Singletrack/MTB
Gravel/All-road
Dirt-road Touring
Fat-bike
The Perfect Midwest Bikepacking Route (Video)
Leigh Foster’s latest video chronicles a 572-mile ride between Chicago, Illinois, and Saint Paul, Minnesota. By connecting various scenic trails, quiet back roads, small towns, state parks, and stretches along the Mississippi River, Leigh created what he calls the perfect Midwest bikepacking route. Watch the 16-minute video here…
Photos and video by Leigh Foster
Last May, Leigh Foster left his front door in Chicago and spent 10 days pedaling nearly 600 miles to Minnesota’s capital city of Saint Paul. His new video documents the journey across an underappreciated part of the country, paying tribute to the many charming towns, state parks, and historic trails that dot the Upper Midwest. Along the way, he passed through Lake Geneva, Kettle Moraine, Madison, Devil’s Lake, the Elroy-Sparta Trail, La Crosse, Lanesboro, Mystery Cave State Park, Frontenac State Park, and finally the Twin Cities.
In his usual style, The Perfect Midwest Bikepacking Route offers a beautifully shot, meditative perspective on bicycle travel. It captures the sights, sounds, solitude, and connection that all play a role in any good trip on two wheels. You can watch the full 16-minute video below, then scroll on to find a version of his route and a selection of earlier videos from other rides around the United States and beyond.
The Route
Although this isn’t the exact route Leigh followed, it paints a rough picture of his track across Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota:
Further Reading
Make sure to dig into these related articles for more info...
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