This was an interesting trip. If you’ve read our other posts about Bike Packing/Touring from Canada to Iowa, Border to Bridge and Bridge to Bridge then this will make a lot more sense. See, several years ago now-we somewhat casually decided to bike the North Shore of Minnesota….Canada to Duluth, from the Border to the Lift Bridge (making sense?). We had so much fun on that trip we wondered if we could just bike the entire state to Iowa along the eastern border. So a few years later we biked from Duluth to Stillwater….from one lift bridge to another. All that was left was to bike from Stillwater to Iowa, lift bridge to border.

We attempted this trip in October 2 year ago. We shuttled a car to the border and got a hotel in Stillwater only for the forecast to prove right and drop several inches of snow that did not immediately melt, and for us canceling our trip.

So this leg has been hanging over us so to speak.

This year has looked a little different for us than we planned-with me having ACL repair surgery in March-but when weather looked okay, and we compiled some days off from work (and acquired the most generous ride) we decided to take advantage of it, despite not training much on the bikes this summer.

Thats how on October 20th, we set out to bike the final leg of our journey. Our friends Katie and Josh, live in Stillwater and not only agreed to watch Sage during the trip but also agreed to be flexible with a pick up date and get us from the Iowa Border later in the week.

We wanted to start in Stillwater, but eventually meet up with the MRT (Mississippi River Trail) somewhere around Hastings and follow that down to New Albin Iowa. That really made the first day a bit of a question mark in terms of millage and elevation. Our tentative plan for the first day was an ambitious ~60 miles. We started late in the day and learned fairly quick that the hills and predicted headwind would mean our intended daily milage was indeed too ambitious and we would turn our flexible schedule from a 3-day trip into 4.

Now, we’ve been adventuring together for more than a decade. We’ve climbed Mount Rainier, Devil’s Tower….backpacked…canoed….hiked, biked and skied all over. For us-the key to our ‘success’ is flexibility. This trip was no different. We had several options for food and sleeping, but didn’t make any reservations or set responsibilities to any of them. Going late in the season and traveling mid-allowed us this adaptability. So even though Day 1 was meant to take us to camp at Frontenac State Park, we pivoted and stayed at Treasure Island instead.

The start to Day 1 was nice! We were able to follow a trail out of Stillwater, we had some protection from the wind, beautiful sun and incredible fall colors. Miles 16-20 were a little soul crushing. The winding hills near Afton State Park were steep, and when we weren’t getting blasted by a 20 mph headwind the 80 degree temps were cooking us. Even the downhills were tough; high winds and narrow shoulders meant we couldn’t really relax.

As we passed through Hastings, a town we wanted to stop in but felt too tight on time, it really solidified our decision to stretch the trip over an extra night and day-for us favoring the experience over milage.

Night 1 in Treasure Island was a success. 3 words: Swim Up Bar. The perfect temperature to relax with sore legs (and seats). A fall trip should have meant mild temps and slightly less desire for a shower-but considering our little heat wave I was very pleased to have running water. Day 1 ended with ~42.6 miles and shy of 2,000 ft of gain.

Day 2: Treasure Island to Wabasha-48.29 miles

This was a day…..if you’re familiar with the area, you know there is a section of Hwy 61 under construction just out of Red Wing. Yikes. We had a decent morning after a little a$$ kicking leaving Prairie Island, and had a lovely breakfast at Mandy’s in Red Wing. Then we had to detour. At this point we did a little reroute that took us on gravel roads-it wasn’t a great time. Thankfully the Fanta we had in Frontenac seemed to have life-saving qualities, we’ll just leave it at that.

Lake City was fun to bike through after getting to know the area through the lens of a sailor (you can read/watch about that experience here). And from Lake City to Wabasha it seemed like Mother Nature was showing off. The colors, the river vistas….wow. Stunning.

We secured lodging at the Coffee Mill Inn in Wabasha and rolled into the West Side Tavern in hopes of food and drink. We were rewarded with Heggies Pizza that I ate at a speed unbecoming of a lady and in the dark of late fall, peddled ourselves to our room for the night-complete with a jacuzzi to melt the days aches and pains.

Day 3: Wabasha to Great River Bluffs SP (bike-in campground)-53.5 miles

Day 3 was probably our least favorite day. Watching the video below, we filmed the least that day, but oddly this day included our trip highlight! More on that later.

We started with a short 5 mile ride to Kellogg for breakfast at Town & Country Cafe before continuing south on the MRT. Here there was a nice little break from the highway where the route roamed through beautiful reserve and sanctuary areas. Our feelings about the MRT changed a bit before coming into Winona when dodging potholes felt a lot like dodging landmines-not that I’ve done that but I have an imagination. There were almost no stops between Kellogg and Winona, so by the time we got to town we were famished, thirsty and in need of a bike shop to help with my slipping gears.

We were reminded that the industrial age is very much alive as we biked past the grain mill, railroad and barge station all bringing resources across the country. It was very loud and super interesting to watch.

We stopped at Adventure Cycle and Ski who were able to take a look at my bike and fix a bent derailleur and point us toward sustenance at Acoustic Cafe….those sandwiches…..highlight! Craving one right…now!

Driving through the rest of Winona was chaotic at best but really just downright scary. The traffic on Hwy 61 from Winona to Le Crescent was also the busiest for the trip, unfortunate given our camp location.

Thus far for the trip, we hadn’t camped/cooked…and as I ran through the options that night (not 5 mins after navigating heavy traffic) I realized we/I had forgotten to pack any sort of utensil. Just before camp a bar was able to find some plastic forks (leftover from a potluck-since southern MN is the land of cash only and no take-out) that we could use for oatmeal the next morning.

We pulled into camp a little before dark-set up and hoped the traffic would slow down at the night progressed and offer us some relief from the incessant noise…..it didn’t.

Day 4: Great River Bluffs SP to New Albin Iowa 34.6 miles

Our last night was a nearly sleepless one. Most sleeping bags we own have a small pocket. In this pocket we keep ear plugs. The summer I guided teenagers-I realized that quiet wasn’t going to happen and that if I wanted to sleep, small bits of foam would be my saving grace. They have come in handy sharing campsites with heavy snorer-ers, generators and everything else that makes noise at night and can’t be blocked by a nylon wall. This night-no such ear plugs made the trip, but as the tent walls and ground shook with the approaching trains, I don’t think they would have helped.

While I laid there I went through my mental catalogue of “bad” nights in tent. There was the time I woke up floating on my sleeping pad in the BWCA. But I slept pretty well that night. There was the time Sage threw up (twice) in the tent and then nearly trampled me to death trying to get out of the tent to poop-hindsight that was almost funny. There was that time in Glacier Nat’l Park it was so windy the tent walls hit me in the head while I was laying down-but again I actually slept some that night. Other than the night we laid awake after seeing a bear barrel that had been annihilated by a bear just one lake over in the BWCA-I think this might have been the worst “sleep” I’ve ever gotten in a tent.

That morning though, brought beautiful weather and the first 10ish miles to La Crescent were on trails and just spectacular. It might have been the best 10 miles of the whole trip!

As we pulled into town (planning to grab a bite from a KwikTrip) we ran into an older gentleman curious about our trip. We got to talking and he suggested a place for breakfast, Kaddy’s Kafe which we happily peddled to. He ended up joining us for coffee and exchanging stories that incredibly meant his life was connected to ours and once again proved how small the world can be.

The last 20 miles meandered along county roads to New Albin, Iowa, a town right on the border that the MRT rides directly to-a perfect stopping point.

We enjoyed some time celebrating at the border, grabbed burgers and beers before getting picked up and added our miles as the exhaustion started to settle in. What an experience-with this trip complete we’ve now biked the entire state of Minnesota from Canada to Iowa…..about 513 miles altogether. I’m so proud of us.

We spent some time discussing this trip in comparison to the other two and came to a few conclusions. Of the 3 sections, this was our least favorite for a few reasons.

1). We loved the North Shore section for the number of stops and the familiarity of the terrain. When you see a place often from the speed of the car, you get to know it but can’t get in it. When you travel by at the speed of a bike, you can stop at all the little places you always look at but don’t make time for/that are too inconvenient to stop at from a car. For that reason the first section was our favorite.

2). The second section was amazing because of the Willard Munger Trail. That section followed a similar path to the MS 150 and it’s a nice little route. Being on a trail meant being able to let your guard down some. During this time we were able to listen to a book, talk and just cruise. Camping at the State Parks was awesome (we’ve worked out some kinks since then) and the locations were ideal. Naturally that trip was the runner-up.

3). The final section was one we were very unfamiliar with. And given the small amount of stops in comparison it meant that we had less ‘milestones’ to help pass the time. Like “oh we’re at that little coffee shop…..we’re almost to that little pizza shop!” or the different bays, cliffs or state parks that dot the North Shore. The hills and the open coridor of Hwy 61 that funneled wind in your face also took away some of the enjoyment. Couple that with a lack of decent camp options away from the road (and weren’t on top of 600 foot climbs) and it wasn’t our favorite section. However, if we were to do it again-or make a suggestion to anyone tackling the final section, it would be to plan not to camp. Instead plan to stay in hotels etc., lighten your load, enjoy the ride more and bring it back to 3 days of riding. This eliminates some of the heart ache of the hills and headwind and also gives you a break from the noise of the highway.

That’s all we have for now-what do you think? Reading hop on 2 wheels and explore?

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Now get out and enjoy some Days Off!