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2009-07-27 8:45 AM

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Subject: Biking West
I'm thinking about biking out to my family reunion in Paynesville MN.  It's west about 80 miles from the cities on Highway 55.  Does anyone have any routes they've done heading that far west from the cities?  Has anyone biked on 55 for that long of a period?


2009-07-27 7:32 PM
in reply to: #2309671

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Subject: RE: Biking West
I've not biked 55 but I have driven it from buffalo to 494 a lot and I would not try to ride that road.  It is way to busy for me and for some reason has a lot of idiot drivers on it.  If I was going to ride west from the cities I would maybe drop down to highway 12.  This would take you further south but there are a lot of secondary road just off of 12 that would be good roads to ride, plus most of highway 12 has a nice margin to it.  Honestly I would ride the secondary roads that parallel highway 12.  The down side is that you will likely be adding a lot of miles to your ride.  If highway 55 is the road you want or need to use, try looking at the secondary roads that follow it.  Once you get past or near buffalo 55 should be fine, but be mindful of time of day. 
2009-07-28 5:17 AM
in reply to: #2309671

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Subject: RE: Biking West
I can't get you further than the Luce line goes but here is a start:  Start at Theo Wirth, the last leg of the regional trail is done now (it says 2009 completion on the map), left off off Wirth parkway (it used to be just the entrance to the mtn bike trails)  http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/images/HCInternet/EPandT/Transportation/Bikeways%20and%20Trails/Bicycle%20Maps/2009_Bike_Map_SE_web.pdf

Follow it west and you'll eventually hit the luce line where it turns to crushed limestone. 

http://www.luceline.com/graphics/lucemap.pdf


Luce parallels 55 for a long ways, I haven't gotten to the end yet so I can't speak to how far or the conditions past Long Lake.
2009-07-28 4:37 PM
in reply to: #2311827

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Subject: RE: Biking West
MADFOXZZ75 - 2009-07-28 5:17 AM I can't get you further than the Luce line goes but here is a start:  Start at Theo Wirth, the last leg of the regional trail is done now (it says 2009 completion on the map), left off off Wirth parkway (it used to be just the entrance to the mtn bike trails)  http://www.co.hennepin.mn.us/images/HCInternet/EPandT/Transportation/Bikeways%20and%20Trails/Bicycle%20Maps/2009_Bike_Map_SE_web.pdf

Follow it west and you'll eventually hit the luce line where it turns to crushed limestone. 

http://www.luceline.com/graphics/lucemap.pdf


Luce parallels 55 for a long ways, I haven't gotten to the end yet so I can't speak to how far or the conditions past Long Lake.


Thanks, not sure if I'll do it this year or not, but I didn't realize the Luce Line went that far west.  Thanks for your help.
2009-07-29 1:19 AM
in reply to: #2309671

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Subject: RE: Biking West
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