Jesse James Bike Tour, September 12, 2009 Starting times Get Away/100 mi. 6:30-8
Desperado/60 mi. 6:30-9
Shortcut/45 mi. 6:30-9
Posse/30 mi. 7:00-10
Townsfolk/10 mi. 8:00-10
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Minnesota’s traditional end of summer distance ride, the Jesse James Bike Tour (JJBT), will be held Saturday, September 12 in Northfield. Featuring 10, 30, 45, 60 and 100 mile routes, the tour traverses some of the most beautiful country in southern Minnesota, including the Sogn Valley, the Faribault lakes area, and rolling rural hills. Over 1300 riders participated in the 2008 event.
The JJBT is organized by the Northfield Rotary Club, and proceeds support the Mill Towns Trail and other local projects.
- Date: Saturday, September 12, 2009
- You can register and pay online via Active.com.
- REI Supports Young Riders: A gift from REI will allow registered riders under 18 years of age accompanied by an adult to ride for free! Thank you REI for encouraging young riders of the Jesse James Bike Tour!
- 10 mile route: ideal for families and recreational riders, features Catch the James-Younger Gang Game along the route with prizes for kids, organized by local Girl Scouts Troops.
- 30 mile route: some challenging hills and gorgeous views, runs by Northfield’s wind generator and the Big Woods State Park in Nerstrand.
- 45 mile route: this route combines the first half of the 60 mile route with the second half of the 30 mile route. Unforgettable biking!
- 60 and 100 mile routes: traverses some of the most beautiful country in southern Minnesota, including the Sogn Valley–a hidden gem, the Faribault lakes area, and rolling rural hills. Great tests! Exhilarating rides!
Route Maps:
- Meet Erik the Bikeman at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, September 12, as he saddles up for the 45 mile route of the Jesse James Bike Tour. Check the “Ride with Erik” box on the registration form to ride with Erik and receive a free gift from Erik’s.
- The Jesse James Gang will also be on hand to fire up riders for a group start at 8:30 a.m. (before their escape). Riders are free to begin riding at any time during the recommended departure windows, but to participate in the group start, be ready to go at 8:30.
- Register now! All riders, including riders under 18 who are riding free thanks to the support of REI, must be registered. All riders will receive registration bands to be worn during the JJ Bike Tour this year. Both MAIL-IN and ON-LINE registration now available at this link.
- Don’t forget your t-shirt order, and plan to spend time after the ride at Northfield’s Defeat of Jesse James Days.
Here’s our current list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):
- What are the start times?
- 100 mile: 6:30 am - 8:00 am
- 60 mile: 6:30 am - 9:00 am
- 45 mile: 7:00 am - 10:00 am
- 30 mile: 7:00 am - 10:00 am
- 10 mile: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
- Can I register the day of the ride?
- Yes, but it will be faster if you pre-register
- Are there rest stops?
- There are rest stops spaced along all routes.
- Is there SAG support?
- SAG vehicles will patrol all routes.
- Are there showers?
- There are showers available at the Start/End in the Middle School
- Where is the start and end of the tour?
Thank you to the over 1300 cyclists participating in the 2008 Jesse James Bike Tour. What a glorious day we shared!
If you would like to consider getting reprints of your photographs with “Jesse” click the link to photographer Scott Davis’s site.
If you have any comments on the Tour, lost objects at the Tour, or want to check up on a t-shirt order, contact Neil Lutsky at nlutsky@charter.net.
Thanks again for spending your day cycling in the Northfield, Minnesota area.
See the five dozen photos in the 2007 Jesse James Bike Tour photo album or this slideshow.
 Enjoy a refreshing massage from the Minnesota AMTA Sports Massage Team after the ride.
They will be located at the Northfield Middle School in the ‘Jesse James Massage Parlor’.
Hours: 10am - 5pm
Cost:
- $10 for 15 minutes
- $20 for 30 minutes
The Mill Towns Trail is the beneficiary of the Jesse James Bike Tour this year (see our Tour Beneficiaries page for more).
 
Last week, there was a groundbreaking for the new trailhead in Dundas with local civic officials and leaders doing the dirty work (left photo). In the right photo with Dundas mayor Chad Marks is sculptor Mac Gimse (left) who unveiled a scale model of his sculpture that will be placed near the trailhead. Thanks to Rotarian Ray Cox for the photos. See his blog post on the event for more.
  
The photos above are of the area to the south of Walgreen’s along the Hwy 3 bridge over the Cannon River where the Mill Towns Trail will pass over a new pedestrian bridge that’s going to be constructed this summer. Riverside Park is on the other side of the river. On the right, Rotarian Neil Lutsky (on the right in the photo) was a guest this week on Locally Grown, a local radio show/podcast, talking about the latest with the trail.
Click play to listen. 30 minutes.
 
We now have our Jesse James Bike Tour photo gallery up, and thus far it includes photo albums from the 2005 and 2006 tours, as well as our t-shirt archives going back to 1995.
 We’ve added a sidebar graphic link to the Jesse James Bike Tour registration on Active.com.
Sign up now and save!
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Photo Gallery 
Click photos from '06 Tour above to enlarge.
See all our photos in the 2005 and 2006 photo albums in the gallery. T-Shirt Photo Album 
See a photo album of all our t-shirts from years past Subscribe to Blog via RSS or email 
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