ST. PAUL, Minn. » Leaves of iridescent gold and orange adorn the maples and sumacs lining the banks of the Mississippi as it weaves its way between the Twin Cities. Wildflowers in the undergrowth add to the autumn tapestry.
The river rolls by with muted dignity up here, 2,500 miles from its destination, the Gulf of Mexico.
Just north of Lock and Dam No. 1, the Mississippi in this neighborhood is a lazy place, one of recreation rather than commerce.
And one of the best ways to enjoy it is on two wheels.
Thanks to a nonprofit organization called Nice Ride Minnesota, bicycles are available at any of 146 solar-powered kiosks across Minneapolis and St. Paul.
A swipe of a credit card or debit card provides the rider with a code to unlock the bike from its stand.
A 24-hour subscription is only $6, with additional fees depending on how long the trip takes.
There is no charge for any ride under 30 minutes, so in theory people can ride all day for $6 as long as they return the bike within that time and then check out another. The beauty part: Bikes can be returned to any kiosk.
Based on a similar system in Montreal, Nice Ride was launched in June 2010 and topped 100,000 rides in its first season. The season runs from the first week of April through the first week of November, at which point the bikes are packed away for the harsh winter.
Usage last year rose to 217,530 trips.
My traveling partner, Karen, and I picked up our bikes on West Grand Avenue near Macalester College in St. Paul and headed west for the river. We turned right near the University of St. Thomas and then left on Summit Avenue, which brought us to the river within minutes.
THERE WE TURNED left onto the bike path along South Mississippi River Boulevard and headed downriver.
A thick line of trees separates the bike path from the Mississippi, but the sun-splashed water shines through the gaps in the foliage. No houses or other buildings clutter the river side of the boulevard, so riders feel like they could be in the year 1912 as easily as 2012.
Across the street are large lawns leading to the St. Paul Seminary School, a library and another school, then, farther on, graceful single-family houses all well set back from the street.
Cool air brushes my face as we pedal at a comfortable 3 or 4 mph.
A mile and a half later, we’re at the Ford Parkway Bridge, also called the Intercity Bridge, a 1,500-foot span that we cross to the west into Minneapolis.
Concrete railings separate the bikeways/walkways on either side from the four lanes of traffic, so the crossing is easy and safe.
JUST south of the bridge is the old Ford Motor Co. Twin Cities assembly plant, which was powered by the nearby dam. The plant was in operation from 1925 to last December and produced everything from Model T’s to Ranger pickups.
Most of the buildings are slated for demolition now.
On the Minneapolis side of the river, as a counterpoint to the industrial zone, is Minnehaha Park and Falls, named for the fictional American Indian woman in Longfellow’s "The Song of Hiawatha." It’s a popular name in these parts.
At the end of the bridge, a right turn takes us through a lovely stretch of woods and the West River Parkway. The river side of the bike path remains lightly wooded, with the other side again residential, with more generous lawns.
We pass the Minnehaha Ice Arena and Minnehaha Lower and Middle School.
On the way to Minnehaha Academy, we stop at Mississippi Park, which offers great views of the river. It’s easy to imagine Huck and Jim gliding idyllically on their raft.
Two miles up, the River Parkway bike path brings us to the Lake Street-Marshall Avenue Bridge, which we cross back into St. Paul.
Before long we’re back at the Nice Ride kiosk, having spent a very pleasant 90 minutes on a 4-mile river circuit. The cost: $10.50 each.
On the Net
» Nice Ride Minnesota: www.niceridemn.org
