Cruser is the founder of Paul Bunyan Cyclists. Since its founding in 1989, club members have been meeting at 6 p. m. every Wednesday night during daylight savings months for a ride somewhere along the 115-mile long Paul Bunyan Trail.
The trail begins in Crow Wing State Park in Brainerd and meanders its way north to Lake Bemidji State Park in Bemidji. The roughly ninehour long ride— if you were to continue from start to finish without stopping— meanders through Nisswa, Pequot Lakes, Pine River, Hackensack, Walker and Laporte before continuing on to Bemidji.
It is the longest of Minnesota’ s state trails and the longest continuously paved rail-trail in the United States.“ It’ s a very scenic route. You can see a lot of nature and lakes as you make your way down the trail,” Cruser said.
Dan Fundingsland, treasurer of Paul Bunyan Cyclists, has been cycling in the Brainerd Lakes Area for decades. He shared the amazing experience he had recently involving a bald eagle. It happened near Ernie’ s on Gull, which sits right on Gull Lake and is about 10 miles south of the Paul Bunyan Trail.
“ I was on one of the Wednesday night rides with a friend and we were moseying along at a casual pace with an eagle soaring about 20 feet above us. We didn’ t notice it at first, but saw it clearly when it flew past us and continued down the road. It was a highly unique experience,” Fundingsland said.
The bald eagle has been a national emblem in the United States for years, but it wasn’ t until Christmas Eve 2024 when with the stroke of his pen, President Joe Biden signed legislation designating the bald eagle as the national bird. The effort was spearheaded by Minnesota lawmakers.
Fundingsland said he hopes eagles will appear again when hundreds of riders travel to the Brainerd Lakes Area for the 34th Annual Tour of Lakes event put on by Paul Bunyan Cyclists on June 7. The family-friendly ride, which typically starts around 6 a. m. and wraps up around 3 p. m., will begin at the Cross Lake Community Center, and wind around all kinds of lakes and nature areas.
“ We are planning two or three routes of different lengths,” Fundingsland said.“ One thing our ride is known for that will be making a return is the elaborate rest stops featuring a lot of food, not just bars and water or Gatorade.”
The menu for the 2025 ride is not yet set, but in the past there have been literal meals at every rest stop, everything from sloppy joes and fruit bowls to spaghetti and meatballs. At the end of the race, there will be a special treat: root beer floats for everyone.
22 2025 | destinationupnorth. com
For more information about the Tour of Lakes and Paul Bunyan Cyclists, check out the organization’ s website: Paulbunyancyclists. com
Tour of Lakes June 7, 2025 Ride begins at Cross Lake Community Center Paulbunyancyclists. com
For those who would like a more fastpaced adventure, Cruser suggests checking out the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, which is one of the top mountain biking destinations in the state.
Another popular trail to ride Up North is The Mississippi River Trail bikeway( MRT). Also designated as U. S. Bicycle Route 45, it follows the Mississippi River roughly 600 miles from its source at Itasca State Park to the Iowa border.
According to the Minnesota Department of Transportation website listing, the trail is located largely on road shoulders as it winds through ancient pine woods, soaring river bluffs and an abundance of natural and cultural highlights in Minnesota’ s major cities.
GO ON THE ULTIMATE HUNTING ADVENTURE
For people of all ages who are interested in hunting, Rice Creek Hunting and Recreation in Little Falls is a place you need to check out. The 2,000-acre hunting preserve offers pheasant, duck, chukar hunting and a whole lot more.
The hunting season starts in August and goes until the following May.
“ In the summer we start out with sporting clays and trap leagues for all the high school kids. We’ re putting in skeet towers this year so we’ ll have skeet trap, 5-stand and sporting clays. We also have shooting leagues, and we have our big gun show on the first weekend in May in conjunction with Reeds( Family Outdoor Outfitters) in Walker,” said Gregg LeBlanc, coowner of Rice Creek Hunting and Recreation.
The annual Reeds Gun Fair is advertised as the largest try-before-you-buy gun sale in the United States. More details about the annual event can be found online at Reedsgunsandammo. com / rice-creek-gun-fair
During the summer, Rice Creek Hunting and Recreation puts on two summer camps for kids: one for beginners, another for advanced shooters. The beginners camp for kids lasts for five days during which the kids get their firearms safety training and become fully certified.
The other camp is an advanced camp for older kids ages 13 to 15 who already have their firearms safety training.“ They practice their shooting for five days,” LeBlanc said.“ They shoot mostly at targets, but do an actual chukar and pheasant hunt on their last day here.”
At both camps, kids stay overnight at Rice Creek Hunting and Recreation’ s lodge and in one of the onsite cabins. Between the lodge and two cabins, 38 people can be accommodated.
Hunting at the preserve opens to the public the last weekend of August.“ Customers make reservations and up until September 15, we are open to the public. From September 15 through November, we are open to members only, then come December, we are back open to the public to shoot pheasants and chukars,” said LeBlanc, who added that staff will clean and process all the birds for them.
“ We can send people home with product such as pot pies, wild game sausage, pheasant sticks, duck chili and wild rice hot dish,” he said,
Hunting and shooting isn’ t all that goes on at Rice Creek Hunting and Recreation. The venue also hosts a lot of weddings from late March through the beginning of the Fall.“ We have a big tent we can set up for events, and this year we are booked for a wedding with 500 guests,” LeBlanc said.
Rick Creek Hunting & Recreation is owned and operated by Gregg LeBlanc and his first cousin, Joseph LeBlanc. Joseph’ s father started the company in 1962. Joseph and Gregg took over ownership in 1984.
Rice Creek Hunting & Recreation 16543 Game Farm Road Little Falls, MN 56345 https:// ricecreekhunting. com / 320-745-2232
GO ON THE ULTIMATE UNUSUAL ADVENTURE IN REMER
Bigfoot Days in Remer – July 11 & 12, 2025 If you want to be able to say you’ ve gone on the ultimate unusual adventure Up North, here are two more ideas for you.
The town of Remer, Minnesota, which is about an hour north of Brainerd and just east of the