I am a cold weather wimp. We spent last summer in MN and FROZE except for a couple days we coudl wear shorts. so there is the baseline. i am going to be in MN uptown area for a month and currently on a 17-day streak and in the 100-day challenge and coming up to join a clinical trial (cancer) so i ain’t no wimp except for cold. and then i’m a total pussy. so last summer i really enjoyed the cedar something trail that is grava for quite a ways - i was able to do 2-hour runs out on that. i also ran around some of the lakes on the dirt or grass. because i’m an old fart i need a soft surface. is that able to be obtained in winter? should i just steel my mind for a trademill run (i have never done that before but my sister has one or maybe i can join the Y) because outside is too icy or whatever? i will be going to a thrift store to buy lots of gear - i assume i am going to need to do the layering and no cotton? thanks guyze!
There are limestone trails everywhere and from uptown your best bet is to take the greenline trail out to a series of other trails. Temps were in the 50s on Saturday so almost all our snow melted. We got a dusting of a snow today but it will be gone soon enough and this weekend is supposed to be in the 40s so snow will disappear again. March in Minneapolis isn’t terrible. It’s January and February that kills your soul. I grew up in Florida and have Reynaud’s and surviving an outdoor run when temps are below zero can be difficult to tolerate but the worst is over here for this year.
I think you are kidding about the summer. Right? Or maybe you need to check your thyroid?
Anyway, March can be cold but the summer is warm and humid:
Minneapolis average temp:
Date Low High
March 24 41
June 59 79
July 64 84
Aug 62 81
believe me, i promise that with the tropics as baseline i found no humidity there and yes, i froze. i wore arm warmers almost each and every run and every ride. i wore long pants every ride. i was cold. when i came back home i was hot. 
so i definitely acclimated up there a bit.
Based on your experiences / reports from SF last year…yeah, you’re screwed. LOL!!
Enjoy the treadmill!!
(but I seriously wish you all the best with the trial…)
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
My recommendation is go to Google Maps and type in Minneapolis. Then turn on the bicycling routes. From uptown you are on the Greenway path. If you take it east you will get to the Mississippi River in 5 miles and can run up and down the river to your hearts delight. If you go west you can similarly hook up with a bunch of additional paths, including heading to downtown Mpls if you desire. Or you can just do loops around the three lakes that are right by uptown (~10mi to link all 3 of them). Almost all of these options are paved paths and have a dirt path next to them from other runners. As far as weather, the snow and ice is not a factor anymore, a pair of tights and long sleeve shirt and you are probably good for anything…maybe a little more depending on how wimpy you truly are. Enjoy.
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
March in MN is fine for running but dicey for cycling. Not much in Apple Valley. You can ride county 46 or 42 to Hastings but you will be on the shoulder and there will be a shitload of debris and sand on the road. Also, you are out in the fields and with the corn down I hope you like a constant brutal wind.
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
March in MN is fine for running but dicey for cycling. Not much in Apple Valley. You can ride county 46 or 42 to Hastings but you will be on the shoulder and there will be a shitload of debris and sand on the road. Also, you are out in the fields and with the corn down I hope you like a constant brutal wind.
Thanks for the info. I’m willing to drive a bit to get to a good area, what are the best places?
Sorry to hijack your thread Cathy, I hope your trial goes great.
believe me, i promise that with the tropics as baseline i found no humidity there and yes, i froze. i wore arm warmers almost each and every run and every ride. i wore long pants every ride. i was cold. when i came back home i was hot. so i definitely acclimated up there a bit.
Roads and trails are very well maintained and running will not be a problem. Don’t be a pussy. Tights are fine, on top you will need a base layer, t shirt over that, and a nice softshell. A stocking cap will be fine. In March you can wear socks on your hands. The running community is incredible here. Check out MDRA, they have races almost every weekend and they only cost a few dollars. The Ron Daws 25k is highly recommended, super hard course and highly competitive. Race schedule available here:
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
March in MN is fine for running but dicey for cycling. Not much in Apple Valley. You can ride county 46 or 42 to Hastings but you will be on the shoulder and there will be a shitload of debris and sand on the road. Also, you are out in the fields and with the corn down I hope you like a constant brutal wind.
Thanks for the info. I’m willing to drive a bit to get to a good area, what are the best places?
Sorry to hijack your thread Cathy, I hope your trial goes great.
The hastings route is probably as good as any. You might think of sticking closer to the city as the roads will be in better shape than out in the country. The mendota/st paul/minneapolis route would be my first pick. The problem with MN in March is that you never know what you will get. It can be 50s or 60s one day and we will get a foot of snow the next (for the MN ironman bike ride I have ridden in 30s and sleet, 50s and rain and 70s and tornadoes and that is mid April). Feel free to PM me when you are in town if you want a riding buddy although it is likely that I will be sitting on my trainer into mid April.
you can acclimate to the cold you just have to suffer for about 2 weeks to do it. also, the cold parts are behind us so youre in luck! just be prepared for possible snow. hit the chain of lakes just outside of uptown. isles, calhoun, and harriet. you can run in the dirt right next to the paved path.
just 7 miles north of hastings is cottage grove (my old hood) and afton. cottage grove is the best at snow removal from the paths and the paths go everywhere. cycling in the area is the best around. even before i moved there i would do all my long routes out there.
Based on your experiences / reports from SF last year…yeah, you’re screwed. LOL!!
Enjoy the treadmill!!
(but I seriously wish you all the best with the trial…)
ah, the memories. I swear I have PTSD from that trip.
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
we rode extensively in the city last summer and found 2 loops that really worked for us. now, with the caveat that what we are used to is a paved road with no stops, no lights, first slow down is a glorietta about 45 km south of us. So we never have to stop and in MN there was a LOT of slowing and stopping. We did a loop going out the green thing path then at Hopkins we headed north towards downtown on that path (much less bike traffic but more walkers, runners, strollers but really not bad) and then down keniworth? path back to the greenway. we woudl do that loop a couple times for around 65ish km. our favorite was the limestone path from hopkinish out to dunno where but only 1 path and while you can get lost if you look really closely when you come to an overpass etc you’ll find the marking signs. i would run this path too. that was my hands-down favorite path and from the reactions i got not too many tri bikes on that path.
we found too many paths had stops or even speed limits. so we stuck to these two loops.
now i have NO CLUE what they will be like in March. i wasn’t even going to bring my bike this trip and figured i’d find some spin class or something else.
ain’t that purty?
just checked a map and wow, apple valley is way south. but if you’re in the city and those paths are paved, then that’s what i’d do.
What about riding in Minneapolis in March? Will be spending spring break there visiting the out laws and plan to bring my bike but don’t know what to expect.
Any good routes around Apple Valley area?
we rode extensively in the city last summer and found 2 loops that really worked for us. now, with the caveat that what we are used to is a paved road with no stops, no lights, first slow down is a glorietta about 45 km south of us. So we never have to stop and in MN there was a LOT of slowing and stopping. We did a loop going out the green thing path then at Hopkins we headed north towards downtown on that path (much less bike traffic but more walkers, runners, strollers but really not bad) and then down keniworth? path back to the greenway. we woudl do that loop a couple times for around 65ish km. our favorite was the limestone path from hopkinish out to dunno where but only 1 path and while you can get lost if you look really closely when you come to an overpass etc you’ll find the marking signs. i would run this path too. that was my hands-down favorite path and from the reactions i got not too many tri bikes on that path.
we found too many paths had stops or even speed limits. so we stuck to these two loops.
now i have NO CLUE what they will be like in March. i wasn’t even going to bring my bike this trip and figured i’d find some spin class or something else.
ain’t that purty?
just checked a map and wow, apple valley is way south. but if you’re in the city and those paths are paved, then that’s what i’d do.
Kenwood. My guess is that you are on the Luce Line in your pic? Here is a list of bike trails in metro area. There are a ton. Get out early as they will be super busy.
http://mnbiketrailnavigator.blogspot.com/p/twin-cities-area-map-links.html
nope i hATED that lucy line pine whatever the fuck it was. tons of stop and go and ended up on the side of a highway and that may have been the time we got lost in Medicine lake. Anyway, didn’t really like the lake trail thing either - there is a name for it - ummm… grand rounds! yeah! hated that. really liked this gravel path. Went from Hopkins out to (let me find a map) oh yeah fucking pioneer trail out by Chaska and from there the trail was closed so we would go up on the roads and those roads were okay but still full of all kinds of crap. we got WAY lost over that way one day and found street painted signs for the Tour de somethign and followed those and had a nice ride. so we kept to the grava to pioneer closed part for a shorter ride and then we’d look for those painted signs on the ground for the other for a longer ride.
i think that picture is near the start - around (from a map) shady oak lake. love that trail. ah, you are a mountain biker. no i was on my tri bike the whole time. okay now i’m looking at your link and wow - that is a GREAT link! thank you! we had all the maps but really stuck to those 2 routes.
ok that lucy line STATE trail looks good. i’m going to hunt that down this month. thank you!
nope i hATED that lucy line pine whatever the fuck it was. tons of stop and go and ended up on the side of a highway and that may have been the time we got lost in Medicine lake. Anyway, didn’t really like the lake trail thing either - there is a name for it - ummm… grand rounds! yeah! hated that. really liked this gravel path. Went from Hopkins out to (let me find a map) oh yeah fucking pioneer trail out by Chaska and from there the trail was closed so we would go up on the roads and those roads were okay but still full of all kinds of crap. we got WAY lost over that way one day and found street painted signs for the Tour de somethign and followed those and had a nice ride. so we kept to the grava to pioneer closed part for a shorter ride and then we’d look for those painted signs on the ground for the other for a longer ride.
i think that picture is near the start - around (from a map) shady oak lake. love that trail. ah, you are a mountain biker. no i was on my tri bike the whole time. okay now i’m looking at your link and wow - that is a GREAT link! thank you! we had all the maps but really stuck to those 2 routes.
ok that lucy line STATE trail looks good. i’m going to hunt that down this month. thank you!
If you get far enough west on the Luce Line there are not many stops crushed limestone run/ride as far as you wish. I will take March/April Minnesota weather over what I had in Playa Del Carmen last August.
If you’d prefer to ride on pavement, you can also hop over from the Luce Line State trail to the Dakota Trail, a bit to the South. It’s a piece of cake to get from Hopkins, since you’re coming from Uptown.
If you don’t like stops, though, I would stick to the West half, though, since the folks in Minnetonka Beach are kind of insane and have put mini stop signs at every driveway crossing the trail…I’m sure this worked really well when it was still a railroad line… Seriously, though, they’re totally fine unless they have to slow down for a bike while driving on their driveways…then we end up with tersely-worded letters to the editor in the weekly paper.
It’s paved all the way out to New Germany, now, and dirt/gravel out to Lester Prairie, so you can easily get in a good 40 mile round trip on just the Dakota trail.
Now that I think about it, there is actually really nice rolling terrain between the two trails that’s a lot of fun, too.