8 minute read
Ready, set, bike
from The Lowdown
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CONTRIBUTED
The Stillwater Sunrise Rotary Club’s motto this year is “Rotary Opens Opportunities.” One of those opportunities is set for Sunday, Aug. 14. The Bridge the Valley Bike Rally will begin and end right on Chestnut Plaza; five different routes will be featured around the beautiful St. Croix Valley countryside. There will be fun for everyone, whether it be a short family ride, challenging longer rides or a secluded gravel ride. Not only will this ride be healthy and fun for all, 100% of the profits from the ride will support local nonprofits and projects as well as supplement grants for projects with worldwide impact. A complete list of projects is available upon request.
BY ELLA ROBERTS PRESS INTERN
The Bridge the Valley Bike Rally will begin and end right on Chestnut Plaza; five different routes will be featured around the beautiful St. Croix Valley countryside. There will be fun for everyone, whether it be a short family ride, challenging longer rides or a secluded gravel ride. Not only will this ride be healthy and fun for all, 100% of the profits from the ride will support local nonprofits and projects as well as supplement grants for projects with worldwide impact. A complete list of projects is available upon request. 2nd annual Bridge The Valley Bike Rally anticipates 50% increase in riders
After its debut last year, Sunset Valley Rotary’s Bridge the Valley Bike Rally fundraiser is coming back this year, Aug. 14 in Stillwater.
After last year’s successful turnout, Rotary members decided the fundraiser should become an annual event. Stillwater Sunrise Rotary President Rick Heidick said the St. Croix Valley is the perfect place to put on an event like this owing to the trails systems, county roads, spectacular views the St. Croix Valley has to offer and the many shops and restaurants downtown.
Riders can choose from five route options: 10-, 25-, 45- and 70-mile rides as well as a 75-mile Gravel Challenge. There are rides for all skill levels, and each route offers landscape views. All rides start and finish at Chestnut Plaza, immediately west of the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge. The event Support Hub is located just north of the bridge in North Lowell Park. Event information, day-of registration and a fenced and monitored bike corral will be available.
All roads and trails are blacktopped, with the exception of the Gravel Challenge ride. Riders can select just one loop from the progressively more challenging options or combine several to fit their age, ability and interest. All rides will be accessible on the innovative “Ride With GPS” app to help navigate the routes.
Heidick expects about a 50% increase in riders compared to last year, so organizers plan to make a few improvements to enhance riders’ experiences. This year, there will be an increased number of ride support and rest stops and a redesign of the 45-mile route. There also will be more entertainment options for riders after they complete their rides.
After riders complete their routes, they can expect a slice of watermelon and a free root beer or Lift Bridge beer. There will also be a celebration in Lowell Park for riders to enjoy not only live music but food vendors, a beer tent, event tents and more. Downtown Stillwater also has many shops and restaurants that riders may visit. There will be a bike corral where riders can secure their bikes after the race and go enjoy the festivities.
All proceeds from Bridge the Valley Bike Rally will go to supporting projects like STRIVE, a mentorship program for students at Stillwater High School with scholarships; The St. Croix Resource Center, a drop-in center serving homeless youth; the “End Polio Now” campaign and clean water projects in Nicaragua and Kenya; and many other programs. The more successful the event, the more financial assistance the Rotary can provide.
For more information on the event, visit https://sunrotary.org/page/ bridge-the-valley-bike-rally-homepage-2022
IF YOU GO
Registration
Adult: $40, 19 years and older Youth: $30, 6 to 18 years Family: $90, up to 2 adults & 5 total riders 5 years and under are free
Register online in advance at www. bikereg.com/bridge-the-valley. It’s highly recommended that you register online to simplify your day. Registration is also available on the day of the event. Registration/checkin closes at 10 a.m.
Location
Chestnut Plaza in Stillwater located just west of the approach to the historic Stillwater Lift Bridge. All routes start and finish there.
DESCRIPTION OF ROUTES
• 10-mile ride (10.6 miles, 483 ft total climb, two rest stops)
Ride creekside, lakeside and riverside
Check in / start 9-10 a.m. 25-mile ride (26.1 miles, 828 ft total climb, three rest stops)
Link rail trails, bike trails and loop trails
Check in / start 8:30-10 a.m. • 45-mile ride (44.4 miles, 1,631 ft total climb, three rest stops, one water stop)
Explore Wisconsin’s waterfowl areas beyond the St. Croix River
Loop Trail
Check in / start 8-9 a.m. • 70-mile ride (70 miles, 2,961 ft total climb, three rest stops, one water stop)
Tour small river towns via rolling
Minnesota and Wisconsin rural countryside
Check in / start 7-8 a.m. • 75-mile GRAVEL Challenge (73.5 miles, 3,355 ft total climb, three rest stops, two water stops)
Experience an epic dual-state social tour with bragging spurts
Check in / start 7-8 a.m.
MONTHLY WEATHER OUTLOOK
Weather Tidbit: The weather has certainly monopolized many conversations this summer. If we’re not talking about the heat, we’re talking about the lack of precipitation. The signs of lack of rainfall can be seen everywhere, especially in our lawns. If you have a sprinkler system, your lawn probably looks pretty good; otherwise it might be like mine--brown, hard and crispy. I do have some green where I have shade. Since June 1 I’ve totaled 1.44 inches. In a normal June and July, we total 9.39 inches. I’m 7.95 inches drier than normal. June was my driest I have recorded, dating back to 1967! June and July 2021 was also very dry, 4.27 inches, but we bounced back in a big way in August with 6.51 inches. Could it be déjà vu all over again? All it would take is a slight drop in the jet stream. Just to our north they’ve had plenty of rain. I think it could happen. The lack of rain has meant events have gone on as scheduled. It’s been great getting out and about. I’ve been enjoying the heat as dew points have yet to rise well into the 70’s. For August, expect temperature trends above normal and a rebound in rainfall. AREA NORMALS FOR THE MONTH
August 1 to 6 Avg. High……83 Avg. Low…… 63 Sunshine…… 70 % Daylight Hours Precipitation 0.95
August 14 to 20 Avg. High……80 Avg. Low…….61 Sunshine….…70 % Daylight Hours Precipitation 0.86 Aug 28 to Sep 3 Avg. High……78 Avg. Low…… 58 Sunshine…… 64 % Daylight Hours Precipitation 1.00
August 7 to 13 Avg. High……81 Avg. Low…… 62 Sunshine…… 69 % Daylight Hours Precipitation 0.90
August 21 to 27 Avg. High……79 Avg. Low…… 61 Sunshine…… 67 % Daylight Hours Precipitation 1.07
Brought to you by WeathermanWatson.com
Celebration
Phoebe Schmidt (FLHS ‘16) recently celebrated her class of 2020 graduation from New York University with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism. The in-person commencement ceremony, held on May 18th, 2022 at Yankee Stadium, was delayed by two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Schmidt is now working as an
Account Executive at BerlinRosen’s New York City headquarters, where she consults industry clients in public affairs, media relations and campaign strategy. Previously, she worked as a Junior Associate in global public affairs at Weber Shandwick. 744433
BUSINESS BRIEF
First Resource Bank to acquire Lake Area Bank
Ameri Financial Group Inc. recently announced it has signed an agreement with Waseca Bancshares Inc. to acquire the charter of Waseca Bancshares’ subsidiary, Lake Area Bank, in Lindstrom, Minnesota. Ameri Financial Group is purchasing the Lake Area Bank offices in Lindstrom and Forest Lake and will merge them into its subsidiary, First Resource Bank. Lake Area Bank’s other offices are not part of the deal.
This acquisition is the most recent move First Resource Bank has taken on its trajectory of growth in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. In 2017, Ameri Financial purchased First Resource Bank in Lino Lakes and in April 2018, the organization merged its subsidiary, Eagle Valley Bank in Stillwater, into First Resource Bank. In 2019, the bank expanded with a new branch in Minneapolis. Over the last five years, the organization’s assets have increased by $260 million. The bank had $400 million in assets as of June 30, 2022. After the deal closes, the expanded institution will have approximately $480 million in assets, and the number of offices will increase to six.
Originally chartered as Security State Bank of Lindstrom, Lake Area Bank has been serving east-central Minnesota since 1915. The bank was acquired by its current owners, the Erickson family, in 1985 when the bank had $25 million in assets. It added branches in White Bear Lake (1989), Forest Lake (1994) and Hugo (2001), and it adopted its current name in 1992.
