The Beginning - me and my Trek 1220
Started riding at 8:00am on a cloudy cool morning with light winds. Perfect day for biking.
Bike Lane Closed
The first road I start riding on has a closed bike lane. I hope that's not a bad omen. It's rush hour but I plan to initially ride on a bike path that follows the Mississippi River.
Saint Anthony Falls
This is a tour that follows the Mississippi River (mostly). My first stop is Saint Anthony Falls - where Minneapolis began. Initially I ride up the west side of the Mississippi but cross over to the east side on the Plymouth Avenue Bridge.
War Memorial
I head up the river and come to this war memorial dedicated to Minnesotans that lost their lives in wars. It's located along the Mississippi River in NE Minneapolis.
Halloween
I head up river on the east side and enter Fridley. A few miles later I cross back over to the west side and bump into a very enthusiastic Halloween display in Brooklyn Park.
Coon Rapids Dam
The Coon Rapids Dam is my next stop. I also enjoy a snack while I am here. When I am on tour I tune out the rest of the world. The only things that matter are my bike, my maps, my route, and my destination that day. This way, I can just enjoy the experience.
Highway 169 Bridge in Champlin
Soon the Highway 169 bridge that spans the Mississippi from Champlin in Hennepin County to Anoka County appears. Champlin has recently announced that they want to leave Hennepin County. Maybe they'll just go across the bridge. Hennepin County is named after good Father Hennepin. I wonder what he would think about all of this.
Crow River Flows into Mississippi
I travel further up the Mississippi and notice the county road becomes a little rough as I enter the town of Dayton. Eventually I reach the Crow River where it flows into the Mississippi. The Crow River is the border between Hennepin County and Wright County.
Monticello
Lunch at Beef O'Brady's hits the spot after a 1/2 day of riding. I chose this place because they have an outdoor patio where I can watch my bike as I eat lunch. After lunch I take a picture of the road construction happening on the road I'm suppose to ride to Clearwater. Now I have to detour. It's all part of touring.
Bridge at Clearwater that crosses the Mississippi
I've become focused on riding as there is a chance of rain. I have one more bridge to cross before the final leg to Saint Cloud. The Clearwater bridge starts in Wright County and crosses over to Sherburne County. You can see the water level is low. In the spring there was flooding. Now we have a drought. Normally I'd be bothered by this drought we are having, but right now, I'm touring and focused on just getting to Saint Cloud.
Bridge at Saint Cloud
After a final stretch on County Road 8, I reach Saint Cloud. Not the best picture of the Mississippi though. I must be tired. Time to find the Best Western Inn and relax.