Tag Archives: MN Bike/Hike Guide

A bike adds to the fun at the Gus Macker Basketball Tournament

The Gus Macker Basketball Tournament returns to the Twin Cities on August 17-18. Historically held in downtown St. Paul, this 3-on-3 family-focused tournament is now in Brooklyn Park, MN, the perfect place to bring your bike. While visiting, you will find five major paved trail systems that intersect. Plus, there are many bike-friendly streets to get to and from the games and the many attractions in the Minneapolis Northwest while visiting.

About Gus Macker

Gus Macker celebrates its 50th anniversary this year at the Hennepin Community College. The original tournament was started by Scott McNeal (aka Gus Macker), who invited eighteen neighborhood friends to play over the weekend in his parents’ driveway during March Madness. The tournament continued to gain popularity, eventually hit the road in 1987, and has become a staple in recreational sports. Since then, the Macker tour has expanded, holding 1500+ tournaments with more than 2.8 million players—male and female from seven to 50+—and more than 30 million spectators.

Exploring the Minneapolis Northwest by bike

As the Mississippi River and its internationally known Mississippi River Trail (MRT) enter the Twin Cities Metro area, visitors staying in Brooklyn Center or Brooklyn Park (also known as Explore Minneapolis Northwest) can access some of the nation’s best bike trails. You can find several comfortable bike routes from your hotel room that connect you to many other urban paved trails. The links below will give you access to the MRT to visit local parks along the river or ride trails to downtown Minneapolis for more attractions. For those interested in mountain or fat biking, Elm Creek Park Reserve is also easy to connect to by trail, no matter your hotel choice.

See an overview of the Minneapolis Northwest bike infrastructure in the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide on pages 42-43 or the Shingle Creek Regional Trail System map.

Where to stay while visiting

Minneapolis Northwest features 14 hotels to meet the needs of every guest. From all-suite hotels with meeting space to extended-stay properties, you’ll find an option that suits you best.

Bike Pic April 11, another weather perfect day to ride

On this bike pic Thursday, the eleventh day of 30 Days of Biking, it looks like it is going to be another beautiful day to get out on your bike and ride!

So, adjust to the warmer temps, have your rain gear ready, and get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors for that #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, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Now, as we roll into our 20th year as an outdoor 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 for the image, who shot it, and where. To be considered, the photo (s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide. 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 our 15th annual mobile-friendly MN Bike Guide, a handy booklet full of maps of fun places to bike and hike.

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. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.

Have fun as we pedal into 2024!

Bike Pic April 5, make this Friday special with 30 Days of Biking

This bike pic Friday, the fifth day of 30 Days of Biking and mild spring weather, out on your bike and ride as the weekend approaches,

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Now as we roll into our 20th year as an outdoor bike tourism media, enjoy!

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 in our 15th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Have fun as we pedal into 2024!

Bike Pic March 30, the last Saturday in March, enjoy!

It’s bike pic Saturday, you know what that means? With March just about gone, it’s time to start planning those adventures. Maybe it’s time to get the bike out so you are ready for 30 Days of Biking?

So, adjust to the warmer temps and 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, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing today’s bike pic

Now rolling through our 20th 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 for the image, who shot it, and where. To be considered, the photo (s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide. If we use your photo, you will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram.

Have fun as we pedal into 2024!

Fun outdoor winter activities to stay healthy

by Russ Lowthian, HaveFunBiking

For many of us, being active and enjoying fun winter activities (biking, hiking, skiing, etc.) is what memories are made of while contributing to good health. Despite the lifestyle changes of new technology and evolving viruses, there’s still plenty of room to participate in some outdoor fun. Seeking out healthy activities may be even more important now as winter approaches. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems and help you cope with all the new life challenges that cause stress.

Page through our latest Bike/Hike Guide with many maps of Minnesota destinations offering fun opportunities. Then, layer up your dress attire for the temperature swings ahead and head out. If you haven’t already, you will soon discover that outdoor pursuits pose a lower risk of getting sick than indoor workouts.

Its a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty and hit the trail. This pic was taken last year at the Get Phat with Pat event in the Minnesota River Bottoms, in Bloomington, MN.

It’s a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty and hit a Minnesota trail.

Why choose outdoor adventures?

When outside, the fresh air is constantly moving, helping to digest food more effectively, improve blood pressure and heart rate, strengthen the immune system, and reduce obesity rates. Enjoying Minnesota’s fun outdoor activities offers other benefits, too. As you may have discovered this summer, being outside also offers an emotional boost that will help you feel less tense, stressed, angry, or depressed.

This Bike Pic Thursday, we caught this biker chick out having fun along the Minnesota River bottoms near Bloomington, MN.

This biker chick’s winter activities include having fun along the Minnesota River bottoms near Bloomington, MN.

Enjoy more with low-risk Minnesota winter adventures

Here in Minnesota, a winter wonderland pursuits, consider moving with these low-risk outdoor activities to stay healthy and safe. Again, use the current Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide, with all the maps, to find a place to enjoy the following hobbies.

Fat Biking
Nature walks
Snowshoeing
Downhill and/or cross-country skiing
Ice skating
Ice fishing and hunting
Fitness classes, held outside to allow extra distancing
And exploring the snow-covered trails on an ATV.

It’s Friday and HaveFunBiking George will soon melt away as the spring thaw approached,

Winter activities can also include stopping to make a snowman.

Remember, seeking healthy outdoor activities may be even more important as winter approaches. Doing something you enjoy can distract you from problems and help you cope with all the new life challenges that cause stress.

Bike Pic April 09, enjoy a memorable Easter Sunday with 30 Days of Biking

With the sun shining, this bike pic Easter Sunday, and number 09 of 30 Days of Biking, we hope your day is memorable, and you have a chance to ride your bike.

So, 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 19th 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 for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide 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 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Have a great day with a safe and memorable year ahead!

Bike pic Sept 12, riding into the Monday morning sun

Today’s Bike Pic, as fall approaches, we caught these two biker chicks earlier riding along the Minnesota River Trails in Mankato, Minnesota.

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!

Bike pic Sept 08, a colorful summer day as fall weather lurks in the days ahead

This bike pic Thursday, another picture-perfect day for a ride. With ideal air temps, we caught this biker chick in western Minnesota, near Willmar, enjoying the wildflowers on her ride.

Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic

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.

Have a great day with a safe and memorable year ahead!

Pick up a complimentary 2022 MN Bike/Hike Guide at the E-bike Challenge

Hot off the press! Pick up a complimentary copy of the 2022 Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide at the E-bike Challenge, at the Minneapolis, convention Center on April 2 & 3. Just in time to plan your summer adventures, as spring temperatures begin to warm.

The handy 2022 Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide

As you page through the latest edition of this handy pocket guide, loaded with maps, discover all the trails and scenic country roads throughout Minnesota. In our thirteenth year of publishing the guide, we have added several more bike-friendly maps of fun destinations to explore in Minnesota. Also, find many bike events and helpful tips, especially you are looking at e-bikes.

With the Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide make your summer plans

Designed as a companion piece to the HaveFunBiking.com news website. The Bike/Hike Guide is a great resource to bookmark and take along with you whenever you are away from the computer. This year’s handy pocket-sized resource guide includes more bike-related event listings, more bike-friendly maps with many helpful tips for biking and hiking throughout the year. With each of our community maps in the guide, we have added a link to an at-a-glance article. This special landing page offers you info and links to where to eat, sleep, and other details on the map when in the area – all in one place.

About the E-bike Challenge

Now, with the Omicron-fueled surge declining, the E-bike Challenge returns the first weekend in April. Offer consumers a comfortable environment to compare and ride the latest e-bikes. With several social distancing procedures in place around the exhibit area inside next to the huge indoor test track. Visitors will also discover, even if they can’t replace a car entirely, why most trips within a 10-mile range can be less expensive with an e-assist vehicle. And, in many cases, taking less time than a carbon-fueled vehicle for the same journey.

Some e-bike brands already registered for the E-bike Challenge include Giant, GoCycle, Serial 1 by Harley Davidson, Pedego, Riese & Muller, and Skyl Power Bikes. Along with Bicycle Bill’s, Erik’s Bikes, Power Bikes, and Trailhead Cycle, to name a few of the local bike shops with brands they carry. The event will also feature several breakout health and tech sessions, a kids’ bike test track, and other fun family activities. Plus, visitors will receive a complimentary printed copy of the spring/summer Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide, at the door. Full of new bicycling maps of popular Minnesota destinations to explore.

Check back often, the summer guide will be available in late April – until then, Enjoy!

Bike pic Oct 01, yeah its Friday with the sun back making for a cheerful ride

This bike pic Friday, the first of October, what a picture-perfect day! With the sun warming the air temps, we caught this biker chick and dude in Bluff Country enjoying the scenery while riding out of Preston, MN.

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. An now, check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic

Now rolling through our 16th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, our goal is to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting 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 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 pic was shot? 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 13th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.

Have a great day with a safe, memorable 2021!