Elm Creek Park Bike Trails.............30+miles

CO purchased a new book, listing bike rides on different trails in MN so one that we checked out was the Elm Creek Park. This park covers a VERY wide area so we decided to start in Champlin, going north on Hwy 169. We left EP at 7:30 am sharp!

According to the map, it marked Trailhead Cycling & Fitness parking lot as the ride start. As an FYI, I would just look for the 'Champlin' water tower and park in the parking lot that is next to it..........there is usually access to the trail from there.

While on the trail, met other helpful bikers, when needed, who stopped and gave us directions to find our way and one even had us follow him. So with a guide, we told us about the new building, a warming house for X-ctry skiers in the winter. Most of the metro local high schools Nordic teams use this park as to practice area when there is no snow(they have snow-making machines). Practice is quite rigorous with the hills and bends. That day the Champlin HS nordic team was out there on their roller skiing skates practicing, while their coach rode his bike, one of the helpful bikers.

The biking community are usually friendly and helpful. At least on this trail they were. A pleasant surprise for my friend, CO, was running into a former bike club member. He was on bike patrol along the trails today, and encouraged us on to Rapids Dam Regional Park. The city trails in Dayton and Champlin and a regional trails connects Elm Creek to CRDR Park in Brooklyn Park. (of course last year we did this but we started from Coon Rapids to the dam). Also, along with my other passion FF (see my other blog) we had a meeting at the pavillion in CRDR Park, where we practice our fly casting and did some fishing (pan). Okay that's another blog so back to biking.

It was getting pretty warm; but the visitor's center is great place to stop and visit with the park worker at the center. They are certainly happy to chat because I am sure it get's lonely; and they are willing to look up stuff on their site and even print it out for us etc. This is also a good time to hydrate, refill your water bottle, and power bar and/or banana.

As we were leaving, we did not notice that a group of people settled under a tree with their telescope focused on an osprey nest on the top of the power line. As an amateur birder, your ears are keen to an unfamiliar bird sound. It created quite a commotion because of the loudness and intensity of the sound. As noted by the group under the tree, the parents were coaxing their fledgling out of the nest. Hmmmmmmmmm is that what you call a baby osprey. Since my first sighting of these birds of prey was in Jackson Hole along the river heading north to Yellowstone, I did not realize we had ospreys here. Continued down the trail pedaling our bikes over the dam, where we observed quite an active group of people fishing at the bottom of the dam. They were fishing for small mouth bass. Information to pass on to my FFgals.

We headed back; and pleased that the total miles in the end will be 33+ miles. We were done before noon. After loading our bikes back on the rack, we checked out the bike shop and chatted with 'younger' serious bikers. They just clocked 100 miles for the morning...........Heck..........I think we did 'superfantastic'. hmmm I heard that saying somewhere before! Anyone recognized that?

Remember, hydrate, hydrate, and hydrate..........bananas and power bars.....
Keep pedaling and see you on the trails!