Great Lakes - Shakopee, MN

I am going to be visiting my folks in Shakopee next week and need some ride suggestions. My wife who has been on the fence regarding road bikes thought it would be a good time to try road biking since we will have babysitters the entire week and we could go together. Penn Cycles (where I bought my first bike, Schwinn Varsity in the early 70s) is going to rent us a few roadies.

Soooo, what I am looking for is 25-35 mile loops, little traffic, few lights, nice shoulders, you know, ideal safe roads to introduce someone to the sport. She mountain bikes and runs half marathons so fitness isn't an issue, we will be coming in from Golden CO so hills aren't a problem. Its just my lack of knowledge about the area that is the problem.

My folks live just off the intersection of 169 and Adams if that helps.

Thank you for any help,

bvf,
How important is it to roll off your parents driveway and onto a route or are you willing load the bikes up a take them to a route. The twin cities has some very nice cycling routes...but Shakopee is somewhat out of the way to ride to many of them. Straight south on Marystown Road isn't a bad route, however it's going to be typical of most roads in the area. Adjacent traffic will be in the 60MPH range and you will about an 18" shoulder on most roads. I could work up a loop out to Jordan and back.

If you are willing to travel, reply back and I'll give you some suggestions within a half hours drive. The folks at Penn will likely have some ideas as well.

Scot
Bloomington, MN

Thanks Scot,

On another forum a guy suggested Hwy13 down to New Prague, he said it had nice wide shoulders the whole way. Its pretty important to ride from the driveway, we have a 3 and a 5 year old and don't need to burden the folks any more than we have to, we usually get up pretty early, get in our exercise then start the day with kids.

That said, I would love to tour the Minnapolis lakes one morning, I spent my early twenties rollerblading around them.

Love your hometown,

BV
Thomas Jefferson 83

Thanks Scot,

On another forum a guy suggested Hwy13 down to New Prague, he said it had nice wide shoulders the whole way. Its pretty important to ride from the driveway, we have a 3 and a 5 year old and don't need to burden the folks any more than we have to, we usually get up pretty early, get in our exercise then start the day with kids.

That said, I would love to tour the Minnapolis lakes one morning, I spent my early twenties rollerblading around them.

Love your hometown,

BV
Thomas Jefferson 83

BV

I'm not a big fan of biking Hwy 13. It has 6 foot shoulders but is the main route for traffic through the region, including large commercial trucks. Speeds will be around 70mph. I would personally recommend something with a little less shoulder real estate but substantially less volume.
Try: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Shakopee-for-BV
This might help if you want to get a little further out if you have the legs that day: http://www.ironmanbikeride.org/100mileroute.htm

.....and you need a route back to the homeland: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Bloomington-for-BV
And if you want to keep going off the Bloomington route here's these:
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Bloomington-North-South
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/East-West-Across-Bloomington
http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Bloomington-to-West-Side

Here's this if you manage to get into town: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Minneapolis-Grand-Round

Have fun.

Scot

Thanks again Scot, that info on 13 was important. The Shakopee route you put down looks perfect, I like the lakeside ride by. Thanks again,

Go Jags.....

If you're looking for more suggestions and like to bike around lakes, Lake Minnetonka is a great route. You can do 20-40 miles depending on the route. Shakopee is approximately 10 miles (direct route) from Excelsior (south side of Lake Mtka).

Thanks Scot and KT,

We were able to get in 5 rides last week, both the Jordan and Bloomington routes that Scot suggested and a trip out the bike path to Chaska and then up towards Lake Minne. It was cool to ride over the ped bridge were the old Ferry bridge used to be and fun to get back to the homeland. The other two rides were variations on the Jordan loop, I think we know every corn field between Prior Lake and Jordan.

The routes were perfect for a beginner and my wife never felt threatened on the road. I have to say that almost every driver gave us a wide berth when passing on some of the two laners and didn't have one buzz by the whole week. Minnesota nice.

Thank you for the great advice, the wife had a great time and wants to get a road bike now, which was the goal.