It’s almost perfect biking weather—you can feel it in the air. So now is the time to map your first cycling venture of the season. Pump up those tires, and check out this route that offers a quick one-hour ride to get those muscles working, or make it a leisurely, full-day excursion if you hit all the detours and points of interest detailed.
The Southdale Office Center, at the southwest corner of Valley View Road and West 66th Street, is a great place to leave your car for this looped route. Adjust your helmet, and head west on 66th; you’ll almost immediately see one of Edina’s jewels-of-multiuse public spaces.
Lake Cornelia in Rosland Park has attractions for the young and young at heart. As you take the bike path into the park you’ll probably hear the squeals and splashing before you glimpse the Aquatic Center (11:30 a.m.–8:30 p.m. Mon.–Fri., 10 a.m –8:30 p.m. Sat.–Sun.; 612.928.4590). If you are adventurous you can fly across the water on the Shipwreck Express—a cable ride from the top of a pirate ship, or ride a tube down a twisting water slide. You’ll have to wait until June 11 for the pool to open, but no need to fear the chill of early season water, the temperature in all pools is kept at 84–86 degrees Fahrenheit. Admission is $10. Save the water park for the end of your trip on a hot day and take advantage of reduced admission after 5 p.m.
Continue encircling the northern end of the lake, and you will find the Edina Art Center (opens 9 a.m. Mon.–Fri.; 952.903.5780; edinaartcenter.com). Catch the student art show until May 9th or the Garden Sale full of garden-inspired arts: painting, drawings, mosaics, books, antiques, wind chimes, flower pots, garden masks, etc. (May 17–June 20). The center’s gift shop also has a unique selection of artist-created gifts, including cards, jewelry, pottery and sculpture for sale.
Staying on the path you can join West Shore Drive, along the west edge of the park, until you return to 66th Street. Turn right, and you will have completed the first mile of the route.
The width of 66th makes riding fairly comfortable. A hill, just past the Highway 100 overpass, speeds you past Normandale Park all the way to Ridgeview Drive if you don’t ride your brakes. Forge ahead with a quick right past well-kept Edina homes. A sharp left curve turns Ridgeview into Valley Lane, and the completion of mile two comes before you know it.
At Creek Drive you will find a diversion that is well worth entertaining. The back entrance to Heights Park requires you to walk your bike down a steep path flanked by black chain link fence, past beautiful backyards abundant with hostas, lavender and Russian sage. If you are lucky you might catch the first peonies of the season emerging through the greenery.
Graceful willows tower above an arched bridge over a quiet stream (Nine Mile Creek) which opens up to a secluded neighborhood park. The loop around the park circles a playground with benches and lands you back across the bridge in no time. Well-worn paths to the water’s edge chronicle past episodes of cooling feet. Wet or dry, rejoin Valley Lane, and continue on our way.
A right on Tracy Avenue sends you over Highway 62 , cruising past the three-mile mark and a very handsome Fire Station No. 1. Opened in summer 2008, the station replaced a much older fire house at the same location. With its white roof to reduce cooling costs, clean water system for water run-off, high-efficiency heating and cooling systems, space for additional rescue vehicles, and locker rooms and sleeping quarters for firemen and women, the station is a thing of beauty. Their open-door policy means you can pop in and say hello (8 a.m.–4:30 p.m,. Mon.–Fri.).
Skirting Countryside Park on the north side via Olinger Boulevard, you might catch a baseball game in progress before beginning a two-mile path around Bredesen Park. During this portion of the route you might forget that you are in a city. An occasional pedestrian or inline skater shares the path, but for the most part you could lose your thoughts and gain a sense of wonder amongst the trees and wildlife. Somewhere along the west side of the park, you will have reached the halfway mark. Stop for a picnic lunch along the nature trail, refill your water bottle, and use the restroom.
Returning back to Tracy Avenue, continue north until reaching Benton Avenue. A right on Benton ushers you along pavement with wide shoulders, but you will have to share it with parked cars. Trees shade the entire mile-long stretch to Highway 100.
A right turn over the bridge connects you to Valley View Road (with a little help from Normandale Road). Wave over your shoulder as you pass the Edina Community Center, where you can learn French, forensics, fencing or film-making—all for fun!
Mile marker eight puts you at Edina landmark Snuffy’s Malt Shop (4502 Valley View Rd; 952.920.0949) for a soda or old-fashioned phosphate ($1.75–$3.35), or, if you’ve worked up an appetite, a burger and fries ($6.50).
No spring-yearning-for-summer ride is complete without a celebratory ice cream. You could instead order a hand-dipped cone a half-block away at the Neighborhood Ice Cream Shoppe (6137 Kellogg Ave.; 952.922.9597). The store’s 32 flavors include peppermint stick, coconut joy and—something you have to try, just to say you did—Play-Doh. If you’d rather not regain the calories you’ve just expended, lean towards healthy with a fresh fruit smoothie.
Another half-mile down Valley View Road you’ll recognize your starting place. Non-stop riding at a moderate pace makes this route into an hour-long warm up for longer rides this summer. What better way to reacquaint yourself to some of Edina’s greatest spots than through the power of the pedal?
Bonus: That leaves plenty of time to cross France Avenue for some Southdale or Galleria shopping!
Bike Bit 1: Take It to the Street
“Bike riding on sidewalks is five times more dangerous than riding on the street, even if the street includes no provisions for bicycles.”
Source: William Moritz, University of Washington; “Survey of North American Bicycle Commuters: Design and Aggregate Results,” Transportation Research Board, Vol. 1578, 1997.
Bike Bit 2: BikeEdina Guide to Minnesota Biking
Before every bike ride, perform a Quick ABC:
Quick–Make sure the Quick-release levers are closed.
A-Check the Air pressure in the tires.
B-Make sure the Brakes work.
C-Check that the Chain and gears are working.
Always wear your Helmet.
Source: BikeEdina
Bike Bit 3: Edina Fun Ride
Bike Edina a slow 4.5-mile neighborhood ride around Lake Henry and through Harriet Park at 6:30 p.m. the last Tuesday of each month with ride leader Kirk Johnson. Safety refresher provided. All minors must be with an adult guardian; 612.916.9966 or kirk.johnson@loganlogic.com.
Bike Bit 4: Family Fun Ride
This 16-mile ride with Erik Skelton travels along the LRT (future light rail transit) trail at 6 p.m. Fridays. The route goes into Hopkins for a quick snack before riding back to Erik’s Bike Shop (16570 Main St., Eden Prairie; 952.934.7993; eriksbikeshop.com).
