The source of Minnehaha Creek at Gray’s Bay has always been a mystery to me, so when Dave Olson, who regularly launches his canoe at the Gray’s Bay Dam, told me about a new bike bridge at the dam, I decided to check it out. By the end of the day, I had cleared up the mystery, ridden a beautiful boardwalk dividing the bay from the creek,  and explored the shoreline of one of the most scenic bays on Lake Minnetonka. The new route, which incorporates these features, connects Minnetonka Blvd with McGinty Rd.

This is one percent territory so the mansions are massive, the lots bigger and the shoreline of the bay has a highly manicured feel to it. It’s attractive, in an over-the-top opulent way and anyone with a desire to explore has many options for side trips into the neighborhoods surrounding the immediate route.

The new route and many other changes are available on the updated mobile Twin Cities Bike Map. The map update happened yesterday, July 19. The newest version is the only version with the Gray’s Bay bike route. As always, if you’ve downloaded the 2018 map once, all updates are free.

Vicky and I explored the western two thirds of the Dakota Rail Trail, from Mound to the end of the paved trail near Lester Prairie. This is a scenic part of the trail. It skirts Lake Waconia and flows through deep woods and open farmland, Most of the trail is shaded, so it is a good option for hot summer days and should be attractive for a fall color ride.

The trail also has two major attractions in Gale Woods Farm, a working educational farm run by Three Rivers Parks, and Big Stone Mini Golf, a quirky course with its own versions of the Spoonbridge and Cherry and the Bean among hundreds of other statues, pools, vegetable gardens and other attractions.