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Bicycling has been a popular activity in Minnesota since the late 19th century. Since at least 2001, the state has claimed to have more miles of bike trails than any other in the U.S. For 2010, Minnesota was ranked as the 4th most bicycle-friendly state by the League of American Bicyclists, moving up from its 5th-ranked position in 2008 and 2009. It was only exceeded by Washington, the neighboring state of Wisconsin, and Maine. Much of the state's bicycle culture is centered in Minneapolis, the state's largest city, but the extensive network of trails has helped make cycling common throughout the state. ''Bicycling'' magazine called Minneapolis the country's #1 bike city in 2010. Among the 50 U.S. cities with the largest workforces, Minneapolis has ranked #2 (behind Portland, Oregon) in percentage of bicycle commuters since 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Among the largest 442 cities in the country, it ranked a more modest #15 that year. However, commuting data only provides a small window into overall activity—nationally, only about 5% of cycling trips are for commuting to school or work. ==Early history== Bicycles were an extremely popular means of personal transportation in the U.S. and Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries before the automobile became more widely available. As in many other states, bicyclists in Minnesota were early backers of the Good Roads Movement. Cyclists also formed clubs to gather and hold competitions. In the 1890s, Minnehaha Park in Minneapolis became home to a mile-long cycling track that was used for racing. Minneapolis was already building an extensive park system during this time, which was built upon during succeeding generations—including a significant amount of help during the Great Depression when the Civilian Conservation Corps made improvements. Today, a nearly continuous system of parkways, bike paths, and pedestrian walkways encircle the city as the Grand Rounds Scenic Byway. Other cities, particularly Twin Cities suburbs have also built large networks of bike paths, but it's an idea that has spread to other places such as Rochester, which has about as much park land as Minneapolis despite having a significantly smaller population. The Minnesota Council of the American Youth Hostels organization (now known as Hostelling International USA) put on many outdoor activities for teenagers and other youths traveling through the state. Some of these activities included bike trips in Minnesota and Wisconsin, and the organization has continued to promote cycling until today. In 1967, they held the first century ride in the state, the Minnesota Ironman (this occurred more than a decade before the first Ironman Triathlon). In the 1980s, the Minnesota Council began selling the Minnesota Bike Atlas. Eventually, a specific Twin Cities Bicycling Club was formed in 1993, and split off into a separate organization in 2001. However, the two entities still cooperatively run the Minnesota Ironman event and produce the Minnesota Bike Atlas.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=A Brief History of the Minnesota Council of Hostelling International USA ) 〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Cycling in Minnesota」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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