Well since winter left us way too soon this year, it's time to get the bike out and do some pedaling. While we have the Mesabi Trail here, that is not the only trail to ride in Minnesota. This weekend I ventured down to do an 11 mile stretch of the Soo Line Trail.

Most of the 100 miles of the Soo Line Trail is just gravel, however the section between Isle and Onamia is paved. Now the gravel ATV trail still runs beside the trail, but ATV riders are advised to slow down when meeting or passing bicycle riders and we found in nearly every case they did. Now why drive a few hours by car, just to bike 11 miles? Geocaches. If you cache, then you know what the term Power Trail is, and the Soo Line Trail is just that. (Click here to see a list of the more than 60 geocaches along the trail) We left Isle and found every OTHER cache on the trail. Stopped in downtown Onamia and had lunch, then biked back getting the other caches along the way. By the way it was a great day to be in the outdoors, for wildlife too. In my travels, both on and off the trail, I saw deer, wild turkeys, hawks, mallards, a pheasant, and swans. And we heard drumming grouse along the trail as well. I'm looking forward to exploring other Minnesota bike trails, and I'll keep you posted, and feel free to e-mail me your favorite biking places too. Closed circuit to Double J, that thing on my head is called a helmet!