CV Museum Gears Up With New Bike Tour Maps
get some exercise while learning about Eau Claire's history and scenery
Looking for new ways to explore Eau Claire? Check out the Chippewa Valley Museum’s three new historical bike tours, which explore Eau Claire’s natural history, industries, and scenic bridges. “We want this to be a fun activity for people to get outside and learn more about Eau Claire,” said museum Director Carrie Ronnander. The project began more than four years ago but the pandemic gave the museum staff the time – and the interest in outdoor activities – to put it all together.
The bike tours are self-guided, feature about 10 stops each, and cover between 3 and 6 miles. The tours are outlined in free pamphlets, which are available at the museum and several other locations (see below). The project was made possible through the efforts Diana Peterson, the museum’s curator of collections, who did some digging for historical tidbits to include in the tours. Funding came from a Mayo Hometown Health Grant.
In addition to the bike tours, the museum is launching a historical walking tour, which has been in the works since the museum led a walking tour in the late 2000s. The walking tour, available for free through the website Clio, features nine historic stops including the State Theatre, Banbury Place, and the Schlegelmilch House. The walking tour – though not highly publicized – has been around nearly a year, but the museum staff decided to hit the pause button when Roger Gostomski of Eau Claire Tours launched his own walking tours, as they didn’t want to steal the spotlight, Ronnander said.
“I really hope that people get a better sense of the place they live,” Ronnander said, “and they get out in their community and see it with fresh eyes.”
Bike tour maps are available at the Chippewa Valley Museum in Carson Park, The Local Store, the L.E. Phillips Senior Center, and local bike shops. Check out more information at cvmuseum.com.
