ST. PAUL, Minn. – On the eve of motorcyclists’ annal Spring Flood Run up and down Mississippi River roadways, the Minnesota State Patrol cautioned bikers and motorists to take safety into their own hands.
>To motorists: Watch for motorcycles. Look twice before entering roadways, turning left, or changing lanes. Give riders room by maintaining a three-second following distance. Check blind spots
> To bikers: Be prepared for inattentive drivers. Focus on riding. Keep your speed in check. Maintain a two-second following distance. Wear a DOT-approved helmet and bright protective gear. Don’t drink and ride.
One-third of all motorcycle fatalities involve impaired riders, the Patrol said. In short, said Patrol Lieutenant Gordon Shank: “Ride sober.”
56th year
The Spring Flood Run dates to 1965 when bikers, mostly cooped up all winter, bust forth by the thousands and loop up and down the Minnesota and Wisconsin river routes, crossing the river at Hastings, Red Wing, Wabasha and Winona. It’s a great day run. There are choke points at taverns, where police station themselves for excesses and emergencies. There also has developed a shorter loop from Hastings up and down the St. Croix River. The event has grown from a mostly spontaneous ritual into a quasi-organized event headquartered at Beach Bar in St. Croix.
The cause
The Run originally was to help with rescue and recovery after 1965 flooding. Today the event raises money for Gillette Children’s Hospital in St. Paul.