Western Minnesota Biking - The Villard-Glenwood Rail Trail

Villard-Glenwood Trail Map

My whole side of the family got together last week at a neat little mom and pop style resort in Villard, Minnesota.  There are 20 of us...10 adults, 10 kids.  We all now have bicycles and we spent a good portion of the four day event using them.  

My folks (Dad is 67 and Mom is 64) have really gotten into cycling.  They have invested in good bikes and tend to vacation in areas that have good, safe trails to ride.  In fact, I like to use them as good examples of how many baby boomers are embracing biking and how economies can be enhanced by bike facilities.  The rest of the gang (kids and grandkids) are between 3 years and 40 years old.  I am probably the only daily cyclist, but as a faithful follower of this blog, you know that is a very recent thing.  

Near our rented cabin was the Villard-Glenwood Trail, which is administered by Pope County.  It is on a former railroad bed, is paved, and is very good shape, with much of the trail being only 4 years old.  It passes near lakes and through woods on the east end and through farm fields on the west end.  It is about 7 miles long.  As is implied by the name, it connects the cities of Villard and Glenwood.  Villard is quite small with limited services but plenty of lake shore lodging.  Glendwood is bigger and has most of the services a visitor would need.  

My folks went up to the resort a day early and biked the whole trail there and back from Villard.  They couldn't go further into Glenwood because a stopped train was blocking the trail at its dedicated crossing.  They liked the trail's scenic east end.  I biked the trail on my own on Monday.  From Villard it very gently but steadily rises to the Glenwood end, with virtually no coasting and three gravel road crossings.  I also turned around at the railroad crossing just before Glenwood, although it was no longer blocked.  The return to Villard was much faster with a tailwind and the steady decline.  In the end I did 14.21 miles in 1 hour and 10 minutes, my longest ride yet.  It was mid-afternoon and I only saw two other riders and one walker.

Later in the vacation I did the east end of the trail with my daughter on the trail-a-bike and my wife, along with my sister and her youngest son.  And on Wednesday, all twenty of us hit the trail together, 16 people on bikes and the four youngest in Burly trailers.  We took up the whole trail, which wasn't an issue as we met no other users that morning.  Some turned around after the lakes and woods section and some continued for a bit longer.  My dad and I explored some gravel roads off the trail and checked out a campground nearby.  He and I did 8 miles that day.  It was a lot of fun to get the whole crew out.  

It was a good vacation and a good spot for a beginning cyclist.  

Crash Course

A bicycle mystery.  When I arrived at the resort after the 4 hour drive from Duluth on Sunday, I opened the back of the truck to find my bike helmet was not the same as when I put it in.  All of the non-foam parts of the top of the helmet had come off.  I thought that the heat of the truck bed in the sun (I have a tonneau cover on it) melted the glue of the helmet.  But here's the mystery...I still can't find the biggest piece of plastic that came off the top of the helmet, including the sun visor part!  It wasn't in the back of the truck with the other pieces.  I still have no idea where it could have gone, there isn't any gaps in the pickup bed and cover to let something like that fly out.  It's a mystery...   And it means a trip to the bike shop to discuss replacement.  

Going to the Dogs, Part 2

This is a goofy story.  On recent Sunday morning, I was mowing our lawn when I saw a wandering dog, a pitbull/boxer mix looking animal.  It entered our back yard and I made sure our soon to be 1st grader was in the house.  The dog started toward me and it was not wagging its tail.  It wasn't neutered, it had a collar, but no ID tag.  I joined my family in the house and my wife called the cops to see if they could come get it.  The dog wandered off and we didn't see it again, and I don't know if the cops picked it up or not.  

Cut to 8:00 am Monday morning.  I get on my bike and head to work, cruising down the hill.  I see a guy walking a dog on a leash toward me down the sidewalk.  As I get closer, I see that the dog is the dog - the same one that was in my yard the day before.  As I pass by right next to them, I want to say something, like, "Glad you got your dog back," or something to confirm that it really was the dog.  But, I decided to just keep peddling.  Just as I pass the dog, I look at it and it suddenly leaps at me growling and then comes up just short of my leg,  snapping its jaws.  The man barely shortened the leash in time.  Whew!  I just blurted "Holy ----!" and kept going.  What a weird coincidence!  Or was it...did the dog remember I dropped a dime on him?

North Shore Touring and Hill Perceptions

My family was out of town a couple days, so one day after work I decided to take a longer ride, my most ambitious one yet.  After consulting with the office bike expert Ellen, I decided to head up on Minnesota's legendary North Shore Scenic Drive (It's an All-American Road!).  The section between Duluth and Two Harbors is right next to Lake Superior and has pretty good shoulders.  Ellen recommended a route between McQuade Safe Harbor and Stony Point.  

McQuade Safe Harbor is one nice boat landing that includes a huge breakwater, shorefishing platforms, four boat ramps, a road underpass, tons of parking, the whole deal.  There is plenty of non-boat parking that cyclists can use.  It was a nice day for a ride when I took off heading along Lake Superior's shore with a wind to my back.  My intent was to get to Stony Point, a little land protrusion that has a gravel road accessing it.  I was concerned about the hill just before the road intersection and became more concerned after I coasted quite awhile before the Point, knowing I would have to go back up the hill I just coasted down after already riding 7 miles.  But, it wasn't that bad.  I have discovered that my perception of hills is they feel much steeper coming down than they do going back up.  I would have thought that it would be the opposite, that the hill would seem steep when working hard heading up.  They seem more steep when zipping down.  I wonder if I am the only one that thinks that.  

Anyhoo (where does that word come from?  Is it used only in Minnesota?), I made it back up the hill and chugged back to McQuade feeling pretty good, even sprinting out the last mile or so.  I did just under 14 miles in 1 hour and 6 minutes, my longest ride to date.  My hands felt good and my butt held up, but I am still dealing with right toes that fall asleep.  

Crash Course

I have felt pretty good on some my longer or steeper rides, but it is easy to stay humble.  I get passed by other cyclists.  A lot.  On the North Shore it was by a totally spandexxed (is that a word, and if so, is it safe for work?) dude on a nice road bike that passed me like I was standing still. He was flying.  Being passed like that, okay, he's in a different league.  But I get passed by everybody.  Twice I have been passed by girls that looked to be about 12 years old.  I have been passed by folks that were about 30 years older than me.  I was passed by an older couple on recumbent bikes.  Heck, today on the way to work I was passed by a fellow commuter in capri pants.  And I was going downhill at the time.  Pride is definitely still in the back seat, but I am sticking with it!

Neighborhood Routes - Going to the Dogs

Hartley Park Map

I was pretty intimidated by Duluth's hills when I first started this bicycle adventure.  I live on the East Hillside, just down the hill from UMD.  I thought that to take an evening bike ride, I'd have to drive my vehicle to a flat spot and bike from there.  It hasn't turned out that way, even though I do often head to flatter parts of the area when wanting a change of scenery.  I have found two routes from my house that I am able to do and I enjoy.  The first is a round about route that uses the oddly designed Kent Road to head diagonally up the hill, making it an easier ascent.   I then head in to Chester Park, do a couple hills on Skyline Drive, and then coast down the hill to home, or if I have time and energy, I'll do the route again.  I like the mix of hill climbs and coasting, with a few flat spots in between...kind of  like an interval workout (okay, I admit it, I am not really sure what an interval workout is...it sounds good though).

The second route I like is to head up into the UMD campus and chug up the low grade, but long hill on Hartley Road into the southern entrance of Hartley Park.  I take the fairly wide trail that was once a road (hence the trail's name: Old Hartley Road) to the pond.  I admit the first time I tried this route, I turned back on the hill on the Hartley Road, too winded to continue.  But after a few more rides, I tried again, and I made it all the way to the pond.  This exercise stuff is working!  

So, even in hilly Duluth, there are some good routes for beginners right out your front door.  Actually, use your back door or garage.  Turns out some household members are not fans of dirty bike tracks in the front entry hall.

Crash Course

Well, this one is a real crash.  I had almost hit a jogger on the Lakewalk on one of my first rides, and really did hit a jogger (it was really just a bump) on the Lakewalk on a ride with my sweetie a couple weeks ago.  But I had my first real crash in Hartley Park.  I saw the jogger and her unleashed black lab on the trail well ahead of me, so I had slowed down to pass the dog, who was on the opposite side of the trail from the jogger.  She called the dog, but it had poor hearing, and it stuck to my right...until the last second when it turned left in front of me.  I hit the brakes hard, but still hit the dog.  The dog yelped and I managed to even stay upright.  Everyone seemed okay.  The jogger apologized, and once again, I meant to say something nice and helpful, but out of my mouth comes: "Get a leash, lady!"  Oh well.  

A footnote to the Crash Course: I passed six dogs on Old Hartley Road that night and none had leashes.  There is a city leash law, but it is not enforced.  Unfortunately this experience has led me to not bike in Hartley Park anymore.  I don't yet feel confident in my ability to avoid a dog collision.  So other routes will have to suffice.  It's too bad.  Hartley has great trails for mountain bikers. It is not my intent for this blog to be a political vessel for cyclists, but we do know that dogs and riders have a strained relationship at times.  

A Visit to The Rainy Lake Trail

The Rainy Lake Trail in a Cooler Season

The Rainy Lake Trail is a paved facility that is partially on off road trails and partially on road shoulders.  Way up on Minnesota's border with Ontario, it connects the City of International Falls to the City of Ranier and east to Voyageurs National Park.  It is right up there with northeast Minnesota's oldest bike trails, as portions of it were built in the 70's.  It is a scenic route that bring users past the Rainy River, through the neat small City of Ranier, and then along Rainy Lake as it weaves in and out of forest lands.  A new section of the trail is nearing completion and will be opened this season.  It connects the trail along Highway 11 to Voyageurs National Park's Black Bay Visitor Center.  That section will be very nice as it winds through deep woods and rock outcroppings.  There is also a plan in place to improve the trail's connection to International Falls...it currently is not defined as it crosses a railroad track the last few yards before downtown.  Called the Gateway Corridor project, it will include aesthetic amenities in addition to the trail construction.

I got a chance to ride the trail on my new bike when I was up in the area recently.  I drove to the Black Bay Visitor Center entrance, parked, and then rode the bike on the trail back towards town.  I really enjoyed it.  It was a bit narrow and dark in the forest, but it had a few hills, wild flowers, wild animal scat, and only a few people (although we know it is one of the busiest trails in the region, particularly closer to town).  I only had time for a quick five mile ride, but it did include the very scenic Tilson Creek area.  Tilson has a parking lot, boat launch, fishing pier, and, in the winter, an extensive ski trail system.  

Crash Course

This was first ride after buying yet another new toy.  I picked up a bike "computer" online for about $20.  It shows speed, distance traveled, current time, and time spent biking.  I really like it.  It helps me pace myself (I am still not in serious biking shape) and when time is constrained like it was on the Rainy Lake Trail, I can know exactly when I have to turn around and head back to the truck or home or wherever.  It was easy to install on my front handlebars and is less than the size of a domino.

Brown Streak on the Towne n' Beach Trail

I threw my bike in my truck one day soon after getting it, and I headed to a work meeting up north.  I was hoping to ride a newly complete trail in order get it mapped into our database.  After the meeting was done, I headed to the Towne n' Beach Trail in Fayal Township, the heart of Minnesota's Iron Range.  The trail is based out of a nice park area and heads north to connect with the Mesabi Trail in Eveleth.  It is 10 feet wide and newly paved.  It was a rainy day, but I was determined to ride.  I hopped on the bike during a lull in the rain showers and headed out.  The trail was nice with some decent little hills, a cool bridge underpass and lots of driveways to cross.  After I got going, it started raining in earnest.  I turned around and headed back to the truck as was unprepared for rain.  I still was able to see most of the trail's 2.21 miles.  I was pretty soaked when I got to the truck.

Crash Course

On the way home after the ride, I stopped at the place where we get our vehicles serviced to schedule an oil change, as long as I was driving by.  When I turned to leave their office, I heard some snickering.  I thought it was odd, but didn't think much of it (I am fairly used to people snickering at me).  When I got home and took my wet shirt off, I discovered the source of their amusement at the shop - I had a big brown streak up my back from the spray off the tire of my bike in the rain.  I had skipped a little of the trail and took a short cut through a gravel lot...thus the pretty brown color.  Another lesson learned.  I will be more careful with my wardrobe when biking in the rain.

Thank You Bike Gloves!

Cycling Gloves

I consulted the bike expert Ellen, about my hand pain when riding.  She said I should get some bike gloves.  I couldn't see how they could help, just a pair of thin gloves?  I said I'd give it a try and headed to the bike shop.  The helpful staff there picked out an inexpensive, old school looking glove for me.  I didn't realize until I had them that they have padded palms.  Of course they could help!  When hanging on the wall, you can's see the pads, and I am such a newbie that I thought they were just finger-less gloves.

I had gotten a new helmet earlier, so the gloves were my second accessory purchase.  I think the helmet was $25 and the gloves were about $18.  

It was around this time that I started riding into work a different way.  I would load my bike into my truck and drive it down to the 21st Avenue East Lakewalk parking lot.  From there I biked on the Lakewalk to Lake Place Park, then down the boardwalk ramp to Superior and 1st Avenue East.  I'd head up the block to 1st Street and then head down that to work.  I'd reverse the route after work to get back to the truck.  This method was easy and safe, although the afternoon ride on the Lakewalk are very crowded.  I also feel like I was cheating by taking the truck part of the way.  I was not fully doing my part to ease congestion and reduce pollution!  But, I knew I could not make all the way up the hill to my house on the bike, so this would have to do until I got in better shape.  

During these rides, I learned that the bike gloves work!  The pads move the pressure off the bottom of the palm and the numbness is gone and the pain is greatly reduced.  Thank you Ellen for suggesting them!

Crash Course

I am introducing a new segment to this blog called Crash Course.  It will be lessons I have learned or maybe just funny or interesting tidbits regarding a cycling misadventure.  Here goes...  On the first afternoon of commuting back to the truck, I was cruising along pretty good on the Lakewalk when a winded jogger stopped in front of me on the top of a little hill.  He was in the middle of the trail and I decided to go past on the left, as most pedestrians and joggers stay to the right on the trail.  At the last second the exhausted jogger staggered to the left, so I quick moved the right, and just as I came up to him, he staggered to the right!  I just barely missed him, I mean barely.  

He mumbled, "Sorry."  

I felt it was somehow my fault too, and wanted to make light of the situation, but when I opened my mouth, out came, "Pick a Side!"  I was trying make it a joke and have laughter in my voice, but I don't think that is how it came out.  I feel bad, and I am sorry, Lakewalk jogger.  

Our Favorite Trail

The St. Louis River Trail

On a beautiful, warm Minnesota afternoon, the family and I put the bikes in the truck and headed west to our favorite trail.  It is a relatively new and fairly unknown paved facility that is very flat and, for most of it, in a scenic forest.  It is called the St. Louis River Trail and it is managed by Carlton County.  The north end is the "Scanlon Park and Ride" - a parking lot just south of Interstate 35 in Scanlon, near Cloquet.  We parked the truck there and this time we hooked the trail a bike on my bike instead of my wife Cameron's.  It was a little more of a pain to hook up because I don't have a kickstand.  Once it was ready, Bergen (6) hopped on and said, as she always does when we go somewhere, "Let's roll!"  So we did.

The trail wound south away from the parking lot and soon crossed a gravel access road before going into a dark corridor of pine trees - a very pretty spot.  We then cruised past a small wetland with ducks and crossed a County highway into the City of Carlton.  There is a section of the trail on the City street system, but it is very well signed and easy to follow.  The trail ends at Highway 210, right at the bike rental shop on the west end of Carlton.  We snaked our way through the community to the Willard Munger State Trail parking lot and picnic shelter.  We rested out of the sun under the shelter's roof.  After chatting with some other cyclists about trail conditions (parts of the Munger are still under repair after the crazy June 2012 flood) we got back in the saddles and retraced our route back to the truck.  Bergen wanted to go fast, and I wanted to test out the new bike's performance, so we hit the gas a bit and zipped down the trail at good clip and soon were back at the parking lot. 

Unfortunately, my hands really numbed up and hurt during the six mile ride.  Otherwise I felt pretty good on the very modest, but still my longest to this point, ride.  The other members of the family thought the ride was a bit hot, but fun.  We really like the St. Louis River Trail.

To watch a video describing how the St. Louis River Trail was planned and constructed, check out this you tube video.

Bike to Work - First Time

Route to Work

Got up on this morning for my annual checkup labs before work, so I grabbed the bike and coasted down hill to the doctor's office.  This was my first urban ride.  The first challenge was my briefcase/messenger bag.  I had to adjust it half way down the hill so it wouldn't fall off my back. The second challenge was London Road.  It was busy and seems really wide with the four lanes of traffic and high speeds.  It took me a little while to get into the left lane in order to make the turn into the Dr's office.  Cars didn't let me in, even when I signaled.  Not a good feeling.  I finally made it into the lot, locked my bike at the provided bike rack (Thanks Essentia!).  After the lab appointment, I got back on the two-wheeler and chugged up the hill to 1st Street, which was a flat ride to work.  Still, I was a bit winded...I am not used to biking, and biking in traffic makes me go faster...the cars kind of push you along.  All in all, a good commuting start.  

At the end of the day, I got the bike and peddled east on 2nd Street.  It is a busy route during Duluth's "Rush Minute."  I cruised down the right lane.  A white car honked at me as it went around.  I ignored it.  My work has given me a pretty good idea of the rules of the road.  I knew I had the right to be in the lane - cyclists are more visible there, and I didn't want to get hit by a parallel parked car's door opening.  Anyway, the light turned red at the intersection ahead and, lo and behold, I ended up standing at the white car's open passenger window as we waited for the green light.  

The driver spoke up and said, "you need to move over."

"No I don't," I replied calmly.

It was then that her friend in the passenger seat spoke up, "He's right, he doesn't have to move over."

"Yes, he does," said the driver.  

Before I could speak, my advocate in the passenger seat piped in again, "No he doesn't, he has the same rights as a vehicle."  

Wow.  I didn't have to say anymore and the green light moved us along, never to meet again.  Thank you nice lady in the passenger seat!

Knowing I am not yet in shape to climb the 350 feet in elevation between work and home, I stopped on 2nd Street and waited for the bus.  The Duluth Transit Authority buses all have two place bike racks on them that are easy to use and protect your bike pretty well.  I took the bus up to skyline parkway, did a pretty good little hill up to Chester Park and then coasted home.  

First bike assessment: My hands hurt and go numb.  My right foot falls asleep.  I will have to consult with my bike expert pal Ellen.

Day 2: The First Ride

Ready to Hit the Trail

After making the bike purchase (see previous post), it was time for the inaugural ride.  We put the bike in the back of the truck along with my wife's bike and our kid's Trail-A-Bike (FYI, my wife's name is Cameron, and our 6-year old is Bergen).  We headed down the hill to Duluth's Lakewalk.  The Lakewalk is a treasure - a paved trail right on the shore of mighty Lake Superior.  It is very popular with walkers, joggers, family outings and wandering tourists in the summer, which means it isn't great in the evenings for serious cyclists going faster than everyone else.  It's a good thing we aren't serious bicyclists...yet.  We parked at the new lot off 21st Avenue East.  It is a good starting point near the midpoint of the 7.3 mile trail.  We got the trail a bike hooked up to Cameron's bike so I would be free to test out my new bike without the encumbrance of the trail a bike.  The kickstand on Cameron's bike helped out when hooking up the trail a bike...I maybe should have gotten one after all.  We got everything set to go, strapped on the helmets and headed out.  First issue.  My helmet fell off.  The strap wasn't right - it is a helmet I got free at a training session.  I cobbled it together and we took off again, heading down the lake shore.  There are a few small hills along the way, and when we crested one and entered Leif Erickson Park, Bergen decided she'd rather pretend she was a thespian on the Park's historic rock stage.  So I went on without the gals for a bit getting the feel for the bike.  Everything seemed in order.  After they were done on the stage, we headed back home.  Results of the first ride...everything seemed in order, but I will need a new helmet.

Check out Healthy Northland and the Active Arrowhead Map!

Day 1: The Bicycle Purchase

Duluth's Lakewalk

Hi.  I'm Andy. I live in Duluth, Minnesota. I am a middle aged, out of shape guy that works for an organization that plans a lot of bike trails, does bike safety training, and promotes active lifestyles as a way to be healthier.  It's about time I get a bike.  Luckily my colleague Ellen is just down the hall and willing to help me out.  She is a bike expert.  Road bikes, mountain bikes, commuters, she knows it all.  She's a League of American Cyclists instructor.  So she gave me some tips, pointed me towards one of Duluth's several fine bike shops, and turned me loose.  On a fine June (2013) afternoon I bought my bike.  It's a fine machine of the "commuter" type.  Not a fatter tired mountain bike, not a skinny tired road bike - it's in-between.  It cost about $550.  Maybe a bit more cost than a beginner needs, but I am hefty guy and I wanted it to be solid.  It has disc brakes (vs. rim).  I bought a spare tire for it and it came with either a free kick stand or water bottle holder.  I chose the water bottle holder, thinking that the kickstand may be unwieldy when wearing long work pants or when the bike is on the rack with my wife and kid's bikes.  I put the bike in the back of my truck and headed home...the adventure begins!

Check out Healthy Northland and the Active Arrowhead Map!