Rolling on (along) the river with the Great River bike ride
By Jon Kerr
My introduction to the Great River Ride, so named because participants follow the Mississippi by boat and bicycle for approximately 150 miles from St. Paul to Winona, was a refresher course on Minnesota beauty. But wheeling along up and down bluffs (small mountains?) during mid-August the unexpected and the ordinary combined to sometimes make it difficult to remember which great river you were following.
It’s a problem that may keep bringing us back as it has brought back thousands of riders back to the American Lung Society-sponsored fundraising event for more some 15 years now. Raising hundreds of thousands of dollars for research and education, they also spend three days in a shared experience of some of southeastern Minnesota’s most treasured jewels.
From the moment we left West St. Paul’s Signal Hills parking lot to board a
Jonathan Padelford boat for the floating segment of the event, there was an air of eager
anticipation even among those with the with war stories of flat tires and overworked
muscles.
“I’ll never do it again on a three-speed. Those trips to Super America weren’t like climbing the hills,” said St. Paul physician Bara Berg of her previous year’s naivete. “But it’s a really great, well-organized ride for anybody and a good cause. For me it was a chance to go down the river and I’m sure not going to go all the way to New Orleans.”
Organizer R. J. Watson is quick to note that the trip is aimed at everyone from novices to competitive bicyclists. With staffed rest stops, “sag wagons” and other preparations - including campsites at days end - the Great River Ride is known for its smooth operation. But its unique route may be the real attraction for all.
“You can’t get a bike ride with a paddleboat anywhere else. It’s really beautiful,” he said, nodding at the scenery as the Josiah Snelling moved through the South St. Paul stretch of the river. “You can’t go on many bike rides and go past a tug and barges.”
Even boat Captain Gus Gaspardo finds the trip unique. 
“We look forward to this trip. It’s pretty nice when we can get a trip out of town, and it’s for a nice cause,” he said.
A nearly two-hour delay at the Hastings locks only heightens anticipation of bicycle riders, who spend the time learning the ins and outs of river navigation. When the group of approximately 150 (down from previous years’ averages of 200-250) finally mounts up and takes off on their way to the first nights stop in Red Wing, there is an audible whirring of wheels down city streets and onto country roads.
The pack thins out in coming minutes and especially in subsequent days with both racers and sightseers getting equal opportunity to enjoy the Great River Ride and the Mississippi’s attractions. Moving through small communities like Frontenac, Lake City, Wabasha, Kellogg and Rollingstone, the caravan of bicyclists both stands out and somehow fits in.
Occasional stares are outnumbered by warm welcomes during stops at local
restaurants and Dairy Queens. Other two-wheelers are regularly encountered along Highway
61 - perhaps an indication of both bicycling and river tourism’s growing popularity.
In Wabasha, the town's volunteer fire department treated hot cyclists to a cooling
waterhose contest.
But there are few better chances than the Great River Ride to safely encounter both. Watson’s constant enticements to wear helmets, obey traffic laws and avoid being a POD (Potential Organ Donor) earn him groans but also respect among participants. And they help cement a spirit of camaraderie that grows throughout the weekend and doesn’t end even when bicyclists are returned to Signal Hills late on a Sunday evening.
“We really enjoy this ride better than others,” said Steve Cragle, who with his wife Sarah plans his summer to include a trip down from St. Cloud to participate in the Great River Ride. “It’s less crowded and you get to meet people. Plus the scenery can’t be beat.”
Returning to their weekday cares, many of the bicyclists exchange information and plan
to meet again at next year’s Great River Ride. 
"I love the water, it’s so peaceful and relaxing,” said Lynn Kessel of St. Paul. “Life gets too stressful and sometimes you forget what its about. Bicycling and the river help me remember.”