Originally built more than a century ago, Seven Bridges Road parallels and crosses Amity Creek, which cascades down a series of waterfalls for 400 vertical feet. This road was a highlight of this Minnesota motorcycle ride.
A couple summers ago, I flew to Minneapolis for a CFMOTO press launch and to visit our parent company’s home office. When CFMOTO gave me the key to a 650 ADVentura and let me loose for a day, I made a beeline north to Duluth to pay a visit to my friend Andy Goldfine and tour the Aerostich factory and store.
It was a hot, muggy morning when I left the hotel in a northern suburb of Minneapolis and made my way to Interstate 35. The 160-mile ride to Duluth took a little over two hours, and along the way, being in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, I passed countless billboards for fishing boats, fishing lakes, fish camps, and marinas. I also caught the edges of two rainstorms, which cooled me off in my mesh jacket and riding jeans. But as I-35 descended a steep hill toward downtown Duluth, the temperature dropped into the mid‑50s due to the cooling effect of Lake Superior. By the time I pulled into Aerostich’s parking lot, my teeth were chattering.
Skyline Parkway provides unparalleled views of downtown Duluth and Lake Superior.
Andy Goldfine has visited the Rider offices several times over the years, but I’d never been to the Aerostich factory before, so to get a personal tour by none other than Mr. Subjective himself was a real honor. After seeing the factory, Andy gave me the nickel tour of Duluth, and we had lunch at a cozy Italian eatery called Va Bene, where I warmed up with meatball soup and coffee.
Before we parted, Andy took pity on me for being cold and gave me an Aerostich waterproof/windproof innershell to wear under my mesh jacket. He also suggested I check out Skyline Parkway, a scenic byway that runs several hundred feet above downtown Duluth and provides excellent views of the city and Lake Superior.
The series of stone arch bridges along Seven Bridges Road are a delight to behold.
I rode north along the lakeshore to Lester Park, where the Parkway begins on Occidental Boulevard as it goes due north along Amity Creek, ascending 400 feet as it follows and crosses a long cascade of waterfalls. In less than half a mile, the road crosses the creek, and its name becomes Seven Bridges Road. (The Steve Young song “Seven Bridges Road,” which was later covered by the Eagles and Dolly Parton, is about a street in Montgomery, Alabama.) Incidentally, the first bridge on Seven Bridges Road isn’t one of the eponymous seven; it’s designated “Bridge 0.”
Originally built more than a century ago, Seven Bridges Road parallels and crosses Amity Creek, which cascades down a series of waterfalls for 400 vertical feet.
Construction of Skyline Parkway began in 1889 along a plateau that was once the gravel shoreline of an ancient glacial lake that predates Lake Superior. Ten years later, a local land developer named Samuel F. Snively began construction of Seven Bridges Road. The original bridges were built in the early 1900s, but nearly all have been rebuilt in the past few decades, and each of the stone arch bridges is a work of civil engineering art.
The northern part of Skyline Parkway is a gravel road that passes through the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. The wooden platform behind the sign is a bird observatory.
At the end of Seven Bridges Road, the Parkway takes a sharp left and turns to gravel as it enters the Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve. Several hiking trails branch off from the road, and the Hawk Ridge Bird Observatory is a popular place to watch raptor migrations.
The Parkway turns to pavement again as it meanders through a residential area. Riders must stay vigilant for the Parkway signs since several turns are required to stay on course. After crossing Chester Creek, the Parkway continues to wind through neighborhoods. Soon the houses on the lakeside of the road disappear, and riders are treated to expansive views of Lake Superior, downtown Duluth, and just across Saint Louis Bay, the neighboring city of Superior, Wisconsin.
The Hawk Ridge Nature Reserve is a wooded area crisscrossed with trails.
After passing Twin Ponds, Skyline Parkway runs along the edge of a golf course, goes over U.S. Route 53, and crosses several creeks before passing through wooded parkland. The scenery and views are pleasant the entire way. I jumped off the Parkway when it crossed I-35 to get back to Minneapolis, but it continues on the south side of the freeway, winding through the Magney‑Snively Natural Area before ending at Becks Road.
Overlooking downtown Duluth, the harbor, and – in the distance – Superior, Wisconsin.
If you plan to visit the Aerostich factory or will pass through Duluth during a Lake Superior Circle Tour or other Minnesota motorcycle ride, I highly recommend adding Skyline Parkway to your itinerary. Due to the icy winters in Duluth, parts of the Skyline Parkway are closed seasonally, so plan accordingly.
This Southern Minnesota motorcycle ride included an early morning stop at Church Hill Overlook on the Root River with a great view of the Lanesboro Stone Dam, constructed in 1868 with unmortared limestone blocks. (Photos by the author and Chad Cochran.)
Motorcyclists living in Minnesota experience long winters with plenty of time to think about roads we want to ride. It’s a sweet feeling when spring arrives and the bikes come out of hibernation.
My son, Chad, feels the same way. We kicked off the riding season with an overnight Minnesota motorcycle ride down the Great River Road (U.S. Route 61) on the western bank of the Mississippi River, through what is often referred to as Bluff Country. The area’s complex hilly terrain has been carved out over eons by the Mississippi and other waterways large and small.
Minnesota’s Great River Road is a popular motorcycle route that offers epic beauty and a chance to visit towns along one of America’s most vital corridors of commerce. Starting in April with the annual “Flood Run” charity ride, thousands of riders thunder up and down these roads and frequent the many small-town bars and restaurants along the way. I’ve been on many of these roads before, and I love riding old favorites and exploring new side routes.
We left the Twin Cities early on a Saturday morning to beat traffic, and our first stop on this Minnesota motorcycle ride was the town of Hastings, which serves as a gateway to Bluff Country. The Hastings Riverwalk is a relatively new paved trail that connects to a 10-mile walking and biking loop along the Mississippi and Vermillion rivers. You can’t miss the towering Hastings Bridge, various sculptures along the waterfront, and the original footings of the Spiral Bridge, which was built in 1895 and dismantled in 1951.
The Hastings Riverwalk, with great views of bridges, boats, and scenery along the Mississippi, is a great place to stop.
East of Hastings, we continued south on the Ravenna Trail, one of the great lesser-traveled roads that tracks closely to the Mississippi River. We took the trail to the Prairie Island Indian Reservation and Treasure Island Casino, which boasts a 788-room hotel and Vegas-style casino attracting top entertainers. Resisting the temptation for easy money, we pushed on to rejoin U.S. 61.
Our next stop was Red Wing, a town established in the 1850s to support steamboats moving up the Mississippi River toward vast available farmland. By 1873, Red Wing was a leading wheat producer, but it was eventually surpassed by Minneapolis where larger flour mills were built. Today the town is perhaps best known as the home of legendary boot maker Red Wing Shoes. The downtown St. James Hotel was founded in 1875 and has hosted U.S. presidents, Mark Twain, and other luminaries. Downhill from the hotel is the historic train station, which has old wooden benches and period signage on the walls. I could sit there all day watching the river roll by.
Continuing south, we visited Lake City, which sits on a wide stretch of the Mississippi called Lake Pepin, the birthplace of waterskiing. The lake was once a water highway used by Native Americans, and there are burial mounds and settlement ruins located nearby. Today, you’ll see raw materials being moved in barges and recreationists enjoying themselves in sailboats and ski boats.
Towering above both sides of Lake Pepin are distinctive limestone bluffs and tree-covered rock formations. With such unique scenery, it’s a challenge to keep your eyes on the road ahead. One minute you are feeling the heat from the tarmac and gazing up at high bluffs, and the next you’re ripping through dense maple forests enjoying the cool air and earthy smells. For golf lovers, the Lake Pepin Golf Course has 12 holes laid out atop the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River Valley.
The bustling river town of Red Wing has many historic buildings, including the St. James Hotel, the old iron works, and the train station.
We arrived at the next small town on our route, Reads Landing, just in time for lunch. This was once considered as a potential capital city for Minnesota due to its booming lumber trade and strategic location on the Mississippi and Chippewa rivers. Reads Landing Brewing Company occupies an old red-brick building with an outdoor patio overlooking the river. It has a full menu and was a great place to cool off and relax.
Adding to the Great River Road’s natural beauty is an abundance of birds soaring overhead. The National Eagle Center in Wabasha houses permanently injured bald eagles and provides an opportunity for people to see these majestic creatures up close.
Lake Pepin has beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities, and it was the birthplace of water skiing.
As we continued south, we approached Winona, a vibrant college town that’s home to the Minnesota Marine Art Museum, which is located right on the river and exhibits artwork inspired by water. With a variety of dining and lodging options, recreational opportunities, live music, festivals, and shopping, Winona is a great destination for an overnight stay or weekend getaway.
Southeast of Winona, on County Road 7, is Pickwick Mill, one of the oldest flour mills in Minnesota, built in the mid-1850s. The mill was named by the area’s first postmaster, who was a fan of Charles Dickens and his novel The Pickwick Papers. During the Civil War, it produced 100 barrels of flour per day for the Union army.
After returning to U.S. 61 and riding along the Mississippi to La Crescent, we turned west on the Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway (State Route 16). Even away from the river, bluff topography continues with hills and cliffs creating the winding roads we all live for. Through the towns of Hokah, Houston, and Rushford, we paralleled the Root River and the Root River State Trail, a rails-to-trails bike path linking the towns of Houston and Fountain.
After nearly 50 miles on the byway, we arrived in Lanesboro, an art, entertainment, and recreational hub where we spent the night. We stayed at the historic Hotel Lanesboro, which was built in 1872 from local limestone and is on the National Registry of Historic Places. Formerly a boarding house called Mrs. B’s, it once hosted Buffalo Bill and Doc Powell. The hotel is right on the main street with many good restaurants nearby. We had a tasty dinner at the Pedal Pushers Cafe, a nod to the many bicyclists who ride the state trail.
Overlooking Lake Pepin on the Mississippi River, one of many scenic stops on this southern Minnesota motorcycle ride.
My Harley is much louder than Chad’s Royal Enfield, and I felt guilty breaking the morning silence as we headed to the towns of Preston and Harmony. This area is Amish country, and it wasn’t long before we saw our first horse and buggy. Friendly and always good for a wave, the Amish are an interesting subculture. There are about 1,000 Amish in Harmony, and you can take tours to learn more about their way of life and visit shops with baked goods, furniture, and more.
Seeing a horse with buggy tied up at a local convenience store, I pulled a quick turn to stop and take a picture. Soon two young ladies with bonnets saw me as I attempted to pocket my phone, not wanting to look like a gawking tourist. They wished me a good morning as they untied their horse and climbed aboard to clip-clop down the road.
Harmony is also home to Niagara Cave, where you can take a tour 200 feet below the surface. It’s well worth it for this mile-long underground hike to see the various rock formations and even a subterranean wedding chapel.
We continued south on U.S. Route 52 to Prosper, a stone’s throw from Iowa, where we headed east and then north on State Route 44 to Caledonia, picking up State Route 76, which has twisties so enjoyable that we rode some sections twice. SR-76 took us north most of the way back to Winona, where we backtracked north on U.S. 61 to Wabasha. We then turned west on State Route 60 and joined a pack of bikers thundering in the same direction. Alongside the road is a lone sentinel, a skeleton biker that’s a reminder to keep the rubber side down.
The Historic Bluff Country National Scenic Byway (State Route 16) parallels the Root River and goes through small towns on its way from La Crescent to Lanesboro.
As we left the river and Bluff Country behind, the terrain flattened out as we made our way to Zumbrota, home of Minnesota’s last remaining functional covered bridge. Spanning the Zumbro River, the 116-feet-long, 15-feet-wide bridge was built in 1869 and looks like a long, red barn.
We rode northwest to Northfield, where in 1876, Jesse James and the James-Younger gang rode into town to rob the First National Bank. Facing pistols, the bank clerk refused to open the safe and was shot to death. Townsfolk retaliated, resulting in a shootout that killed another resident and a couple of gang members. The gang was pursued for 400 miles over the following weeks, eventually being captured in Madelia, Minnesota. Jesse James escaped, but his luck ran out when he was killed in 1882 by one of his own men hoping to collect a $10,000 reward.
We rode west to Henderson, which sits along the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway, another favorite road. Henderson is an old river town with a historic downtown district that’s a fun place to visit.
Our Minnesota motorcycle ride through Bluff Country and along the Great River Road and other scenic byways gave us a taste of the history, beauty, and variety of southern Minnesota. The roads showcase some of the best riding, relaxing, and motorcycle-friendly places the state has to offer.
John Alger rides the historic U.S. Route 66 from Chicago, Illinois, to Amarillo, Texas, on his kickstart-only 1978 Yamaha SR500.
Dubbed the “Mother Road” by John Steinbeck in The Grapes of Wrath and known as “Main Street USA,” U.S. Route 66 will celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2026. No other road in America had such an impact on growth, migration, transportation, and popular culture. During the Great Depression and the horrific Dust Bowl of the 1930s, Route 66 was a paved pathway to a better life, transporting tens of thousands of people from the heartland to the West.
Map of Route 66 courtesy of Encyclopedia Brytannica
Right after WWII, my Uncle Don traveled from California to his hometown of Springfield, Illinois, using much of Route 66 and riding a kickstart, air-cooled, single-cylinder AJS. As I pondered my own journey on the Mother Road, it seemed fitting to attempt it on my 1978 Yamaha SR500, which is also an air-cooled, kickstart Single. Over the years, I have owned several Yamahas, but the SR500 has been my preferred ride for its light weight, effortless cornering ability, competent disc brakes, and simple but elegant design. I like it so much, I own two.
The author’s 1978 Yamaha SR500 on Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
For my trip, I chose the one with 30,000 miles on the odometer. Except for upgraded brake hoses, it was bone stock. To get it ready for my Route 66 adventure, I gave it a complete engine and chassis overhaul, as well as a 535cc big bore kit, an oil cooler, and a SuperTrapp exhaust. I retained the stock air box and K&N air filter but re-jetted it as required. The new chain and sprockets were one tooth larger on the countershaft, which lowered cruising rpms and resulted in a mostly vibration-free ride.
The SR500 also has a no-frills CDI ignition system with a strong charging system, allowing me to keep my cellphone and Bluetooth full of juice, and a centerstand, a must-have for daily chain lubrication and fixing flat tires (I had one).
U.S. Route 66 begins in Chicago, Illinois, within sight of the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower).
Since Route 66 starts in Chicago, I transported my bike from my hometown of Merritt Island, Florida, in my Chevy van. The first day of riding started in Chicago rush-hour traffic on the Kennedy Expressway, which was undergoing road construction, but after stop-and-go for two hours in record heat, I was rewarded with the U.S. 66 “Begin” sign at the corner of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue across from The Art Institute of Chicago. Just a few blocks away is the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower), and a few blocks farther is the famous Lou Mitchell’s restaurant, which is over 100 years old and served a great breakfast to start my trip.
Lou Mitchell’s is a legendary eatery in downtown Chicago.
Aside from the sweltering temperatures and humidity of August, Chicago’s beautiful residential areas and parks made the short trip to the suburbs quite pleasant. The first 100 miles of Route 66 is known as the Heritage Corridor, which also includes towns along the Illinois & Michigan Canal, which connected Lake Michigan to the Illinois River, and Starved Rock State Park. In Cicero, I stopped to see one of Al Capone’s houses. In Berwyn, I checked out the world’s largest laundromat, which is over 13,000 square feet and even has a bird aviary, and I also passed by one of the oldest-operating White Castle restaurants.
Dick’s on 66 is located in Joliet, Illinois.
Traveling south, I found a neat roadside display in the town of Joliet called Dick’s on 66, an old towing shop decorated with several vintage vehicles and a patch of bricks purportedly from the original Route 66. Across the street is a restored gas pump and ice-cream shop. Joliet is also the home of the state prison and was featured in the 1980 movie The Blues Brothers.
In Wilmington, Illinois, I cooled down with a sundae at the Route 66 Creamery and spotted the first of five “giants” I would see on my trip: a Sinclair dinosaur on the roof of G&D Tire Company.
Route 66 Creamery is in Wilmington, Illinois.
For this trip, I tried to take the oldest sections possible of Route 66, and Illinois had them clearly marked. Some sections of road looked more like abandoned driveways, with weeds growing through cracks in the concrete. My little SR500 was perfect for this kind of duty.
One of the few remaining Muffler Men is located in Wilmington, Illinois. The bright green Gemini Giant holds a silver rocket and was named in honor of the Gemini space program of the 1960s.
In Towanda is Dead Man’s Curve, a sharp curve that caught many drivers unaware and was the site of numerous accidents from the 1920s to the 1950s. There’s even a preserved series of Burma Shave signs that say: Around the curve / lickety-split / beautiful car / wasn’t it? I had a 25-plus mph headwind for most of that first day, and it felt as if I was riding into a blow drier. My first night was spent at the Ghost Hollow Lodge in Chandlerville, Illinois, where I fortified myself with a dinner of venison and fresh veggies.
On the second day, I stopped in Springfield to cool down with an iced tea at Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill, which also has a museum and gaming room. Just south of Springfield in Carlinville, my fun was interrupted by a flat tire. I had packed tools, tire irons, a portable compressor, and a tube patch kit, but my tube was too badly mangled by the nail. Scott McDaniels of S&S ATV came to the rescue by delivering a new tube (at no charge), a local resident across the street brought me ice water, and the local city hall allowed me to do the work on the north side of their office in the shade on the concrete. It just goes to show how kind strangers can be when you are in a bind.
The Old Chain of Rocks Bridge is located in Granite City, Illinois.
The repair set me back almost four hours, and I had to bypass many of the Route 66 sights from Carlinville to St. Charles, Missouri, where I stayed with friends. The following day, I unloaded my luggage and backtracked to Granite City, Illinois, to see the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The mile-long bridge was part of the original Route 66 from 1936 to 1965 and allowed motor vehicles to cross the Mississippi River from Illinois to Missouri. It features a 30-degree turn partway through. I had gone over this bridge in a car as a kid before it was decommissioned in 1968. It is now only open to foot traffic and bicycles.
The 630-foot Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri, was completed in 1965.
While in St. Louis, I also went up into the 630-foot Gateway Arch, which was completed in 1965. It is now part of the National Park Service, and with recent remodeling and upgrades, it’s a not-to-miss experience. I also visited the National Museum of Transportation on the west side of St. Louis. This may be one of the best transportation museums in the country and has the only remaining GM Aerotrains. It also has a running Chrysler Turbine Car like the one at the Henry Ford Museum in Michigan.
A Chrysler Turbine Car at the National Museum of Transportation in St. Louis.
After getting my luggage loaded back on the SR500, my next stop was Times Beach, Missouri. Route 66 used to cross the Meramec River there, and the remnants of the bridge are still there, along with a Route 66 State Park. I met some folks from Europe riding Route 66 on rented Harleys, and they were aghast that I was attempting to make the same trip on my antique bike with no GPS navigation and only an EZ66 guide in my tankbag.
Remnants of the Route 66 bridge in Times Beach, Missouri.
Times Beach was the site of the second largest EPA Superfund site due to a local contractor spraying dioxin on the dirt roads for dust control. All the buildings were bought by the EPA and leveled, and it’s currently considered a ghost town. West of Times Beach is the Meramec Caverns, where I ran into my new European friends again. My bike would do roughly 100 miles per tank of fuel, which coincided with my body’s need to stand up and stretch out a bit and suck down a cold beverage.
A group of Europeans riding Route 66 on rented Harleys stopped at the Route Route 66 State Park in Missouri.
I stayed at the KOA in Springfield, Missouri, that night and rented a cabin. I had planned on renting a primitive campsite, but for only about $40 more, I got an air-conditioned cabin, lights, electricity, a mattress, a table, and a TV. It was a bargain!
Along the way in Missouri are a few museums and stops such as a replica 1930s Sinclair station called Gary’s Gay Parita in Ash Grove, Missouri, where the sign reads “Gas Wars” and advertises fuel at 15 cents per gallon. Another sign reads “Kendal, your 2,000 mile oil!” We have certainly come a long way!
A replica 1930s Sinclair gas station called Gary’s Gay Parita in Ash Grove, Missouri.
Shortly after the Sinclair station on the Old Route 66 trail, I crossed an old truss bridge that crossed over Johnson Creek in Spencer, Missouri. Like the old sections of Route 66 in Illinois, this section looked like an abandoned road going into the backwoods. It was beautiful.
Only 13 miles of Route 66 pass through Kansas.
Kansas only has a very short 13-mile section of the Old Route 66 path, and if you take that, you are blessed with crossing one of the few remaining Marsh Arch bridges left in the country – and the only remaining one on Route 66, this one having been built in the early 1900s.
The Rainbow Curve Bridge was built in 1923. It’s the only remaining Marsh Arch bridge on Route 66.
Oklahoma likely has the most Route 66 sites of any state. After the road was decommissioned by the federal government for use as a federal highway, Oklahoma named it State Road 66. It’s easy to follow, although I did manage to miss a sign and ride maybe 50 miles off course. The best Route 66 Museum is in Clinton, Oklahoma. It covers the initial planning and construction of the route, along with different scenes of Americana, a video of the Dust Bowl, and more.
Buck Atom, a 21-foot-tall space cowboy in Tulsa, Oklahoma, is one of the iconic Muffler Men of Route 66.
There are more giant statues to be seen as you pass through Oklahoma, including Buck Atom, the 21-foot-tall space cowboy in Tulsa holding a rocket. Tulsa also has a cool park downtown called the Cyrus Avery Centennial Plaza that has three tall old neon motel signs relocated there from the early days of Route 66. Further south is a Route 66 village with an old train, a gas station, and an oil derrick.
Route 66 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
The last section of Route 66 I rode in Oklahoma was a mostly abandoned concrete road that paralleled Interstate 40, but you could tell it was part of the original route. How many mostly abandoned four-lane concrete highways going into nowhere with no traffic do you see? At one point, I thought I was off-track, but then I saw the Texas state sign and the familiar white outlined Route 66 logo painted on the road.
In Texas, much of Route 66 is access highways on either side of the interstate, which worked just fine for my trusty mule since I could travel at more relaxed speeds in the intense heat. Along the way, you pass by the Leaning (water) Tower of Britten in Groom, Texas, and Amarillo gives you the Cadillac Ranch.
Cadillac Ranch is located in Amarillo, Texas.
After visiting the Cadillac Ranch, I stopped at a KOA, and when I tried to start my bike again, it didn’t fire up. It turned out to be an issue with the ignition system, and despite having the parts from my other SR500 shipped to me to attempt a repair, it didn’t take. I cut my trip short and loaded the bike in the back of a Penske truck and headed back east.
In spite of a flat tire, intense heat and humidity, and an ignition failure, this was the most fun I can recall in most of my life. In retrospect, I should have tried making this trip on a newer bike, but part of the fun was riding a kickstart antique.
If you are considering riding this road, I would suggest waiting until 2026 for the 100-year anniversary since I heard plans in various towns along the way for some centennial events, so it should be even better.
