2024 MONDAY BIKE RIDES
Led by Peggy Kvam for the Hopkins Activity Center
For our last ride of the month on May 20th (the following Monday is a holiday), we will enjoy many lakes in the SW Metro: the destinations of Lake Ann, Lake Susan, as well as Duck Lake, Marsh Lake and Shady Oak Lake. Our route is 26 miles, ridewithgps.com/routes/45367903. Scattered thunderstorms are in the forecast, so please check your email Monday morning for information about any adjustments to our schedule or ride. If it looks like we just have a small window to complete a bike ride, I may take you on the 11 mile ride I planned for Kickoff at the beginning of the month.
0 Comments
15 people biked my Mississippi Bridges ride, under a severe air quality alert due to Canadian forest fire smoke. Fortunately the air seemed to improve as we biked, and we took several short breaks along the way to be sure everyone was still breathing. Our first photo stop was at the University of Minnesota Shoe Tree, where the campus was very quiet now that school is out. Then we crossed 8 bridges over Mississippi waters, with a long break at the Water Power Park to view the roaring St. Anthony Falls, and learn about the history of grain milling and hydropower at the site. Other sights along our ride were views from the two car-free U of M bridges, Nicollet Island, the footbridges at Boom Island and Nicollet Mall. Our last stop was at the Spoon and Cherry sculpture, which was under construction, like many other segments of our route. Tis the season! It's a week late but this Monday we really will bike the Mississippi Bridges tour. We have another beautiful spring day in the forecast, and a nearly full group of bikers.
Our route is 29 miles: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/44999183. We'll cross 8 bridges over Mississippi waters (3 are path bridges to islands, 2 are car-free University of MN bridges, and 3 are combined road/bike bridges). Our long break will be at Water Power Park located atop St. Anthony Falls. Bring a snack for break. Since there are no restrooms there, we'll make a brief stop at the Water Works Park visitor center just beforehand. We'll also make photo stops at the Shoe Tree on the West Bank of the U of M, and the Spoon and Cherry at the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. For those who are new to the group, our pace is a 12 mph moving average. Most of this ride is on flat rail trails so it's a great ride for early in the season. Peggy This morning was Minnesota Spring at its finest: blue sky, a warm breeze, flowers blooming everywhere on the trees and gardens, fresh green foliage and a powerful Minnehaha Falls. Thank you for joining me on our ride to Minnehaha Falls by way of Edina, the Minnehaha Creek Trail, and return on the Nine Mile Creek Trail. Enjoy the photos! See you next week for our Mississippi Bridges tour.
Our first "real" ride of the season will be the one we took as an October bonus ride last year: Mississippi Bridges. Due to the Stone Arch Bridge closing and some traffic concerns, I am planning to ride a revised 29 mile route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/46419379 We will cross 7 bridges, bouncing back and forth between the east and west banks and Hennepin Island, Nicollet Island and Boom Island. We will also take a cruise down Nicollet Mall and stop at the Sculpture Garden on the way back. The ride is very flat. Rain is forecast in the afternoon and I will email all the riders who signed up if there will be any changes to our ride due to weather.
Remember to sign up for each ride. We have a limit of 18 this year, and I will not be taking a waiting list. If you can't make it after signing up, please call the Hopkins Activity Center at 952-939-1333 to open your spot for another biker. Here is the link for the Mississippi Bridges ride signup. We lucked out with the wacky weather, enjoying a mild and dry spring evening for our Hopkins Bike Club Kickoff. Thank you Nina, for sacrificing your tire for the Tonka Cycle tire changing demonstration! That and the talk from the police women were very interesting. I'm going to check out that Life360 app.
I'm sorry I had to rush the bike ride, and cut it short as well. We did make it back to Brasa in time for a nice dinner. Service was incredibly fast. I think the staff wanted to get home on time... Enjoy the pictures! See you Monday! Peggy |
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
May 2024
CategoriesHandy Links |