The civic impulse to acquire and develop a Minneapolis park system connected by trails started well over a century ago. One fortuitous outcome of these endeavors is called the Grand Rounds. It completes a thirty-mile loop in a rough rectangle around the municipality.
Today I biked a small section which circles two lakes, Lake Harriet and (Lake) Bde Maka Ska, in the SW corner of town.
Lake Harriet is a more residential area where grand homes overlook the sky-blue waters. The parkway enlarges here and there along the way so there is plenty of parking under old-growth trees. Two trails ring the perimeter of the water, one for walkers and one for cyclists. Here people of all ages walk their dogs, push strollers, catch up with friends, rollerblade with AirPods, and chatter with work colleagues. The crowds consist of locals, not tourists.
As you circle Bde Maka Ska to the north, and a downtown view appears, the physical structures transition from single-family homes to condos and a few business buildings. There are public beaches on the lake as well as restaurants. And benches scattered here and there as if someone said, ‘I think Gramps would want his bench here,’ and set it down without a reference to any other object. It’s a lived-in feel instead of one of pomp and circumstance.
Before circling back to the SE, the trail touches the far side of the Uptown area. This spot is full of shops, restaurants, bars, and lots of apartments for all those wanting to be close to where they recreate.
The bike trail is a one-way loop which is nice as the slow riders stay to the right and the left-hand side is used for passing. There is a speed limit of 10 miles per hour painted in white on the asphalt every quarter mile. But I wonder how many cyclists have speedometers on their bikes. It is only necessary to wait for car traffic at the intersection pictured above left, in a section between the two lakes. This is also the only incline on the tour which makes the legs work a little harder.
At seven miles it is a pleasant run for the experienced rider. A way to get out on a nice day and enjoy the urban landscape.
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