Trail recommendation for a novice?

[fisherbikefreak]

I would like to get my better (looking) half out on the trails. She is a little unsecure about her riding abilities. What trail do you recommend for a mtb novice that you would still consider a mtb trail -- in other words no pavement but still a few hills for her to climb to get her legs in shape?

[SPR]

I would like to get my better (looking) half out on the trails. She is a little unsecure about her riding abilities. What trail do you recommend for a mtb novice that you would still consider a mtb trail -- in other words no pavement but still a few hills for her to climb to get her legs in shape?
If the River trails are convenient that's what I recommend. My wife like your better half is concerned about her riding abilities but does enjoy these trails. I even got her to try a log crossing. :banana:

[Trevize1138]

River bottoms. Definitely. I took my wife out there last year and she loved it, even though she'd never done that kind of biking before. I always tell this story, but we rode by that one big dirt/log mound on the trail and she asked me "Can I ride over that?"

"Uh ... YEAH! Sure!" I said.

She rode over it ... cleared it. My wife kicks @ss.

Last night she was asking me when we were going to go ride the river trail again. :banana:

[bradpartyka]

I would recommend the Louisville Swamp (have bug spray) to. That place is very easy and the scenery is something really to see. I took my wife there and she loved it.

[fisherbikefreak]

Thanks guys,

Sounds like the RB will be the winner. I haven't been down there myself so it's a good time to check it out. Much appreciated.

Where's the Louisville Swamp at? Man I know our state bird - Mosquito - all to well. Even the word swamp scares me away for that reason! She is an aquatic biologist though. So she'll probably want to check it out... bulk bug spray on sale anywhere?

[TML]

Another vote for the river bottoms. My wife likes it as well and she is a learning beginner. I would suggest the side west of Lyndale though to begin with. East of Lyndale is a step up in technical and physical difficulty.

Once finished, the Harmon Park trail in Inver Grove Heights will also be a great place to take beginners. Very anxious for this one to open!

[tmac]

Another vote for the river bottoms. My wife likes it as well and she is a learning beginner. I would suggest the side west of Lyndale though to begin with. East of Lyndale is a step up in technical and physical difficulty.

Once finished, the Harmon Park trail in Inver Grove Heights will also be a great place to take beginners. Very anxious for this one to open!
You beat me to that advice, Troy - Harmon will be great for both beginners and anyone else that loves a good rolling, flowing trail.

My wife likes to ride RB as well, though we drive out and start by the Bloomington Ferry Bridge so we get a decent distance but we don't mess with the raft.

We have also spent some time out at Lake Elmo Park reserve. These trails are double track ski trails, but are rolling and can be a lot of fun - not technical but aerobic.

[bakkeb]

Be careful out at Louisville swamp during the springtime. It can get really messy. I mean ridiculously messy. I had to wash my bike at the creek crossing once. I'll never go out there again before June. Besides that, the trail is a good beginner trail.:etard:

[nigel]

What about the beginner trail section at Lebanon? Thats pretty smooth and gradual for new folks, thats where ive been taking new people to the sport, both because if they like it they can keep adding new sections every time until they get the whole trail in, kinda like a overall goal for them and second because if they get tired or dont wanna ride anymore, its quick back to the car. I used to take people the the River Valley when they were new, but then if they get tired by the time they finally say something (even after asking) your in a ways and they take forever getting back and kinda get a soured ride.

D

[bradpartyka]

What about the beginner trail section at Lebanon? Thats pretty smooth and gradual for new folks, thats where ive been taking new people to the sport, both because if they like it they can keep adding new sections every time until they get the whole trail in, kinda like a overall goal for them and second because if they get tired or dont wanna ride anymore, its quick back to the car. I used to take people the the River Valley when they were new, but then if they get tired by the time they finally say something (even after asking) your in a ways and they take forever getting back and kinda get a soured ride.

D
It's too short. After the starter loop everyone feels like they can go on and the next thing is the steep climb. That climb really surprises a lot of people, even if you tell them it's not like that for most of it.

I agree with you that the River Bottems can make the trip too long. I still say Louisville swamp to give the very first taste. It is short, but not too short and awesome scenery. The scenery always wins people over.

That stated, if your trying to introduce someone to biking before dirt. Fort Snelling is awesome. Again, the scenery wins people over. Park at Fort Snelling and head to the Fort. You have the big hill again, but that is the only one and no one complains going down. :)

[nigel]

That stated, if your trying to introduce someone to biking before dirt. Fort Snelling is awesome. Again, the scenery wins people over. Park at Fort Snelling and head to the Fort. You have the big hill again, but that is the only one and no one complains going down. :)
Thats where i learned how to ride on dirt.....*sneers at dog park* Grrrrrrrr Used to be a sweet place to ride before the fur took it over



D

[Tetreves]

Just to add my two cents to this...my fiance and I would bike a lot together 1-2 years ago. She could do the intermediate loop at leb really well. She was almost getting up the guts to start working on the x loop...then last spring she broke her wrist biking...we didn't know it was broken for a week, thought it was just sprained. So a few grand later, and after having pins surgically installed in her wrist for 6 weeks...she also missed out on a biking trip she had planned to spain and ended up hiking instead. We're going to go biking again soon and start back at the river bottoms. So the point is this: My fiance' is awesome!:banana: Oh, and don't over-do it...:confused: you'll feel guilty when she gets hurt.

[ryno lite]

Louisville Swamp is an easy place to learn and ride, but I think it is technically closed to mountain biking. I think this was brought up last year. In the trail conditions section last year, John spoke with someone there and found out that we aren't allowed to ride there. I don't think that has changed. If it is off limits, we should all avoid it so that we don't give mountain biking a bad name! Everything we do affects our trail access in the future!

[Trevize1138]

It's too short. After the starter loop everyone feels like they can go on and the next thing is the steep climb. That climb really surprises a lot of people, even if you tell them it's not like that for most of it.

I agree with you that the River Bottems can make the trip too long. I still say Louisville swamp to give the very first taste. It is short, but not too short and awesome scenery. The scenery always wins people over.

That stated, if your trying to introduce someone to biking before dirt. Fort Snelling is awesome. Again, the scenery wins people over. Park at Fort Snelling and head to the Fort. You have the big hill again, but that is the only one and no one complains going down. :)
By the end of this summer that steep, long climb out of the parking lot after the beginner loop should be replaced by intermediate single track, so hopefully Lebanon will be a lot more beginner-friendly than it currently is.

I took my wife there only once last year and the place freaked her out. This will be music to John's ears, but the parts of the trail she had the most difficulty with while riding the intermediate loop were the old doubletrack gravel trails! :) In particular, the sandy, rocky downhill after the long climb and just before the entrance to the X loop that we re-routed last year. The steep climb out of the parking lot is difficult on the leg muscles, but if you want to entice beginners and not scare them away with tretcherous terrain, the new singletrack around that middle section of doubletrack needs to be done quick! :hit:

[bradpartyka]

Lake Rebecca is very easy to ride too. And you can bike down the road (short distance) to the beach to cool down afterwards. Or have a picnic, which my wife loves to include in a bike trip.:beer_yum:

[cheese4brains]

Louisville Swamp is an easy place to learn and ride, but I think it is technically closed to mountain biking.
I attended the DNR meeting regarding the river valley proposal this past winter, and asked one of the people in the know there whether Louisville is off-limits to bikes or not. The responses I received there and elsewhere is consistent - it's open to bikes to access the MN State trail, but otherwise it's off limits. There is a gray area here, however, in that it's still posted for bike access on all trails. After expressing some surprise, the rep indicated that given the low biking useage and budgetary limits they have not put a priority on re-posting it. I've only biked a small portion of the state trail which goes southwest from Chaska to Jordan and beyond. The portion I biked was all double-track. If it's convenient, then it would be a good starter trail until you get comfortable with things. Things to watch out for are horses (they get right of way), high water in the low areas (not a problem now!), and mosquitos in the summer.

I might just make it my mission this summer to provide John with the necessary information to get the MN State Trail added to the trails section. While it's not techincally challenging, it is a beautiful area close to the twin cities if you just want to get away. It's also a long trail that's not yet paved ...