Bicycle Trip -- Root River Trail

This last Monday Mom and I loaded up the bikes on the rack and took off 2 hours south east of home to a small town called Lanesboro, MN. Upon arrival we unloaded and took off on the Root River bike trail that runs between Fountain and Houston MN a total distance of ~50 miles. Starting at Lanesboro we road east to a smaller town called Peterson and then back to Lanesborow.

Round trip was 30 miles. These pictures were taken at the beginning as by the end of the ride my tongue was hanging in the front spokes. It is hard to ride and take pictures at the same time, so we didn't really capture things, but it was absoutely beautiful.

Here is an old/rebuilt bride going across the confluence of the Root and South Branch of the Root. The trail had vistas of the river but also beautiful farm fields of corn and soy. There isn't much of brand label places to stay or eat, just a lot of B&B's and fun little country cafes. You can see more about the trail by visiting http://www.rootrivertrail.org/. In Whalan there is a place called Cedar Valley Resort where you can rent cabins big enough to accomodate the whole lot of us, that might be something to keep in mind for a future family get together. (see http://www.cedarvalleyresort.com/) I was going to take a picture of the cabins, but there were a bunch of girls sitting there in bikinis, and I didn't want them to think I was some pervert. It would provide a very quiet type, layed back, opportunity, not one of the go, go, go, go events. Somehow those places look more and more appealing to me.

We happened to catch the Peterson football team out practicing. It was pretty funny to watch. I don't know if it was because practice hadn't really begun hard, but there was a whole lot of standing around and not too much practicing. This had to be middle school, as the kids seemed awfully small. Any way, we were sitting there eating a granola bar about 10:00 am and we looked at each other and realized you couldn't hear a solitary sound. No cars, trucks, airplanes . . . nothing. It was amazing just to sit there and listen to the quiet.

Hope you enjoy the meager photos. If I had to take a pic of every pretty spot, I would still be there. (Not such a bad idea)