On The Edge

51 miles, 10.0 mph, 640' elevation gain
(south Minneapolis to Elk River, MN)


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Highlights: Grand Rounds National Scenic Byway, pleasant paved trials, Mississippi River, 25 wild wing sampler platter, pool & jacuzzi

Journal: That's right, I'm on the edge...of suburbia right now. Elk River, MN (pop. 16,500) is the last town in the greater Minneapolis area before I head north into the countryside tomorrow. The most direct route (by car) would have been 33 miles from where I started this morning. However, I chose to stay off-road as much as possible (much less stressful) and take the scenic route (51 miles). And for the most part, that was a good decision.

Unlike yesterday, most of the paved trails I rode on today were quite enjoyable and filled with variety. I started on the bike paths around Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun (lots of rowboats, joggers & bicyclists), then passed thru a bog or two before riding along the attractive Victory Memorial Parkway (lots of green space and cute homes). Shortly thereafter, I hooked up with the Mississippi River Trail which took me north to the Coon Rapids Dam (rebuilt in the mid-90's with a complex system of inflatable rubber "balloons" to maintain proper water levels). At this point I took a short snack break and crossed the Mighty Mississippi at 2:42 pm after 25 miles of riding.

I actually felt pretty good today, and a lot better than yesterday. The people were nicer today, I was less grumpy, the paved trails were in better condition, and the weather was cooler & less humid (thanks in part to some evening thunderstorms last night that passed thru the area). There was even a pleasant breeze of about 10 mph from the southeast, which was perfect since I was traveling mostly in a north to northeasterly direction. The only real complaint I had was with the lack of trail signage along the way. From time to time, the trail would end or split in two without any indications of where to go.

After crossing the Mississippi, I continued to ride along the Mississippi River Regional Trail Corridor for several miles before heading westward towards the "Historic River City" of Anoka (pop. 18,100). At this point, I was a bit tired and hungry and took a late lunch break (at 4:20 pm). When eating meals, I always prefer to eat at local restaurants instead of chains. Fortunately, there were a few good places to choose from in downtown Anoka, including Serum's Goodtime Emporium (which is where I ate). I ordered a bowl of clam chowder and a glass of pink lemonade to compliment my 25 wild wing sampler platter (including honey mustard, lemon pepper, and "garlic, garlic, garlic" wings). Ordinarily, I would feel like a pig ordering an entire platter of wings for myself, but today it just felt like I was filling up the (internal) gas tank with lots of energy.

Around 6 pm, I got back on my bike for the final 18-mile ride of the day (to Elk River). Although it was rush hour on a Friday evening, the traffic wasn't too bothersome as I was able to travel mostly on side streets and county roads with wide shoulders. I ended up riding into the parking lot of the Country Inn at Elk River just as the sun was setting (around 8:30 pm) and then headed straight for the swimming pool & jacuzzi...for the next two hours!

With friends Kaitlin, Lauren & Joanne (south Minneapolis)

Lake Harriet with downtown Minneapolis in background

Attractive bike path along the Veterans Memorial Parkway (northwest Minneapolis)

Crossing the Mississippi for the 1st time (Coon Rapids Dam)