2024 MONDAY BIKE RIDES
Led by Peggy Kvam for the Hopkins Activity Center
I saved our hilly ride to Medicine Lake for mid-summer, when we are at peak fitness. This ride starts with a warm-up on the Lake Minnetonka rail trail, to prepare for a climb up the hill on McGinty Road, which readies you for the rolling hills of the Camelback Trail, and then you are set to climb the hill along the shore of Medicine Lake to French Park. By the time we get to our long break on the beach at French Park, you will be so pumped up on hills you won't even notice the rest of them on our return trip. We will also take a short break at Westwood Hills Nature Center. This round trip ride is only 25 miles, with about 1000 feet of climbing.
0 Comments
MSP Airport must have recovered from the internet outage, as it was a very quiet day on the runways. Most of the planes were on a distant path so we didn't have much to view. Because of the heat and lack of shade at the MSP Viewing Area, we took our long break on the tree-canopied beach of Lake Nokomis. We biked 32 miles, on a hot, sticky day. It's Minnesota summer! Our planned destination next week of Fort Snelling State Park is flooded, so we will bike a similar route with our long break at the MSP Airport Viewing Area, which is smack in the middle of the tarmac. It is interesting going through tunnels under the runways to get out there. Our route is ridewithgps.com/routes/47585501. We will depart Maetzold field at 9AM for this 33 mile bike ride.
Bring your bike lights! The tunnels are dark, especially entering from bright sunlight. Your tail light will make you visible to oncoming traffic, and your headlight will help you see the large storm grates that threaten to swallow you down. Stay 3 feet from the curb to avoid the grates. There is a little road construction that may cause a deviation from the planned route. After a one hour rain delay four of us headed out for a shortened bike ride to Noerenberg Gardens. The air was dry and cool but the trail was muddy, so those who skipped today do not have to clean off their bikes. With the trails pretty empty, we encountered much wildlife, but steady traffic on our road sections. I wonder if people don't know what to do with themselves with ongoing power outages, and are driving around instead of working from home? The gardens were lovely and almost nobody was there! We have a forecast of thunderstorms tonight which will cool us down, so we are going back to the original plan for a 9AM start at Maetzold Field. Our 27 mile loop takes us around Lake Minnetonka, with a long break at Noerenberg Gardens. If it is still stormy in the morning, I will send an email by 7:30AM to the registered riders, to inform you of any adjustments.
The forecast looks hot and muggy yet on Monday, so we will shorten our bike ride and start earlier in the morning. Be ready to depart at 8:00 AM from the Minnetonka Community Center, 14600 Minnetonka Blvd, Minnetonka, MN 55345. Our 22 mile ride loops around Lake Minnetonka with a long break at Noerenberg Gardens. Note that I am leading this exact same ride for the Minnetonka Bike Club on Thursday, 7/18. The forecast for that date looks great!
Also there is a forecast of thunderstorms for Monday. Those who have signed up for the ride, look for an email by 7AM if the weather looks worrisome. We really couldn't ask for better summer weather than today. With the holiday still in progress for many, just a small group enjoyed a fun ride to Crystal Lake, then onward to the Abraham Lincoln Memorial along Victory Memorial Drive. We also took a second long break to enjoy lunch on the patio at The Trailhead at Theodore Wirth Park. It was a great way to spend a Monday morning, and I'm sorry so many of our regular riders missed it. Monday's weather forecast looks great - light winds, temperatures in the 70s and lots of sunshine! We will bike to Crystal Lake for our long break, then bike along Victory Memorial Drive on our return. I'm planning on a photo stop at the Lincoln Memorial there this year, instead of the tall pillar monument. About 8 miles from Hopkins we will stop at the Trailhead for a lunch break. Mill Valley Kitchen runs the excellent cafe there, and the outdoor patio is very pleasant. It's an easy route back from there along the trail on Theodore Wirth Pkwy and the North Cedar Regional Trail. I'll have maps for those who want to return without stopping for lunch.
The rain is running late, and we enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning for our long ride to Lake Como. It was 36 miles, which is as long as my Monday rides get. The wind made it a little more challenging than expected. We stopped at the Milwaukee Avenue Historic District, biked through Como Park and around the lake, took a long break on the lakeshore below the pavilion, and stopped at the Fairgrounds to admire the Greetings from Minnesota mural. See how many iconic images of Minnesota that you can spot in the artwork! The Cedar Lake Regional Trail is fully open now, with the exception of the Excelsior Blvd intersection crossing to the Depot. Also, the Minnesota River Bluffs Trail is open now from Hopkins to Shady Oak Road and onward west. See everyone next week on our 26 mile ride to Crystal Lake, with a lunch break towards the end at the Trailhead in Theodore Wirth Park! My ride to Lake Como may be jinxed, as Monday's forecast includes a lot of rain. At this point it looks like the morning will be dry, so I am planning to stick to the usual schedule and take off from Maetzold Field at 9AM. Bring rain gear! If thunderstorms approach I will cut it short and return to Hopkins.
The route is a little different than I was thinking when I set up the schedule this past winter. We will not travel past Allianz Field because the giant loon statue is not yet installed. There is just a big pile of dirt as of this week. Maybe next year! We will stop at the Milwaukee Historic District (briefly, to beat the rain), and swing through the Fairgrounds. Our long break will be at the lakeside pavilion, after biking a loop around Lake Como. Map: ridewithgps.com/routes/45368124 (There are many locations where our route reconverges, providing an opportunity to turn back is a storm is on the way.) |
Monday BikingWelcome! I hope you enjoy my website! Watch for upcoming ride information, and maps and pictures of our adventures. I'm looking forward to another fun season of biking! Archives
July 2024
CategoriesHandy Links |