This Southern Minnesota motorcycle ride included an early morning stop at Church Hill Overlook on the Root River with a great view of the Lanesboro Stone Dam, constructed in 1868 with unmortared limestone blocks. (Photos by the author and Chad Cochran.)

Motorcyclists living in Minnesota experience long winters with plenty of time to think about roads we want to ride. It?s a sweet feeling when spring arrives and the bikes come out of hibernation.

My son, Chad, feels the same way. We kicked off the riding season with an overnight Minnesota motorcycle ride down the Great River Road (U.S. Route 61) on the western bank of the Mississippi River, through what is often referred to as Bluff Country. The area?s complex hilly terrain has been carved out over eons by the Mississippi and other waterways large and small.
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Minnesota?s Great River Road is a popular motorcycle route that offers epic beauty and a chance to visit towns along one of America?s most vital corridors of commerce. Starting in April with the annual ?Flood Run? charity ride, thousands of riders thunder up and down these roads and frequent the many small-town bars and restaurants along the way. I?ve been on many of these roads before, and I love riding old favorites and exploring new side routes.

Related: Exploring the Far North: A Northern Minnesota Motorcycle Ride

We left the Twin Cities early on a Saturday morning to beat traffic, and o...