Given the brevity of summer, we Minneapolitans like to savor it, get outdoors and enjoy the sunshine and fresh air. So, Skyway My Way created a series where each week we break out of the skyway and combine the awesome new NiceRideMN bikes with recommendations for a lunch get away, map included. Our first “Escape from the Skyway” kicks off with a 1.3 mile NiceRide to the Wienery.
You can pick up a NiceRide anywhere downtown (map). We got ours at the 3rd & 5th Street station. We followed the bike lane along 4th Street then hopped on the Hiawatha Bike Trail near the Metrodome.
We parked our NiceRide’s at the Cedar-Riverside rack just past the LRT station and walked a few blocks to The Wienery at 414 Cedar Avenue.
The Food
We ordered two lunches Combo style (hotdog + pop + fries = $5) and a breakfast (served all day):
- Polish Chicago style (Relish, onion, tomato, sport pep, pickle & celery salt)
- Briny Dog (kraut, pickle & spicy giardiniera sauce)
- #5 LandPhil (hashbrowns mixed w/ garlic, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, green peppers, broccoli & cheese w/Italian sausage $6.50)
Distance & Time
10 min. leisurely ride (don’t want to get sweaty) – 1.33 miles from 3rd & 5th Street to Cedar-Riverside LRT
5 min. walk – 1500 feet walk to the Wienery
15 min. to get there
30 min. to eat
15 min. to get back
Cost
$5 for the NiceRide
$5 for the lunch combo
$10 total
Tips for using NiceRideMN:
- Bring your credit card (some debit cards get rejected because they “hold” $250 in case you don’t return the bike)
- Type in the code using the “1,2,3” on the left side. They don’t appear to be buttons on first glance.
- Adjust your seat. Switch gears by turning the right handle grip. Ring the bell by turning the knob with your left thumb.
- Check your watch. NiceRide charges $5 for day use as long as each trip within the 24 hour period is 30 min or less (but you can take as many trips as you want within those 24 hours). If your trip takes longer than half an hour, minutes 31-60 cost an extra $1.50, 61-90 another $3, and every half hour after that costs $6. So, to avoid the extra fees, be sure to “dock” the bike within 30 min.
- Check availability online to make sure there are both bikes available and spots open to park them. Click on the bike icon and it will show you the number of bikes available and the number of open “docks” or parking spots (see screen shot below):
And, please, send us suggestions! Stay tuned for next week’s Escape from the Skyway.
