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It’s entirely possible that some of these youngsters in the North Branch bike rodeo (see photo left) will someday hit the bigger horizon for a bicycle tour of Minnesota, and beyond.   During the month of June they will have  two local opportunities, to see just who these long distance bike riders are and maybe even learn why they do what they do, as hundreds of bicyclists will be traveling through Chisago County in two special events.  

The MS 150 annual bike ride fundraiser is passing through North Branch this weekend-- June 8, 9 and 10. Riders will be on-the-road through North Branch, heading southbound into Wyoming and Forest Lake to finish at Century College in the White Bear Lake area, on Saturday.  

And, later this month during North Branch’s Mid-summer Days;  the former “Klobuchar Ride” now called the Tour of Minnesota,  is coming through North Branch June 17 with campgrounds based at the high school.

This tour leaves North Branch for  Moose Lake June 18,  then to Superior, where everybody gets a day of rest at Superior, Wisconsin. Then it’s on to Danbury and St Croix Falls...and back into the east side of Chisago County to finish in Stillwater June 23.

~ The MS Ride is a fundraiser and participants gather a minimum of pledges for support of the research and programming related to multiple sclerosis.  There are a variety of MS fundraising rides and this one goes from Duluth to the Twin Cities.

~ The Tour of Minnesota is an excursion by bike that riders pay $485 to enjoy and get meals, camping and support teams should there be bike repairs, etc.  This was first led by newspaper columnist Jim Klobuchar and began in 1974.  This one averages 56 miles per day.

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