We visited the Rustic Roads in St. Croix county as some of the first two-up riding we did on the new motorcycle. It was early May (see how bare the trees are!) and we needed to know if we'd be comfortable enough on this machine for our upcoming trip to Boston. Amanda also needed a new helmet, and believe it or not, Minneapolis was the closest place to find a decent selection to try on in person.1
But what better way to make a few-hour road trip better than to expand it into several additional hours by visiting a bunch of backroads along the way?
The video starts with a few miles of gravel on R4. This may have been our first two-up on gravel on the BMW. I think you can tell how cautiously I approach the road at first, especially compared to last week's mid-summer video. But I think you can also tell how quickly I found confidence in it - by time I turn around to get back to the fork in the road, I'm cruising right along.
Immediately following R4, we get to the first pavement of the (video) season. R3 is just down the road, so I've included a fast-forward recording of the route to it. If you've been enjoying the unpaved roads, though, don't miss R103. It's right along the Mississippi River, and is that sort of close-in forested nature ride we enjoy.
Footnotes
By the way, if you're helmet shopping in the Minneapolis area, I can't recommend Bob's Cycle Supply enough. Large selection, helpful staff, great prices (in-store; online prices are typical/MSRP). We went back for a new helmet for me this fall.⤣
Categories: Motorcycle Travel WIRR
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