When you think of Minnesota, you might think of rivers that twist and wind through prairies that are otherwise flat as lefse. You might think of the north country and canoeing, of old railway beds and endless vistas and inline skates. But it's a good guess you don't conjure up images of steep, rocky mountains--those bouncy places that attract that strange breed of athlete known as the mountain biker. So imagine how happy we were to learn that in the June 2001 issue of Mountain Bike Magazine, Minneapolis was named one of "The 10 Best U.S. Cities for Mountain Bikers." The Minnesota River Bottoms trail is a big reason why. A single-track trail that winds through forest alongside the Minnesota River in Bloomington, the River Bottoms is best approached at the old Cedar Avenue Bridge, near Fort Snelling. Traveling its route, you will encounter intermediate-level hills and sand dunes, fallen tree branches and clothesline overhangs, and lots of the mud and muck that is the bread and butter of the tried-and-true mountain biker. Along the way, there are pleasant views of the river and a high potential for meeting up with fauna.