Riding in Rochester, MN

Triathlon Forum
1

Hi Folks,

I am finding myself in Rochester, MN for the next few weekends and am looking for a route to ride. Something in the neighborhood of 60-70 miles or a more compact loop I can do multiple times. On MapMyRide I found the following 2 shorter routes:

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/rochester-mn/douglass-trail-rochester-to-pine-island-course-1390728
Can you get up to pace and hold it on the trail?

http://www.mapmyride.com/us/rochester-mn/sw-rochester-loop-course-1390733
Are the roads reasonably safe for biking?

I starting my build for Kona and would like to get in some miles. We’re staying near St. Mary’s Hospital.

Thanks

2

very good tri community in Rochester, check with the local club for the best routes, but yes, it is a great riding area. not much traffic outside the city, decent roads, and decent shoulders.

3

Thanks. I just sent a message to Tri Rochester.

4

I’d stay off the Douglas trail - quite a few gravel road crossings, flatter than he11 and it’s a MUP that has families and pets etc.

From St. Mary’s, head west on 2nd St SW and ride out in the country - You won’t find massive climbs, but you can connect to this loop and hit Genoa Hill http://www.mapmyride.com/us/rochester-mn/nw-rochester-genoa-hill-to-pine-island-route-2187128. You can find some bigger hills off to the east near Whitewater state park on longer rides. Lots of fabulous riding in SE Minnesota this time of year with good roads that aren’t busy as long as you staff off the main roads (52, 14, 63).

5

Thanks. That looks straight forward and easy to extend.

I was a little reticent about riding on the trail for many of the reasons you mentioned.