Ken and Friends Bike Minnesota

Jared and the boys dropped Ken off in Brainerd, Minnesota on Saturday, June 2nd, to meet up with his group of biking friends from St. George and Las Vegas, to go on their annual biking adventure.  This year, they biked the Paul Bunyon Trail (from Brainerd to Bemidji) and the Heartland Trail (from Park Rapids to Cass Lake) in Minnesota. This year's group was their largest ever, with 15 people. Many of the original group (Greg, Patsy, and Alex Last; Scott and Joyce Seegmiller; Ken; and Jeff and Derena Adamson) were there. They were joined by some "newbies" (Derena's Aunt Margaret, and her grandson, Henry, Lamar and Breena Woodbury; John and Christy Camp; and Greg and Patsy's daughter, Melissa Goodwin). The bike trip took 6 days. The weather was incredibly cooperative, with almost every day being full of sunshine, starting with the low temps in the 50's or 60's and finishing with high temps in the 70's. One night a strong thunder storm moved through the area and dumped a bunch of rain, but by morning the weather had cleared and we had another delightful day. The only exception to bright and beautiful weather was the first day, June 3rd, when we had our coolest temperatures, combined with some cloudiness and a strong headwind most of the day. The first two days were the toughest. We rode about 65 miles both of those days. The other days were generally 40 to 50-something miles. We rode slowly and just enjoyed being together and being out in God's gorgeous woodland and lake creations. We saw a black bear, lots of bear scat on one section of the trail, a very large snapping turtle, a few snakes, and lots of birds. We found the folks in that area to like roadside attractions. We enjoyed seeing many of them, such as: multiple statues of Paul Bunyon; his ox, Blue; his wife Lucette; one of his mythical friends, Colonel Cobber; and a large Tiger Muskie fish.

Taking a photo opportunity on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Crow Wing State Park.

A cold first morning of riding. The mighty Mississippi in the background.

A mowed section of one of the biking/walking trails in Crow Wing State Park.

View under a highway bridge that crossed the Mississippi River. The Paul Bunyon Trail paralleled near the upper stages of the Mississippi River for much of the Trail.

One of our many group stops along the trail throughout each day to visit, rest, drink, and refuel.

A photo op just before hitting the trail to start our 2nd day at the Rodeway Inn in Pine River, MN.

One of our typical rest stops.

Documenting our first roadside attraction, Colonel Cobber. From L to R: Margaret, Henry, Derena, Jeff, and Alex.

Greg, Alex, and Melissa in front of a small statue of Paul Bunyon in Hackensack, MN.

I loved the incredible fragrance of these blooming lilac bushes. My bike is the one on the left.

This is Paul Bunyon's wife, Lucette, in Hackensack, MN.

An apartment of Purple Martins in Hackensack, MN.

One of many, many, beaver lodges we saw in the numerous lakes and ponds alongside the trail. Notice the huge snapping turtle on top of the beaver lodge.

Melissa, Alex, Greg and Ken sitting in the hand of a much larger statue of Paul Bunyon, in Ackeley, MN.

Another roadside statue. This one is obviously in Dorset, MN.

An old-style fitness sign posted on the outside wall of a cute shop in Nevis, MN.

The Tiger Muskie statue in Nevis, MN. The Muskelunge Family of fish is hugely popular in this part of the world. This family of fish includes the Northern Pike, Tiger Muskie, Striped Muskie, and Spotted Muskie.

Trailside view of the gorgeous woods.

Sunset on Walker Bay at Walker, MN.

A train in Cass Lake, MN. getting ready to start its day.

Getting ready to start our ride in front of our hotel in Walker, MN., Walker Hotel (of course!)

One of a number of small, free, library book boxes we found in the small towns along the trail.

Arriving in Bemidji, MN. and taking a photo op along the shore of Bemidji Lake.

Bemidji, MN. is the first community below the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Here, the river leaves Bemidji Lake.

Our 3rd statue of Paul Bunyon, this one with his ox, Blue, in Bemidji, MN.

My yummy lunch in Bemidji, MN.

The start of the snowmobile trail, the Blue Ox Trail. We chose not to ride this trail. It was an extension of the top of the Paul Bunyon Trail, located just outside Lake Bemidji State Park, which is the top end of the Paul Bunyon Trail.

L to R: John & Christie Camp, Greg Last, Melissa Goodwin, Alex Last, Ken Hinton, Derena and Jeff Adamson, and Breena & Lamar Woodbury.

Entrance of the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN.

Part of the theme park inside the Mall of America

My favorite sign in the entire Mall.

It was fun to see an advertising picture of back home. The picture of the bikers on the right side was taken just north of Virgin, Utah and shows Smith's Mesa and Pine Valley Mountain in the background.