August 10, 2015 by Bruce Wynkoop
It is time again for the annual St. Paul Classic Bike Tour (Sept. 13, 2015) and, as St. Paul is one of my favorite cities and the Classic is one of my favorite rides, I thought I’d put in a plug for the event. St. Paul has been hosting this event, put on by the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota, for 21 years now.
The first time I rode it I was a St. Paul Police street supervisor and a member of the bicycle patrol so I rode it in uniform. Over the next ten years, I rode it numerous times in uniform (great public relations), on duty and off. The St. Paul Police Department encouraged bike patrol members to take part in the ride and I enjoyed the public interaction.
Since I retired in 2004 I have ridden it a couple of times as a civilian, and my lady friend, Lee, rode it with me once. There are two routes offered, a 33-mile route and a 15-mile route. Be forewarned, however–while I’ve not done the 15-mile route, it is my understanding that it includes a tough climb up Ramsey Hill from Grand Avenue to Summit Avenue. Both routes start on the College of St. Thomas campus and the first several miles can be pretty congested, so be alert.
The crowd thins out after the first rest stop (which is only a couple of miles) on Shepard Road. The streets are closed to traffic for the duration of the ride so riders don’t have to worry about motor vehicles (see my last blog). As with any large ride, however, participants need to be aware of the many other cyclists on the route. The 33-mile route goes down Shepard Road, continues on Warner Road, both of which give good views of the Mississippi River, then makes the climb to Mounds Park. One of my favorite views of St. Paul.
Just the other side of Mounds Park there is a rest stop set up at one of my favorite views of downtown St. Paul.
In the past the route followed the Bruce Vento trail through “Swede’s Hollow” to Lake Phalen. I can’t tell if they use the Vento this year but a loop around Lake Phalen has been added. The route then meanders past Lake Como (another rest stop) and on to the finish line.
The 15-mile route goes down Shepard Road to just short of downtown, turns and heads for the aforementioned Ramsey Hill, with a rest stop at the top, then down Summit Avenue to the finish line. Each of the rest stops has entertainment as well as the usual food and drinks.
The St. Paul Classic is a very nice, pleasant bike ride that highlights a very nice, pleasant city and I recommend it for serious and casual riders alike.
The beautiful St. Paul Cathedral
