Second Annual West St. Paul Rider Brings Bikes to the Trails

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More than 60 people turned out for the second annual West St. Paul Rider community bike ride exploring the trails in West St. Paul and beyond. Riders of all ages tackled varying routes from one third of a mile to 15 miles.

This year’s bike ride provided a fitness element to the Explore West St. Paul Days community celebration.

The ride included the support of the Dakota County Park Rangers and West St. Paul Police Reserves. Several elected officials were in attendance, including Dakota County Commissioner Joe Atkins, City Council Members Lisa Eng-Sarne and Wendy Berry, and ISD 197 School Board Member Marcus Hill.

The free event raised money for the Residents of Color Collective (ROCC), a local organization that empowers BIPOC and unheard communities. (If you weren’t able to donate at the event, you can donate now.)

West St. Paul Rider Photos

Here’s a look at the parade, captured by photographer Sam Amundson:

All photos by Sam Amundson: Sam is a freelance photographer specializing in sports, nature, portraiture, and photojournalism. He’s currently a junior at Two Rivers High School where he runs cross country and plays baseball. Sam lives in St. Paul, Minn., with his parents and sister.

Maps

Dakota County created maps for the event, featuring the Garlough loop (.4 miles), the West St. Paul route (5.2 miles), and the River-to-River route (15.3 miles). Whether you were able to make the event or not, check out the maps and plan your own ride:

Grab the PDF version and print your own for on the go.

Thank You

West St. Paul Rider is a partnership between West St. Paul Reader, the City of West St. Paul, and Dakota County. Big thank you to staff and volunteers who made this event happen. Thanks to Carolyn Swiszcz for creating the artwork and Sam Amundson for photographing the event.

Thanks to all the riders for coming out and exploring West St. Paul.

West St. Paul Reader provides neighborhood news supported by neighbors. Become a member today.