Anyone live in Minnesota? What are the months you can safely ride? I am moving up there in about a month and I know the winters are brutal, but was wondering about the riding season. Any recommendations on some good places to ride. I will be in the Alexandria area.

Thanks

 

The winters are only burtal to newbies ;-)

Safe riding season will somewhat depend on how tough you are and your abilities. I ride from April (sometimes March) throgh November if its a warm fall. Mornings are typcially quite cool in early spring and late fall (20's and 30's) but the afternoons are beautiful. Minnesota is a state where weather changes on a dime and you will become friends with the weatherman.

Where abouts are you moving. Big difference in riding season from southern MN compared to northern MN? I live in the Twin Cities.

 

April to November is entirely possible. Gear makes a big difference. Quit riding when they sand/salt after the first couple of snows. Start riding after the first couple of good rains to wash salt/sand away.

 

Uff Da, I should read your whole thread.

Alexandria has some nice riding, its a great area, if you like lakes, forest and fishin and hunting.

My cousin is a pastor in "Alex".

North Shore of Lake Superior is absolutely beautiful from Duluth to Canada if you like trees, hillsand rugged coast line (my favorite).

Southeast of the Twin Cities is the Mississippi River valley and is probably the most ridden of your scenic routes.

Do you know how to speak Minnesoootan yet? I'll give you an example (the goofy accents in the movie "Fargo" are not too far off from the old timers).

Criminy, I her dat da crappies are biten like a beaver on abirch down dar at Johnson's point, rite deroff ol' man Bergstrom's dock! and yumpin yimminy I her dat dat rascal bear is still eatin Mrs. Olson's pansey's, what a hoot!

 

I agree with the other two posts, my riding season on the North Shore is April-Nov.Once in a while you will be able to sneek out in March and December. Pumba11 gave good advice in where the good riding is at. You will also want to check out Wisconsin, they have some fantastic paved backroads.

 

You can ride all you want, just get a snowmobile for the off season- (December-March) I live in Duluth and love it up here. It's a little cooler than most places but it has great scenery and plenty of schtuff to do.

 

Thanks for the posts! I am looking forward to the move. I guess I will need to get some "real type cold" weather gear. I will definitely check out the North Shore.
Thanks again

 

Don't getus wrong. May through September are fantastic. Its those other months you need the gear for.

Just don't forget to wear your official HD Mosquito Repelant. Works up to 100 mph.

Don't forget to pick up your rod holder/flag holder. The walleye are a calling!

 

I thought it was two weeks in August? But again maybe that's just for us visiting from the south. I know I was up in Winona fishing in early October this past year and we got snowed on. It was so dang cold we left a day early to fish back south in a Georgia lake. No walleyes to reallyspeak about though down here. [&o]

 

That's the nature of MN weather. Kinda freaky sometimes.

Few years back I was riding in January, no snow and temps in the 50's. Other years we have huge snow in Oct or April.