluff & Valley Bike Tour enjoy some cool treats on this hot day in Lanesboro, MN.

Find many more bike friendly places to explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB).

Now rolling into our 10th year as a bicycle tourism media source, our goal is to continue to encourage more people to bike, while showcasing unforgettable places to ride. As HFB searches and presents more fun cycling related photos, worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted that may help you Find Your Next Adventure. Then, while out there if you see us along a paved or mountain bike trail, next to the route you regularly commute on, or at an event you plan to attend, be prepared to smile. You never know where our cameras will be and what we will post next!

Do you have a fun bicycle related photo of yourself or someone you know that you would like to see us post? 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 a minimum of 800 pixels wide or larger for us to consider using them. If we do 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 print and quarterly digital Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide to Find Your Next Adventure. We are proud of the updated At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for at the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. Now, as the Guide goes into its seventh year of production, we are adding a whole new dimension of information, now available for mobile devices.

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 July 20, a cool place to ride

When the weather gets hot a great place to bike is out in the woods on a mountain bike trail. This photo was captured in Lebanon Park, near Lakeville MN.

Find many more bike friendly places to explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB).

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 Art of Biking – all things Anoka

Emily Stocker, HaveFunBiking.com

When biking down the Mississippi River Trail (MRT) or staying overnight in the Twin Cities Gateway Area, spend some time enjoying Anoka’s amazing art scene. Discover the art of biking between the Rum River Art Center and the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage. It’s the perfect stop along on the way.

Biking to the Rum River Art Center

The Rum River Art Center has classes for you to “brush up” on your painting and other skills – photo ABC Newspaper

The Rum River Art Center has classes for you to “brush up” on your painting and other skills. These classes range from painting to clay, for a variety of ages. Bike over to the RRAC for one of the Adult Meditative coloring class. Or, if you are a Lord of the Rings fan, head over for Tolkien Tuesdays. Summer workshops are a great way to keep the kids entertained while teaching them art skills. These art camps allow you, or your kids, to take classes on what you are most interested in. From animal drawing to Pokémon, polymer clay and even mosaic stained glass, everyone will have fun while making their artwork.

Biking to the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage

"Nice Work If You Can Get It" is now showing Now showing at the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, in Anoka.

“Nice Work If You Can Get It” is now showing at the Lyric Arts Main Street Stage, in Anoka.

The Lyric Arts Main Street Stage brings you a wonderful theatre experience right in downtown Anoka. Stop by to admire the mural on the side of the building. If you go on a Monday you can enjoy Anoka’s farmer’s market in the theatre’s parking lot. Love what you see on the outside of the building, then come back for one of their shows.

Lyric Arts’ current play is “Nice Work If You Can Get It.” Along with theatre productions, they have several summer workshops on a variety of topics for all ages. From sketch and improv comedy to singing and dancing lessons, these workshops are great for kids during the summer or anyone wanting to get involved with theatre.

Apart from theatre productions, Lyric Arts also has their “Music in the ‘Burbs” concert series. Relish an evening of music by local artists from around Minnesota on the Lyric Arts stage for an intimate concert. Some scheduled artists include Kat Perkins and Tonic Sol Fa.

So bike on over to Anoka and get your fill of all things art.

Bike Pic July 18, Log Jam Days celebration a hit

Bike riders on the Gateway Trail found the 82nd Annual Log Jam Days in Stillwater, MN, a hit this last weekend, even with high water forcing the event to move inland. See what took place over the weekend on their Facebook page.

Find many more bike friendly places to explore in the new Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Thanks for viewing the Bike Pic of the Day here at HaveFunBiking (HFB).

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!

An easy bike ride to the “Slice” of Shoreview

Are you planning on visiting or looking for something to do in the north side of Minnesota’s Twin Cities Metro Area next weekend with your bike? If so, check out the popular ‘Slice of Shoreview‘ see (map). One of nine entertaining towns of the Twin Cities Gateway Area, this event on July 22nd to July 24th is at Island Lake County Park and gets better each year.

The Slice of Shoreview

The “Slice of Shoreview” is held at Island Lake County Park with music each day.

It’s an annual festival held to celebrate life in Shoreview. The “Slice”, as it has come to be known, takes place over a weekend of July. It incorporates a wide variety of family-oriented activities. Some of which include a carnival, parade, arts/crafts fair, food vendors, helicopter rides, various displays, and demonstrations. Not to mention lots of entertainment from talent shows, the Rockin Hollywoods, and, of-course, fireworks. Since the late 1990’s, it has taken place at Island Lake Park at the intersection of Interstate 694 and Victoria Street, in Shoreview.

You will find many flavors of good things to eat at the “Slice of Shoreview”.

The name Shoreview came from the range of hills surrounding the center of the area while overlooking the lakes there. Today, you can experience numerous attractions that this picturesque city has to offer. Just ten miles north of both Saint Paul and Minneapolis, Shoreview is set amidst a beautiful natural landscape for riding your bike, playing golf and having fun.

Come by bike, the “Slice of Shoreview” is easy to get to and has free bike parking.

Shoreview’s beautiful environment includes lakes, parks, wetlands, and open space areas. There are eleven lakes here including three with public beaches. Visitors can enjoy outdoor recreation in 14 parks and the City has more than 50 miles of trails and sidewalks. And, don’t forget about the Slice of Shoreview Days, a weekend full of fun featuring an art fair, parade, and more for the whole family. See a full schedule for “Slice” here. Have Fun!

Find many more bike friendly places at Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide.

Bike Friendly Willmar now offers a fleet of yellow bikes

The picturesque Glacial State Trail, rolling into the city of Willmar, has now been enhanced with a series of bike friendly routes on city streets and trails. Another key factor worth mentioning is its fleet of yellow bikes. With several improvements over the last couple years, this spring, the city was awarded the Bronze Bike Friendly Community Award from the League of American Bicyclist (LAB).

Bike Friendly Willmar a fun and safe place to Live and visit

According to an article published by the Bicycle Aliance of Minnesota (BikeMN), over the past seven years the city and its local advocacy group, ‘Willmar Bikes’, has upped their game in every aspect of bicycling.

Here Dorian Grilley, Director of the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota and Steve Brisendine, Director of Community Education and Recreation for the City of Willmar celebrate being a bike friendly city by the League of American Bicyclists.

The community is now home to a small fleet of yellow-painted cycles for free public use. It hosts an annual Mayor’s Bike Ride. It works to connect low-income youth with an earn-a-bike programs. The community is also planning a bike route connection between a new development and a school being built. Also, they support bike trail maintenance. Residence and visitors alike can now enjoy the countryside trails that connect to many of the city’s streets and inter-city trails, making the community a Bronze Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC).

In the northern part of Minnesota, Cloquet was was given an Honorable Mention this spring for its work toward bicycle friendliness.

Riding the trail in the countryside as it connects to trails and safe street routs in Willmar, MN. photo Steve-Brisendine

BFC recognition is a nationally recognized thumbs-up. The program is administered by the League of American Bicyclists (LAB). LAB commends towns, cities, counties, and metropolitan areas for taking concrete steps toward making bicycling more safe, more visible, and more fun in their communities. In Minnesota, there are more than two million residents who live in Bike Freindly Communities in the state. This exciting initiatives is making more communities safer for visitors as well as those who live in the stare.

Learn more about Bike Friendly Willmar and the fun you can have staying and playing here.