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Three-day bike tour will feature many Houston County attractions
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Houston County will be in the spotlight Labor Day weekend. Between 75 and 100 biking enthusiasts from all over Minnesota and beyond will be spending the three-day weekend exploring the county on bicycles.
The event is sponsored by the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota, and partnered locally with the Houston County EDA and local economic development authorities.
This is the fifth year for the event and the second time the state organization has chosen Southeastern Minnesota, according to Caledonia EDA Director Jane Schiltz.
“This is an excellent way for the various communities of Houston County to showcase their attractions,” Schiltz said. “With the three different day tours we have set up, the group will have an opportunity to visit every city in the county.”
Most of the group will be camping at Beaver Creek Valley State Park near Caledonia, while a few of the less adventurous bikers have booked rooms at one of the local motels. The group will have breakfast each morning at the Four Seasons Community Center in Caledonia, and then set out from there for a day of riding and exploring.
Former Congressman and current Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge David Minge will lead the fifth annual tour, which will explore the many natural, historical and cultural sites of Houston County. Local residents from the various communities will narrate the day tours, pointing out the numerous historic sites and landmarks along the way.
The riders will arrive in Houston County Friday, Sept. 4. Their first day trip Sept. 5 will take them north out of Caledonia, on Highway 76 to CSAH 10 through Sheldon valley, back onto Highway 76 to Houston and a stop at the Houston Nature Center. The bikers will travel east on CSAH 9 and CSAH 21 on the north side of the Root River to Highway 16 and back to Hokah, where they will leave their bikes at the Hokah Fire Station.
The group will board a Ready Bus Lines bus and travel to Joe Ready’s home north of La Crescent, which overlooks the Mississippi River valley. There they will have lunch.
Once back at Hokah, the group will take CSAH 18 to Brownsville and from there CSAH 3 back to Caledonia. Day one will cover 53 miles on bike.
The second day the group will travel from Caledonia to Houston via Highway 76. They will get on the Root River State Trail and travel to Rushford, where they will observe all of the improvements made to the community following the 2007 floods. They will return back to Houston on the bike trail and then travel Highway 76 and CSAH 10 back to Caledonia. Day two will cover 52.6 miles.
The third day the group will leave Caledonia and head south on Highway 76 to Eitzen. From Eitzen they will take CSAH 27 to Spring Grove. From Spring Grove they will travel back to Caledonia. Day three will cover 30.7 miles.
The group will be making stops along the way at various sites and points of interest, according to Schiltz. Each community has planned some type of event or tour. Some of the stops will include Shech’s Mill, the Houston Nature Center, the Houston County Historical Society Museum, the Staggemeyer Stave Mill, the Spring Grove Pop Factory, and more.
Schiltz noted that there have been many persons throughout Houston County who have been helping to organize the various day trips and stops along the way. She noted that Caledonia’s John Klug has been very instrumental in helping with the planning. Klug will be transporting bikes from the state park to the Four Seasons Community Center each morning so the riders can get a good breakfast before setting off on their long ride each day.
“It’s been a challenge getting everything lined up,” Schiltz admitted. “We really started the planning process back in February with the county EDA. We formed a separate group for this venture, which is basically an EDA tourism group. If there’s anyone who would still like to help us with this event, they are more than welcome to give us a call. Persons can reach Schiltz at (507) 725-3450.
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Brian