BAM Bike Tour Camping at Sylvan Park in Lanesboro

Close to 200 bikers passed by my office at the Lanesboro Visitor Center today. They were with the Bicycling Around Minnesota – BAM Tour Group.  They biked the Root River State Bike Trail and camped at Lanesboro’s Sylvan Park .  One BAM biker commented, “Lanesboro is known for its hospitality and Minnesota nice attitude”.  BAM Tour is a bicycle ride showcasing the scenic bicycle routes around Minnesota including the Scenic Bikeways of MN. 

Tour de Revs, Bishop Usgaard & Lynette

3 Guys, 1 Bike, 100 Days, 13,000 miles, 65 Cities – On a Mission to Fight World Hunger

Revs custom made triplet bike

Today I met three Lutheran pastors riding one custom made bamboo bicycle built for three on the Root River State Bike Trail in Lanesboro, Minnesota!  They call themselves Tour de Revs…they are on a mission to raise awareness and donations for domestic and world hunger.  Bishop Huck & Lynette Usgaard joined the Revs from Houston, MN to Lanesboro today.  They enjoyed a picnic lunch at Lanesboro’s Sylvan Park and shared their stories and mission.  Tour de Revs began their trip May 13 and have 5 days remaining to their final destination in Minneapolis.

 The Art of Good Fortune  Artist: Erik Pearson

 Acrylic Paintings Inspired by Messages in Fortune Cookies

Artist: Erik Pearson

Aug 7, 2009

We adore the works by Erik Pearson on exhibit at the Cornucopia Art Center in Lanesboro, Minnesota.  The arts are alive in Lanesboro!  We enjoy browsing the galleries, studios and museums where area artists and historians display their one-of-a-kind pieces.

‘Art of Good Fortune’  features acrylic paintings by Erik Pearson, inspired by messages in fortune cookies.  Erik was born and raised in Superior, Wis.  He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, with emphasis in painting, from the University of Wisconsin-Superior.  In 2001, he was awarded the first Artist in Residence of Cornucopia Art Center, where he taught a community drawing class, gave art presentations in the local school and worked on a series of paintings. He promptly quit his job to pursue art full-time and has never regretted it! 

Commonweal Theatre production Odd Couple

We love visiting Lanesboro, Minnesota because in addition to offering invigorating outdoor activities, unique shopping, fine dining and B & Bs, we enjoy the rich artistic experiences and live professional theater at the Commonweal! Since 1989, the professional artists of the Commonweal Theatre have brought to life soulful stories told with honesty and creativity.

You must see both of these productions at the Commonweal!

May 15 through Oct 23, the Odd Couple is on stage in the theatre. Felix Ungar, neurotic fusspot news writer, and Oscar Madison, slovenly sports journalist, attempt to adapt to each other’s idiosyncrasies while trying to rekindle their social lives. In this classic comedy, Neil Simon gives us the story of a friendship that defies all odds.

June 19 through Oct 24, the Rainmaker by Richard Nash is on the theatre stage. Living on a farm stifled by drought, Lizzie has resigned herself to a solitary life —until a charismatic con-man named Starbuck comes promising rain. This 1950s American fable teaches us how love can overcome cynicism in the most tired of souls, and can bloom in the most barren of landscapes.

The 2009 Minnesota Legislative Session ended with a new designation for Lanesboro. A senate resolution recognizing Lanesboro as the Bed and Breakfast Capital of Minnesota was proclaimed.  On July 6, 2009,  Senator Sharon Erickson Ropes and Representative Greg Davids presented the official proclamation.  The group visited many of the Bed and Breakfasts that give Lanesboro this unique designation via Molley the Trolley. 

With 15 Bed and Breakfasts in Lanesboro, and the immediate surrounding area, there is a great display of architecture, including Victorian homes, craftsman homes, and new homes.  Innkeepers extend their Minnesota hospitality to today’s traveler and offer a unique experience in their comfortable and nationally recognized B&Bs.  Breakfasts are delightful in every inn and have their own claims to fame!  Try all of them and see what you like best!

By Laura Gossman Horihan, Post-Bulletin, Rochester MN

Lanesboro Local Ribbon Cutting

Members of Lanesboro Local, a nonprofit organization that focuses on connecting local producers with local sellers, have found a home in downtown Lanesboro. The group has transformed a former gas station on the corner of Parkway Avenue and Fillmore County Road 8 into a marketplace where members can showcase their products and crafts. “We are working hard to become licensed to carry local foods, and you will soon see direct sales by farmers and others,” member Nancy Martinson said. “We just organized this spring, and it has been thrilling to see the enthusiastic participation by so many members and volunteers. The Marketplace is just getting started, and we hope shoppers will visit often as the Lanesboro Local idea unfolds.” read more about Lanesboro Local 

Lanesboro, Minnesota…the Art of Living Well!

Biking in Lanesboro, Minnesota

6-25-09

The Lanesboro, Minnesota Visitor Center is entering the Blog World to share our stories and experiences from locals and visitors alike.   Our historic village of 788 people is nestled in the Bluffs of the Root River Valley in southeastern Minnesota.  We are a community with no chain stores, fast food franchises or stoplights!   We enjoy locally grown foods, wine, art and culture.

Tom & Nancy (Minneapolis MN) enjoyed the spectacular, paved Root River State Bike Trail tandem-style! They shared their thoughts on their biking experience with the staff at the Lanesboro Visitor Center: “Our visits to Lanesboro have been like short stays in Eden. The accommodations are distinctive and gracious, as are the inn-keepers, and the Root River Trail takes you through not a garden of our making. It is our special getaway from the Twin Cities.”