Off to explore the Root River Trail
 

Well, we're heading north today to explore the Roor River Trail system. Will probably start in Lanesboro and do out and backs to Houston and Harmony on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Any "gotta see this" or "gotta do this" advice?

It's a great trail.

The ride from Lanesboro to Preston and a few miles beyond, is relatively flat and easy. Then you hit some steep hills for a few miles before you get to Harmony.

Likewise to the east, where there are more steep hills several miles past Rushford.

About half-way between Lanesboro and Preston, there is a trail to Fountain. The first mile or so is flat, then it goes uphill for about 4-5 miles. Not a steep grade, but a relatively constant 2%-3%. There's a nice home-town restaurant with good pie in Fountain. Also some sink-holes to view, as Fountain is America's Sink Hole Capital.

As to the towns, Lanesboro is the jewel of the system. Nice restaurants, shopping, a nice bike store, and live performances most every night.

Preston is also nice, with some interesting stores and sights.

Houston is not worth seeing. Not much in Rushford or Peterson either, but the trail is nice and peaceful. There's a pie shop in Whalan that is good.

The trail is paved, but it is an aging pavement. Lots of little bumps and rough spots. There will be tons of recreational riders, on rental bikes. Well, there was in the fall, when I there. Don't know about mid-week in July.

I'll probably be there in September or October.

Pie? 'nuff said, we're good now...

12 Summers ago there was an awsome Ice Cream Shop in Harmony right on the trail.....I wonder if it's still there.

Enjoy the trip and brings back lotsa pics, please.

The Aroma Pie Shop in Whalan, MN

http://www.merchantcircle.com/busine...p.507-467-2623

There are two nice ice cream shops in Lanesboro.

One is named "Das Wurst Haus." They also sell some great German wursts & meats. They play "polka music" upon request. It has been there for a long time.

http://www.treasuresof.com/View.aspx?treasureId=6143

And there is a second one, that's just ice cream. Also very good. They sell a brand that is a old-time Minnesota dairy brand.

I sampled both last September.

I believe the "steep hills" on the ends of the trails are fairly steep. Not just some 3%-4% hills that come after 20 miles of riding flat trails. I think they go up to 8% to 9% grades.

Can't say for sure because I didn't ride out to them. I put in about 30 miles a day when I was there.

Middle of the week, the traffic is usually not too bad. On weekends in the summer, forget it. Throngs of riders, most of them stopped right in the middle of the trail. But it is a nice ride.

Well, turned out to be a really short trip. 4 hours into the drive (haflf way there) we get a call- the camp my oldest works at had a flu outbreak; they're shutting down for a week and sending everybody home. So we turned around and came home. Maybe next year...

Too bad!!

I hate it when that happens. As a father of 5, I've had my share of last-second disrupted plans.