johnnyspaghetti

I am a city daily commuter. 4 seasons. no spandex. Ice is always dry.

HenryhHuber

New member here. I live in South Minneapolis around Nokomis. Love riding the paved trails on my old steel road bikes. Hi all!

DQRider 

Welcome aboard, Henry! I enjoy the same trails on my old steel bikes. We really do have it nice here in the Twin Cities.

johnnyspaghetti

I'm at the west side of Lake Nokomis @ 54th street. I have absolutely, above and beyond the call of duty have more 3 speeds than one man will ever need in two lifetimes or more.

I'v been around here for a year or so but have noticed several new folks since I joined not to mention the veteran members that are also in the core city areas.

HenryhHuber

Thanks @DQRider, we do indeed. @johnnyspaghetti whats your favorite three speed you have?

Abu Mahendra

I dated a gal from the Twin Cities, and another from North Dakota. Splendid lassies both. Does that count?

mplsbiker

Hey everyone! Minneapolis resident here.

Contadino

Stillwater resident. Hello everyone!

Awl

Once you get out to the country, like north way north of the Twin Cities people tend to be nicer. Even nicer still on country backroads. Like I rode 61 round Hinckley and south of that for a bit and the shoulder felt like a comfort lane compared to most of where I've been in the city. Even on 95 all the way into Taylors Falls during the rush of a Friday afternoon.

MNwj48

Golden Valley, MN
I like the trails that connect with Wirth park as a starting point.
Have been to Coon Rapids dam. The are trails up there. I saw several cars with bike racks using the Coon Rapids dam parking lot.
The Brooklyn Parks trails are through the woods, but they don't mark their trails well so I got lost at least 3 or 4 times, on one trip.
The West River road trail is a sidewalk along West River road. Straight but still a residential sidewalk. I cannot find the crossing of the highway at its southern end, no matter what the map says. A good destination is the river bridge at the Univ of Minn, it is well connected to bicycle paths. Take a map as it is easy to get lost there as the trails twist and cross under roads in strange angles. Watch out for getting trapped in Cedar-Riverside, hard to find a suitable way out going west (to go west, follow the light rail track into downtown).
The trails around the lakes are excellent, off the road, under bridges, scenic. Can go from downtown Mpls to Hopkins.
Trails in the SouthWest burbs are more of the sidewalk alongside a road variety. Went on a long ride past 494 and had to come back in the dark. Could not see the sidewalk every time a car came by because of the headlights.
The Cedar trail into Hopkins is excellent, but past Hopkins it changes to a dirt trail. At night it is Isolated and dark. Could not find an entrance to it in the dark, even using a map. I may have gone over it on a bridge, I could not find a way down.
Feeling around in residential roads in Hopkins trying to find the trail back east, I did find another trail instead. It took me 2 miles (through a lake, really) and terminated in a residential dell. No way out, but to take curvy roads back up. Ended up nearly where I started. Had to abandon finding the trail and just head for Excelsior blvd. When I hit 394, I knew I had missed it entirely.

DQRider 

This is how Saint Paul looked this morning, before dawn:



Does this belong to anybody here?




I'll be riding the trails around Hastings tomorrow. Studded tires on a vintage Barracuda A2B MTB and a Leica around my neck.

Anyone want to ride?

Zara Sp00k

The West River Road Trail going south branches at Minnehaha Ave. You can go west basically along Minnehaha creek or you can go south passing Coldwater Spring eventually getting to Fort Snelling. At Fort Snelling it branches further, two main ones are crossing Mendota Bridge or crossing Mississippi River along State Highway 5 which will get you on the East River Road. The entrance for this is just north of 5 and north of the Fort, but south of the visitor center. On East River Road you can go back north or head south to downtown StP.

In Hopkins you can get to Minnetonka if you head to mainstreet and find the trail at 6th Avenue North. or you can head towards Eden Prairie just staying on south Cedar Lake Trail. You could take north Cedar Lake Trail out of Hopkins thru StL Park and get back to Mpls. The entrance for this is just north of the Hopkins depot on the other side of Excelsior and just east of 169.

The fun of biking in the TC area is that there are so many trails, some do dead end and you have to take residential streets but many connect with other trails, you just have to get out and explore. There are maps, but I find them somewhat confusing because some are out of date because they are always adding and changing trails, if you look around as you ride you should be able to figure it out. Google maps should give you a good idea and you can always print out what you need and mark it up plus use directions using the bike icon.

I have had two jobs downtown, and often biked to work, IMO, that is the beauty of working downtown, there are so many trails you shouldn't have to use a car and get stuck in traffic. But nearly anyplace you work should be possible, I worked in Opus area of Minnetonka just south of Hopkins while living in Apple Valley. I'd drive to Lake Nokomis and bike the rest of the way.

DQRider 

Photos from Hastings yesterday:

MNwj48

To clarify: The West River road trail from Coon Rapids Dam to north of 694, is interesting around the Coon Rapids dam, but after 5 blocks, it changes to a sidewalk along the road.
Most of the route north of Brooklyn Park is not shaded, so I got sunburned that day.
The West River road trail went down the West side of West River Road, next to the houses. The parkland is on the other side of the street. Don't know if I missed something there.
I could not find the connection with 69th that the Henn. Cty Bike route map implies, I had to go back to another street and cross HWY 252 at an intersection.
Got the map at the Coon Rapids Dam center.

The West River road trail south of 694 is entirely different. As it goes through the city it varies, but much of it is interlaced with pedestrian trails along the West River road park.

I never got to the south section of West River road trail. Got close, but ran out of daylight at Lake Nokomis, and had to turn back towards WIrth.

I got to the Fair Grounds once (starting from Wirth park). Went along Wirth to the Cedar trail, went downtown, crossed the bridge to the Univ of Minn. Turning right down a service roads leads along the tracks to the Univ heating plant where there is an intersection with the trail along the rails that go through Dinkytown. Took the trail under Dinkytown to near the U stadium and past it into the parking lots. Followed the signs to the Univ of Minn. busway to the St Paul campus. Took that all the way to the Univ of Minn St Paul campus, which is next to the fairgrounds.
Found out the Fairgrounds were closed that day. police were posted to keep people out while they were setting up.

MNwj48

One of these days I may try to get to downtown St Paul (starting from Wirth Park). The best route I know of now is to use the stone arch bridge to Univ of Minn., and from there the Univ busway. That busway is isolated with very few cars, but is not very scenic. About 2 miles of perfectly straight industrial roadway.

Anyone know of any alternative routes, that are reasonably between Lowry and University.

I may be aiming for Rosedale, and/or a bicycle shop near there (where I buy tires, because they have a large assortment hanging on the walls, also fenders).


My favorite bicycle shops are all are more than an hours ride from me.

I got my chain at Maple Cycle, which is on 94, west of 494, and that is about 12 mi (I cheated and got a ride for that one, it was windy and 28 degree F).

Got tools at Penn cycle in Hopkins, which was about 5.5 mi.

Visited Perennial Cycle for some shims (on Lyndale, just off the lake formerly known as Calhoun), they also have city handle bars.

DQRider 

Don't they maintain the trails along East and West River Roads during winter?

From Wirth Park you can ride down Plymouth Ave to "Mississippi River Blvd" - West River Rd - pick up the trail and just follow that.

Cross the river at Marshall/Lake Street, or farther down at the Ford Bridge, and take East River Rd to Shepherd Rd and on into Saint Paul.

MNwj48

Thanks.
I have been down Golden Valley Rd, and Plymouth Ave. While traffic is much lighter than Broadway, they are pretty much just city streets, riding with the traffic.
Came back on Plymouth once, in the dark. Had a head on encounter with a traffic cone in the dark. Those things are heavier than they look. Did not budge the thing, went over the handlebars. Lucky I was going slow at the time.

How are the bridges for having bicycle friendly, and/or scenic trails. That is the thing I cannot tell from a bicycle route map.
I do prefer trails that are off the road, where the cars cannot get to you.
Also, this is the kind of trip I will probably do in the spring, or a warm day after snow melts.

It is nice to know which trails are snow free in the winter.
The Robbinsdale trails are clear pavement.
The France ave trail in Brooklyn park is mostly clear (two particular houses), but the Brooklyn park side streets are inconsistent. Sometimes you need to be on the sidewalk, some places the street, and for some you need to find another street entirely.
Sochacki park in GV is not clear, just brushed with a sweeper with still 1/2 to 1 inch of snow. Even a snow tire squirms all over the place.

DQRider 

Both the Lake Street/Marshall Bridge and the Ford Dam/Bridge have raised pavements for peds and cyclists connecting trails on both sides.

I've found that most of the paths within city limits are cleared within 12-24 hours after a snowstorm. All are navigable with studded tires.

The only place I've been disappointed is north of the `Cities, where they allow snowmobiles to use the MUPs in winter.

Zara Sp00k

I used to work just south of the fairgrounds and used the U of MN busway often, if you include girls, I thought it was very scenic
Google Maps shows Thomas as being a bike route, I thought Charles was, in any even they both are just north of University, try that
Minnehaha and Como are also bike routes, more cars though

you have to get out and explore, that's the fun, every year my routes improve because I am always finding new & better ways

Awl

Plymouth Ave from Wirth to about Penn IIRC there isn't a bike lane; east of Penn there is unless they're still working on Penn. Honestly my rides of late have been real short; don't have the best equipment to riding in cold headwinds.

Pcampeau

ultrarider7

I live in Eagan and mostly ride either West River Road or Big River Trail into Lilydale, ending up in Downtown St. Paul. I find East River Road through St. Paul to be congested and fairly beat up. West River Road goes past Broadway Ave. N, and I assume you can pick it up after that point as well. I also ride out by Durand, Wisconsin on a series of trails that go beyond Eau Claire.

DQRider 

Hello, and welcome to the Bike Forums. Have you tried any of the trails out of Hastings old town, down along the river? Or the Vermillion River loop, leaving out of the same general location? There are some great pubs/restaurants on 2nd Street, where you can fuel-up with a pre-ride breakfast, and then grab a post-ride lunch and/or cold beverages after.

Here are some highlights:

Waterfall by the mill on the Vermillion River


Old Mill Ruins, also on the Vermillion


Same trails in winter




El Mexican restaurant in Old Hastings


Some of the beautiful trail infrastructure west of town


My son Sean, next to our Peugeots on the Mississippi River


West of town again, more incredible trail features




It's totally worth a visit, if you haven't been there. Or really, even if you have. I live in West Saint Paul, and these are the best trails within 30 minutes of home, IMHO.

.

ultrarider7

Thanks for sharing! I have photographed in Hastings, birds, bridges and the waterfalls but haven't biked there yet. I'll try it. It looks great!

Peter

ultrarider7

I rode from the park next to the Lock & Dam through town past Smead to the trail, around the mill and falls, finally back around the lake to the park. 27 miles in total. You are right, it's a great route with plenty of varied terrain and scenic views. Thanks for the tip!