Tag Archives: MN Mountain Bike

Bike Pic Sept 26, with fall on its way

In today’s bike pic, the last Thursday in September, this biker dude is out with friends enjoying a day of mountain biking in Lebanon Hills Park in Eagan, MN. What better way to continue outdoor fun than riding your bike and catching our latest article on destinations and peak color?

Enjoy another perfect day in September while you get into the zone on that #NextBikeAdventure. The latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide has all the great ideas and bike/hike destinations. Then, plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.

Thanks for viewing our latest Bike Pic

As we pedal forward in our 21st year as an outdoor media, enjoy! We aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. While continuing 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 Pic of the Day stars.

Have fun as we pedal through a summer of fond memories!

Bike Pic June 8, courtesy is part of the friendly Mankato scene

This bike pic Saturday, riding in Mankato, a League of American Bicyclist certified friendly city. This young gentleman makes sure the walkers he is approaching have plenty of room when he passes.

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 our bike pic

As we roll into our 21st year as an outdoor 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 a summer of fond memories!

Bike Pic Dec. 17, mountain bike fun!

Here above in this photo, dad is in the lead with his son following as they maneuver a mountain bike trail near Walker, Minnesota.

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

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 present more fun photos worth a grin, scroll through the information and stories we have posted to 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 with your bike, be prepared to smile. You never know where our camera’s will be and what we will post 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 use them. 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 print and quarterly digital Bike/Hike Guide to find your next adventure. We are proud of the updated – At-a-Glance information and maps we are known for in the HFB Destination section on our website and in the guide. 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 devices where you may see some additional bike pics – maybe of yourself 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!

#FindYourNextAdventure

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.

Bike Pic – Aug. 29, Fun in the Woods

Fun in the Woods, here a young cyclist enjoys the flora and fauna while meandering through the wooded trails on her mountain bike in Lebanon Hills Park, Eagan, MN.

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 edit[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!

Twin Cities Receives Off-Road Ride Center Designation

Twin Cities offroad trail systems receive Bronze Level Ride Center designation from International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA). The IMBA Ride Center™ designation represents the Association’s Model Trail recognition for large scale mountain bike facilities that offer something for every rider of every ability.

All ages and abilities are finding the trails and parks here in the Twin Cities fun.

Since 1994 the Minnesota Off-Road Cyclists (MORC), a IMBA Chapter, has worked diligently on it’s mission of ‘Gaining and Maintaining Trails’ in the Twin Cities metro area.

Today MORC’s wide network of 100+ recurrent volunteers help to maintain over 85 miles of singletrack within 11 parks and is the organization behind the acclaimed Cottage Grove Bike Park. During the Winter months, there are over 50 miles of groomed singletrack trails to explore and enjoy in the Minneapolis/St. Paul Area.

With 11 parks in the Twin Cities Area with off-road trails there are many options for adventure.

Consistently ranked America’s top cycling destination, the Twin Cities with over 80 miles of offstreet bike paths and 40 miles of bike lanes, has more than 40 breweries, 20 museums and over 50 live entertainment venues to set the stage for a premier riding and vacation destination. Combine these details with the IMBA Ride Center designation for offroad trails and you’ll soon see why this area is top in the nation!

You can find out more about MORC and the Twin City ride opportunities at: http://www.morcmtb.org

MN High School Cycle League Expands

“Season four, for the MN League is shaping up to be an exciting year,” said Josh Kleve, MN League Director. “Existing teams are expanding, new communities are coming on board and our middle school program is growing steadily. Last year at our first race, we had just over 100 middle school kids registered to race. This year, as of July 12, we are already at 100 registered Middle School racers.”

Hillside race stirs up a little dust between school teams. photo from MN High School Cycling League.

Before Minnesota schools let out for the summer, many new and existing teams held team information meetings to recruit new riders. If you missed a meeting, don’t worry, teams will continue to recruit riders over the summer, even though the pre-summer meetings were very well attended. Or contact the MN League and let them know of your interest.

Click here for teams in Minnesota to date.

The MN League operates on five principles: to be equal, inclusive and to build a strong body, mind and character through cycling. The all-are-welcome philosophy combined with the opportunity for an individual to make an impact supports why the MN league has quickly grown.

Let’s get #MOREKIDSONBIKES.

“Be sure to follow the MN League on Facebook or Twitter for updates.

MN High School Bike Race Schedule Changes

from the MN High School League, Single Track Times

Girls out at Elm Creek for a summer practice

With Summer winding down, and less than five days until the first race of the Minnesota High School League’s 2014 Mountain Bike Race schedule, it has been moved.

Boy’s division competing at Jail Trail, in St Cloud

Due to construction at Salem Hills Elementary School, parking would not be available for the over 400 estimated racers and their families. So dust off those cowbells – race season in Minnesota will begin at Buck Hill, in Burnsville!

Take a look at the lineup for this year. MN League List of Teams

Hutchinson’s girls team ready to race

Not only do we have new teams, but new communities as part of our league. To name a few: Mankato, Highland Park, Bemidji, Faribault, Mendota Heights and even Hudson, WI…since they are just over the border…

Girl’s starting lineup on the jail Trail in St Cloud

As time draws closer to the start of the season, teams are scrambling to get training rides in and to get their riders registered to race!

Remember, first race is Sun. Sept. 7, now at Buck Hill. We look forward to seeing all the new faces and the familiar faces back for another season of fun…and mountain bike racing.

Eager riders jockeying for first position

2014 MN League Race Schedule

Please add these dates to your calendar today!
▪ Sunday, Sept. 7, 2014 – Race #1 – Buck Hill, Burnsville, MN – NEW LOCATION
▪ Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014 – Race #2 – Jail Trail, St. Cloud, MN
▪ Sunday, Oct. 5, 2014 – Race #3 – Game Haven, Rochester, MN
▪ Sunday, Oct. 12, 2014 – Race #4 – Mt. Kato, Mankato, MN – NEW LOCATION
▪ Sunday, Oct. 26, 2014 – Race #5 – State Championships: Whitetail Ridge, WI
▪ Saturday, Nov. 1, 2014 – Season Awards Banquet

* Please Note: Race #4: Duluth moved to Mt. Kato
Due to unprecedented MN league growth, the league has decided to move the Duluth race to Mt. Kato, in Mankato, Minn. During their latest course check last week, it was apparent with the increase in ridership, the slated venue in Duluth did not meet the league’s needs.

The League states, “the number one goal is to provide a safe venue and race course. The MN league is working with various groups in Duluth, including the Duluth team, to help develop a venue for future seasons. The Minnesota High School Cycling League is a state wide organization and we are committed to holding races from border-to-border.
Mt. Kato will replace Duluth on the calendar. We will be using the standard course (not the varsity lap) from last season at Mt. Kato.”

See more Race Details and Deadlines for the Sept. 7 race at the minnesotamtb.org website.