Looks like I'll be getting a Ural - AKA, what's it like living (riding) in MN?

[Justin]

Well, my old lady got a job offer in St. Paul that is too good to pass up. So what's it like living and riding in the MN area?  Just how bad are the winters? How much downtime from two wheels etc? How's the summer riding? Looks pretty darned flat - but seems to be some good roads in the area.

P.S. - I already cleared the Ural with the old lady btw, since I can't go 5-6 months without riding .

[CLAY]

You'll get less snow than we get here, but it gets cold.  I usually only have a month or two without riding at all.  There are usually thaws during the winter that allow you to get out if you don't mind the salt.

[shawn and gwyn]

   say it isn't so...    Gwyn and i moved her from MN.. lived in a small farming town about 50 miles west of the twin cities. ..  riding in MN.. in a word SUX!!.. its flat.. and all the roads are straight..  if you do get some curves along the river bottoms.. you will have to contend with lots of bugs.. and all kinds of critters that love to run into the middle of the road..  if you think colorado has lots of deer... triple the amount there.  also in the spring can be especially dangerous for bikers.  since people aren't used to seeing them for 3 month.. and aren't looking when they start coming out ..
  summer in MN  is hot with very high humidity .  you step into the shade.. and the temp doesn't feel like it changes. you feel sticky all the time you are outside in it..  summer time is bug time.. the skeeters are all over the place .. flys.  both bitting and non bitting kinds.  wood ticks and dear ticks.. stay out of the long grass.  
    the winters can be just brutal. weeks on end around 0 or below for highs.  humidity is still there. so feels even colder. you can do a couple things.. take up ice fishing.. or riding snowmobiles .  also they use salt on the roads during the winter.  so expect anything you put on the road during the winter to start to rust in a couple years.  
   after moving here in 2000.. you couldn't pay me to move back there..   i honestly hope it all works out for you .. but i think you will hate it there and will relay be missing the mountains.

Shawn

[Mark Milanowski]

6 months of winter, 3 months of poor sledding, 2 weeks of spring, 1 month of summer, the rest is pre-winter.

[TSRBrad]

   say it isn't so...    Gwyn and i moved her from MN.. lived in a small farming town about 50 miles west of the twin cities. ..  riding in MN.. in a word SUX!!.. its flat.. and all the roads are straight..  if you do get some curves along the river bottoms.. you will have to contend with lots of bugs.. and all kinds of critters that love to run into the middle of the road..  if you think colorado has lots of deer... triple the amount there.  also in the spring can be especially dangerous for bikers.  since people aren't used to seeing them for 3 month.. and aren't looking when they start coming out ..
  summer in MN  is hot with very high humidity .  you step into the shade.. and the temp doesn't feel like it changes. you feel sticky all the time you are outside in it..  summer time is bug time.. the skeeters are all over the place .. flys.  both bitting and non bitting kinds.  wood ticks and dear ticks.. stay out of the long grass.  
    the winters can be just brutal. weeks on end around 0 or below for highs.  humidity is still there. so feels even colder. you can do a couple things.. take up ice fishing.. or riding snowmobiles .  also they use salt on the roads during the winter.  so expect anything you put on the road during the winter to start to rust in a couple years.  
   after moving here in 2000.. you couldn't pay me to move back there..   i honestly hope it all works out for you .. but i think you will hate it there and will relay be missing the mountains.

Shawn

Good thing someone isn't prone to hyperbole.

Riding season is generally from late March/early April (depending on the amount of snow left on the ground) until November. Heading south out of St. Paul you can find some outstanding rides along the Mississippi River bluffs. Great riding not that far away in SW Wisconsin as well. (Eastern CO is pretty barren too from what I've seen.)

Cold? Yep, it gets cold around here but not quite the frozen wasteland described above. Nor is it the critter-infested jungle in the summer. Last few summers have been pretty tolerable for mosquitoes, etc. More tornado activity than you're probably used to but at least it ain't Oklahoma!  

You'll be fine. Could be worse... you could be moving to Minneapolis!

[motormike]

You'll be fine. Could be worse... you could be moving to Minneapolis!

Hey!  

 

I've lived here my whole life but have only been riding one year so I'm not an expert on where to ride.  The winters are great if you love snow, below freezing temps and hockey.

[Justin]

You'll be fine. Could be worse... you could be moving to Minneapolis!

Ha - not out of the question yet. Haven't decided where to live yet  

I've also been practicing my Yeah's, Ya's an You Betcha's. Anything else I need to know?

[motormike]

You have to purify yourself in Lake Minnetonka.

[mxvet57]

Theres always Diamonds for coffee.  

[ray916mn]

Pretty large and active motorcycling community. Bigger and more active than Texas and Colorado in my experience. Riding season is consistently from the end of April to the beginning of November. Best riding is in the southeast of the state or up along the north shore.  Southwestern WI is better riding and is in easy striking distance. Do a search on the term "Alphabet Roads".

The winters are good if you like real winters. Frozen lakes offer all sorts of opportunities for diversions like ice fishing, ice racing and snowmobiling. If those aren't your cup of tea, the winter offers a good block of time to get bikes squared away or to create bikes of your dreams.

The thing I hate the most is the state bird, the mosquito....

[caasland]

I travel a lot and have lived in other places, and I'll say that Minnesota isn't a bad place at all, relatively speaking. Yes, the weather can suck and the state is topographically challenged, our politicians are particularly stupid and you can't buy beer in grocery stores.

Compared to Colorado, at our speed limits make sense ;-) Our roads aren't much better though.

The quality of life in MN depends quite a bit on where you live. For us that means living near the alphabet roads in Wisconsin, where on any afternoon I can easily get my leanings in. If you have a choice where to live, go as far to the southeast as you can, so your slabbing to Wisconsin is as short as possible.

Our small town also lacks the riff raff and bums which made living out west difficult. You'll get used to the humidity and weekly thunderstorms. When you sit outside and enjoy a cup of coffee you won't be harassed by bums. Well, maybe in MSP/STP but who says you have to live there?

For mountains you'll need to cross the Dakota's, Illinois, or Nebraska/Kansas.... and that sucks more then MN.

I've lived here when I was younger and in school, then we moved here from Oregon and swore never to return to the midwest. Time for kids, and living near grandparents, convinced us to move back. It took us a year or two to re-adjust.

[falconati]

It'll be a tough adjustment from Colorado, good luck.

(the riding is fine though, plenty of good stuff)

[jetapumper]

Riding season is generally from late March/early April (depending on the amount of snow left on the ground) until November. Heading south out of St. Paul you can find some outstanding rides along the Mississippi River bluffs. Great riding not that far away in SW Wisconsin as well. (Eastern CO is pretty barren too from what I've seen.)

+1. SE MN-SW WI is the best riding in the area. Get your lean on. (For your first taste, I suggest MN State Hiway 60, from Zumbrota Falls to Wabasha) Learn motorcycle camping. Near infinite opportunities up nort'. And remember....it's not a "casserole", it's a frickin' "hot-dish".

[MacGyver]

Hobbies in Minnesota ....

Milking
Knitting
Cow Tipping
Frostbite
Hypothermia
Bitching
Moaning
DIY explosive stump removal
Yodelling

Yep thats it...  I'm out.

[motormike]

+1. SE MN-SW WI is the best riding in the area. Get your lean on. (For your first taste, I suggest MN State Hiway 60, from Zumbrota Falls to Wabasha) Learn motorcycle camping. Near infinite oppourtunities up nort'. Oh......and learn to like "hot-dish".

That's a 40 mile leg.  That's good to know.  I haven't ventured that far yet mostly due to time.  I'll have to try that sometime....that would be a 205 mile round trip from my house.  

I recently rode Highway 52 South, then East on Hwy 61 East to Red Wing.  Stopped for a soda, then returned on the same route.  Not bad for country riding.

If you're into guitars at all, Dave's Guitar is just accross the Mississippi River in La Crosse, WI which would make a good stop.  I've been down that way a few times in a car.

If you're serious about riding in the winter, I'd say you're better off with a snowmobile and getting out of town for the snowmobile trails.  Most of the time, the temps are below freezing.

[TSRBrad]

Getting ready to come home from a vacation a few years back we're sitting in a rental car shuttle at the Kona airport. The driver is the chatty sort and starts asking people where they're from. We tell him we're from Minnesota and he immediately jumps into the whole "ya, you betcha" routine.

I say, "You've seen 'Fargo', haven't you?" He replies that yes, he has.

Damn you Coen brothers.  

Back to the original topic... fall riding north along the St. Croix River is decent. Just beware of slow-moving pirates.

[County Tar]

There is some OK riding up north and along some rivers.  The best riding, as others have stated, is in the Driftless area, which is comprised of SE Minnesota, SW Wisconsin, NE Iowa and NW Illinois.  Its the area the last glaciation missed.  St. Paul is within a short distance of some nice roads.  Cross the bridge at Red Wing and head inland on the Alphabet Roads in Pierce, Pepin, Buffalo and Trempaleau Counties.  WI 35 along the river is Harley country on nice weekends.  The inland county roads are better.  Not quite Arkansas quality but very enjoyable.

Back when it was cold here (it no longer is, by our standards) we used to say that living here builds character.  Actually it just makes us tired.  I think I'll take a nap.  

[motormike]

Theres always Diamonds for coffee.  

Or, Bob's Java Hut for the Uptown (SW Minneapolis) folks.  It's a motorcycle friendly coffee shop (I think that's an understatement).  I actually haven't been there but I don't hang out at any coffee shops.  Their T-shirts look cool it it's the same artworrk as the guy on a cycle raising a cup of coffee.

http://www.bobsjavahut.com/

[Justin]

Or, Bob's Java Hut for the Uptown (SW Minneapolis) folks.  It's a motorcycle friendly coffee shop (I think that's an understatement).  I actually haven't been there but I don't hang out at any coffee shops.  Their T-shirts look cool it it's the same artworrk as the guy on a cycle raising a cup of coffee.

http://www.bobsjavahut.com/

Thanks! I like good coffee place, 'specially when it's moto friendly

[motormike]

Bob's is actually better described as "motorcycle enthusiast.  It was started 15 years ago by motorcyclists after being harrassed about thier bikes being parked out front of another coffee shop.  It's one block from a Ducuati dealership.


Here is the link to Diamonds Coffee Shoppe in NE Minneapolis.  All of the links on their "Friends" page are motorcycle related.

http://www.diamondscoffeeshoppe.com/

[coopdway]

We're at Diamond's every Saturday....welcome to Minnesota!

[Justin]

We're at Diamond's every Saturday....welcome to Minnesota!

Thanks for the welcome - but not quite there yet. The g/f will know for sure on the 22nd - but it's really looking like this will happen.

[caasland]

I recently rode Highway 52 South, then East on Hwy 61 East to Red Wing.  Stopped for a soda, then returned on the same route.  Not bad for country riding.

Better yet, take 61 to just about Hastings then go east to Prescott, WI instead, and take 35 down to Red Wing.

If you're serious about riding in the winter, I'd say you're better off with a snowmobile and getting out of town for the snowmobile trails.  Most of the time, the temps are below freezing.

Winter is for valve adjustments, beer, and trip planning.

[caasland]

Oh yeah, don't forget:

First Thursday's in uptown:

http://www.citypages.com/bestof/2007/award/best-place-to-be-seen-with-your-motorcycle-69929/

The Bearded Lady Motorcycle Freak Show at the end of July:

http://www.beardedladymotorcycleshow.com/

Team Strange is here in MN:

http://www.teamstrange.com/

And of course The Very Boring Rally in 2013:

http://www.boringrally.com/

[coopdway]

We missed you this morning  
http://coopdwaycorner.blogspot.com/2012/05/diamond-day-at-coffee-shoppe.html

[Justin]

We missed you this morning  
http://coopdwaycorner.blogspot.com/2012/05/diamond-day-at-coffee-shoppe.html

Looks like a cool place to hang out, and some nice old bikes to drool over   - Looks like my Ural will fit right in  

[mxvet57]

We missed you this morning  
http://coopdwaycorner.blogspot.com/2012/05/diamond-day-at-coffee-shoppe.html

Thanks for telling me.  

[motormike]

We're at Diamond's every Saturday....welcome to Minnesota!

coopdway,

I was at Diamond's today.  I am curious what you ride and if you were there.

Justin,

Any updates on your potential move?

[coopdway]

I'm down in Elkader at the Guzzi Rally....TW200 got dirty this morning.