Root River Trail

On our way

 This weekend the boys, Lynn, and myself headed down to Fountain Mn to ride an 11+ mile section of the Root River Trail. Our destination was the small town of Lanesboro and the Sylvan campground therein for an overnight bike-touring trip.

Family photo, hard to get everyone to look at the same time :)

Spooky

  This would be a semi-credit card trip in which we packed no food other than snacks. All our meals were at local restaurants and ice cream shops. This made packing relatively easy but ended up being a little expensive. The kids didn't mind the expense and as long as everyone was having fun Lynn and I didn't mind either. We did however pack two tents, (one two person and one three person) , five pillows, sleeping bags, and mats, a few extra clothes, some fishing gear, tools and extra inner tubes.

Dinner time, I guess they call it supper down there

Milling around town Saturday evening

  All the gear was divided between Lynn and I in two Burley trailers, one D-lite and one Solo. These trailers work great for trips like this and are the prime reason we have held on to them from the days when we actually carried the kids in them.

Camp site the next morning, getting ready to leave

The crew

  We got a late start on Saturday due to sleeping in and rain that lasted into the afternoon. This wasn't much of a problem since it's light out until well after 9pm and the ride was only about an hour and a half with many pit-stops. It also helped that it was mostly down hill from Fountain to Lanesboro. Upon arrival we set up camp and then headed into town for dinner. We also picked up some fire wood  and worms for fishing, at the general store. After dinner we did a quick tour of the town before heading back to camp for a fire and some evening fishing. The camp site was right next to a pond that is stocked with fish, this is great if you love to fish from camp but the tent sites are on a slope and a flat spot can not be found in any of them. That was alright too, the boys enjoyed fishing until dark as Lynn and I sat around the fire relaxing.

That's what I'm talkin' about

  The next morning came after a terrible nights sleep in which I found myself either pulling the kids up from the sloped side of the tent or myself. The boys a did a little more fishing with the remaining bait as Lynn and I packed up the gear. Breakfast was at The Pastry Shoppe, I mention this only because it was one of the best I've ever had, it ranks right up there with Keys on Raymond in St Paul and the Thirsty Sturgeon on Madeline Island. After breakfast we moseyed around town for a while waiting for the ice cream shop to open so the kids could redeem their tokens they received with their dinner the night before. After ice cream it was time to hit the trail and head home.

Bye Bye, Lanesboro