St Paul to Fargo via Bemidji

[Bry]

During my upcoming (May 2014) northern tier tour, I will be visiting friends in St. Paul.
From St Paul to Fargo, the ACA maps have me following the 94 corridor on nice sounding bike paths. They also have a loop east of Fargo that takes you to Bemidji (source of the Mississippi) via Two Inlets. There is overlap between Fargo and Two Inlets.
Question: Is that loop worth the extra milage and if so, how about taking 29 north from Alexandria to Wadena then 71 to Two Inlets. Looks direct but not sure of "touring value".

Thanks,

Bryan
Barrington, RI

[John Nelson]

Is that loop worth the extra mileage?

Tough question. I really liked my miles in Minnesota, especially the part between Callaway and Grand Rapids, via Lake Itasca (the true source of the Mississippi, not Bemidji). I liked visiting the statues of Paul Bunyan and Babe in Bemidji (a must-take photo) and the Knutson Dam Campground on Cass Lake was one of the most pleasant campgrounds I've used. The Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge is gorgeous and I was awe of all the wildlife there.

[Bry]

Sounds like you would recommend that area. Thanks for correction. I was thought Bemidji was the source since the river appears on the map to flow from there south to Itasca.

[windrath]

Bry -

When do you expect to be in Minnesota for the St. Paul - Fargo segments?  With you starting from RI in May, I would think you will get there in mid-to latter June.  Is that correct?

It can be pretty riding through that area if you like trees, more trees, and some lakes.  It is quite flat along with a lot of corn and soybeans.  The mosquitoes/gnats/no-see-ums will be bad due to so much water. 

As for "touring" value, you will not find many areas across the northern part of the country that are similar to that area unless you are coming through Michigan and Wisconsin.

Good Luck

[Bry]

Not sure of time. Depends on so much but that sounds about right. I will be crossing MI and lake vis ferry and coming through WI to St  Paul likely crossing at Red Wing.

Bryan

[John Nelson]

I was thought Bemidji was the source since the river appears on the map to flow from there south to Itasca.

Actually, the Mississippi River flows north out of Lake Itasca to Lake Bemidji.

[CMajernik]

Itasca State Park on map 70 is where the headwaters of the Mississippi River is located. You can read about it in the Field Notes text on section 5.

[indyfabz]

I liked the route up through Lake Itasca and Bemidji. We took a day off at the lake. Stayed in the HI place. Took a boat tour on the lake. Saw a family of loons and a pair od bald eagles. A ranger explained that every year tens of thousands of peole come to talk across the Mississippi where it flows out of the lake.

At home I have a photo of Paul & Babe in Bemidji. We were there in early July. The skeeters were off the hook just about everywhere in MN north of Minneapolis.

[TwoWheeledExplorer]

Everybody rails about the bugs here in MN, but really, they are not any worse than Maine or the Adirondack Mountains, and definitely not as bad as in NW Russia, Alaska or the NWT. In May you'll be ahead of the worst pests (other than tourists) the deer flies.

I am from northern NYS, but have lived in MN 26 years. There is a lot of beauty in this state, and it is GREAT for cycling. If I hadn't moved here, I'd probably still be a backpacker instead of a bikepacker. Our state parks have an "open to bikes, always" policy. If you arrive by bicycle, even if the campgrounds are full, we'll find a place for you to set up. (Yes, I am a state park ranger; bike patrol as a matter of fact.) Knutson Dam Campground is federal (USFS), not state, but is really nice. (I used to be a Backcountry Ranger on the Chippewa National Forest.)

You will like it here!
Hans

[indyfabz]

There is a lot of beauty in this state, and it is GREAT for cycling.

'Tis true. One of the nice Minnesota memories I have from my ACA group tour of the NT came from Browning. It was one of our scheduled mail stops. We arrived at the post office to find taped to the front door a hand-drawn welome sign with the names of all the people who had general delivery mail waiting for them.

We spent almost the same number of days in MN that we did in MT, with an equal numer (2) of rest days in each state. That surprised us since we seemed to have been in MT forever.