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
Stay safe along life’s road with the Safety Safari! This event can be a great family experience with fun games, hands-on learning and a bike helmet giveaway. Plan to come with the kid’s on Tuesday, June 13. Safety Safari goes from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, MN. The event is sponsored by the AAA Auto Club of Minnesota in addition to their Auto Club Traffic Safety Foundation, Safe Kids Minnesota, and the Minnesota Safety Council.
This Safety Safari event will teach you how to properly fit your bike helmet.
For more than a century, AAA has developed and provided traffic safety education programs. These programs protect and save the lives of drivers, passengers, bicyclists and pedestrians of all ages.
Some of the stops on the Kids Safety Safari:
Test Your Street Smarts – Do you know all the steps to get across the street safely?
Splish Splash! Don’t be wishy washy about water safety!
Home Safety Challenge – Can you find what’s safe — and what’s not?
The Seat Belt Challenge – Find out if you’re ready for seat belts only!
Keep Your Signals Straight – Especially when you’re on your bike!
Plus, children who visit all the Summer Safety Safari stations can receive a new bike helmet from AAA (while supplies last).
Safe Kids Minnesota is led by Minnesota Safety Council, which provides dedicated and caring staff, operation support and other resources to assist in achieving our common goal: keeping your kids safe. Sponsored by AAA Auto Club this event is based on the needs of the community. This coalition implements evidence-based programs, such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops and sports clinics, that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries.
Have you heard? The Root River Trail Towns has made available an additional 20 spots for the 3-day weekend Root River Bluff & Valley Bike Ride, July 7, 8 & 9th. See more details and sign-up here.
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.
With Memorial Day Weekend and Ice Cream Sunday, smile and get on your bike and ride with family and friends today to your favorite sweet shop. Please let us know of your latest ice cream biking experience by sharing your pic at #nextbikeadventure.
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.
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.
A perfect Minnesota Spring day to be on your fatty, unless you are having problems. Photo was shot in Lebanon Park, near Lakeville MN. So get out and soak up the spring fun while you can!
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.
Do you and your friends have a desire to explore the Root River Valley in Minnesota’s Bluff Country? We have made room for 20 more cyclists to join the fun on this 3-day Bluff & Valley Bike Tour, July 7, 8 & 9. With warm summer temperatures, it’s a perfect time to pedal your way up and explore. There are weathered ravines on roadways that take you to the top of limestone bluffs. You’ll have a chance to visit a general store from the 1800’s that is still in operation today. There’s also a stop at the National Owl Center. Plus, you can also experience riding on the Amish Buggy Byway. These are just a few of the tour highlights of Bluff Country, as you ride in and out of the picturesque Root River Valley.
Register Today For A Spot On the Root River Bike Tour
Click on the Root River Bluff & Valley Bike Tour and use the code 9ECPL6L1CJ for the $245 extended 3-day tour rate. Please note: this price does not include the tour bike jersey. You can purchase a jersey separately and it will be mailed to you after the tour is complete.
The following are estimates of distance for each day as all routes are being reviewed by both county and state departments. Upcoming road construction may change the route and mileage. Currently, the distances are:
58 miles for Day 1 [48 miles using RR Trail short cut]
62 miles for Day 2 [48 miles using RR Trail short cut]
56 miles for Day 3 [40 miles using RR Trail short cut]
Here is your chance to join and experience the scenery along the Root River Trail. Have fun riding with friends and exploring bluff country wonders. To add this bike tour to your schedule, click here: Bluff & Valley Bike Tour. All ride participants can discover the many mysteries of the driftless area on this tour.
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.
For many, the fun of mountain biking is going down hill. So how do you descend with speed and confidence? You will find it is as easy as controlling your weight, position and growing skills.
Weight Distribution
Weight distribution is the most important thing to focus on when descending. The inaccurate explanation of this is to “lean back” when heading downhill. In reality, by “leaning back”, you extend your arms completely and “hanging” on the handlebar. As you descend, if your arms are extended completely and the front end needs to drop, you will get pulled forward and potentially pitched over the bar.
For many, the fun of mountain biking is going down hill. So how do you descend with speed and confidence?
An easy trick to controlling your weight is to consider how much pressure is on your pedals. Rather than keeping even weigh distribution between your bars and pedals, concentrate most of your weight on the pedals. As you initially get used to this concept, I find it useful to imagine what would happen if a genie magically came by and made your bike disappear mid ride and you were left to land on the ground. Would you land on your feet or your hands?
Once you get your weight distributed onto your pedals, you can easily move your body forward and back over the bike as the situation requires. While moving your weight around, you will find it is easier to do if you first get your weight into as low a position as possible.
Position
While most bikes have suspension, your arms and legs offer better suspension than any shock. By bending your knees and elbows It is easy to get into a low position and absorb trail shock. Additionally, beyond well bent joints, concentrate on looking ahead rather than down. If you look down, you lose vision of what is coming down the trail and you bend your back into a poor riding position (see image). By contrast, looking forward will naturally put your chest out and hips down, and grant you more time to see obstacles and correct. Finally, having a comfortable bend in your arms and legs, will allow you to be loose on the bike. Loose means you can let the bike move freely beneath you without affecting your position. Other than being low, balanced, and loose, you need to practice a few things to build your skills.
Skills
By bending your knees and elbows It is easy to get into a low position and absorb trail shock, while descending.
The number one skill is to ride in straight lines. While descending, you have more speed and less traction,therefore, trying to make hard or quick turns becomes increasingly difficult. When entering a descent, look ahead and setup as straight a path as possible, going over obstacles rather than around them. When you do plan to turn, try to control your speed before the turn and lay off the brake while making the turn. To do this, find areas that are smooth to apply the brakes and try to avoid skidding. Remember that if your wheels are skidding, you have lost traction and the ability to stop under control. Moreover, if your wheels are skidding, they will continue to skid even if the ground becomes smooth. An easy trick to help you brake comfortably, is to place your brake levers in an easily accessible place.
Bike setup
One trick that helps with position, braking and weight disbursement is a higher lever position. A common incorrect brake lever position is based on a normal seated riding position rather than the descending position. The levers should be set so that you can reach out and access them easily with your weight low and elbows bent. This will look higher than what you are used to (see image). The reason this is helpful is best explained by what happens if the levers are positioned incorrectly (low). If the levers are low, you will naturally roll your wrists over the bar when reaching for the brake. This lifts your weigh, locks your arms, and positions you too far forward.
Another way to get your weight low, is by installing a dropper post. Dropper posts allow the rider to remotely lower their saddle height. A lower saddle height lets you get your weight lower, easier. Once you need your saddle up again, just hit a button and its back in place.
Ride within your skills
I don’t encourage you to find the steepest, rockiest pitch to practice these skills on. When practicing these new skills, use descents of trail that you are comfortable with. The descents that you are already doing with relative ease are the places to practice new skills. Once you become comfortable with weight and position, try some new places and slowly work your way up to difficult terrain.
As you look around the Minneapolis Northwest area you are dazzled with options! Here there are city streets and major highways as far as the eye can see around this northwest suburb of Minneapolis. You will find plenty of fast food eateries and strip malls amongst the trees and greenery in this suburban setting. So, how can this possibly be an attraction for those looking to take in some of Minnesota’s nature’s beauty in the Twin Cities?
Have no fear as there are plenty of options for outdoor recreation in the Minneapolis Northwest area. You just have to look closer below or look at our At A Glance Minneapolis Northwest link.
The Minneapolis Northwest area is made up of three suburban communities: Brooklyn Center, Brooklyn Park, and Maple Grove. Where you will find plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors activities, including hundreds of mile of paved trail. You will also find some exhilarating riding in the Elm Creek Park for some mountain biking.
More About the Bike-Friendly Minneapolis Northwest Area
Tucked into the communities are substantive parks that offer the feeling of remoteness while visiting. If you want take a break from pedaling one of many trails there, you will find many options. You can meander along the trails by foot, channel your inner Robin Hood and learn archery or disc golf while learning more about the natural world around you.
While pedaling this three-city community there comes a point where you may need a break to enjoy some other activities available. Luckily, each community offers plenty to do. Whether it’s a game of bowling or trying your luck at Dave & Buster’s arcade games in Maple Grove. There are even plenty of chain and locally owned eateries throughout the area to satisfy whatever it is you crave. You will even find several movie theaters in the area and easy to get to on your bike from your hotel.
Biking Opportunities in the Minneapolis Northwest Area
Riding the scenic trails here in the Minneapolis Northwest Area you find many trails that safely cross over or under the busy roads.
In this area the opportunities for riding your bike are endless. In this three city area you will find quite a few parks that connect to trails for a lengthy ride. If you don’t want to stick to the meandering trails, then there are plenty of bike friendly streets and the Mississippi River Trail that will allow you to share the road with other vehicles. Here are some of the parks to bike too:
Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park
On a warm day crossing the Coon Rapids Dam from Minneapolis Northwest you can feel the cool mist rising in the air as you cross.
Find your way to the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park via the Rush Creek Regional Trail. At the park, a part of the National Park System, you can connect to the Mississippi River Trail. If you want to discover what’s on the other side of the dam you can easily connect to the Twin Cities Gateway side of the park, crossing the paved trail across this massive water barrier.
Elm Creek Park Reserve
Here in Elm Creek Park the mountain biking is fun and exciting, with trails for all skill levels.
This park is full of biking opportunities for multiple kinds of riders. There are many miles of paved multi-use trail that take the rider on a very scenic journey of the park. It passes by several of the park’s lakes. The trails here have plenty of slightly rolling hills to give you a little challenge as you ride and enjoy the many picture taking opportunities. You can also take a break for a swim, try your hand at archery, and more. For mountain bikers there’s plenty of singletrack trails depending on your preferred level of skill. While some are bike-only, others are multi-use trials.
Medicine Lake Regional Trail
This is a paved trail of over 13 miles and connects you to many parks such as French Regional Park. You can also catch views of Rice Lake in Maple Grove and Medicine Lake if you take the trail into Plymouth. The trail also has connections to Bassett Creek Trail, Luce Line Regional Trail, and many other community bike trails.
Rush Creek Regional Trail
This trail links Elm Creek Park Reserve to Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. The path is smooth, wide, and mostly flat. Its abundance of signage makes it usable many different cyclists. If you’re looking to encounter wildlife, it’s recommended you get on the trail in the early morning. Pedaling here you will also pass through residential areas, but the trail here is shielded by trees which gives the rider a remote feel. The other side of the roadway slowly turns into farmland after you cross Highway 169. It ends at Elm Creek Park Reserve where it links to other trails such as the Medicine Lake Regional Trail.
Shingle Creek Regional Trail
This branches out of the Rush Creek Trail at Noble Parkway. The trail takes you through mostly residential areas and follows Shingle Creek for a while. It tapers off to wind through the greenery and marshes of Palmer Lake Park. The trail ends at 45th Memorial Parkway in Minneapolis. It’s a paved trail and provides access to various points of interest. Crossings are above and below grade when crossing some of the major highways.
Road Biking Opportunities
In the Minneapolis Northwest there are many ways to get around on your bike. The three communities here offer a mix multi-use trails that parallel most major roads. So its easy to get around safely and connect to other parts of the metro area. So bring your bike and spend a day, a weekend or a lifetime exploring this north west section of the Twin Cities.
Yey, its Ice Cream Sunday and time to take mom out for Mothers Day. With another beautiful day ahead take out the bikes and include a little trail riding to the day activities.
Thanks for Viewing the Ice Cream Sunday Pic of the Day
We are now rolling into our 10th year as a bike tourism media. 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 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 continues to encourage more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your next bike adventure – Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile friendly, as we enter into our 8th year of producing the guide.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com and find your next adventure! 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 move while you are riding and having fun. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day posts.
