Cycling Race in Lowertown

Living in Lowertown St. Paul offers entertainment right outside our door some days, especially during the summer. Every day we can watch the barges move down the river. Soon Cirque du Soleil will be setting up in the parking lot across the street. During the week we enjoy music in the park (next weekend is a jazz fest in Mears Park). And then there is always the Farmer's Market just down the street.

The first stage of the Minnesota Bicycle Festival took place this past Wednesday night in Lowertown St. Paul...the cyclists raced around Mears Park and right in front of Lowertown Commons (our old apartment building). It's the third year that I've caught this race...even if you're not a cycling fanatic it's hard not to get caught up in it when it's happening just outside your door. There was actually 2 races--a women's event as well as a men's event. Both races lasted about an hour. Weather was great this year. I managed to shoot a little video on my camera. This is from the last 10 minutes of the men's race (the video is only about 30 seconds) Note the gap between the 4 leaders and the rest of the pack.