MN Loop, 414 miles (10,500 ft up), mostly a loop. This route pieces together several bike paths in southern MN, most of which we've been on in the past. However, we haven't ridden this route yet and are looking for input. Route.
Lake Superior North Shore Tour (aka Jim and Bonnie's 2021 Tour), 299.8 miles (11521 ft up), some hills, out-and-back. Pix! This route avoids gravel roads. Roughly half of the whole route is on the Gitchi-Gami trail or decently quiet roads (in particular, from Duluth to Two Harbors and from Judge Magney SP onward). See route for more notes. Route.
Ozarks in October Tour (aka Jim and Bonnie's 2020 Tour, aka The Pandemic Pedal), 275 miles (13.5k ft up). Pix! See route for more notes. Route.
Iowa/Minnesota Mississippi River Tour (aka Jim and Bonnie's June 2018 Tour), 360.4 miles (13108 ft up), 10? days. Our approximate route. The Minnesota part was not pleasant -- many cars going fast. However, Winona is a sweet town! Route.
Driftless Tour to LaCrosse (aka Jim & Bonnie's 2017 Tour), 333.6 miles (16,501 ft up). Route.
Driftless Tour to Viroqua (aka Jim & Bonnie's 2015 Tour), 305.1 miles (14,838 ft up), 8 days. Day 1, 44.3 miles: Folklore Village (food in Verona @9.4). Day 2, 18.4 miles: Yellowstone. Day 3, 29.2 miles: Governor Dodge State Park (food in Mineral Point @16.8, Dodgeville @24). Day 4, 45.6 miles: Richland Center (food in Spring Green @13.4, Plain @23, @end). Day 5, 40.2 miles: Viroqua (food @end). Day 6, 17.3 miles: La Farge. Day 7, 41.1 miles: White Mound County Park. Day 8, 55.5 miles: Madison (food in Plain @8.1, Prairie du Sac @26.7, Roxbury @30, @end). Route.
Jim and Bonnie's 2014 Tour, 275 miles, shortish days (the longest day is 41.2 miles, unless we combine the last two days, then 55.3). Note that there are several overnights at Warm Showers sites. Food on day 1@19 (Spring Green), day2@18 (Muscoda), day3@end (Viroqua), day4@20 (Chaseburg: the Hideaway, open Thurs-Sun), day4@end (La Crosse: don't miss local food restaurants the Root Note and the Mint!), day5@12.5 (St Josephs), day5@end (Coon Valley), day6@11 (Westby), day6@end (La Farge), day8@8.4 (Plain), day8@end (Sauk City), day9@3.5 (Roxbury). Slightly old cue sheet.
Jim and Bonnie's 2013 Tour, 260 miles, shortish days (the longest day is 43 miles). Hightlights are Galena, Dubuque (esp the river museum), Pike's Peak and nearby Effigy Mounds National Monument, and Wyalusing SP. Possible food on day 2@17 (Gratiot), 24 (Warren); day 3 near end (Galena); day 4@end (Dubuque); day 5@20 (Balltown), near end (Guttenberg, not much); day 6@end (McGregor); day 7@5 (Prairie du Chien), day 8@33 (Fenimore), day 9@27 (Dodgeville). Cue sheet.
Jim and Bonnie's 2011 Tour, 450 miles. A really beautiful ride. Lots of medium-size hills, and also some big ones that we walked. Lots of Amish farms in Part I. Changes I would make for next time: Look for better roads in Minnesota (busy roads, NO shoulder at times). Try to stay in Lancaster instead of Klondyke Secluded Acres (which I can't recommend). Cue sheet for all parts.
Part I, days 1-5 (177 miles): Devil's Lake, Wildcat Mountain, La Crosse. Non-mobile route.
Part II, days 6-8 (151 miles): La Crosse, Decorah, Pike's Peak/McGregor, Lancaster. Non-mobile route.
Part III, days 9-10 (100 miles): Lancaster, Folklore Village, home
Jim and Bonnie's 2009 Tour. We didn't ride all of this, so some is untested.
Part I: The Crawford County Climb, 86 miles, days 1 - 3. A gorgeous ride, especially day 1. Morovits Hollow Rd is gravel (so is Walker)... they're working on getting it paved, and it has a dreadful uphill at the end. Hwy 35 along the Mississippi and Ferryville were a bit of a disappointment... few businesses open (perhaps because of the recession). Next time we'd go a different way, perhaps Hwy 27 (which is a ridge road). Make sure you get the wonderful biking map of Crawford County.
Part II: Vernon Vistas and Valleys, 105 miles, days 4 & 5. We never made it to Wildcat Mountain, stopping instead in Viroqua. We took Cty Hwy J back to Soldier's Grove, and River Road into Gays Mills (contrary to the map, it goes all the way).