WOBEGON TRAIL RIDES
This is a weekend of C rides on the Lake Wobegon Trail, west of St. Cloud. (More info on the trail is at https://www.lakewobegontrail.com.) You must be a TCBC member to participate in the rides. Riders are welcome for any or all days. Self-sufficient riders are welcome to ride ahead; anyone is welcome to ride shorter or longer distances.
Please sign up for the ride no later than Wednesday, June 21, 2023. on the TCBC calendar so that ride leaders are able to contact you. Bad weather may alter the route, the starting point, and the distance.
There will be several ride leaders and options for distance and your desired pace.
Emergency Contact Form. Club rules require you to fill one out—find this form on the TCBC website under “Resources”; then look under “Forms”. Fill out two copies—carry one with you on your bike and put the other in a sealed envelope to give to a ride leader. We need this in case of an accident, and if we have it, you won’t have one. Accident, that is.
A block of rooms is being held for us until June 1 at the Baymont by Wyndham in Albany, MN, for June 23 and 24. Continental breakfast is included.
To reserve, call the Baymont in at 1-320-845-2145. Tell them you want one of the block rooms for Twin Cities Bike Club. The only rooms available are king and king suites. Variable rates. (Bring a friend! Or make a new one by sharing a room!) “Suite” means it has a sofa bed; some rooms have whirlpool tubs. Cancellation can be done 24 hours prior without penalty–but please confirm that when you make a reservation.
Note: more rooms are available on June 23 than on 24; but they would give us only these for this block.
Other lodging is available in in Avon (Amerivu Inn and Suites), Melrose (the Super8 by Wyndham), and in St. Cloud.
Directions. Follow I94 west until you get to Exit 147; take a right at the top of the exit ramp, and that’s Albany. The drive is about 1.5 hours from the Twin Cities. The Baymont hotel is on your left as you enter town; the trailhead is to the right at 400 Railroad Drive. You’ll see a small park with covered pavilion and a parking lot.
Day 1 of the Wobegon Trail Ride. Friday, June 23
We begin at 10:30 a.m. at the trailhead at 400 Railroad Avenue, Albany MN 56307. We will do an out and back ride to St. Joseph for a round trip of about 30 miles. We will stop for lunch in St. Joseph.
The day finishes with a happy hour at the Baymont hotel and dinner nearby.
Bring something to share at happy hour if you wish.
Day 2 of the Wobegon Trail Ride. Saturday June 24
Three mileage options: 16, 36, 42
We start at 9:45 a.m. from the Albany trailhead. We will head west and then north on the Holdingford spur and go to Bowlus and return, for about 36 miles round trip. An option from there is to ride to the Mississippi River dam and return; this adds another 6 miles.
A shorter ride option is available and involves driving to Holdingford and biking to Bowlus from there. Round trip is about 16 miles.
Either way, the plan is to stop for lunch at Jordie’s Trailside Café in Bowlus or lunch at the BoHo Café near Holdingford.
Dinner arrangements for the group will be made for Saturday night.
Day 3 of the Wobegon Trail Ride. Sunday June 25
Two mileage options: 26 and 38
Today’s ride begins at 9:15 a.m. We bike west from Albany to Melrose for a late breakfast/early lunch and return for 26 miles round trip. Or you can bike to Sauk Centre and return for 42 miles.
Ride Leaders:
Miriam Simmons, 651-212-0775, mgsimmons52@hotmail.com
Lyle Koehler, 612-516-2053, k0lr@yahoo.com
Duane Kasper, 952-412-5654, kasperddt@comcast.net
