Day trip: Ride along the Cambridge-Isanti Bike Trail

Take a day-trip up to Isanti County, Minn. and check out the Cambridge-Isanti Bike Trail. It runs from the soccer fields on the north side of Isanti to the southern edge of Cambridge. With the toddler in a bike seat and the 5-year-old in a carrier on a super windy summer day, it took us about 1/2 hour to traverse the trail one-way.

Tailgating at the soccer fields

We made sure to stop at the Congressman Oberstar overlook midway to appreciate the bogwalk.

You'll go through corn fields, wooded areas and swamp. Enjoy the wildflowers, butterflies and songbirds.

First we enjoyed nature's sweet treat: raspberries along the path!

DQ is at 8th and Main Street in Cambridge

At the edge of town, we kinda lost the trail, but proceeded on roads until we wound up at Dairy Queen at 8th and Main Street. It was a great treat midway. If we would have had more time, we would have headed over to the Rum River Park to run around on the playground.

After working for the newspaper in Isanti County for 10 years, I'd followed the drive to install the bike trail between these sister towns, and it was very exciting for me to finally see the finished product and bicycle along it. It was bittersweet to realize that one of the main supporters, Congressman Oberstar, had died a few months earlier. I wonder if they'll change the plaque to honor him in a larger way on the bogwalk. His support was instrumental in getting federal money to help build the trail, which had been a dream of the Cambridge and Isanti school children for 25 years. (Read story in Isanti County News about the opening.)

In Isanti, maybe you'll be able to catch a soccer game. The BMX track and new cablewakeboarding are also pretty close, as is the playground at Bluebird Park. If you find you need another sweet treat, they make great pies at the Creamery in downtown Isanti (104 W Main St.)!